Live in Dallas - Skywest or Envoy
 

How much different really is Skywest and Envoy ? In regards to

1) Time to Upgrade to Captain
2) Internal opportunities to be a LCA, Safety, etc
3) Overall QOL
4) Culture, number of A-holes who work at company
5) Pay/Salary
6) Anything else I may have missed

I live in Dallas and cannot physically relocate due to parents and their age/health issues. Long term goal is a major airline (like everyone else...) with SWA as primary target.

I already have 2,500 turbine (all multi-engine turboprop, but...) PIC as signer of the aircraft, ATP, 4-year degree, and some other stuff to include leadership/management roles and IP. TT is approx 6,000.

I am getting advice that I need to "check the 121 box" and do regionals to boost my resume.

Thank you

(Poll posted)

I'll speak on the above regarding Envoy.

1. Immediately once you have the 121 required flight time for upgrade.

2. Lots of opportunities. They need LCA and sim instructors both. Both pay very well.

3. Lots of variables here. Biggest variable is if you can drive to work. DFW will at least be an option at some point at Envoy. Rumors of a SKW DFW coming but just rumors so far. If SKW does indeed open DFW and that's an option, SKW will have better QOL. Otherwise, if you had to commute your entire time at SKW, then Envoy would win in QOL.

4. Overall, great pilot group. Just like anywhere, there are a holes around. But they are far and few between.

5. Pay is spelled out for both airlines on the Airline Profiles page on the site.

6. Simply stated, I'd got to SKW for the QOL if they do indeed open a DFW base. If not, I'd got to Envoy to at least be able to drive to work eventually. Commuting SUCKS!

Wouldn’t he be pushed to LGA with the Captain upgrade with Envoy though?

Yes, instantly. It’s a forced upgrade once you meet minimums, and their reserve rules are currently the most abusive in the industry.
That’s fact, not opinion.

Yes. That's why I said "eventually" get back to DFW.

You’re going to commute at either. Why not pick someplace that pay$.

Like Spirit or Frontier?

What does a LCA make at Envoy? Is that the same as a SOE Captain?

It’s a $40/hr override when flying acting as a LCA. LCA carry out line checks as well as IOE.

Having flow at both... Envoy seems to throw a wrench into things at every turn. I got base bumped, displaced back to FO ect, but had i put up with all that crap for another 13 years i would be at AA right now. No SkyWest. Been good no complaints., SWA loves OO guys. SWA Training is made up of former OO guys as well as there chief pilot. OO has a growing DFW operation. Rumor of a base there but not tell 2019. Good luck.. (family first)

Mesa air group

Ugghh! That sounds horrible. Commute to LGA of all places and then get stuck on reserve as FO’s senior to you get displaced to the same base when they get the hours.

Not as bad as it once was. Today's turd is tomorrow's chocolate.

Uhm, yeah not the case with Mesa...:confused::confused::rolleyes:

Can you explain? Serious question.

Just read the posts in the Mesa thread...;);)

IF you're a 175 FO, and you make CA, does Envoy still force you to LGA in the 145, or do you stay in the 175 family (ORD-DFW)?

Most likely displace you to LGA unless your seniority can hold the 175. Type you are currently flying is irrelevant for being displaced to upgrade only seniority.

Currently at Mesa, really not that bad, people just complain about everything on here, don't listen to what you hear on an online forum, I mean, have you read some of the rumors on here?? lmao

Have you been at other carriers? What do you have it to compare to? We have a bunch of ex Mesa guys at my company. I hear nothing but negative things about that place. Of course the grass seems green there when you haven't seen the grass on the other side of the fence. I'm glad you enjoy it.

I haven't personally, but have family who went through other regionals, also plenty of friends. But I can't complain when I get based where I live too. Also I don't think there is such thing as an amazing regional, they all have their problems. They all sound about the same from what I hear. And thanks, me too! Just from everything I've experienced here hasn't been so dreadful like others say. I have also flown with guys here that have been elsewhere that talk badly about their previous regionals too. But I'm not saying Mesa is the place to be obviously. It's like you just said, how can you compare something you haven't experienced, goes both ways for the people that say another airline is a horrible place to be when they have never been there.

OK, let's bring some reality back to this thread. Let us assume the OP needs 1000 121 time to upgrade.

You will NOT be forced to upgrade to LGA, with almost 100% certainty. I don't see forced upgrades continuing beyond the summer or fall vacancy. The forced upgrades is a temporary fix that causes more problems than it fixes due to the increased training cycles.

Reserve rules are abusive? Its torture if you have to commute. Agreed..... It's the best QOL if you live in base and are relatively senior.

To the OP- Envoy is currently hiring HVA. The more HVAs hired after you get hired here then the better your initial relative CA seniority will be. If 200 CAs are junior to you when you reach 1000 hours then you will leap frog them and be able to hold DFW as soon as you reach 1000hrs. However, I think DFW may become senior because a year ago we were offering right into the 175 based on age. DFW was the only 175 base we had so OLD FARTS started coming here because they knew they could hold the 175 in DFW. So once those guys upgrade then they will want DFW.

Honestly everything here is so fluid with the massive amount of growth that I don't have a clue what its going to look like when you have 1000 hours. No one else does either. Either airline is an OK option. If we were talking about Endeavor or RAH possibly opening up a base in DFW then I would think hard about going there.

Thank you. Availability date is mid-2020, was given advice from folks I respect that my resume is good but I need to "check the 121 box" via regional airlines and that is really all I need for the majors to get interest in my apps.

Your coworkers sitting in my jump seat say otherwise.

Forced upgrades that are happening under 15G4 will continue maybe for another bid or two.

Will a NEW HIRE today with 0 121 hours will be forced to upgrade in two years? There is a slim to no chance this will happen. Maybe if the union and the company come to some sort of an agreement with an LOA, then his chances will increase.

Also, a NH will today will have DEC junior to him on the list in LGA, ORD, and maybe even MIA or DFW.

So let's get back to reality and realize the issues we face today are not going to be the issues we face tomorrow. My reality at my airline is different then my coworkers reality. There is a major difference between new 121 pilots and seasoned 121 pilots experiences.

Mesa and Republic are probably your only choices.

Republic does not have Dallas base, right?

No, but they have IAH.