Choosing a regional - QOL above all
 

I'm a former army helicopter guy doing a transition to fixed wing and considering my regional options (I'll have 700 hrs rotor + 250 airplane). We're in the SAV area (about 4 hours from ATL and CLT) and although my spouse's profession provides a very comfortable income, it also means that moving (e.g. to live in-base) is just not an option. We also have two young kids, which means that quality of life & scheduling is far and away my most important priority, followed somewhere by benefits, path to the majors, and take-home pay last. I realize that many advocate for choosing whatever seems like the quickest path to the majors (which makes sense), but I would trade that for having a better QOL and scheduling flexibility during our kids' formative years. Right now I'm looking at Piedmont for the low/no reserve time & likelihood of being able to hold CLT pretty quickly (looks like an easy commute although I have no idea what the loads are) or PSA for possibility of the SAP. I've also interviewed with Envoy, but it seems like it would be tough to make those bases commutable, and about half of the Republic bases would be at least a 2-leg commute from SAV. So for the highest QOL, most days off or commutable lines, what makes sense?

-Piedmont
-PSA
-Republic
-Envoy

Something else?

Republic, then PSA.
I wouldn’t even consider Envoy or Piedmont. QOL at Envoy and even worse Piedmont, doesn’t exist.

CAE base at ZW can’t be more than 2.5 hrs from SO Georgia. Most Junior base in both seats so you would move up fast. Upgrade at 1000 hrs 121 as of today. I’d say it’s middle of the road on most of your criteria. Not best, not the worse. Except insurance, that would be top.

Again I wouldn’t exclude it based on your criteria - may not be the best option but worth a look.

Thanks, ZW definitely worth a look. I guess SkyWest would make sense as well with the ATL base, but I had initially steered away from those regionals with a lot of west coast bases, figuring that if I didn't get the one I wanted near home I would be in for a looong commute, which is why I originally looked at PDT pretty hard.

Eh, while Envoy isn’t right for the OP, I wouldn’t say it is non existent. Living in base and not brand new allows for a pretty good qol. Again, not right for everyone but not the worst either depending on your situation.

Is there is absolutely any way to drive to a base that should be your first and only option. Forget about the other details on everything else. The commute by air will wreck your life.

Republic or PSA, whichever is the shorter drive long term.

PDT you can likely hold CLT the whole time, but anything more than 2-3 days in a row for 11 days off a month total is a fluke.

I second this. Commuting is bad, like real bad. The only ones that can honestly say it isn't bad are those that are single and without family. Everyone else is just telling you lies. Commuting WILL, without a doubt, take you away from your family. There is no other way around it. You will miss more time with them, you will not always make it home, you will be more tired, you will be more stressed.

You can always tell the three pilot types that have it the hardest physically and mentally. Long haul international, night cargo and commuters. Again, people will argue this isn't true, but it is.

Good luck and try and pick the one that will allow you to drive. Even if it is a 3-4 hour drive, it will always be better knowing you have a way to your family that is under your control.

A great option if he doesn’t care about knowing when he can go home from work.

Republic or Skywest, whichever one would be the easiest for you to get to. As for the Atlanta base, it is damn near the junior domicile in the Skywest system:

Pilot Jobs » SkyWest Airlines

Yes Skywest has a lot of bases out west which is precisely where most of their pilots WISH to be domiciled. If you will fill a domicile out east VOLUNTARILY you will earn the everlasting gratitude of someone who does NOT wish to be assigned there.
Granted, ATL isn’t LGA, but either are a hell of a long two jump commute for a guy from Fresno.