Cape Air vs Great Lakes
#1
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Joined APC: Jun 2012
Position: In a holding pattern
Posts: 26
Cape Air vs Great Lakes
Hello all. I'm a new member, long time lurker here. I have a choice to make and would like some feedback and see what everyone else would do.
Background:
33yr old
750 total time
Married (Wife is a flight attendant)
Living in Florida
I have offers from both Great Lakes and Cape Air. I'm on the fence as to which to go with. Lakes means moving west (wife is ok with it, she can transfer crew base to one out west) but it means turbine time. Both places pay sucks for the first year so the money isn't the factor. With HR5900 looming and only having 750hrs, I don't see any other regionals knocking down my door for the next year. My other option is to stay instructing but we all know how that goes. Both are decent companies.
What would you do?
Thanks!!
PS. no pressure to respond or anything, but my class date with Lakes is Monday
Background:
33yr old
750 total time
Married (Wife is a flight attendant)
Living in Florida
I have offers from both Great Lakes and Cape Air. I'm on the fence as to which to go with. Lakes means moving west (wife is ok with it, she can transfer crew base to one out west) but it means turbine time. Both places pay sucks for the first year so the money isn't the factor. With HR5900 looming and only having 750hrs, I don't see any other regionals knocking down my door for the next year. My other option is to stay instructing but we all know how that goes. Both are decent companies.
What would you do?
Thanks!!
PS. no pressure to respond or anything, but my class date with Lakes is Monday
#2
On Reserve
Joined APC: Feb 2011
Posts: 14
I would say great lakes would be a better choice. Its nothing against Cape Air. I am an X 9k pilot myself and live on the cape. At 9k with 750TT you will be sitting right seat in a C-402 until you reach 1200TT. You will then fly the mail plane for about 300HRS until you meet the mins for your ATP, then you will be garanteed a captain position, which is the ultimate goal since Cape air is mainly a single pilot operation (minus the Guam operations). You will be based in Hyannis, MA which is a pretty expensive area to live during the summer and probably will be transfered to San Juan in the winter. Thats what would have happened when I was there. But I hear now they have much more bases in the Midwest area, upstate New York and Baltimore area so be prepared.
It really depends on your goals. Airline Pilot I presume? Turbine time is very Important which is the main reason I would say Lakes. Pick an area where you can bring your family and minimize your commute (if you can).
With all that said, 9k was the best job I had ever had. I really loved my job, but the draw to fly jets and eventually go overseas where I am now was just too great. I hope to be able to go back if I ever hit the LOTTO!!
Good luck
It really depends on your goals. Airline Pilot I presume? Turbine time is very Important which is the main reason I would say Lakes. Pick an area where you can bring your family and minimize your commute (if you can).
With all that said, 9k was the best job I had ever had. I really loved my job, but the draw to fly jets and eventually go overseas where I am now was just too great. I hope to be able to go back if I ever hit the LOTTO!!
Good luck
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2009
Position: Jets and Props
Posts: 188
Being a 9K pilot and loving this company makes it very hard to say this, but in your current situation, if the airlines are your end goal, it looks like Great Lakes is the right career choice. With our new contract here though you will start accruing seniority and longevity as an FO so it will be a nice jump when you do make Captain. Right seat 402 time is barely worth the the paper its logged on though. If QOL is important to you I would pick Cape Air.
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2011
Position: 737 CA
Posts: 949
#6
On Reserve
Joined APC: Nov 2008
Position: C402 Driver
Posts: 10
I'm a 9k pilot, and I guess I might be biased towards this company, but I think that ultimately, you'd be much happier at Cape Air. I don't think that Great "Mistakes" earned it's name from nothing, but at your age, I can see where the decision would be tough. Like other previous posters have said, the pay as an FO here sucks, but I don't think that you'd find many 9k pilots that have many negatives about the company. Your QOL would be much better here, but you'd have to tighten your belt a couple holes.
#7
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2009
Position: Jets and Props
Posts: 188
I'm a 9k pilot, and I guess I might be biased towards this company, but I think that ultimately, you'd be much happier at Cape Air. I don't think that Great "Mistakes" earned it's name from nothing, but at your age, I can see where the decision would be tough. Like other previous posters have said, the pay as an FO here sucks, but I don't think that you'd find many 9k pilots that have many negatives about the company. Your QOL would be much better here, but you'd have to tighten your belt a couple holes.
#9
New Hire
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6
I am a former "Laker" and would have to say Lakes will make you one hell of a pilot. Fun flying, great people to fly with, training is tough, no GPS, no Autopilot, horrible work hours and horrible management. With that said I wouldn't change my decision of going there for anything. It makes training at any other airline a breeze and you will enjoy the QOL much more once you leave.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Zach
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Zach
#10
I am a former "Laker" and would have to say Lakes will make you one hell of a pilot. Fun flying, great people to fly with, training is tough, no GPS, no Autopilot, horrible work hours and horrible management. With that said I wouldn't change my decision of going there for anything. It makes training at any other airline a breeze and you will enjoy the QOL much more once you leave.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Zach
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Zach
It isn't any fun going through initial at a jet carrier when everyone else has been flying glass and FMS for the last 10 years and you are trying to learn how to program a flight plan into the box. Training departments will not have much sympathy to the fact that you don't know how to program an box but you have great "hand flying skills"
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