Lakes is 100% about the PIC time. Doesn't help too much if noone is hiring....If you want to know the life of someone who spent wayyyyyy too much time there, absolutely hit me up. I got 2K PIC outta the place. May not sound like much, but it's definitely enough to let ya know what is up over the 4.X years I spent there....much like a family environment...like a family environment where daddy smacks you in the face each and every day..

Is there any consensus on what might actually happen at Great Lakes (this time next year) ahead of the 1500 hour rule?

They will probably be hurting for pilots... but will still manage to get by and turn a profit as they have done for years.

I dunno, ask that same question in 5 years when your captain is an ex-laker and your an FO at the same major airline. We do it for the quick PIC time and then move on to bigger and better things. Hows upgrade looking for you at Eagle? ohh wait...nevermind!

I heard from a friend a while ago that it is mostly day trips so you do not get per diem most of the time. What is it like currently? Do you get more overnights or per diem when you are working?

It all depends on which base you get! MSP and DEN has a bunch of 3, 4 and 5 day trips, while PIR, FMN and CYS does indeed have a lot of day turns. Their is enough movement though, you should be able to hold the base of your choice (with poissibly the excption of DEN) within 6 months.

Their is currently a guy in my upgrade class who has been here 8 months, so if you meet the ATP mins, you can upgrade pretty quick. I would throw that in the "good light" colum. After all, you don't come to lakes to be a career FO!

17 years ago a Capt. I was flying with told me the hardest thing about going to a great commuter airline is leaving. I left flying the metro for a 135 co. and went to Continental Express to fly the 1900. Upgrade was quick a and the experience and people were great. It was a fantastic place to work, but I keept moving. If you don't plan on making a carrer out of a commuter or getting rich I think GL is the best way to get a jump start on this crazy carrer.
I have been a Capt. at Frontier for 11 years and flown with many exlakers. I have always had the highest confidence in there ability to fly the airplane.

This guys a joke..he must be so bored sitting reserve for eagle with no upgrade in sight that he has to hang out on lakes threads and try and recruit people to his airline that isn't hiring and will probably furlough his a$$ w/ in the next 6 months. Good thing you didn't come to lakes you wouldn't have made it very far.

He must have washed out of training at Lakes! Either way, glad to see Eagle will fulfill his career dreams!

Try not to stoop to his level guys.