YOUR Top 5 Regionals to work for
 

Ok guys don't make this more difficult than it is. I realize there are MANY different factors for what makes a good regional.

Base it on Pay, QOL, upgrade, and one other perk of your choosing. Let's talk about the Pros and Cons. I think if people participate this could be beneficial to a lot of people looking for regional jobs.


Here are my top 5 based on my limited knowledge of the 121 environment.

1. ExpressJet
2. Chitaqua
3. Skywest
4. Air Wisconsin
5. Pinnacle

You ask for top 5. There are not that many.

Try (not in any order,)
Chautauqua
Express Jet
Skywest

Agreed. My last two were not THAT heart felt. I was trying to get some different perspective and make it hard! ;)

Sooo... what makes AWAC so "not heartfelt"?

1)Republic
2)Republic
3)Republic
4)Republic
5)Republic

oops i almost forgot

6)Republic

I dunno....5 year upgrade? What's your take?

Republic is Chuataqua right?

Why do you like them so much?

I didn't know a fast upgrade is what made a regional a "top regional..." So does that mean Horizon is not heartfelt either?:confused:

republic -any of the 3 carriers there not sure which one youd want but i guess it depends on the domicile you want. you get a ton of domiciles to choose from, RAH is growing at a tremendous rate and potential for more, the previous crj/erj time bonus, and theyre really professional

I'm here to learn. I'm just a CFI trying to get a feel for the 121 side of the industry.

What are your feelings on riding right seat for 5 years in a crj, when your friends at other airlines have been captains for the last two?


What are your top 5? Why? What makes a top regional?

that sums it up!

How is the working environment? How's the management?

HotMama will know more about that. all i can tell you is my buddies at Republic and Shuttle America love the 170, the flying is great and theyre happy. But dont take it from me, i guess you need to hear it straight from the horses mouth

good working envir., no junior manning, a pilot group that don't get pushed around, management is not bad(relatively speaking).....bryan bedford does a lot for the company. who called me a horse?:mad:

I live in California, so the American Eagle over Republic seems kind of funny. Usually I would switch these two in order, but this is MY top 5.

1. Skywest
2. Express Jet
3. American Eagle
4. Republic
5. Horizon

Skywest, ExpressJet, and Republic are the top regionals to be at today. Skywest and Republic are growing, while ExpressJet is experiencing a lot of attrition due to CAL hiring. All three have good pay, good work rules, and a quick upgrade.
Horizon is a quality regional. In fact, they are so high quality that people stick around for a long time. So the upgrade is near 6 years. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, or you are looking to end your career at a regional (because you are getting old or like the northwest), Horizon would be a great place to go.
American Eagle is going to have about a 3 year upgrade (t-prop) if you get hired today. The flowbacks are leaving, more flowthroughs will likely go to AA, older Eagle captains are retiring, and AA will be hiring around 2009-2010. They are a quality regional, they just have been getting a bad reputation because of the upgrade. And that is changing. So they are on my list because of the LAX base.

They all suck!

I say it's all about where you want to live...for instance Pinnacle and Mesaba would be my choice seeing how I want to live in Minneapolis...but if you don't mind the commute...shoot pick any regional except Mesa and Gojets (of course).

If you are all about the upgrade pick a regional that will get you to the left seat in a hurry then start pushing apps to the Majors. But to answer the question top five:

1. Pinnacle
2. Mesaba
3. Express Jet
4. Skywest
5. Republic

New to all this, what is junior manning?Thanks

Well, here goes...

If there is only one thing to remember, then this is it... This industry changes so rapidly, that a great carrier can turn into a memory overnight. It is true that at present time upgrade at AWAC is longer than other regionals. But this can change to be shorter, or longer depending on the company and its decisions... Just because it's 5 years now doesn't mean that it will be a year from now, or such. In a likewise manner, a 2 year upgrade now, doesn't mean that it will still be 2 years from now. My opinion? Go to a place where QOL is best for you. What does this mean? It means there isn't a universal "top regional" because everyones QOL has different needs. My top 5? Here ya go and they are in NO PARTICULAR ORDER...

Skywest
Horizon
Expressjet
AWAC
Republic

haha not you - i mean the horses that work for rah :D

ExpressJet
Skywest
Horizon

Can't really come up with two more good ones though....


I'm surprised no MPD guys have nominated Mesa yet.... :D

haha i guess if you have 300 hours your list looks like this

1)ASA
2)Mesa
3)Who else hires with 300?

I can't believe no one has mentioned Commutair!
 

It's the place to be :)

Thats exactly what I would put for my top choices! Wow I thought I would have been the only one

1. Go Jets
2. Go Jets
3. Go.......Aw *******!!!!!

Republic takes a hit though because they have a 2 year training contract.

Wow someone actually makes sense! I work for AWAC, sure we do not have a 2 year upgrade TODAY, but 2 years from now, who knows? We have CA's leaving by the truck load, and when you only have just over 700 total pilots, my personal feeling is that our upgrade time will come down fast. We have lost something like 98 pilots since October. We were "overstaffed" according to the company. Most of that 98 were CA's. Once the upgrade train gets on the tracks, things will move quick.

ya, cause you're gonna ACTUALLY built enough time in two years to go anywhere else(sarcasm). two years ain't jack.

not from what i hear. i hear more like 4

Junior manning is when they have no one to work a trip, so they start at the bottom of the seniority list and force someone to work.

As far as upgrades, RAH will drop to 18 months by the end of the year, provided the attrition and hiring remain at the current pace. Only time can tell.

yea whats so scary about a 2 year contract at republic. i mean the 1 year contract at mesa yea id be deathly afraid of, but i hear they dont enforce those things

seriously, what's two years? where else can you go with less than two years experience anyway?

If you come to RAH, then you will stay for more than 2 years. So the contract is not an issue.

based on my research and where i want to live here are my 5 favorites not in order:
Republic
American Eagle
Pinnacle
Comair
Express Jet

Hense the we do NOT have a 2 year upgrade today in my original post. We did not upgrade for 6 months. The newest upgrades are just over 3 yrs.

4 years ago Comair would be #1. this is stupid and pointless.

BINGO! This industry changes every day. Go where you can make the most money and take it from there.

but still its like buying stock. doing your research and evaluating performance and current standing still mean a lot. everything else is outside your control. do you really think republic and skywest are gonna be in any less standing in 4-5 years? no. 10 years, may be different. but who cares youll be a captain with your 1000 pic in a total of under 4 years and well on your way to another place by then.


regional lifer wanna be's have a different set of criteria. first of all they should go kill themselves (jk, but seriously). those are more the Horizon and AE types if you really want stability

Comair guys said the same thing 4 years ago.....