jaypilot21

Read this quote and if it doesn't set in then read it again. If I am operating an aircraft with lives at stake I want the best training I can get. To take it one step farther, if "I flush" out from the best training that I can find then I should probably rethink my career.

I promise you my passengers want nothing but the best training possible for their flight crew.

QOL, pay, upgrade time... Should be considered but please don't over look the quality of training. If you choose to work for a company that just checks the boxes then please be the better guy and take learning the aircraft into your own hands.

calmwinds

Bull****. Our training is pretty good. We don’t just check boxes.

Republic just doesn’t give an extra sim or two as needed. There are several ex-Republic pilots here who will tell you that Republic’s training is the worst.

Yeah, you want a 5 year upgrade in base, go to Republic.

Republic’s training department can destroy a career. Let that sink in for a minute.

jaypilot21

I wasn't the one that said if you can't make it at republic then come to Mesa.

First I never said Mesa was bad. I also never said Republic is a better.

Secondly I never said anything about Mesa or Republics upgrade time. That can also be debated if you would like though.

My comment was strictly on training. And if, infact Mesa prays upon people who washed out of other 121 trainings I would be concerned. I am not saying that is the case or not but that is what was implied.

My self personally, I would figure out where I want to be in the next 5-10 years. I would then go to a pilot recruiting event and talk to one of their recruiters and explain to them that they are your end goal and ask them where most of their pilots are coming from and what is the best path.

Not living in base sucks but its a stepping stone to your end goal. This step could be your most important step.

If Republic or Mesa (or any regional) is your end goal then disregard everything that I said except for training. Never cut corners on training.

calmwinds

You are the one twisting comments. We will certainly take someone who flushes out of Republic’s program because their training program sucks.

If he was interested in not living in base, I would recommend an AA regional with a flow. He was the one wanting to be based on the DC area.

Not everyone wants the ****ty lifestyle of commuting.

Geardownflaps30

This is patently incorrect and is a poorly formed OPINION.

calmwinds

Based on what “facts” is yours not a flawed OPINION. What is Republic’s fail rate? What is your junior Captain hire date per base?

It is hard to suggest a pilot to go to Republic in DCA over Mesa in IAD. I did. However, I suggest if he flushed out, he could likely come here. Republic’s reputation precedes itself as far as its poor training program.

Helixx

Gentleman, thank you all for your input. Not commuting is high on my priority list. I have been commuting for the last 10 years on anywhere from 2 - 6 week rotations and I look forward to the luxury of driving to work and coming home 4 days later and still having food in my fridge that is edible. That by itself is a significant increase in quality of life, well worth the ***K paycut. I carefully saved my money over the last years and except for my beloved dog I have no mortgage, no wife and kids to support and intend to fully enjoy this new adventure. It sounds like training is equally good or bad depending how you look at it so I will just have to take my chances with that. E175 & DCA vs CRJ700 & IAD, so far a wash. Hotels from what I read here are not stellar in either case but I am sure better then the moldy trailers in a remote LA swamp or overseas. No junior manning at either company from what I understand. Pay about the same. Intending to stay for at least 3-5 years, not in a hurry to move on.

How about routes/destinations/schedules/short vs long legs, working conditions in general, anything else I need to look for or worth sharing?

Thank you

20sx

The 700's contract starts to run out next year. No one knows if they will be renewed, but it doesn't look good. The ejet will probably be officially based there one day.

Republic's contract is far and away superior to Mesa's. If you can reasonably hold DCA with them then it makes the choice easier, IMO.

Brody

When I started at Mesa, almost half of my class had just washed-out at other regionals.

Yes - you read that right.

The person sitting next to me on Day One of indoc admitted to me that Republic had just let him go . . . after 86 hours of IOE.

Not one of these pilots failed training at Mesa.

Several of them required extra training, however. Like repeating each sim session.

I found this to be (ahem) odd, so I asked a couple of check airman about it. They assured me that it was just a fluke - that none of these pilots would have passed IOE at Mesa had they been sub-par.

I will stand by my statement in a previous post - that I have never encountered a problem during my training at Mesa. Nor have I ever met an IOE captain who would sign off anyone whom they wouldn't put their own family on board with.

Helixx

Forgive my ignorance, ejet as in E175? That would actually be a good thing right? One would get to fly both within reasonable time of each other.