If you were going to choose today...
 

And had your choice, what regional would you go with? Not as a career, but as a stepping stone - and eventually move up.

I may be getting out of the military in the next year, working on fixed wing right now, and will meet the restricted ATP requirements thanks to UH-60 flying. I don't mind putting in my time and paying my dues, all part of the game. Just like flight school at Rucker, I expect to keep my nose in the books and put in plenty of study time as well.

I know a few offer their own rotor to fixed transition, which is a plus. I have read far too many negative things about Horizon to consider them. If I were going to stay with a regional for a career, I'd probably go for Skywest - but for just a few years, they aren't competitive in pay (hourly or bonuses) unless there is something I haven't seen about them that I'm missing.

So if you had your choice, if you were offered a job from all of these, which would you spend your years with before moving on?

Thanks





*I decided on a poll because no matter how many different threads about different airlines, there are plenty of good and bad things said about them all.

I'm not exactly sure why you wouldn't just put SkyWest on the list then. Not only is it a great place to have a career, but it's a great place to use as a stepping stone to something bigger. The junior domiciles monthly average credit for FOs is 89hrs. Upgrade under 2 years.

Well where do you wanna live? Are you willing to commute? Are you ok with uprooting your family if you have one? How hard would a commute be if you had to do it? These are the questions you need to be asking. Sometimes Gojet or Mesa are the right choices for people depending on their family life. Sometimes it's Skywest or endeavor. You need to do what will be best for your life and not ours.

As far as Skywest goes, if I were able to afford their lower pay it would be my top choice. I'd have to really look at it though. And if I had a choice, I'd prefer to live out west. With that said, I'm used to going where I have to, where I'm told, being away - Germany, Poland, Afghanistan, and various field exercises. No kids to be away from, the lady and I are already long distance. I'm not asking what is best for you, but what airline you'd favor. And I get it, there are many reasons to choose one over another that will have a large impact on your life. And there also might be factors I haven't thought of, or am aware of yet - I know there are plenty of things I didn't know about prior to the Army, that I wish I knew before.

Thanks again

Commutair sounds like a good option right now.

Piedmont, they have a guaranteed job at American, no interview required. Upgrade is as soon as you have the Faa requirements. They have competitive retention and sign on bonuses. If you got hired today it would be 6 years or less to American. (depending on the flow rate which is based on total pilots on property) only envoy could come close to that , but piedmonts upgrade time is faster if you want to try and go to another carrier sooner.

Pm if you have any questions

He doesn't need to rely on a flow since he's got military flying experience. He will be at a legacy within three years tops once he gets out.

Honestly, in a perfect world I'd go with a WO. (PSA, Endeavor etc, etc) Most, if not all of them, have some sort of flowthrough to their owners. Your private companies like Mesa or Compass might get you hours but there is no guarantee you're going to get a legacy interview.

Agree completely, but why not still go to a WO airline and get in through the front door? The WO airlines (not just AA WO) have more to offer because the parent companies have deeper pockets, and that's not only today but tomorrow as well should the bar get raised. Furthermore, we are starting to see third party competitor airlines starting to flounder in terms of recruitment and operational performance while WO airlines have been able to adapt. This is a collapsing segment of the industry, wouldn't you find it wise to hitch your wagon to a horse that seems more stable should things go south?

All of them are a different shade of ****.

He said he prefers a domicile out west. Show me an AA wholly owned with a West coast base, and when you find one let me know!

On a side note, it would be nice if AA knocked Skywest off of their west coast throne and opened up LAX and PHX for their WOs. They'd never have to actively recruit again.

Ah ok, i missed that part.

Perfect world I'd would have done Envoy as it's the easiest commute and I'm already typed on the aircraft.

But I'm happy with my choice of PSA because of various reasons.

True, most legacys just need you to be 121 current, and they are hiring like crazy. .. even still you would want a place with a fast upgrade, granted mesa and gojet and commute might still hire street Captians they don't offer the flow

"Gojet or Mesa" are never the "right" choice!:eek:;)

Someone has lost all credibility.. :rolleyes:

Instead of either of these airlines, just go to Skywest. Good airline, "good" pay, good training, good reputation. And literally the same plus many more west coast bases than both of the aforementioned bottom feeder airlines combined.

But maybe prex is right. Flying the same airplane from the same base while making half as much money is "the right choice"..........

Whatever airline has a base where you want to live...and be flexible about commuting for up to a year to get to "your" base. Commuting to reserve stinks.

Regarding going to the majors, be sure to get your 4-year degree...that can be a tie-breaker, even for prior military folks.

I was a helo guy, and added my fixed-wing time via FBOs and base aero clubs. I instructed a year at an aero club before getting hired with Enjoy (American Eagle back then), and they went bankrupt before I touched a jet. Decided to move west and have been with SkyWest a few years now. I'm enjoying living in base, and I plan to upgrade this summer (I delayed a year for better quality of life).

PM me if you have questions.

I appreciate the responses. I have my Bachelor's and two graduate certificates. SkyWest does stand out from the others from what I've read in QOL and offers west coast bases and would absolutely be my top choice, but from what I'm seeing (and again, may be missing something) others are paying up to $25k more with higher hourly and bonuses. That's a big chunk of change. Now I'm not driven to fly based on money, but I do have to pay the bills.

What I really want to do is fly again. In the past four months I've flown a combined total of 9 hours. Yes, 9 whole hours. Minimums are 8 per month, but with numerous AC in reset, transferring AC to different companies since we're getting new ones, flight hours are very low right now. At least in Afghanistan we were getting 40+ a month (30-60 usually). Came to the Army to fly, and that is the smallest part of my job. Certainly appreciate everything it has provided, but will move on asap.

Not saying SkyWest would take me, but for those who are with them is the QOL worth the lower pay? In your opinion and experiences, for yourself. Just brainstorming options for the future. QOL with a few years of lower pay vs suck it up (the Army way) and get paid better for a few years.

Probably enough talking from me for a while. Stay in the books, continue with FW training, eyes and ears open, mouth shut.

Never advocated but if it's the right fit for them it's the right fit. To each their own. I'd recommend a WO or Skywest all day long before them. I chose the better quality of life and pay.

Honest question, with the WO's, does the flow still apply without a 4 year degree?

CommutAir doesn't hire street captains.

I would go to Skywest which is where I went. You're saying in a "perfect world" but right now YOU get the choice of where you want to go. Don't settle.

Unless they tell you no on your interview....

Also, Skywest isn't competitive on pay because they don't throw around the bonuses. The pay beyond first year with quarterly bonuses and work rules slightly make up for it. You definitely will make more money at other regionals but really spend your time figuring out where you want to WORK, not what you want to get paid. So many grumpy friends around there because they got that huge $10k check I didn't, but they're based in New York, they don't have commutable schedules, their work rules suck....etc. Do your research. Don't fall for recruiter BS and big pay day.

Yes. I know guys who don't have degrees electing to do that instead of going to school.

Piedmont
PSA
Endeavor/Envoy

You get higher hourly and 16-23k bonus. Fast upgrades and great travel and healthcare. Good luck trying to fly standby at a non Wholly owned. Major airline and their pilots and Mx and FAs and gazillion dependents all go in front of you last minute.

West coast bases are cool but leave them for when you get hired at a major. Upgrade times on West Coast bases are notoriously high. Don't get stuck as an FO watching the pretty girls on the beach just to realize years later you should have took the first upgrade. How can you live on the West coast with low FO PAY anyway is beyond me.

All regionals suck. The goal is to get out quick and get decent pay to support yourself and family while stuck in the quagmire.

CommutAir might not hire street CA's, but they are hiring right into the CA position off the street for the Dash as of right now.

What is the difference between the two?

A street CA is hired as a CA. CommutAir does not hire anyone as a CA, only as FO's.

At CommutAir, we are growing fast enough that if you have the 121 qualifications to hold CA, then you will upgrade into a CA position into the dash during Indoc before you get to the systems or sims.

Ahhh but you see he has that "Rotor Stink" to him. We are not the same as all the AF/Navy flyers. Apparently our hours of crew coordination and hand flying 100knts at 100AGL don't count. But flying a fighter at 25k to drop a laser guided is better experience.....

Flying standby is not that difficult.

Not sure how American goes (which I heard is a stupid check in time) but I never had troubles as a ramp agent for DGS and that's bottom of the barrel priority. We were S4 on OO. United standby sucks but again not even bad.

Also, people flying their own metal will beat out WO anyways....

Standby travel always has it's ups and downs. Picking a regional based off that is a bit much....especially with other non-WO regionals will give you multiple benefits for different carriers making you bound to make one flight...

You have Jumpseat priority on your own metal. My wife can beat you out for a seat in the back of any American flight regardless.

It probably is though because at the airlines you're going to fly a jet at 25,000ft, not a helicopter at 100agl.

We have mainline travel benefits so if it's painted American we are priority. We also get the same healthcare and profit sharing as mainline. I flew first class last two times non reving. You are priority on your jumpseat if that is what you meant.

Energy management. Otherwise, it's all the same.

Not to completely throw a wrench in your plans but have you considered just staying with helos when you get out. As a relatively high time helo gut myself (7500 give or take) who is tossing around the regional idea, there are several openings with the various EMS outfits. AMC, Evac, PHI etc. looking for helo guys. Especially if you have actual IMC in category time and can fly SIFR. Depending where you end up, you can be making close to 6 figures from the start. Also, the 7-7 might be a good deal for QOL. Just my 2c. Best..

So you guys will beat me on AA but I can just hop on UAL/DL with my family as well. I'm just saying the non-rev life outside of WO isn't bad at all....actually isn't even a problem at all. We will all have days we get bumped and don't make it. I don't see how one could have problems with it unless they went to a regional that only had one airline benefits and wasn't a WO with a crappy priority.

I've read you guys had some stellar health care which is great. Didn't know how much you guys made in profit sharing though at the end of the year. Is it a nice bonus?

AAGs profit sharing pool was about 300 mil this year so it came out to be 3% of your W2 earnings. Nothing like the other big two but I'm not complaining. It was money I didn't have before and we also get performance bonus's throughout the year.

SkyWest gives you AA DL UA if you are CRJ in LAX PHX or ORD. Outside of those bases, DL and UA are default.

Haven't got my AA activated in ORD yet but not counting on it since I'm trying to bid out.

Not bad! Can't complain with money anyways!!