Regional Job Advice
 

Hey Guys
I am a new member with a couple questions and looking for some advice. I know people get on here and do that all the time but I just want to make my first step in the right direction. I am a 1100TT, 200ME MEI who is 22 years of age and looking to go regional. I am a little new to the airline game and I feel a little bit like the new kid in school who cant find his classes. Their are quite a few regionals out there and I am wondering which one to go to and where to start. I like the way Pinnacle looks and have friends there and the CRJ is really appealing but I understand that it is PIC time that counts so I need to stick to something with a prop such as a B1900 or Dash 8? My main goal is to move up to a larger airline to where I could eventually retire from. I would like to go to the regional that will help me advance there the quickest, but yet still get treated right and be happy. I hear a lot of you guys on here talk bad about AE and rave others such as Horizon. What do you guys think of Island Air? Or any other ones? I have a friend who could walk in my resume with Commute Air but I would like to avoid Plattsburgh and Clevland if I could. I am living south GA and relocation is not going to be a problem although my wife really isnt a fan of the extreme cold but should might move to the far north for the right reason. There a lot of disgruntled pilots that are on here and dont have very many positive things to say, and thats not what I am looking for. Any realistic advice would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome...Are you qualified for military service? If so, why not give them a look - you'll get the best training out there and be flying anything from a F-15 to a C-17...

I read PIC time is what counts - go where the upgrade comes quickly...

-LAFF

My best advice is this because you are so young. (Average age to get hired at a major is 35-37)

Find a regional that has a domicile where you live or where you are willing to move to. Regional life can suck if you have to commute. Stay away from girlfriend/boyfriend until your career is on track. Pick up all open time you can and make top $$$, you will be flying so much you won't have time to spend! Before you know it, you will be captain, and logging Turbine PIC. At your age I would not sacrifice a regional that can provide good work rules with acceptable upgrade time. You don't need the Turbine PIC today being only 22. If I were in your spot, I would be single, ready and willing to move and be looking at Skywest, ExpressJet, and Chautauqua/Republic/Shuttle and Air Wisconsin as my first choices.

Seriously though, the hastle of commuting is just stress you don't need at $19-$24/hr. LIVE IN BASE. I never dreamed how different my job satisfaction could be until I lived in base. Totally different world.

Good luck to you. You are in a great place. Stay away from anything Northwest if you want stability right now!

Meet everyone you can that works for a mainline carrier, get a two or three bedroom townhouse or condo and rent two rooms out to guys that need a crash pad that fly for FedEx, UPS, Continental, Southwest, Frontier, etc. These are the people that will see you into the right seat of the 757 in 5-8 years. Getting to the majors is much more about who you know that can sponser/recommend you than how much above minumum hiring requirements you are in your logbook. Worry just as much about meeting the right people and building relationships with them from today until you are on the seniority list with a widebody carrier.

Move out west and fly for Skywest. If you're wife isn't willing to move it's going to be a much tougher road for the both of you! Sacrifice now for the benefits you may reap later!

I would not recommend CommutAir. I had a friend just leave there for ASA. They are downsizing, there have been rumors of cabin class a/c there for like the last 15 years, it ain't gonna happen. CommutAir, because it doesn't have a training contract, would be good if you had less time. Their upgrades are 3-4 years right now - in a 1900...

I would seriously look at Skywest and Chautauqa/Republic. Those are the ones that seem to be operated by people that know what they are doing. Although, that being said, picking a regional is a crap shot. You could go to someplace that has a current upgrade of 4 years but upgrade in 12 months if they expand rapidly.

So I agree with the above poster, try to get on at a company that has bases where you live, or are willing to move to. The problem with regionals is that their bases open and close ALL THE TIME. Look at AWAC, they went from all midwest flying to all east coast flying in <12 months. Some people have had 4 domicile changes in < 3 years!

Don't discount freight. You seem to almost have the 135 requirements. Airnet is a good company with about a 3 year upgrade to Lear CA. Ameriflight has Beech 99's, multi turbine PIC, with upgrades in 6 months if you are willing to move around out in the west coast. And their pay is a little bit better than a regional to start, although that's a wash at second year pay.

Flying for a regional isn't the "best life" one could imagine. In fact, even working for a "good" one, and living in base, it's still hard on first year pay. Second year pay is OK, if you are willing to work hard.

I woud reccomend going with the place you think you can get turbine PIC under FAR 121 the quickest. There are many schools of thought, but if you go to a place like Great Lakes you get treated fairly with poor pay and benefits. If upgrade to Captain is in the 18 month range you will be making more than flying F/O on an RJ and building PIC. There are other places you can do this, I am more familiar with Lakes.

One more thing, only change jobs if there is a tangible benefit that could be seen by your interview board at the place you want to end up. Many majors frown upon job changes that look lateral or even backwards. Seniority rules, so get your PIC time ASAP and try and get some check airman experience once you are a Captain, that is very important to help set you apart from everyone else who is equal in time and experience.

Hope this helps.

This is incorrect. One would have to be a 9 year CA on the 1900 to make what I make on my second year, and a 3 year CA on the EMB to make what I make second year.

The PIC train of thought is correct, it may work for someone that has connections but if you don't have any connections it doesn't help one bit. With that being said, having TPIC, especially 121 PIC at great lakes is ALWAYS A PLUS. It is tough flying that will make you a GREAT pilot. If you can stand the pay, and the QOL for a few years, it'll probably pay off.

That probably is true now, I guess I was talking about the way it was in the eary 90's prior to the RJ age. I was a 12 month 1900 Captain and made 35K my first year, but only 11K my first year as an F/O at a whopping $10.15 per block hour. Those were the days !

Start making those connections as well, in the current environment you will also need the help of internal recs. this may not be the same when you are ready to apply to the majors.

Seriously though, the hastle of commuting is just stress you don't need at $19-$24/hr. LIVE IN BASE. I never dreamed how different my job satisfaction could be until I lived in base. Totally different world.

Commuting is for the birds. If you live in base, your life will be much, much, much better. Do not commute, especially when you are making peanuts and can't afford to sleep anywhere but the crew room. DO NOT COMMUTE!

Also check out Colgan Air. I have a buddy that's in training with them and he's liking it. Upgrade on the Saab comes in 12-18 months I hear, with probably about $40K-$45K as first year Captain. They use mostly "outstation" basing (Allentown, PA., etc.), so it forces you to live in domicile.

My friend also said he's pretty sure that Colgan has a "prefered hiring" thing with Continental, FWIW.

I waiting for the sound advise of RICK777, He seems to have all the answers for he is a Mesa pilot.

Contrary to what you might hear, all regionals are mostly the same. The difference might be that management at one regional uses leather whips where as another uses wooden paddles. Just get on somewhere where they will be around for a while. Actually if I was you I would look at charter flying, find a learjet or citation job around your local airport. You don't want to go into the hell world of regional flying. And if you haven't commuted before in your life you will be in for a treat.

However, if regional is the only way to go for you and since you live in GA, I wouldn't go for Skywest or Horizon, no need to move to the other side since most Regionals are on the East anyways. Try PSA, I know a PSA captain, he makes around 100K a year and is happy there. Try ASA, Air Wisconsin, Expressjet. Avoid Eagle, I have heard some real bad stories of real abuse. As I have stated before, regional is not the only way into the airlines. Look into charter or 135 cargo.

22 years of age,1100TT, and a wife? Slow it down buddy, you don't have kids do you? Do you have college? At 22 I was trying to figure out whether to eat chicken or beef ramen. I wouldn't worry much about the regionals, just shoot your resume to everyone and tell us who hired you, then we'll give you advice. No sense in debating about going to airlines that haven't offered you a job yet.

cont. pref hire = yes

40 - 48 first year capt. - no

Colgan is what you make of it. Don't expect to be placed in IAH and if you don't like the winters in the north Colgan is not your place.

As a Capt. first year you can expect mid 30's to low 40's. (SF340)

Plan on working if your in the beech and no matter what stay away from maint. bases.

Colgan is becoming very stable (by Colgan standerds) right now so expect the upgrade on the Saab to get closer to two years.

The cont. pref hire is for 500 PIC instead of 1000 but its really the senior folks getting the jobs. Senior at Colgan is 5 years.

Hope this helps.

ya thats prefferential hiring with continental if continental is hiring...........which they are right now, but this is only cause of there expansion push, once those spots are filled which will happen soon because there are thousands of regional captains that meet criteria.....then guess what....continental wont be hiring anymore!
i really feel bad for kids who say im gonna go to colgan for a quick upgrade and then apply to continental when they dont realize what happens today will not happen in a few years. Well im pretty sure in 2 years the continental push is gonna be filled up and then they will only hire a small amount as retirement dictates.


go to a "good" regional, that way if something happens drastic to the industry your not stuck a few more years in a ****hole because you wanted some quick PIC time.

would you rather be an 8 year capt on a CRJ or a turboprop if you get stuck, go look at the payscales and its a no brainer.

Sources say 50% retiring in the next 10 years. Thats over 2000 pilots, so about an average of 500 retirements per year (very rough estimates). My internal connections at CAL say theres going to be massive hiring in the next 10 years,but yes, things can change in a moment's notice.

What about all the military pilots looking to get on with CAL? Majors prefer military pilots over commuter pilots anyday.

if your stuck anywhere for eight years it doesn't matter what the airplane is... jet or turboprop

a plane is a plane, we are all bus drivers. Except bus drivers get paid more than we do.

If you do have to stay somewhere then stay somewhere you can stand to work and make sure you get paid enough to live.

Job Advice
 

Hi, I have been at AE for almost 8 years now and your exactly right. There's alot of bad talk everywhere. First where ever you work do whatever you can not to commute, especially if you want to have any sort of family life what so ever. Also where ever you go plan on not making any money till you upgrade which with today's industry is just a guessing game. Also, all airlines are the same, they all have contracts, they all have pay scales, and they all have disgruntled employees no matter where you are. Sure some people are happier at certain places, it justs how the person handles each situation they have put themselves into. If your looking for just plain old PIC time, then my honest opinion is to find a charter company (135) and build yourself around 1500 hours of PIC which may take you 3 years or so to do this. During that time you will be making more than you would at a regional as an F/O plus you could still Flt Instr on the side and make extra. After that then see how the airline industry is doing and if you still want the 121 time then do 1 year at the regional to gather your 121 time. At that point you may have spent 3-4 years to become very marketable to go to the majors like Southwest, Jetblue, or so on. Plus you never know what oppurtunities may come around during your 135 time. There will be more options for you at that point then going straight to a regional airline and sitting in the right seat for a long time. Also keep in mind that if you go to a regional and decide to move then look at the domiciles first, this might help you make up your mind on where you decide to go. Hope this helps. At least you have the right frame of mind to ask these questions first before making the leap.