friend

Well…

okay one gets on as a first Officer flies maybe 6 months to 1 year to become captain. The issue is becoming or upgrading to captain is not the easy especially when JSX doesn’t have a reputable training program. It’s not AQP, your all on your own, there is no structured training program. You honestly believe these young low time FO will pass upgrade. Having a failure on your record especially for upgrade will look very bad and might limit one to be stuck there their entire life. I know everyone won’t fail but why risk it why take a chance and go to a regional with a decent training program that usually they help and give you the right tools so you pass.

HPNjohn

No one is forcing anyone to upgrade.
They will give you extra sims while in training if you need it. Some regionals may wash you out if you fail any part of the AQP program.

Again, JSX is a great opportunity for people who are not yet able to go to a regional or meet mins to fly 135 IFR.

Sounds like you haven’t been here, so you don’t know what the training actually looks like to be saying what you are.

Minepza

Nah. The initial training on the ERJ at CAE is a no brainer. The plane is designed for low time pilots, plus unless you're in DAL, the flying is pretty easy with no delays or significant weather. As far as the upgrade, nothing says that you have to upgrade at a set time, you upgrade when you're ready. Plus being 135, it's a bit more straight forward than 121 training. There's no question JSX provides better quality of life than any regional that has the same bases. You're making over 100K, average around 120K as a Captain, and as far as the FO pay, well if you have like 500 hours with no jet time I mean beggars can't be choosers. Good luck.

BurnerPilot

Beggars can’t be choosers? Sure maybe. The different FO scales are BS and we all know it. I bet the chief would even agree but it’s not worth his acknowledgment nor will he give a non management type of answer.
$120k is what year two FO’s at regionals will be making across the board soon. The pilot group needs a pay raise. Randy is completely oblivious about how much attrition there is and there will be turnover here soon. We already see FO’s leaving. Why stay here when you are able to go to a union shop and get paid a much better wage with better work rules.
This company is so reactive that it is almost delirious. They try not to admit it over the pilot calls but as soon as an issue arises, they blow it off until they notice that it may actually be a problem. For example the solution for summers on the ground in Vegas are much better, the bandaid of a pay raise helped a couple people to stop from leaving but many lifers ended up leaving anyway. This company would THRIVE if they were proactive but they love to pretend to listen to us but they just blow smoke. The investors will sweep the sheet from under us if this company bleeds again. I’m certain they wouldn’t like that.

Johndoe12

First Officers under 1500 hours make just about the same as a manager at McDonald’s right now. The first Officer pay scales are a joke

rickair7777

Anybody who doesn't have an ATP is basically an intern in the professional turbine world.

ZapBrannigan

More like an apprentice but yes.

HPNjohn

What does an ATP rated FO offer that a non-ATP FO does not, in this 135 operation?

Minepza

Yea they should be paid normal pay. But low time pilots still show up so

HPNjohn

And that is where I was going with that; all FO’s here, regardless of hours, do the same job.

But as someone else said earlier, this company is only reactive, never proactive. So until that flow of low time pilots stops, they won’t do anything to fix the problem.