Remember there will be two to three furloughs in there too that will have you go back to the bottom of the next sweat shop. And forty years later you are still trying to make mainline and then life ends! How about that?

There are no guarantees; not in this career or in any others.

How important should the first five to seven year's QOL concerns be for the aspiring young airline pilot looking for their first 121 job?

I agree, and think QOL should be a huge factor and very important in deciding where to go. We have all put a lot of training into this career, and shouldnt put up with anything less in hopes of a future payoff. Go somewhere you can have a good QOL, you might be there longer than you think.

I dont think your estimates in regards to xjt are true. The furloughed pilots all had just under or slightly over 1 yr of seniority not the 2 you stated. If you were hired in late 2006 you would be a lineholder in ewr but on reserve in cle or iah.

It is all a gamble. Knowing what i know now this whole regional game is the biggest circle jerk i have ever seen. As soon as one airline gets a good contract and work rules they are underbid. As soon as the underbidders get a good contract then THEY are underbid. Which regional is better? they all suck and our career is circling the drain until the flying is brought back to mainline. Regionals getting bigger might mean great things for your upgrade or your paycheck now but it is ruining your long term career.

Haven't you people read "Fate Is the Hunter"???

Ernie Gann has gone over this TIME and TIME and TIME again...

(and get off my lawn, too)

Who is John Gualt?

Back in 02 I interviewed at ACA (Atlantic Coast Airlines) which was one of the hottest things that year. Many were getting hired into the CRJ. They also had the J41 and the DOjet. I also interviewed at colgan. Colgan hired me right away but I passed on the first colgan class date waiting to hear from ACA. I got the thanks but no thanks letter 3 weeks later. I took the next class at colgan. At that moment in time ACA was clearly the better airline. High stock price, UAL feeder which at the time was better than USAir feeder. Jets.

ACA did me an incredible favor by shooting me down. They were furloughing within months of my interview and were completely gone a few years later.

If I had to do it again i'd go the military route...

nice try its Gault:)

that sounds like comair lol