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Hey ChickenFlight. I am trying to grasp what your describing. If AE is guaranteeing base preference, why should I bid BOS and transfer to ORD? Why dont I just bid ORD? I appreciate your advice, I'm just not understanding the purpose behind it. Please help me understand it.

Okay, I am editing this after rereading what you said. Makes sense, I think...What if I bid BOS and I cant xfer to ORD! Then I am stuck in a base I really didnt want. Is this likely? I like the loophole, thx. I'd just be scared of it not working and they say "SORRY YOU BID BOS, you cant place another bid for XX days".

 

I just happened to save last month's equipment bids so after some review, I have slightly more up-to-date advice.

Eagle does allow you to pick your base at the time of interview and change that choice up until the first 5 min of class. Apparently they are telling people it will be a wait for LA, but it wasn't an issue when I went through.

If you want to take ORD outright, you can but you do risk getting the CRJ and the QOL is less than desirable for me personally (again, if you live in Chicago and like spending time at home, its perfect). However, there were 9 openings for CRJ FOs in DFW last month which supports rumors that all of the CRJs are going to DFW. It seems like a long-shot to me but at one point they moved them all to ORD only to split them up again soon there after. They really can't decide what to do with only having 25.

As of Feb. there are only 30 lines and 47 FOs on the CRJ in ORD with no openings for internal transfers to that seat so it is unlikely that they will send newhires to the CRJ at ORD. There are currently 99+ openings for EMJ FOs at ORD and that past few classes indicate that the trend is for all ORD newhires to go to the EMJ.

That being said, if you want to be in Chicago on the EMJ, you can go to BOS or LGA and you are assured an EMJ class. Once you're in the door you can xfer to ORD and you will get it. With the 99+ openings its about as certain as anything can be in this industry (99+ means that even if they lifted the 1yr seat-lock on all of the T-prop drivers, you would still have an opening since we aren't allowed to transfer unless it is an advancement in pay (no prop to prop, jet to jet, or jet to prop...say that 3 times fast...you can only go from a prop to a jet)). If you have any specific questions, pm me. Hope this clears some of this mess up

 

Is it still at 99+ openings, really!! I believe it was also 90-99 last month. Does that mean that the ORD FO slots are not getting filled quickly/ I would have thought that a lot of people would be choosing that particular scenario due to the low reserve time and then transfering to where they wanted. Thats what i am going to do next week when i start training and try to transfer to DFW. On that subject, anyone know how much seniority one must have to hold line on the ERJ FO at DFW??

 

Keep in mind DFW is VERY senior, but as of right now, 9 months of seniority would not hold a hard line on the Embryo at DFW. I would still be 30 numbers away if I could take the seat.

Eagle simply cannot staff the EMJs at Chicago. There have been some t-prop FOs transfer up but if I were on that airplane, I would only have 50 people below me on the list. Just because there are 99+ openings two months in a row doesn't mean they are getting 99+ a month to take the seat.

PIPE:

Do you live in the DFW metroplex or are you planning on commuting from somewhere? Depending on where you live Chicago might be a good choice. I know of new-hires months behind me getting pretty good lines on the EMJ in Chicago. PM me if you have specific commuting questions.

 

I live in Louisiana and plan on moving to ORD when the time comes (April). Im in no hurry to leave Chicago if I really enjoy it there, but I fear COL might be too much!

So why are there consistantly around 100 openings. Do ppl just not want to go there? It seems like a pretty sweet deal to me... I want to make the right decision and as of right now I like the idea of starting in ORD and being mobile if necessary

 

Chicago is affordable if you live in the city near the Blue Line and forgo owning a car. You can find a place for 500-600/mo in the Bucktown area, lots of pilots around there.

Eagle cant make recruiting goals systemwide, Chicago is just the most extreme. Its a good deal if you want to make Chicago home.

 

Why would you say it is a good idea to "forgo owning a car"? Is it as hard to get around as in say New York? Furthermore, does a train or subway system go through the airport or do most pilots just live close enough to take a cab or what? Sorry for all the questions, I just don't know anyone that lives there and have only visited once.

 

Where is that movement going to come from? There is no growth here. No expansion and AMR has us on the for-sale market. The airline is top-heavy with senior captains who DO NOT quit. About forty per year were scheduled to retire before age 60 was lifted. Now, 90% of them will stay.

Last month there were a total of 17 upgrades in a company of 3000 pilots. Those were only to replace the flow-backs returning to AA and there are only 113 of them left. Then, upgrades go back to ZERO.

 

Sorry to pull your last thread, I was being optimistic and positive. Airline industry is actively changing. Buy outs arent always negative, my dad went through 3 company mergers.