Originally Posted by Irishblackbird (Post 2769370)

Spirit and Frontier have relatively short upgrade times, under 5 years, with a lot of planned growth. I'd rather make more money as a young FO at a LCC than a CA at a regional. Continue to try for the legacies while at an LCC, and know that if you never make it, you still have a much better job and work rules than a regional.

Originally Posted by OpMidClimax (Post 2769436)

Don't go to pdt.. worst reserve rules in the industry.

Making more money today at an lcc means you'll have more money at 65 than if you played around in the regionals for another 5 to 10 years. Take the best money you can get today, preferably outside the the regionals

Originally Posted by SpringLanding (Post 2771003)

Commutair only has airport reserve, so even living in base may not make it more fun. But they are so desperate for captains that you would probably get to fly every time you were assigned reserve.

However, 1000 multi turbine PIC is the ticket to the dance. Do a year of that at Commutair and then upgrade to an LCC or cargo operation.

6 year FOs at Expressjet would have been hired by now at United via CPP if they had gone to Commutair at year 3.

Short term pain, long term gain.

Originally Posted by NotMine (Post 2769330)

Direct entry captain: to go or not to go??

While they’re all dangling the carrot of 45K sign on CA bonuses.

You’re 7 months into employment with what everyone calls a “bottom” feeder regional. You’re experience allows you to upgrade but you can’t hold the seniority and it’s so unpredictable. You’re desperate for TPIC since you have 0, coming back from time off from flying and need to advance ASAP to get to your dream job to enjoy maybe 20 or so yrs. You need the left seat $$.

It’s Reserve for life no matter staying put at your current company or moving on. You’ll commute no matter the company.
Work rules are so much better at anywhere else vs your bottom feeder. So you hope. IE: you don’t get commuter hotels, commuter clause is terrible, DH is not 100%, pay/per diem is lowest, now real effective “flow” which is used as a terrible recruiting scheme. No incentive to continue doing this for anymore SIC time.

Do you jump ship to:
1-Piedmont
2-Commutair
3-GoJet
4-Or any other regional hiring day one/two into the left seat?
5-Stay put and wait your number while saying this place bites in all ways.

Originally Posted by Phoenix21 (Post 2772011)

Jump ship to a U/LCC and keep your apps in with the legacies... and hit hw job fairs... I have a buddy at Delta who made it with 2500 jet SIC time and no TPIC so it’s possible.

Go to Endeavor or Republic. Get paid as much as DECs as a FO and make a lot more $ when you upgrade. Have a good QOL as well.

DEC is a dicey proposition for many folks. Learning a new jet and a new FOM can cause problems. PDT apparently has had a low DEC success rate. The folks who’ve had the best performance either know the jet, or flew at another AA WO.

Originally Posted by Flyboy68 (Post 2777773)

Neither are hiring right now due to classes being filled for the rest of the year unfortunately.

Originally Posted by Phoenix21 (Post 2777965)

Probably worth the wait tbh.

Or you may want to look at USA Jet or someplace like that. Go back to being an FO in something you’re familiar with before branching out.

Old not glass/FMS jet SIC time combined with lack of currency is setting yourself up for failure, or a large struggle to succeed in a DEC training program.

You’ll be better off going into an RJ and getting flight current as an FO. You can always DEC at another airline after you’ve got some current aircraft experience.

Originally Posted by Phoenix21 (Post 2777965)

Probably worth the wait tbh.

Or you may want to look at USA Jet or someplace like that. Go back to being an FO in something you’re familiar with before branching out.