My friend is a retired NWA Captain. He told a story from his B727 FO days; Two flights used to leave MSP in the afternoon bound for SEA. Each made several stops along parallel tracks in places like Fargo, Pierre, Missoula, Butte. Each made the same number of stops. The crews would race to SEA because the losing crew had to buy in the hotel bar. They would make 15 minute turns at uncontrolled airports, help throw bags, anything to speed their way along.

Hearing this story led me to think about something; In those days a CA made over $400,000, FO - $200,000, FE - $130,000 in 2010 dollars, and this is a conservative estimate. Today this flying is done in RJ's by Mesaba or someone and the CA and FO together probably don't clear $100,000. They work more days each month for much less real pay.

Our profession is harmed by pilots who get too comfy at their "good regional." A pilot who chooses to go to Mesa, Colgan, (insert "bottom-feeding", "profession-killing" regional here) because he or she wants to get to the majors and has no intention of putting down roots at any regional is trying to be part of the rising tide lifting all boats. Pilots who choose Skywest, ExpressJet, (insert "kind", "wholesome", "pilot-loving" regional here) and then stay there because the droppings from the lord's table are just good enough, are those who drag us down. The concept of a career regional must be squashed.

 

Is that the best you could come up with to rationalize your decision to work for, as you put it, a "'bottom-feeding', 'profession-killing' regional?"

 

I love your rationalization. I'm still laughing as I type this.

Don't you just love these guys?

 

Yeah, you know...I like to use these forums to keep my ear to the streets but there is way too much self righteous crap being typed by people who probably wouldn't embarrass themselves by speaking such verbal diarrhea to other crewmembers they don't know in the airport or a hotel shuttle!

 

You're joking right? April fools?
Several times on the first day of class at my airline the CEO, DO or other higher power has walked into class and said "We DO NOT want you here in 3 years. You are a liability to us if you stay longer than 3 years. We want you to upgrade as soon as you hit mins, get 1000 tpic and get the heck out." Regionals HATE 4 year plus payscale captains.

So a CA who spends 20 years at "good" regional is hurting the industry more than someone who is willing to work for 14 buck and hour for 4 years at a "bad regional?"

 

Dude, you are too funny, but well said and true. You must have helped write the "Pulp Fiction" script.

 

One of my first days at Colgan the instructor said they wanted a good 2 years out of us and that is what they expected more or less.

I've always wanted more details about the below:
1993
Comair changed the U.S. airline industry forever in June when it became the Western Hemisphere launch customer for the 50-passenger Canadair Regional Jet. By 1993, Comair had grown to serve more than 68 locations in 23 states and three countries, employing more than 2,200 aviation professionals.


I have often heard that one can point the finger at Delta for not wanting to fly the first regional jets. They could have stopped what we have now in it's tracks back in the early 90's. Hindsight is always 20/20, but I have never been able to find any hard facts about how the above actually went down. Any thoughts?

 

My understanding is that Delta Apla agreed to let CRJ flying be done by outsourced regional airlines in exchange for better payscales at mainline.

 

This theory works well until S. hits the fan and the bottom tier regionals lose flying and start furloughing. Then, your stuck trying to make rent or a mortgage with low end wages, being displaced to FO or furloughed and no chance to go to mainline in the foreseeable future.

 

Well, let's see. 7+ years ago, I went to a regional with top-of-the-industry pay rates and phenomenal growth. Advanced rapidly but not enough to upgrade until 5.5 years. Downgraded after 7 months, 300 hours PIC. After 300+ furloughs and the loss of 40% of our fleet, I'm senior to 25% of our remaining pilots.

Yay?

Of course, had I gone to a lower-tier regional and upgraded quickly, I could be furloughed from a major by now...