ASA interview leads to big questions.
 

Intriguing title isn't it?

Hello all,
I am a fairly fresh college grad with a full time flying position, in production test and company transportation, with a major airplane manufacturer where I get turboprop, jet, and piston time, type ratings, and PIC time. This is much needed as I am sitting with 900TT/250ME. Ok, there is my background.

Anyhoo I got called today by ASA. The gentleman provided me with the opportunity to travel to ATL for an interview this next week. (oh and for those wondering about flight times, the latest resume ASA had showed me with around 800tt, 200ME, and 30Turbine.) Obviously I could show up and botch the interview, I realize that. BUT this brought a few questions to mind.

ASA was my number one choice regional airline back when no one was hiring. Since then I became VERY lucky to receive my current position. This is a position that will give me lots of experience, and after many years, a GREAT base for corporate flying. On the other hand I have always wanted to try airline flying, because if I didn't try it, I wouldn't know if I might have really liked it. But with my low time, I don't dare give up a good job, for a MAYBE good job with half the pay do I?

My next thought is this, If I were to continue in my current position and later in life wanted to fly for an airline, are the days of going straight to the majors gone? Or would that still be a feasible path?

Either way I will be interviewing with ASA, and will make my decision should that become necessary, I just wanted to hear the comments that you all could come up with.

By the way, my resume was delivered via Airlineapps.com and No I had no internal recommendation.

You got an interview at ASA with 800 hours? That's God's way of saying go to ASA.

I must disagree. The airline game is a crapshoot even in the best of times, and today is not the best of times. The US and world economies are a mess, airline consolidations are occuring as we speak and will continue to occur, in my opinion. There is no telling what the landscape will look like in ten years and who will still be around.

You sound like you are in a great position to keep flying and build the experience the airlines want. I personally don't think 121 time is a pre-requisite for a major if you have a varied, extensive background. You will probably outclass most regional applicants from this point forward, so getting hired there is not an issue.

I would sit tight and let the dust settle a bit. Even 10 years from now you could still have a 30 year airline career if you go that route.

I'll second what JobHopper said. Ten or fifteen years ago I might have advocated for getting to a position where you're building time more rapidly to move on (says the ex-corporate pilot who did the opposite). Now, not so much. Who knows what direction things will head with all of the consolidation going on right now - maybe regional feed will be reduced, maybe it won't. I just don't see any big motivating factor to hurry up and get somewhere at the moment, particularly given your current situation. If anything, your current experience might be a feather in your cap later when interview time comes around: Everyone and their brother now has experience flying an RJ - those with flight test experience are much less common. Ultimately, you're in this game to produce income for yourself - I wouldn't cut my pay by half now for an uncertain return a few years down the road. If anything, with the new regs requiring 1500TT, you might be more in demand in a couple of years.

Your mileage may vary, taxes, title, and dealer prep not included. Offer void where taxed or otherwise prohibited by law...

How many hours are you flying a month? do you live or want to live in one of ASA's bases? commuting sucks.

The airlines will be around to hire you in the next couple of years. If your current position allows you to fly 60-80 hrs a month then you will still be building time at the same pace as a regional. If you could rack up around 4000TT with some pic turbine mixed in there... you might be able to go straight to a major without the regional. If you are only flying 20-40 hours a month and the pic time is limited then you wont be competitive when things hopefully start to move.

If they treat you right and are still building decent time i would stay put. If you arent building time then i would jump ship. You are lucky to have been offered an interview with such low times and you should take advantage of it.

What do you want to do in your career? fly the hawker and sit in an fbo all day or fly the 737 and put up with some backwards management bs? both pay the bills but neither is very glamorous anymore.

Don't do it. Stay where you are.

I flew corporate in a previous life. Boss got a second airplane and I was going to Captain that one with a nice pay raise. The other Captain was a product of two flight department down-sizings. First was with a large phone company that disbanded the flight department. The second was years ago when Nordstrom downsized. He came out of retirement to fly for a rich At&t wireless guy. He offered me the job to fly the other a/c but encouraged me to try the airlines. I went to the airlines and dropped down to $17000 that year....ouch! Your young so you have lots of time to live your dream and your heart can still take $1.00 cheeseburgers and top ramen. Hard decision for you but good luck.

Based on the information you have provided I would recommend passing on ASA. I have flown 91, 135, 121 pax and 121 freight. In my experience the 121 passenger was the worst of them all. It was ,however, working for a regional having to commute to work. It was also working at what I considered to be a bottom feeder commuter (RAH). I'm pretty sure the work environment at ASA would be measurably better than repubic but do not have personal experience with ASA.

I will say that if you decide to goto ASA living in base would be a really good idea. Commuting is a special kind of hell. Even the "easy" commutes are a real pain in the rear. If you live in base you will never have to worry about loads, weather or flight availability because you can just drive to work. The QOL living in base is much better that having to commute. I would say this is especially true if you are based at an outstation.

Just my experience. Not presented as fact. Good luck.

I was in your exact shoes a couple years ago (minus the sweet current employment).

Went to ASA to "see if I liked airline flying." Aside from the multi and jet time, I was not a fan. Pay sucked, schedule REALLY sucked and there were plenty of employees telling me how much they thought it would suck for the next ___ years. I'd say skip the song and dance of getting bounced around the regional system, go for QOL and stay where you are.

Also, the whole ASA/Skywest/Expressjet thing will make things interesting at ASA. Got a friend there right now who says the feeling around ASA isn't too good. I don't really know anything about it, so I'm not going insert an opinion, but I'd say look into how that whole 3some is going to influence your potential time at ASA.

Good luck! As JobHopper said, it's a crapshoot!

I'm surprised no one has offered this idea of going to the interview to see what its all about. If they do offer you a position weigh the pros and cons at that time and decide accordingly. If they don't offer you a spot at least you can say you went and get rid of that "what if" monkey.

Personally, I'd probably stay put at what seems to be a relatively unique position especially with relatively low time. This will open up avenues to all different types of flying in the 91, 135, and 121 worlds.