yah i know, seriously thats totally Rude. give the Low timers a Chance, everybody is different.

Pilots are Gypsies and until we get to FedEx or UPS we always need to be looking for our next gig. (Because while Joe Snuffy can conduct business over the phone and drive to his vacation he will always want his boxes to be delivered in 1-3 days).

Verticle career moves are ideal (more pay, better benefits and quality of life) but horizontal career moves aren't bad; especially if you haven't invested much in your current job. At the end of the day the only one who should care who you work for is you and your family.

Well you know, that's exactly what a ton of people are doing right now... look at PDT for example, which is basically a training school for RAH and maybe Xjet. If I could go back and do it all over again, I probably would've stuck it out at my part 91 job longer to get at least 1000 TT and have a wider range of choices available to me. Simply because it's much easier and much more hassle-free to do that than to go to a regional, and then make the move to another regional.
I guess I could do a couple months here and move on to a "better" regional if I really wanted to... but this is the thing - and this is what you should consider too, before deciding to use a regional as a stepping stone to another regional -
1. does the regional have a training contract? (I know people walk out on these contracts all the time, but I would personally still feel iffy about it.. who knows if it will ever come back to bite me on the rump.)
2. would you really want to go through 121 training again in such a short period of time. I know I wouldn't... plenty of people do it, and it should be easier the second time around, but still, being stuck in training for 2 months sucks. if you jump ship within a year, that's being in training 4-5 months out of the year! yuck. (of course if it was another 121 training for a major, then I would gladly and happily and joyously endure it again! but for me personally, going through that torture for another regional is not really worth it.)
PLUS there is a financial part of it too... e.g., if you decide to jump ship to Xjet, I think (?) they only pay you 1500 during training (which probably takes 2-3 months.) Which is extremely hard to live on for several months unless you have no bills whatsoever.
AND don't forget... some regionals you mentioned (e.g. TSA) have bad reputations for high washout rate... so your risk is high... you have to wonder if it's worth using as a stepping stone when the washout risk may be higher than usual.

as far as screwing these businesses due to ship-jumping, I'd say dont even worry about it... regionals are completely screwing us too right now anyways so there's really no need to be considerate... not like a mom and pop deli store.

Hilarious!

You can't spell Mesaba without Mesa.

Couldn't resist.

Colgan really isn't all too bad either. BUT then again, it all depends on who you talk to. (waiting for SAAB to chime in) Me personally, I have had no trouble at all. Never been "screwed" like everyone claims to be.

Just do your job, get your time, and get out...just like the rest of the regionals. It's all the same game...just a different company name stamped on your pay stub.

For most people, all regionals are simply a means to an end. There are a few lifers, but the rest are just waiting for their interviews with the majors. I personally don't see myself jumping ship any time soon to go work for another regional. The grass may be a few shades greener, but you have to spend another 2+ months in training learning how to eat it, and I think seniority is worth more towards QOL than a shinier airplane.

It only took one time through training followed by the "you're going to be based as far from home as possible" phone call to make me not want to do either again. There's nothing like trying to find a place to live in a place you can't even visit before you have to move there next week.

I'd wait and get on with someone you think you can tolerate for a few years, and stick it out. It'll also make your future interviews go better. I don't imagine anyone wants to hire someone who has made lateral moves in the past - what says they won't do the same later? What if a better major calls you for an interview?

Correct me if I'm wrong anyone, but with 400tt that is seriously pushing it unless he came out of one of the big name schools and had a jet course in there. I'm on a trip with an interviewing captain at my regional, and he said that right now most candidates have 600-700tt. Also, I know you are really eager to get on with a regional, but why not build a little more time or get the MEI. In the end, failing out of training would be far worse than spending some extra time flight instructing.

And if and when you get on with one of your "low end" regionals, screw them hard and screw them fast. Its your career, not theirs.

As much as I think more small-plane time is valuable, I find it hard to believe that those extra 50hrs multi is going to get you through your first 121 training event.

Seriously - how much did you learn in 50 hours of time-building w/only the Airlines in mind? I'm sure ya'll know your learning plateaus long before then with your first 500 hrs or so of SE.

At TSA, half my class washed-out of training. EVERY one of those guys had two or three times the TT and Multi I had logged. Certainly not trying to toot my own horn, but telling newbies to go out and spend another 10K on multi-time because it'll make them a better pilot is at best a STRETCH of the truth. I know I certainly learned boat-loads more about "Jet Judgement" in my 25 hrs of IOE than in my 75 of bought Multi-time.

A guy that can make it through 121 training with 100hrs multi can also make it through at 50 if they put their heads to it. Most guys have it, a few don't - regardless of the TT in their logbooks!

Yeah i don't agree how all that extra time will help you pass training???
Especially if you take a CRJ course prior to going to training. Then you pretty much have a leg up on everybody, regardless of time.