Don't make laterals!
08-01-2007, 10:44 AM
#1
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Don't make laterals!
Some recent posts talk about working for one regional only to get enough experience to work for another regional. My advice? Don't make lateral moves.
Keep moving up to bigger, faster aircraft. There is no such thing as a good regional. OK, Horizon may be an exception.
Seriously though, if your goal is great pay, days off and a pension, you have to keep moving toward the airline with the biggest/most aircraft. That may look wrong in todays market (no airline is great at the moment, including SW) but if the pilot shortage continues and gets worse, the majors are going to be the place to be.
Lateral moves look bad and don't help your career (with a few exceptions). Build PIC time and move upwards.
Keep moving up to bigger, faster aircraft. There is no such thing as a good regional. OK, Horizon may be an exception.
Seriously though, if your goal is great pay, days off and a pension, you have to keep moving toward the airline with the biggest/most aircraft. That may look wrong in todays market (no airline is great at the moment, including SW) but if the pilot shortage continues and gets worse, the majors are going to be the place to be. Lateral moves look bad and don't help your career (with a few exceptions). Build PIC time and move upwards.
08-01-2007, 11:20 AM
#3
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Originally Posted by mike734
Some recent posts talk about working for one regional only to get enough experience to work for another regional. My advice? Don't make lateral moves.
Keep moving up to bigger, faster aircraft. There is no such thing as a good regional. OK, Horizon may be an exception. Seriously though, if your goal is great pay, days off and a pension, you have to keep moving toward the airline with the biggest/most aircraft. That may look wrong in todays market (no airline is great at the moment, including SW) but if the pilot shortage continues and gets worse, the majors are going to be the place to be.
Lateral moves look bad and don't help your career (with a few exceptions). Build PIC time and move upwards.
Keep moving up to bigger, faster aircraft. There is no such thing as a good regional. OK, Horizon may be an exception.
Seriously though, if your goal is great pay, days off and a pension, you have to keep moving toward the airline with the biggest/most aircraft. That may look wrong in todays market (no airline is great at the moment, including SW) but if the pilot shortage continues and gets worse, the majors are going to be the place to be. Lateral moves look bad and don't help your career (with a few exceptions). Build PIC time and move upwards.
Carreer goals are not the reason most people make lateral moves.
08-01-2007, 11:27 AM
#4
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Met an FO who went from Mesa to Skywest after 4 months. He's now at UAL.
I would say that he moved upwards and not laterally.
Your career is not doomed if you move from Mesa to Skywest. Why would the majors care? They know you're coming to them and are there to stay. It would be unwise to make a lateral move in the majors, but the Regionals?? Common.
Mesa to Skywest is an upward move in my opinion.
I would say that he moved upwards and not laterally.
Your career is not doomed if you move from Mesa to Skywest. Why would the majors care? They know you're coming to them and are there to stay. It would be unwise to make a lateral move in the majors, but the Regionals?? Common.
Mesa to Skywest is an upward move in my opinion.
08-01-2007, 11:27 AM
#5
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Originally Posted by AV8ER
Carreer goals are not the reason most people make lateral moves.
Why sabotage your career for what really are minor differences in the short term?
08-01-2007, 11:30 AM
#6
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Originally Posted by plasticpi
That only adds to the reasons why it makes no sense.
Why sabotage your career for what really are minor differences in the short term?
Why sabotage your career for what really are minor differences in the short term?
08-01-2007, 11:58 AM
#7
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Originally Posted by plasticpi
That only adds to the reasons why it makes no sense.
Why sabotage your career for what really are minor differences in the short term?
Why sabotage your career for what really are minor differences in the short term?
08-01-2007, 12:09 PM
#8
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Someone had mentioned that it could actually be *good* to make lateral moves within the regionals??? The reasoning was this...
By getting hired at a smaller regional with possible bad QOL and pay, only to stay long enough to get the time and experience to go on to a "better" regional (Skywest/Horizon/etc) it would show the smaller regional that they need to offer better pay and benefits to retain their pilots. When they see that their new hires often bail before the end of year one, it might send a message that they need to step it up and offer a better contract *which could send a ripple effect thru the industry and benefit everyone*
I might not have covered all the points, but I read this last night while at work at 3am. I can see the good and bad points about this. In the end, you have to do whats right for you. Its all just a big game of leapfrog, right?
By getting hired at a smaller regional with possible bad QOL and pay, only to stay long enough to get the time and experience to go on to a "better" regional (Skywest/Horizon/etc) it would show the smaller regional that they need to offer better pay and benefits to retain their pilots. When they see that their new hires often bail before the end of year one, it might send a message that they need to step it up and offer a better contract *which could send a ripple effect thru the industry and benefit everyone*
I might not have covered all the points, but I read this last night while at work at 3am. I can see the good and bad points about this. In the end, you have to do whats right for you. Its all just a big game of leapfrog, right?
08-01-2007, 12:35 PM
#9
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Originally Posted by el jefe
Someone had mentioned that it could actually be *good* to make lateral moves within the regionals??? The reasoning was this...
By getting hired at a smaller regional with possible bad QOL and pay, only to stay long enough to get the time and experience to go on to a "better" regional (Skywest/Horizon/etc) it would show the smaller regional that they need to offer better pay and benefits to retain their pilots. When they see that their new hires often bail before the end of year one, it might send a message that they need to step it up and offer a better contract *which could send a ripple effect thru the industry and benefit everyone*
I might not have covered all the points, but I read this last night while at work at 3am. I can see the good and bad points about this. In the end, you have to do whats right for you. Its all just a big game of leapfrog, right?
By getting hired at a smaller regional with possible bad QOL and pay, only to stay long enough to get the time and experience to go on to a "better" regional (Skywest/Horizon/etc) it would show the smaller regional that they need to offer better pay and benefits to retain their pilots. When they see that their new hires often bail before the end of year one, it might send a message that they need to step it up and offer a better contract *which could send a ripple effect thru the industry and benefit everyone*
I might not have covered all the points, but I read this last night while at work at 3am. I can see the good and bad points about this. In the end, you have to do whats right for you. Its all just a big game of leapfrog, right?
And, yes, I concede that getting closer to your family is a legitimate reason to move... I hadn't thought about that as I'm not married. But, what is that pilot going to do with his/her family when hired by a major with no base close to home?
08-01-2007, 12:38 PM
#10
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Position: RC-3 Seabee. Skipper of the A21 cutter.
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Originally Posted by rickair7777
It will not sabotage your career unless you were fired. It may delay it if upgrade takes longer, but that's a decision only you can make.
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