Airline Pilot Central Forums

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- Regional (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/regional/)

- - Great Lakes (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/regional/7537-great-lakes.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Velocipede (Post 86309)

The best thing about Great Lakes is you'll upgrade quickly, get your 1500 PIC and be off to your Major in a couple years. If you can suck it up, you can move on fast.

I think you misunderstood me - I wasn't bagging on Lakes, quite the opposite. Many pilots before myself have gotten to the highly paid (or once highly paid before the RJ era) majors working for the likes of Lakes, ASA (when they had the J41's), Commutair, etc. There's no shame in doing it in small commuter equipment, IMO.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetJock16 (Post 86288)

Think about it. The first year you’ll be lucky to break 17K with per diem. As CA you’ll make less than 30K. Why settle for Great Lakes? Are you in that big of a hurry that you can't wait a few more months and get on with TSA, Colgan, Piedmont, Mesa, PSA, CommuteAir or any other of the low quality regionals out their. At least with these low quality regionals your making over 20K the first year with CA pay WELL ABOVE 40K. I don't care how bad I wanted a job I still wouldn’t work for that amount for that airline. Plus you’re not even flying a Regional Class aircraft. 19 seats, no FA, no LAV, no AP and the 1900 is a glorified King Air.

If you go to Lakes then your showing all pilots that you're one of the "Newbie’s" that's willing to take anything and assist the airlines in bringing down pilot pay and quality of life. Have more repect for yourself and your profession. Don't do it!

My best advice is; wait and get on with a good regional: SkyWest, ExpressJet, Horizon, Air Wisconsin etc. If your in a hurry and can't wait for the good ones then don't go any lower than the bottom feeders: TSA, Mesa, GoJets and PSA.

Good luck and be careful!!!!

Who's settling? The guy actually flying a regional aircraft (19seats) or a guy that claims to be working for a regional airline, that actually has destinations coast to coast? What region is it that you serve again?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRMiller92 (Post 86274)

Hi everyone...I am just wondering if it is possible to actually live off the pay at GLA? I am contemplating if I should apply in the spring. I really think flying around the rockies would be great and if I could stick it out for a couple of years, upgrade, and then move on...why not? But once again, can you live off the pay if you degrade to livin on bare minimums in Denver? What's the chance of getting an FO position in PHX? Any help or advice would be great. Thanks in advance.

Umm, yea ok... well I don't work at Lakes, nor have I ever. But I will say that living on $15 is pretty unrealisitic. I believe that it's $15 PRE-TAX... that makes a difference also. I suppose if you can live at home, or with a friend and eat nothing but the minimum... even that is stretching it...

If you've got kids you'd be eligible for food stamps... so ya got that going for you I guess.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetJock16 (Post 86288)

I am so sick of reading on here and the other site about how Skywest is the best thing ever. What makes me even more mad is when people start bashing on the other regionals. Newsflash: We all do the same thing in many of the same aircraft. If flying the Bro on first year pay makes you feel better than a laker on the 1900, then thats your problem. The way I see it you are the one getting the raw deal. 19 people for $15, or 32 for $19? Neither deal is award winning. I'm not saying my company is problem free, far from it, but the superiority complex that some people have is absolutely ridiculous.

-I realize one pilot doesn't speak for the company. I also realize that pay gets better at SkyW, but...

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetJock16 (Post 86288)

My best advice is; wait and get on with a good regional: SkyWest, ExpressJet, Horizon, Air Wisconsin etc. If your in a hurry and can't wait for the good ones then don't go any lower than the bottom feeders: TSA, Mesa, GoJets and PSA.

Good luck and be careful!!!!

To say that GoJets is better than Lakes is a joke, considering that people right now are moving on to bigger and better things at a record pace. Get real, here. It seems that all you're looking at here is money. Lakes has the worst pay in the industry. Everyone knows that. But what you get at Lakes that a place like GoJets can't offer is a reputation...and not the negative one that you speak of (at least not right now).

Quote:

Originally Posted by saxman66 (Post 86285)

I got a friend there right now. Not sure how's he's doin. Heard its fun but I'm not even gonna try simply because of that payscale, plus I heard they don't pay for training either. I'm making way more in a 172 flying lines all day. If you're single and have no kids, it may be ok. I'd also consider living with my parents and see if commuting were possible. But that's me. Good luck.

This is about right on. If you're single and are at a position in life where you feel like you can let it all ride on a short upgrade time that you hope pays off in 5 years, go for it...if you feel like you can suck it up and live extremely frugally. I'm living in a crew house that I got a decent deal on, own room, nice neighborhood, and it's awfully tight, but I'm making it work. Time only tells if the gamble will pay off, but it has for many in the past. It isn't for everyone, and in fact, you've got to have a pretty humble attitude to put up with it all. Good luck.

Who the F is applying with Great Lakes? How do they still even have an airline because no pilots should be applying to that piece of crap airline. No pay for training? No transportation to the interview? Are you kidding me? It's pilots that go to Great Lakes and pay for their own transportation to the interview, not get paid during training, then actually take a job with them that are making our profession a freaking joke. Hopefully that airline goes out of business soon or they change their ways when the new law goes into effect and you need 1500 hours to even apply at that putrid airline. No more 500 hour pilots to take advantage of you piece of S#!t airline. Unbeleiveable.

Holy thread revival!!!!

Yeah, holy Necropost batman....

Apparently there are still guys going to Lakes and they're still doing that stupid SEE-ya everything they get handed off to a new frequency. One of the about blew my eardrums out the other day.