where would you go???
 

Mesaba,Air Wisconsin,Comair,ASA,Skywest???
Im looking to apply soon and will have around 700tt with 55 to 60 multi.
I have no problem on moving to the East coast.
Any imput???
Thanks:rolleyes::confused:

Need 1000/100 for Skywest so they're out (way short on hours).

Between the others I'd rank them like this:

1. Mesaba: Lots of growth, gain seniority quick due to massive hiring, upgrade will be well under 3 yrs for sometime and 3 bases

2. ASA: No growth, really good pay, one base, owned by SKW Inc., 3 year upgrade

3. AirWhiskey: I'll let others talk about them, I don't have much info.

4: Comair: Don't even think about it, long upgrade, being sold, future uncertain, pilot group unhappy and flying reduction from last I heard.

The better question is what are you looking for?

There's not a "one-size" fits all regional....are you looking for a quick upgrade? Are you looking for quality of life? Pay and benefits? Are you looking to make the regionals a final stop or a stepping stone? You get the picture....Good luck

SkyWest. Hands down. They are growing, cannabilizing ASA, and the movement is fast. Regionals pay well, but the lifestyle, benefits, and corporate culture make it a pain as a career. The idea is you want to get in, do as much flying as possible, get your apps filled out and move on to a company that will take care of you and your family right. In the absence of such company, at least one that will pay you well for the headaches. Plus SkyWest offers you the possibility of junior upgrade quickly on the EMB120 which means you actually make enough to pay your rent AND student loans.

From a guy who stayed at ASA too long thinking it would get better. Living the good life at NetJets now.

I'd get 1000/100, and go to SkyWest or Republic. Best opportunities right now.

Are you flight instructing now? Or otherwise building time? Where do you live?

I've gotten emails from folks who claim that there are folks in the current SkyWest new hire class who do not have either CRJ time, or 1000 hours. It doesn't hurt to put you application in to SkyWest.

Expect MKE or ORD for your first base in the jet, and FAT (or possibly other California base) for the EMB-120.

With the recently announced 8 new planes for Midwest, I'd almost bet on MKE. Can you withstand that for a while?

By the way, I can't comment confidently on other airlines, but be cognizant that if DAL merges with NWA, I see Compass and Mesaba getting NWA furloughees as flow backs, putting maybe you on the street (if you're there).

This is true now, it all changes, it wasn't more then a year or so ago that Mesaba was furloughing.............. It will be different six months from now, no need chasing the "flavor of the week"

Huh?
.
.
.:confused:

No one knows what tomorrow might bring but you have to use current information to make an educated guess on which to stake you future upon.

Thats what I was thinking.:confused:

Right? :confused: This makes absolutely no sense.

NWA's short on pilots and DAL is still filling classes, so how exactly is it that you see them furloughing? It will take years for them to iron out the details and seeing that they don't overlap each other that much domestically and both have a large amount of growth on the books in international operations that cover opposite ends of the glob, I'd say it's a pretty safe bet that there will be no furloughed pilots from either camp. I’d also bet that hiring will continue although it might slow a bit while they work out those details.

It sounds like you live on the west coast. It depends where your priorities lie. Personally I think the west coast was so much better than living on the east coast that I choose to commute when I first started. I understand that you are "willing" to live on the east coast, but if you had the choice, do you really want to live in on the east coast?



I will answer your questions based upon what company is the best, but also tell you some details about domicile living/commuting.

Skywest would be my first choice. Big company. Growth. Good management. Alright pay, but great work rules. Everyone seems happy.

Air Wisconsin is still a great company. I think their pilot contract is still one of the better ones in the industry. Their pay rates are concessionary, but their work rules still are amongst the best. But you better be willing to commute (or live) on the east coast in what I would consider semi-outstations (ie, probably a 2 leg commute from the west coast). PHL is commutable, but I don't think DCA, LGA, and especially ORF are easily commutable from the west coast. No real growth but they aren't losing any flying either. So attrition is keeping movement at a decent pace.

ASA is doing fine. They are owned by Skywest so I would stay they are a pretty stable choice. Again, no real growth but they aren't losing any flying either. So attrition is keeping movement at a decent pace. They just voted in a TA that is good, but I think it will position them towards the bottom of industry pay after this round of contracts (pinnacle, republic, etc...) They got a pay raise, but nothing spectacular. Overall ASA is a decent company.

Comair is not doing too well. It sounds like they are losing lots of flying and being sold by Delta does not seem to be a good thing (although it worked out good for ASA). Movement is slow and reserve is long (and in JFK). Like AWAC, they are working under a highly concessionary contract as far as pay rates, but they still have good work rules.

Mesaba would be my last choice. While there is growth now, that will not continue. It wasn't too long ago that they had a 5-6 year upgrade for the Saab. They have good pay for the Saab, but they have mediocre at best rates for the CRJ-200, and what I would consider the worst rates in the industry for the CRJ-900 (especially on the FO side :eek:). Do you really want to live in MSP or DTW?


Overall, you can't go wrong with Skywest and AWAC. ASA is doing fine. Comair might be a risk, and Mesaba is not the best choice (IMHO).

Exactly, the fact of the matter is that even with a reduction in the DC9 fleet, a couple of 742's getting retired, and the age 65 thing they still need to hire.

Tim..........How on earth is Skywest canninalizing ASA???? Nothing of the sort has happened here, well, since the original 700's, which some of that flying has been returned.

You've been gone a while, perhaps you are out of the loop a bit.

Ps. How's the 'Vette?

Dont Do it Dont Do it.. Go to Law School Go to Med School hell Go to to school to be a plumber or HVAC tech The Flying Dream can Become a Nightmare if you dont do your home work.. Commuting, Jaded Senior Captains, 50 50 50 flight attandants.. ie 50% of the Flight Attandants are over 50years old and 50 Lbs over weight.. Screaming Babies, disrespectful passengers, sleeping in OPS cause you are Displaced, Crappy First year Pay work 15 hours get paid for 3.5 not busting your bubble just giving you a peek into alot of our reality..

I can't imagine that any plan that is approved to merge two large carriers won't also include some concessions.

Those concessions COULD include giving up gates, which COULD mean parked planes, which could lead to FURLOUGHS.

Not rocket science. Nor am I the soothsayer. Your mileage may vary.

So how would they lose gates that they're already in control of? The airports don't care about mergers as long as they get their money? Also, today’s a different day than yesterday so take a look at the US Airways/America West merger. Did their "concessions" cost them gates which in turn caused them to "park planes" and did any pilots get furloughed? NO! The furloughs happend long before the merger even took place. Actually the merger opened the door for recalls which led to them eventually hiring.

NWA furloughs? Doesn't make sense at all!

If you think the grass is greener on the other side by all means jump:)

Yeah, so I can work 50+ hour weeks and see my family even less.

Originally Posted by Blkflyer http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/im...s/viewpost.gif
Dont Do it Dont Do it.. Go to Law School Go to Med School hell Go to to school to be a plumber or HVAC tech The Flying Dream can Become a Nightmare if you dont do your home work.. Commuting, Jaded Senior Captains, 50 50 50 flight attandants.. ie 50% of the Flight Attandants are over 50years old and 50 Lbs over weight.. Screaming Babies, disrespectful passengers, sleeping in OPS cause you are Displaced, Crappy First year Pay work 15 hours get paid for 3.5 not busting your bubble just giving you a peek into alot of our reality..



If i was in my 20's and still had the option of knowing what I know now, I would jump. Good career ONLY if you have the passion of flying. Unfortunately I still do, however if one young un-jaded adult would ask for advice, I would also highly recommend another "prestigious" career. Medical profession, Lawyer, etc. but if airline flying is what its going to be, then do your homework as mentioned and involve everyone that will be in your life throughout your journey in chasing this brass ring because they will be affected in your quest.

In a flow back situation Compass could put all their guys on the street (except for something along the lines of 5% of the group if they previously bypassed upgrade).

Mesaba is a different situation though. Only the amount that has flowed up can flow back. I'm not even sure right now if we would get 3 flowbacks if it happened tomarrow.

3 per month for the first (next) 9 months and 9/mo. after that.

well thank you guys/gals for your imputs...Ill tell you where Im right now...
Im 38 years old been flying since I was 25.
Worked for ford,volkswagen,fiat and peugeot for 10 years and to be honest I hated (office jobs)...Now I have my own diving company here in san diego, doing well and have a lot of free time, some I decided to jump back into my flying career,and to be honest Im quite surprise on the minimum requierements to fly a plane with passangers.
Now I need to get current since last time I flew was 2001.
Again thank you

Oh I forgot my ultimate goal is try to get on with a Legacy o Mayor

I wouldn't consider Medical or Law profession prestigious. Those professionals have to go through a WHOLE lot more work, blood, sweat and tears before reaching the big than a pilot has to. And the ridiculous amount of hours they have to work! No thanks. No way Im making the jump. The only job I see as prestigious is working for yourself. The only real true way to get ridiculously rich. We have it good, we have a job thats our hobby. Not many people can say that.

It all depends how bad you want to fly. If you already have the ratings, that is one thing. If you don't have your ratings and are gonna drop 50k on flight training that is another. Take this into consideration when you make a decision, are you gonna be able to pay on that 50k loan plus survive when you make 18-20k a year? That should be the real question.

Hasselhoff, is that you. :D Are you drunk on your closet floor again? :eek:

BTW David or is it Michael :D; you're forgetting about other responsibilities like children, mortgages, CC's, college loans, etc. But you are right, everyone's situations different.

It's KITT,:D and yes your quite right, everyone's situation is different.

Yes, KITT is cooler than DH, but they made him a Ford? What’s up with that?

If I were you, I'd find a good regional with a west coast base (XJET, Eagle, SkyWest and Horizon come to mind) where you could make good money (relatively speaking. You get to the high end of the pay scale at any of those companies and you are making $90,000+ per year) and enjoy a totally decent quality of life. Sounds like you aren't hurting for money so take your 18 days off a month plus vacation time at those regionals and enjoy the travel bennies to travel the world while getting a paycheck from your business and the airline. I just look at it this way:
You're 38. Lets say it takes you a year or 2 to get current and comfortable with your flying (I am assuming you've already got all your ratings and 600-700TT/50ME). Now you're 40 and get on with a regional. You spend 5-10 years at a regional now you're close to 50. That really only gives you 10-15 years at a major. This is how the money breaks down with some rough numbers. Bear in mind that these are conservative numbers, shooting for middle of the road on pay, not taking into account furlough or concessions and about 900 hours/year (75/mo). They also don't take into count down time from training cycles, loss of vacation and sick time when you change companies and the quality of life hits you get when you are a junior FO and a junior CA both at the regional and the major.
Year Position__Earnings
1......Regional FO...21,000
2......Regional FO...36,000
3......Regional FO...39,000
4......Regional CA...61,000
5......Regional CA...64,000
6......Regional CA...66,000
7......Regional CA...68,000
8......Major FO.......32,000
9......Major FO.......56,000
10....Major FO.......66,000
11....Major FO.......72,000
12....Major FO.......77,000
13....Major FO.......79,000
14....Major FO.......80,000
15....Major FO.......82,000
16....Major CA.......130,000
17....Major CA.......133,000
18....Major CA.......136,000
19....Major CA.......139,000
20....Major CA.......141,000
21....Major CA.......143,000
22....Major CA.......144,000
Total Earnings: $1,865,000

For these numbers I assumed you'd look at a "career regional" like Horizon, which is where the numbers come from. Horizon also has one of the best 401K matches and work rules in the business.
Year Position__Earnings
1......Regional FO...26,000
2......Regional FO...36,000
3......Regional FO...38,000
4......Regional FO...40,000
5......Regional FO...42,000
6......Regional FO...44,000
7......Regional CA...70,000
8......Regional CA...73,000
9......Regional CA...76,000
10....Regional CA...86,000
11....Regional CA...88,000
12....Regional CA...91,000
13....Regional CA...94,000
14....Regional CA...96,000
15....Regional CA...99,000
16....Regional CA...103,000
17....Regional CA...105,000
18....Regional CA...109,000
19....Regional CA...110,000
20....Regional CA...111,000
21....Regional CA...112,000
22....Regional CA...113,000
Total Earning: $1,762,000

So when you get down to it, the total earnings are not significantly different but you quality of life won't fluctuate once you get a year or 2 under you in your seat. You'll find when you get to the majors, where movement is much slower than at the regionals, that you may be "junior" for a long time. Whether that means more time on reserve, less desirable trips or lower paying aircraft, it all impacts your quality of life. So if it was me, and I didn't really need the money because of my second income stream, I'd enjoy the lifestyle, get paid to fly airplanes once in a while and enjoy the good life.

KITT may be cooler but NOBODY sings like the Hoff!:D

I was so angry when I heard they were going to use a FORD! Should have just used another Trans Am. If they didn't want to do that, they could have atleast used a corvette. Kept it GM. Oh well.

No doubt brother, tell me about it. :rolleyes:

Now this is a classic example of one of those threads where you look at the last page to see the latest, and then you look at the title, and you're like, what? What's going on here?

I read the entire thread, and I am still a little confused.

Stay the hell away from Comair!!! Great people like everywhere else, but when the company tries everything they possibly can to make you hate your job, it is impossible to have fun flying. All the other companies seem good so I would take one where you could live in base.

You will be ready to jump soon young grasshopper. Your tenure at ASA has ben short. Give it a year or so, and the koolaid will wear off.

All the air wisky guys in the PHL crew room i talk to want to kill or be killed....truely good guys that got crapped on.

PHL has got some of the most moody pilots, I think wisky isn't that bad, yes it sucks compared to what it used to be, should you come here, eh, think long and hard, but the pay is decent and work rules are good. Would I come here again, hard to say, but might as well put on a smile and collect my check.

Thanks Freezingflyboy I really appreciate your details on the payscale you did.