Making it Count

So I think I have a plan figured out and I was just running it by you guys to see if I have completely missed something or if my plan seems pretty solid. First off QOL is the determining factor for me (wife and 2 kids right now but probably more in the future, kids not wife that is lol). I currently live in AZ. I flight instruct and plan to start interviewing for a regional job in about 6 months to a year. I know that a lot can happen in that time so that’s why I ask.

My plan is to hopefully get hired at PSA. Move back around the Indiana/Ohio border where I grew up (approx. 1 hr from Dayton). Family lives around there and with me being gone it would help the wife and kids. I Hope that I get based out of Dayton which seems to be very reasonable since it seems to be a junior base almost always. My questions are as follows.

1. Would Dayton ever not be a base since PSA is established there? Is it reasonable to think I would have no issues thinking I could do my whole time at PSA from there even directly out of training?

2. I believe SCR is 2hrs correct? If so is a one hr drive short enough to get to base and where I need to be at the airport if called upon?

3. Even if number 2 is a no. Putting myself on hot call not that big of a deal with how close I live?

4. I know this a highly opinionated question but im going to ask anyway. Putting yourself in my shoes is PSA and it’s new contract going to be able to change in such a great way that I would not want to follow through with my stated plan and come there to work?

My other options would be Compass or Mesa which I really don’t want to do for many different reasons. Both of them have a base in PHX now and I wouldn’t have to move but I live about 2 hrs from there and usually those bases are senior or will be by the time I would get there (compass being new and all). That puts me at commuting at least for a while.

TallFlyer

Making guesses about bases at Regionals that far out can be hazardous to ones sanity, but if I had to guess DAY is safe, as its company HQ. Not that that really means much, but the company in general seems really enamoured with outstation domiciles. Unless its CAK....

SCR is two hours in DAY. Living within an hour of the airport sohuld give you plenty of time. Figure 15-20 min from the parking lot to the Crewroom, also someone who has spent more time in DAY than I have will have a better figure for you.

You don't put yourself on Ready Reserve, that's assigned to you. Some changes in how that happens are probably forthcoming, and would work in your favor, but that's all I can say at the moment.

In general, being able to drive to base mitigates a LOT of issues in Regional life. In your case, you may find yourself in a position where you could bid reserve and not fly a lot, once the new rules are published. That's really all I can say about that now, except that those rules should be published long before you're here.

Again, no one can make promises, but you're in a position to move back home and drive to a currently growing regional with a flow in one of its Junior bases. Unless you really, really like PHX, that's about as good as it gets.

Let me know if you have any more questions and I'll be happy to help.

Otterbox

Piedmont just shut down it’s pilot base in its HQs town... DAY should be safe for PSA for a bit but nothing is certain. You should be okay otherwise, and it sounds like a workable plan.

TallFlyer

As you say, nothing is certain, but we also have a bazillion square feet of hangar space in DAY. We've also got CVG just down the road, but I would consider that less secure than DAY.

All that said, Regional Airline Management has never claimed to be constrained by Pilot Logic.

Making it Count

Thanks guys. I appreciate the input.