Well said!

When I was at Mesa, jumpseated twice with Skywest in the same day with Chicago crews. Both crews were down to Earth, treated me like their own.
On the flip side, had an Envoy CA on my jumpseat who started in near the destination say, "I can't understand why anyone would go to a bottom feeder airline".
These attitudes are mostly at the regional level only. Teamsters 1224 certainly are trying the same crap at the ACMI level with their "missery loves company" bullcrap.
My airline has regional pilots from every non wholy owned. If there are any pilots from PSA, Envoy, or PDT, I haven't run into them yet. All of us get along and could care less about past politics and Infighting. It's viewed as a childish game played by people with small dicks. So when you run into an Envoy pilot disrespecting you, it's because they have a small dick.

The training is Good. The people are friendly. A lot of the stuff you hear online is just not true or perhaps very old information. I think 3 months is an average training length, add a couple of weeks if you need ATPCTP. The health insurance is truly awful,if you have anyone in your family who utilizes health insurance you will want to get some details on it. They get you at both ends, high deductible and then you pay anything over 80%! Reserve isn't terrible if you live in base. I was on reserve in DFW last month, I blocked a little over 80 hours, I worked three days of Open Time and got some 200 and 300% getting credit for a little under 110 hours! Captain upgrades are quick, I flew with a Captain today who has been here 2 1/2 years. If you get to a thousand hours you can upgrade. I meet Mesa pilots all the time getting 95 hours per month. If you want to fly and make money, come to Mesa. Also, I've met United and Atlas pilots who started at Mesa,there doesn't appear to be a stigma.

Thanks for your honest feedback,Im trying to make a wise decision here,I got family and kids. I live in Phx not a big fan of commute, but with no
Part 121 experience there is not choice. Things are changing now. Got a friend that took 11yrs to go to majors..$60k first yr is no bad,but 2nd yr with no bonus making barely 40k sucks..if you dont upgrade to ca.

Potential New Hire
 

I'm a mil aviator about to retire but not current (4 years since last flight), so flying is THE priority. I live in DC so I'm looking at the Regionals with domiciles there. Can anyone confirm that IAD is a new hire/junior FO base? How long on Reserve as an FO there? Is 95 hrs/mo typical at IAD? I want to fly...A LOT...so the combo of living in base and flying my tail off is very attractive. Thanks for the SA!

CommutAir, Air Wisconsin, TSA, and Republic all have DC area bases too I believe. Mesa’s IAD base is up in the air with the CRJ’s expiring. No word on renewals, or what the future of IAD holds.

IAD is jr FO Base. CPA expires starting in August Ending in December. The future there is uncertain. Right now the last two bid periods nobody (FO) was put on reserve who didn’t bid to be. You’ll be on reserve after IOE but have a line on the next bid - the way it looks right now.

Thanks for the insights...CPA refers to the contract, I assume? Any upcoming deadlines where there might be a decision to extend IAD?

We’ve been waiting for some sort of announcement promised in “a few weeks” at each of the last 3 financial results conference calls. I’m assuming we will see something this month on the ejet as two planes expire in June. I’ll be August for the CRJs in IAD.

Should that dissuade you? No. Seniority is king. Go somewhere. Get a number. Mesa isn’t going under but things will anyways change in this industry.

PSA starts DFW flying in January. Been hearing it will increase through 2020.