CrowneVic

I would like to know why Mesa has the reputation it does with certain people. I know pay is generally lower, but my priorities are base location, equipment, and gaining seniority the fastest, so I can achieve the best QOL. The pay issue doesn't bother me as much.

I understand the schedules are tough and they fly you a lot, but shouldn't that improve within a reasonable time with seniority, considering they are hiring so much?

Is all the negative talk truly justified?

What is life at Mesa really like?

Can it be possible that a major carrier looks down on an applicant simply because they worked somewhere, rather than consider experience, clean record, company fit, etc?

I am contemplating applying, and would appreciate honest, non-emotional feedback based in fact, from ACTUAL current/very-recently-former Mesa pilots. You may have "heard" something from a "friend", but you don't actually KNOW if you never worked there, so I would appreciate comments being limited to the above group.

Thank you kindly.

PC12Junkie

I’m contemplating as well, because I live in Houston. Know that I can pick my aircraft and get Houston right after groundschool. But the problem I have is the high cost of your health benefits for family,which I could decline and go on the market instead. But also the bonus at the end of year 3, I don’t understand. It should be after year 2. Otherwise I’ll not make enough on year 2 to support my family till I make captain. I just can’t find that sweet scenario to be able to afford it to Captain.

Jungedrache

Be careful on the answers you get.

This might be the worst place to ask a question like that since the majority of people I've seen answering the most are pessimistic and complain about everything.

I just finished training. I haven't flown yet but I have been in another airline to compare and I can tell that so far it's not as bad as they make you believe... sure it has its bad things as many other airlines do, there's no such thing as a perfect airline... (9E probably after they new contract hehe) but overall all the reasons you mention are what made me come here and are true... the bases, the upgrades, etc etc.

If that's what you need to have better QOL welcome aboard and make the best of your time here, because being a good pilot or a bad pilot is completely up to you and not the airline you work for... good apples and bad apples are everywhere.

Aurora8

The health insurance costs have been a concern of mine as well, but they seem quite high at every company I've seen the numbers on (except NetJets).
What about the Medicade subsidy? When I plug in my numbers, it tells me I'm eligible for a $1,300/month subsidy, which lowers the cost to about $200 a month for a family of four...

https://www.healthcare.gov/medicaid-...medicaid-chip/

I've been overseas for years and didn't have to worry about health insurance, so maybe I'm missing something re the above?

No Land 3

Health insurance at YV is a no starter. If you need it, look elsewhere.

PC12Junkie

Thanks for the heads up, totally forgot about the tax incentive. Will recompute. My bad, thank you for your response.

calmwinds

I agree that responses on this board should be suspect. Positive responses are normally company recruiters (trolls) and negative responses are normally trolls from other regionals. Also, each base is different. There isn’t one answer for Mesa.

In IAH, for an FO (once you get out of training) life isn’t bad “for now”. They awarded “Min Credit” last month to some FO’s. “For now” is also operative. Last May, we were short of FO’s and Mesa was beating the FO’s to death. I got weekends and Christmas off this month.

Now, we are short of CA’s in IAH, Mesa is beating the CA’s to death. In my opinion, it is causing CA’s to move on sooner than if they weren’t being beat to death. On the other hand, CA’s are picking up trips at 300% like crazy and some are blocking over 200 credit hours per month. For an FO’s, the brow beating of CA’s has shortened the upgrade time from 24 months to 21 months.

To get a job with a major carrier, you have to meet their requirements. I flew with 4 CA’s last month. One was going to Spirit and one was going to Southwest. Another guy I know went to Delta last month.

Make sure you have your 4 year degree. After you have your 1,000 hours 121 time for the upgrade, then head to the training department. All this looks good on a resume for a major. Look at your check-ride/training busts. Your professional appearance. Would a major hire you if they interviewed you?

A home base offers a QOL that cannot be overlooked. There is not a better regional at IAH. If health insurance is a show stopper, then commute to a different regional with better health benefits.

One concern that I have for the outlook for Mesa is that all the regionals, except Mesa, are starting to respond to the Endeavor pay bump. That means new hires will dry up again and we could see negative pilot growth, like we had before our new contract, again. That means Mesa will just load up our schedules.

PC12Junkie

I don’t have an issue with the health benefits now, just used the tax incentive and can get a better deal on the exchange. I have PLENTY of time , 5400+ total, of that over 4000+ is turbine time. But the kicker is I only have 300+ multi-turbine/jet. That’s why I don’t apply for the legacies, because I would get shot down for the multi, in my opinion. I can hang with a brutal schedule for a year to get that 1000+ sic jet time to boost my resume and maybe look elsewhere. Unless when it’s time to upgrade, it doesn’t look that bad to me from a company/financial perspective.

Any advice would be great and thank you for it.

calmwinds

Living in Houston, you should choose the Ejet with Mesa. Get your 1,000 tpic in the Ejet after 3 years and move on.

PC12Junkie

I have over 4000+ turbine PIC, but not multi. It’s in Cessna Caravans and Pilatus PC-12’s. My 300+ multi is from KingAir B200 and Cessna Citation 500 Series.