When I was instructing I had a student that made his money elsewhere and was learning to fly for fun. He told me this; "keep your passions/hobbies separate from your job and you'll be happier"

Keep in mind, Piedmont was a "respectable regional" at one time. Whoever is on top now had the strong possibility of not being there forever.

Those word are a bit of a sad aspect of what this career had become. When you have "regional" CA's (for whatever reason) who are old enough to have children at ANOTHER "regional".

There hasn't been a pilotage shortage in the last 40+ years, and agree, there won't be one. EVER.

And know we open up the proverbial can of worms. It's a funny circle, when the hiring is going hot an heavy the bolded part is the mantra, because you won't be there for very long anyway so somehow it must be OK. However, when times are tough and nobody is hiring, regional pilots are expected to "hold the line" and "not sell out" to as to prevent the further decline of the profession.

Example, if one could get hired at GoJets and to a lesser extent, MESA, upgrade quick, and get out fast, does that mean that they should go there? You don't need to answer, it's a rhetorical question.

 

So Does FedEx

 

Uhhh...you just kind of contradicted yourself..."I'd rather fly my Dash for peanuts than just push buttons and talk on the radio now and then."

What exactly do you think you'd be doing at JAL or Cathay or Emirates??? Do you think a A340/777/747 FO hand flies raw data approaches to mins every other day???

Last time I jumpseated on a 74 a few years back, the CA had done 1 landing in the airplane in the last bid period, each of the FOs had about 2...

Sounds like long-haul ain't in your future girl!!!!

 

The thread isn't THAT long yet.

At DAL, is the lodging the newhire's responsibility the entire time of training? Or is it just until the completion of indoc. Then, when the equipment/domiciles are awarded, if the pilot held a base OTHER then ATL they are accommodated along with per diem from there on out?

 

LOL, Fair enough..but one a bid period is better than none as a 2nd officer I suppose. I'll readily admit this: My career goals honestly change with the wind of the industry. I'll end up going wherever that wind takes me in the long run.

 

Dal pays during Indoc, but not for initial.

 

How is it more inexcusable? Where do you think the regionals learned their tricks? From their big brothers, the majors.

You shoot holes in every idea someone throws your way.

Your dream job isn't going to fall into your lap, and neither is mine. That's why I left Mesa and moved on, to better my resume and eventually get the job I want.

I could have stayed there and complained, not upgraded, and hit the top of the F/O pay scale, but I got sick of it and bailed. I've never been happier.

Will you upgrade in the next 2 years at Piedmont? You likely would at Compass (key word likely).

 

Nahhh, just yours. Be that mad internet guy if you want. I already complimented you on your choice to go to Compass. And your answer to that is instead of discussing without becoming instigative and snide, you get snippy with me because I don't want to work for Compass? [...].

 

If by that you mean as the industry changes, you modify your plan to get to your ultimate goal, fine. But if you mean you don't really have some kind of plan (including contingency plans), then you are unlikely to end up in a place you want to be.

Early on, you said you wanted to be at Cathy, but would not take a cruise pilot. If Cathy was what you really want, I would take just about any flying job with the company since they presumably upgrade from within (I know nothing about Cathy, so assumption may be wrong).

If you see a furlough on the horizon, I would look into a voluntary LOA and start looking for a job the offers ANY PIC. There are several good 135 companies which will pay around $30k to start in a Caravan. Even a high performance piston single could earn mid $20s. They aren't sexy, but you will be PIC, dispatcher, and have first hand contact with the customer: resume bullets that are all valuable.

You have a job (at least for now). That is better than many folks right now. You are current, again better than many. Crying in your beer won't help.... and it is a waste of beer.

Start planning now, be ready to adjust your plans, and if make a bad choice (or rather when, since all of us has) let it go and start planning again.

Unless you are somebody's daughter at Super Great Airlines, there aren't any shortcuts.

 

Now there you go Pax, [....]. Fly, that made me chuckle, well done sir. And sorry about the beer getting contaminated by my whine..pretty bad huh...I guess I need an order of french cries with my wahhh burger too..LOL

I'd be worried that taking a cruise pilot job at CX would result in getting stuck in that position for years. Maybe someone that knows about Cath can shed some light on that.