envoy is a pretty good place to work once you upgrade you can make pretty good cash.

No complaints here.

 

And until that....5 to 6 year point....? Soup Kitchen? Refugee Camp with mom and the kids? Look I'm being facetious of course. My beef is like everyone else's - the miserable starting salary at any regional.

Although I'm at Envoy now, I don't have a Greyhound in this race much longer (I never liked the term 'dog in the fight'). That being said, mostly everyone I've dealt with has been courteous and professional. Training was better than most, but not the top.

The group seems to be stratified into those that are leaving via flow (happy and carefree), a bitter and cynical "middle class", and the lower strata of stoic recent hires that has nothing to lose by staying or leaving (I'm in this group but I do have something to lose by staying: it would most likely be my house).

Would I stay here if I was 20 years younger with 9,000 hours less experience, and living in base? I would.

 

I know what you are saying but hang in there and stand strong. This pilot group is defending the profession. Be proud.

 

It's all about your attitude and life situation. I live in base and have bid reserve all but 3 months here - once was a complete accident. Once because I needed a week off without getting vacation and another staffing was really low and I needed a break.

But on average, I fly 20-30 months. Even this summer when we zero out reserves the day before. When staffing is good, like last summer, I flew twice in one month. I am home almost every night and my wife who works her tail off comes home to a clean house, fresh laundry and hot dinner - I have no problem being house husband. Yeah I only get paid 75 hours but it allows me to work a second job at home. I have yet to miss a single important life event including over 12 weddings since I have been here (friend and family are that age).

Our reserve rules are probably some of the best in the industry. Yes, it is still reserve and there are times they can abuse the hell out of you. But you have some control over it.

 

More like 7 to 8 years.

 

I left Eagle for Compass. Things are good here but I miss the reserve rules of Eagle.

 

What do you miss the most?

 

True. And if you live in base I understand not wanting to fly on reserve. But if you're commuting to sit for five days in NYC to do a Detroit round it's a different story. And I get the whole "it's not the fault of the airline you can't live in NYC on $450 a week" (I'm former Independence Air from the ACA days so I've lived this before.)

In a former job I was Platinum on AA so I do reserve by taking off the uniform shirt, throwing on a polo, and sitting standby in the Admiral's Club drinking free coffee and eating warm cookies while reading the Wall Street Journal(with free wifi - unlike the crew lounge).

Now there's a study in itself - deplorable conditions in the crew lounge (sheetrock falling in, blankets used as insulation, mold, dust, florescent bulbs incorrectly installed and about to fall on someone's head, outside extension cords strung everywhere, did I miss anything?) vs. the loyalty clubs but I digress!
I've got a writing gig so I can generate income while sitting but the true newbies (including my classmates) are getting banged up pretty good and I feel for them.

 

An issue with regional reserve in NYC is that it circumvents the intent of FAR 117. So does commuting in general and that's something we all know but no one wants to address (more so change).

I commuted in one morning to JFK on a 6am flight with someone going to Paris at 6pm. Well rested? Sleeping in the crew lounge is inconsistent with the concept of "rest." Even a crashpad is not going to provide a true rest experience as specified by the reg.

So what's the fix? If the crew rate for a pilot on reserve was the same rate the company paid for overnights ($26 I've been told in some locations), the equation changes. Pilots won't spring for a room at $149 but $26? What's the sweet spot? Getting a room would certainly provide a more restful experience than commuting day of or crew lounge crashing would it not? I'm looking at quite a few fatigued reserve crew members (pilots and FAs) and thinking for those folks 117 has done nothing.