Yeah, that job at Pinnacle will make it all worth it! (NOT)

 

Eh.. i'm actually looking forward to it. Doesn't hurt to atleast start out with a positive attitude.

 

That won't last long.

 

Well, might as well make the best of it. It sure as heck beats being a turd herder or a bag smasher.

Not to flame anyone, but why all the negativity? We all have to start somewhere, and pay our dues over time to get what we want. Nobody's going to offer your dream job on a silver platter on day one. Yeah, the pay sucks... we can all agree on that. The schedules suck, another point on which we see eye to eye. The QOL is going to be $hit for the first few years, but everybody has to go through it at one point or another.

Like I said before, it sure as heck beats being a bagsmasher.... and all you who have done that work for any amount of time will probably agree with that.

 

The way that I look at regional airlines is that they’re all puppies from an ugly litter. No matter where you go it’s going to be ugly. But why go to the ugliest of the ugly i.e. Mesa, Pinnacle, and TSA just to name a few. If you have the time for them you should have the time for the least ugly puppy. I made the mistake and took the first job offered to me and yes it is one of the airlines I have listed above. Let me tell you it was almost a 2-year mistake. I left and the pastures are greener on the other side. If you have to say right rudder for another 3-months do it! Sky West is holding interviews every day Mon-Fri they want to hire 300+ pilots by years end…

 

Damned if you do, damned if you dont.... i guess

 

Don't worry CL65. Those words are not coming from those who are in your position, much less even with 500 hours of where you are. Hell, I understand it's going to take work to get to the money. It's been like that for years, and nothing is going to change within the next 5 years.

Just dust your shoulders off, and best of luck.

 

It probably stems from the fact that except for a VERY small minority of you non-military, civilian only regional pilots or regional wannabes, the regionals are where you are going to start and finish your airline career. The negativity also stems from the fact that wages and working conditioins at the regionals will never substantially improve over what they are now. That's because of all the wannabe's that think that THEY will be the lucky one in a million civilian regional pilot to get a job at a major. Regional manager's have no incentive to improve wages or working conditions when people are lined up around the corner wanting a job at a regional airline. Face facts, if you currently work for or are thinking about getting a job at a regional, that's where you are going to retire from.

 

That is most likely correct...if you think you are going to get a job at a major you need to look at yourself and look at all of your fellow regional pilots / CFIs...is there anything at all about you that stands out? Are you more personable, smarter, better educated, in better physical shape? Do you have a masters? How about academic honors? Are you active in your community? What do you do on your days off, play video games? Some people do triathlons or volunteer work in diasaster areas...

Majors have SO many applicants that mediocrity is almost a sure-fire disqualifier. One of my hard spots with PFT is that it opens the door for mediocre people with money (or the willingness to incur debt) to get into this profession. Old-school small airport CFIs usually have to be pretty dynamic individuals to thrive in that environment.

 

So where is the regional industry heading? You will not doubt see regional pilots defending their decision to get into regional flying by saying that they never really wanted to fly for a major and that $200K-$300K a year to fly a plane is rediculous and that they are perfectly happy making $80K for the rest of their lives with a self-funded retirement.