Stuck commuting from DSM
 

Quick back story. I'm 37 year old career helicopter guy looking to do the transition. I have a 4 year degree and currently have my PVT and Instrument and just 10 hrs of TAA time away from ASEL commercial. I live in DSM and cannot move so I will have to be commuting. I've searched through these forums gleaming all that I can and here is what I have come up with. I'm hoping you guys can fill in any holes I've left and give me any guidance you think I should hear.

Commuting options.

ORD (1h30m flight) 11 flights, 3 of which are before 7am
DEN (2hr flight) 5 flights, 2 before 8am
MSP (1h30m flight) 5 flights, 2 before 8am
MCI (3h drive)

I think this makes ORD my best commuting option. Although I've also heard it is better to drive if possible.

Airline choices. I'd love to know reserve time for these choices.
I'll put my best guess in here based on what I've read but may confuse some of them. Looking at ORD and possibly MCI based on commuting options my choices seem to be...

Skywest
Pros: ORD should be available out of training
Middle of the road pay and QOL
Fast upgrade times and good flight time
Quick class dates
Stability seems pretty good

Cons: Not commuter friendly
No RTP for civilian helicopter pilots

Trans State
Pros: RTP for civilian helicopter pilots
Fast upgrade and lots of flight time
Quick class dates
ORD should be attainable out of training
2 flight choices commuter policy

Cons: Pay and QOL sound pretty awful
Stability of company

Republic
Pros: Can drive to MCI to avoid airline commuting
Best QOL and good pay
Shiny 175s
Good company stability

Cons:Class dates are a ways off
Slow upgrade times
Long Reserve times
Probably won't get MCI out of training

Envoy
Pros: WO stability
Many of the ORD flights are Envoy

Cons:Longer reserve times
No RTP
Promise of flow seems to keep QOL and pay lower (not as bad as Trans State/Express/GoJet)
Slower upgrade times.


Express Jet/Go Jet Have RTP but everything else sounds pretty bad about them.

My wife has a career, our insurance is through her so medical benefits are a non factor. I'll be taking a huge hit on pay so upgrading and getting pay higher as quickly as possible will be needed. I will need another 170 or so hours of fixed wing time and my MEL/25hrs ME time. I'm in a club and pay $35 an hour plus fuel for a 172.

I would like to get in as soon as possible in order to try and be at 1000 TPIC during the meat of the retirements.

I'll take anything and everything you guys can think of about my situation.

Thank you in advance for taking the time.

While not the darling right now, Air Wisconsin has an ORD base, I held ORD 2 weeks off of IOE, but it does vary for new hires, some hold it, some bids not so much. The flying isn’t glamorous, the planes are old and worn out, but my co workers rock and you’ll fly and upgrade pretty quick if you’re willing to go to say MKE. That said, our good health insurance won’t really affect you apparently, so there’s that...just another data point. Good luck wherever you decide to go.

Would going to skywest and then getting based in msp and driving to work once you have a line be possible? Also skywest has an ord base as well. Not sure about upgrade or much else about them.

How far are you from RATP OR ATP?
Where you want to go could change if the timeline is long enough.

Envoy or Republic.

If you can’t have a short drive, an own metal commute is the next best thing and the frequency makes it the easiest option.

Why did you list envoy as no RTP? They literally started RTP and have probably the fastest time building program

Agree with above

I'll need about 180 more hours and 25 MEL.

Envoy is military only as far as my research shows. I'm a civilian guy.

MSP would be about a 4 hour drive but if needed I could do it.