if you are making a living and happy with your current job stay there the grass isnt always greener on the other side

Go to a company you plan on staying at. Stay there and get seniority. Even with your fewer hrs a month you need to take into account the two months of interviewing, getting hired, trained and then hitting the ground. Then you'll sit reserve and may not get as much flying as you are wanting. Some places might have training contracts where you'll be locked in for a year or two. Think about where you want to be and why Mesa is on the bottom as you stated. Then think about whether you want to be a supporter of those kinds of work environments. Joining them is fueling their success of running their operations the way they do.

Get your hours working either at your current job or as a CFI. A CFI shouldn't cost you 4-6k. It's only commercial maneuvers in the right seat. I did everything on mine in under 2k. The rest is bookwork and you can do all of that on your own.

There is also the consideration of the initial expenses with being hired. Unless you stay where you are you'll spend a little money no matter which route. My suggestion is to pick a company you want to work at then continue till you get there. Don't go somewhere with full knowledge of jumping ship.

A friend of mine was reserve CA for MESA and lives in base, we both live in the same place, I commute. As an FO, I held two end commutable 4 on 3 off schedules. I was home more than him.

Granted, it took a while for me to hold that. However, when I was on reserve, I was also able to hold two end commutable reserve lines. So my 11 (or 12, depending on the bid period) days off were ALL spent at home. At MESA. reserves only get 8 days off per month.

Wow don't know where you got your CFI at or what u were flying. But where i'm at it's suppose to cost $10k and an extra $3k for the II.

Wow you guys are getting ripped off. There are no additional formal training requirements to go from commerical to CFI. Buy a ground school kit ($300-500), find a CFI buddy with 2 years in(initial signoffs), get the damn thing in a week. Its not that hard and you shouldn't have to pay a pilot mill for the extra training. $4k is absurd. $10k is downright robbery. Its not that hard if you are fresh out of training. Of course, it doesn't hurt to do your commerical training from the right seat either.

I wouldn't skimp on the training. If you were able to get a CFI right out of the gate...awesome. You must be one hell of a pilot. Unfortunately, the majority of the CFI, CFII, and MEI checkrides I've done for students, it required a lot more training then that. It's not about being able to DO the maneuvers...it's can you actually TEACH them.

Get your CFI/CFII and go instruct at ANY university that offers a flight program. A lot of places will offer an MEI for free to their employees (obviously with strings attached). Usually pays a little more and it's a guarenteed student base. I made a LOT more as an instructor then I do as a regional FO...but they don't let you teach commercial students in a turbine aircraft so I had to make the jump. By the time you make it through all that, it'll be one year later, you'll have a lot more hours and be able to go to any regional you want and be ready for it.

CFI is all on your own. Get the CFI oral guide by ASA then hit the bold questions. Know the part 61 requirements for everything. There is no reason to buy any kit. I didn't even walk in with the FAR/AIM as it's not a FAA publication. Read the FAA books that cost roughly $7 or you can download them for free. If you read the FAA books then study the oral guide you are good to go. All you have to do is learn to land from the right seat and you are good there. Start studying before you start flying for it. It only takes a week to get the flying down but roughly a month of flying.

I don't believe you need any CFI with two years experience just one with 400hrs of instruction given. I could be off on that and don't feel like looking it up. Either way read part 61 and 91. Should take a month to get it all down solid then learn to fly from the right seat. Most guys are able to get it down in 15-20hrs easily. Then go to the FAA for the checkride and they don't charge. It's true they have a very high fail rate,80% in my area, but so long as you admit you're human and don't know something you'll be ok. Just don't pull answers out of your ass. Same goes for any interview.

Flying is one thing, instructing is another. Those that bash it are the ones who haven't done it. Usually you end up learning more from your students then they learn from you. It's hard to imagine with that commercial certificate in your hand that there is more to learn within the realm you currently operate but there is a TON out there. You'd be amazed at how many people with thousands of hours fail the PPL written if they take it again. A whole group of us did it online for fun right prior to leaving for the airlines and the results were quite funny. From a US Air Force Lt. Colonel to 6 others of us only 2 passed. A Martin Air pilot and myself :D of course I went through it regularly with my students so I was up to date and shouldn't have been included in the group.

So I take it you have no aspiration of going to a major airline? Or some sort of better flying?

I am currently living in Columbus, OH, so Comair would be a great fit. Right now I'm at 600/70, would that be enough for an interview? If so, I'd send you my resume and get ya $500:D

RAH is based in Columbus OH. Quicker upgrades.