Skywest ?'s
 

To shed some light on my curious mind. When you get hired do you immediately jump into the EMB 120 or sometimes right into the CRJ? I know seniority is everything but the thing I wondered is going from an EMB CA to a CRJ FO is a big pay cut right? Another general question I had is once your done with training (could be at any airline) and your a reserve, does that pretty much mean your stuck living there until on the line then maybe relocate and just commute.

Later!

Depends upon need of the company (Bro or Jet).

Junior EMB CA to CRJ FO (2nd year or better) is not a ginormous paycut...

Some guys commute on reserve (wouldn't recommend it!). Most scope out a crashpad for their duration and wait until they're awarded base at home.

Cool. Just exploring my options and trying to get an idea of where I would LIKE to work in the regionals. Seems like the pay isnt so much of a joke especially for the EMB.:D

My former MEI got hired there a few months ago and went straight into the CRJ. He absolutely loves it...but he also had some internal recommendations, including his brother who is a CA.

If you're young and single, I suggest you don't limit yourself to those airlines that let you live where you would ideally like to be...When I made the jump over to SKW, I was leaving a lot, not the least of which was the drive to work and living somewhere I very much liked. Now I'm living in a Crashpad in a lousy City LoL. But I'm far happier - the flying, but most importantly, the Company, is a much better fit for me.

Coming from a nomad such as myself (LoL), think about the big picture. I can't say I agree with these guys that get on with Piedmont, Colgan, and the likes, just because they want to live at home. Different strokes, as the saying goes, of course, but see everything that's out there - and weigh it all equally when choosing an Airline.

Right on. I live in Kalamzoo, MI (close to DTW/ORD) right now and am going to Florida in Jan to get my CFI etc cause you pretty much can't fly aroud here in the winter and with school and all. So i got a ways to go but always like thinking about the future. Ideally I would like to stay in Florida but... which im not planning on it. Anyways thanks for the insight.

Last I heard if you went from captain to first officer you got stuck with a 2 year seat lock at SKW. Don't quote me though, it was word of mouth.

Whether you get the Brasilia or the Canadair initially totally depends on the needs of the company...back in the day the ones with 121 usually got the jet and CFI's got the Bro, but I guess it's different now. Also, you don't need to upgrade to captain in the bro before you head to the jet, many guys transition from bro FO to CRJ FO. Whichever airplane you get initally, there is a one-year seat lock unless the company needs you in the jet and you bid for it.

Can't say enough good things about the company ;)

This is not true. You are seat locked for one year from the beginning of the training for all upgrades, transitions and intials. If you chose to downgrade you are seat locked for two years. Essentially, don't become a captain and then decided to go back.

In my EMB ground school class (Aug. 6th), all but 1 out of 12 of us new-hires had no 121 experience. A couple of them in there were actually given the option of the RJ or the Bro, and chose to go for the Bro (both were domicile-based decisions). On the other hand, a good buddy of mine was in the RJ class ahead of me and he was the only one out of 30 in there with zero 121 time. So, long story short, yes some people can end up straight into the RJ, but it's typically given to those who have worked previous 121 gigs.

I think you're better off going to the Bro the first year. The pay is no different but the experience in the turboprop leaves you with the ability to bid for a captain position in both planes. I know a bunch of guys who are too intimidated to take the Bro upgrade because they haven't flown a prop in years. Sad, but true

I am going to go to the Bro for the upgrade. Now i know exactly what the plane is like, and the lifestyle. It is not the best but my seniority is great with the Bro captains. It was ORD or MKE as the only other options. With a girl in PDX, I had to back to the Bro.

With regard to making the assignment, I believe that long ago they attempted to to put CFIs in the Brasilia and prior 121s in the jet, and I think some of that still comes through today, but it's mainly based on their needs. From what I've gathered, the mentality was that the Brasilia would whip guys into shape a little faster because it's more challenging, you're in the terminal environment more, and you're doing 8 legs a day. I think they might still do that if they could, but given that the RJs far outnumber the Brasilias, it's not numerically possible.

I would have been all over the Brasilia had it been offered to me, mainly because I'm a Californian, but alas, I was shipped out to MKE in the jet. I'm not intimidated to take upgrade on the Brasilia as soon as I can, though. I figure they're not going to turn me loose as a captain unless they actually think I can do it.

But whatever. You're not going to get paid much either way. If you don't get what you want just suck it up until you do. You should know what you're getting in to.

It's not so much about intimidation...

Doing your first 121 upgrade in airplane you have never flown would be a handful for almost anyone.

At SKW, if you fail the initial upgrade, you don't go back to your previous position, you go to the unemployment line.

Anyone who can take an EMB upgrade would probably be awarded a jet upgrade before they finished bro training...so why bother?

Because you can hold Palm Springs on the Brasilia. At least that's why I would do it.

That's a good reason.

I took my first upgrade in the BRO. I had never flown it, and it wasn't a big deal. An airplane is an airplane.

Because I'll be 30 out of 46 in SLC. The other option is going ot ORD. I think I'll stay at home and ski rather than commute.

So are the bro's only west coast? And why would they fire you if you were with the company for a few years then failed the upgrade.. Why not just put you back in the plane you were already in?

The company has a policy of up or out. If you fail your upgrade you are out of a job. It has had a few victims this year. If you fail transition, you can return to your previous seat with a 12 month seat lock.

uh, isn't that what I said?

Because Tprops are cool in general, and the E120 is a rockin' plane specifically, out west. California flying fits quite a few people to boot.

I'm sorry, I completely misread this. Oops.

no worries. it happens.