sdsunick

I just got hired on with American Eagle. Looks like the base I picked I will be flying the Saab for a few years before being able to upgrade to the Jet. Also the same day I got the job offer, I got an interview offer with Express Jet. I would probably be able to get based where I wanted to with Express Jet also. Now I guess I just need to get some imput of which one to take.

I know it's a tough choice either way, and I'm happy to be in this situation, just want to make the best choice for a company to stay with.

dojetdriver

By being able to "upgrade to the jet", what do mean? If you mean that you can transition into the "jet" as an FO, rethink your career plan. You want to go where you can get the PIC time the FASTEST. I don't know what the upgrade time at Eagle is now. I hear it is coming down, but to what, I don't know. Right now at XJET it's roughly 2 years. But that is NOW. In no way does that mean that it will always be 2 years. I personally see a slowdown in the not too distant future.

If all you care about is where you live, have a sugar momma, or the worst one yet, just want to "fly a jet", by all means, do whatever you want.

ImperialxRat

How much do you think XJT will slow to?....like 2.5-3 years?

dojetdriver

Tough call, we still have A LOT of attrition going on. I don't think I can tell what it will be. According to union reps, we don't staff on crews per airplane like most everybody else. They supposedly go on some complex alogorithmic formula taking into account historical sick calls, vacation, and blah blah blah. But is sure is some coincidence that is stiil works out to be about 5 crews or 10 pilots per airframe. Plus the usual 10% or so for managment and instructors.

One thing is for sure. As of yet, no new additional aircraft coming. Maybe in the future, but nothing yet. That slows upgrade and movement. But like I said, still a lot of attrition. Our last senority list has 2780 pilots, the most junior guy holding CA being about number 1950. Being on property about 22 months. This is on paper, by the time he goes to training and finshes OE and starts logging PIC time and a pay raise could be more like 27 months on property. BEAR IN MIND, THIS IS PRELIMINARY INFORMATION ONLY. IT IS NOT SET IN STONE YET. IT'S A SNAPSHOT OF THE BID AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW AND HASN'T CLOSED YET. SO EVERYBODY, CALM DOWN.

razorseal

if PIC is all that matters to you, you should just go with any airliner, hey who cares right? you should just join up mesa or something, all you need is PIC, who gives a crap about your work environment? Shame what this industry becoming

dojetdriver

So, I'm guessing PIC DOESN'T matter to you? If so, great. Live your life and be happy. Stay where you are. Maybe you are indepedently wealthy and just fly for fun. Cool. I don't think that anybody would argue with the advice of going to where you can upgrade the fastest, get the PIC, and move on. Excluding going to GOjets of course. If the upgrade slowed down to 6-7 years at XJET but was still short at MESA, what would you do if you were just getting into this industry? I'm not saying that MESA is a good place, it sucks. I have friends there, one is getting bent over and JA'd as I type this out.

Funny, pre 9/11 with all the hiring going on, nobody would question going to a carrier that had a quick upgrade but sucked total balls. As long as the hiring is going on, who cares? You are only there to get the PIC and get out. I know a lot of guys that went to Great Lakes pre 9/11 and upgraded fast and got out. Many have done well for themselves. Now, most people won't touch the place with a 10 foot pole.

Just my 2 cents. After a down grade, furlough, 60% pay cut, taxes, ALPA dues, medical, dental, uniform deduction, and 401K, it's only worth about .6 cents. So take it for what it's worth.

ToiletDuck

Did you put your resume in with Mesa? 7 months there. Or Colgan?

dojetdriver

To quote TonyC's words, you are "trolling for trouble". We were not talking about me, we are talking about a guy having the choice between AE or XJET for his first 121 job. Don't think MESA's upgrade was 7 months in March 2005 when I was taking a furlough.

Besides, why would I change companies now? I will be upgrading in a few months anyway. At a company that YOU have expressed interest in.

ToiletDuck

I'm not trolling for any trouble. I said that in simplicity to give a thought. While yes I agree quick upgrade is a biggie. You have exceptions. Mesa, GoJets. So there's more to it. To each his/her own. Some people want to kick back and live life a little and aren't in it for the shotgun experience. If an upgrade was 3yrs at company A instead of 2yrs at comp B yet comp A had higher FO pay, better benifits, travel options, domiciles, 401k contributions ect I wouldn't mind spending an extra year as an FO. Heck you'd get more senority.

***To the poster. In this case AE can't offer anything XJT can't. So it's a landslide in this case. However outside of this comparison go for the one you think best suits your lifestyle rather than a quick upgrade. I've been away from my family and friends for a year and a half working out in the middle of nowhere because it was a great opportunity but after this I'm prettymuch burnt out. Doing whatever it takes to get in that left seat isn't everythign for me. I don't mind spending a little extra time if it's a good work environment and lets me be with family and friends. I went from costal waters to the texas/mexican desert. It doesn't get much worse than that. My dues are in!

JoeyMeatballs

Eagle sure as hell isnt getting any new airplanes, do you really want to spend the next 5-6, maybe??? more years in the right seat of a SAAB? Your crazy. Dont go anywhere for PIC, it changes so quickly, go where you want, NOBODY on this forum has a crystall ball, I laugh when i see these Airline VS Airline threads, gimme a break, its your choice. What do you want to fly, where do you want to live? What kind of company do you want to work for, Each company has a very unique corporate culture, especially Eagle and Expressjet