Best QOL re: Sched/Salary as FO
 

Which regional can offer the choicest morsel of a schedule, with decent pay quickly, for FO's.

Captain upgrade time not a factor, at all. Let's say the economy tanks again... where would you want to be for the next five years in the right seat?

Unless you live in base, none.

and in many cases, thats a time limited effect...

If you live in Base, then SkyWest:)

If anyone is seriously thinking about entering this profession now... I feel sorry for you.

Can you elaborate? I hate to seem ignorant, but I'm a CFI who just hit ATP mins. Thanks.

I suggest you do NOT go to any regional with a large 50 seat jet operation. They are going the way of the dodo bird. Find a turbo prop operation or one with lots of large rj's.

The regional with large RJs that has long term contracts with the mainline partner.

The one that has a large hub in the same city you live in... and even that is a crap shoot. (see Comair/CVG)

Without a doubt, living in base is the single most significant QOL factor there is. It trumps a lot of things, including significant differences in pay. There is NOTHING like sitting reserve at home when you are junior. Or by choice when senior when you want a break.

Either be in a stage of life where you can be mobile, and happy to pick up and move, or go for the place most likely to have a long term base close to your home, ideally within short call reserve callout.

If you want to play it safe go to Skywest. Otherwise just draw straws. Also work on getting a second career/job to keep your finances stable, if you have a non-aviation job right now don't burn your bridges.

So there may be furloughs among the regionals in the near future?

That's a funny question. Where have you been living? There are three things I'm sure of in the world. Death, taxes, and furloughs at the airlines at some point in the future.

Regional pilots are starting to stand up in unity against their low wages and pay, but there are already regional airlines that have packed up and scaled down considerably. The regional pilots want mainline to pick up more of the flying, instead of contracting it out to regional airlines. This means smaller/less regionals. The other aspect to think about is that a certain amount of people will buy airline tickets at a certain price, if they can no longer support that price (it goes up), less people can buy tickets, that might mean smaller airlines as well. Eventually many of the redundant and ridiculous Essential Air Service contracts may go away as well.

Are all of these things going to happen? Maybe not. Are they possible? Sure. Have we seen movement in this direction recently? Yes.

Thanks for the info JNB. As I stated earlier, I'm not too informed re: the regional industry as I am a CFI who just hit ATP mins. I appreciate the breakdown for me. Much appreciated.

Best QOL re: Sched/Salary as FO
 

Where do you want to be based?

To actually answer your question that you initially asked. Skywest has the best quality of life and schedules. Non bias answer.

Really? There are plenty of other places with great QOL and schedules. Skywest isn't that great people, they are good no doubt but everyone thinks they can do no wrong and are better than everyone else in EVERY department. Plenty of other places that are good.

The regional with good qol today may be garbage 5 years from now. Pick a place close to your home if you're absolutely dead set on this awful career and settle in. Even then that base may close (Eagle has closed both San Juan and LAX since I've been here) so be prepared to commute eventually. You're going to spend an extended period of your life at the place you choose so be sure you can handle it. A legacy or major job is not "just around the corner" unless you did an internship or happen to be some sort of minority.

In closing also be prepared for a multitude of scare tactics and uncertainty. It's been said in this thread already but it looks like we're starting a period of upheaval in terms of pilots rejecting concessionary contracts. Management teams are going to do everything they can to reverse this trend, be prepared for pain and don't give in, we can win this eventually. Also, please don't go to PSA.

He didn't ask about the people. I don't work there but I have friends that do. They have good schedules and pay. I know they produce the Embry-Riddle Gattacka test tube type of people but as far as schedules and overall happiness, Skywest right now seems decent for a regional.

Agree but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some people are very happy at other places too. I do know people at Skywest who are not impressed FWIW. All i am saying is you can't come out of the gate swinging saying they are the best.

Even the most junior line holder at PSA awesome QoL with our scheduling language.

I won't get into the other stuff....Although I'm sure everyone else will.

How can you claim that another individual has an "awesome QoL" if that person isn't you? Very presumptuous and naive of you.

I agree, the best by far no. I know whiskey and Compass sound like good places to work as well. There is alot more planning for your career than just picking the best regional as far as schedules. Are they going to be around, alot of 50 seaters, junior bases and such.

I wasn't saying don't go there because the qol sucks. I have no idea what it's like at PSA. I'm saying don't go there on principle.

Because our scheduling language allows for good QoL...I am 70% in my base, so pretty junior.

If the most junior line holder has bad QoL, it's his fault.

How presumptuous and naive for you to think you know what you're talking about.

That's fine, but it doesn't belong in this thread.

Yes it does, it belongs everywhere on these forums. Everyone who considers PSA should be aware of how they're viewed by actual members of the industry. I would even go as far as to say it can affect QOL of a pilot being negatively viewed by other pilots and is thread relevant in addition to forum relevant.

I have yet to meet anyone IN PERSON(not on this forum) that has viewed me in a negative light.

Even if it does happen....which it never will because they aren't anonymous behind a keyboard. What are they gonna do? Call me a name?

It doesn't affect QoL and to tell a perspective hire that QoL is bad because "other pilots might not like you" is disingenuous at best and not keeping up with the purpose of this thread.

If the undercutting airlines can't staff it improves all our qol including perspective new hires. It is entirely relevant to this thread.

:D you're absolutely right!

Whatever man, continue to blame PSA for your base closing and your "life sucking". Your whoa is me crap is tiring.

Every single damn time I try to answer a question with actual facts I get jumped on and you are also in on it every time.

No matter what the question, or what the thread you tough guys seem to have all the answers, even though most of your "answers" are conjecture at best.

If you want a "PSA sucks" thread go ahead and start one and I won't argue when you post true statements. This thread isn't that thread and all I said was QoL at PSA is pretty good, even for the most junior line holder. That is what this thread is about.

Back to the OP's question...

At the larger SkyWest domiciles it would be possible to work high paying locals. When properly staffed you can bid/drop down to as few as 59 hours or fly as much as you are legal for. High paying would mean a credit of 6:30 or more. If locals aren't your thing than split duties or 2 or 3 days trips are available as well. The trick is to work high daily credit trips to maximize the number of days off. Some trips push the daily credit up to 7:30 or so.

What might be one's ideal schedule might not be another's, but if you are senior enough working 2 or 3 days a week of your choosing is possible. Keep in mind though that in order to bid in the top 10-20% of the seniority list for that position and domicile you're passing up a transition or upgrade -- which is perfectly fine if that's what you wan to do. (Nearly 500 out of the 1600+ FOs at SkyWest could hold the junior captain seat but have chosen to stay in the right seat.)

Our smaller domiciles typically don't have trips that pay as well on daily basis as the larger ones.

Living in domicile is a must.

You can still have a pretty good schedule bidding middle of the list. Below 60% things start to go down hill.

You can be very senior at a domicile like ORD or MSP and not even be able to hold a reserve line in place like SEA or PDX. It varies greatly among domiciles. I'd bid in the top 5% in MSP, 10% in ORD or IAH, but sit middle of the list in SLC.

Skywest is ok, I'm there and it's alright but 117 has adversely affected us, both reserves and lineholders. Come here if you like the bases and can stand a long upgrade. I personally think that regional FOs will go straight to the legacies in the next few years.

Compass pilots that I've talked to seem to be happy with their qol. Whisky has a great group of pilots and a great contract, but try and get some first hand scouting reports on their longer term prospects before going there.

FO's are already getting hired right now to mainline with a strong reference. Your right Whiskey has not re-newed their contract with Airways and I believe it ends in 2015.

Thanks for the great SkyWest write-up UTAH.

Anyone from Compass?

As others have said, living in base is HUGE. SKW is certainly a good place to do that since they don't always burn reserves at both ends (like some places) and when you get a line you can manipulate it to suit yourself, and there are a lot of good work rules.

Several other regionals would certainly offer good QOL in base too. If you're free and willing to move, then look at the bases for SKW, CZ, XJT, air whiskey, and horizon. I would guess movement/upgrade opportunity would be in this order: CZ, SKW, XJT, horizon. Not sure about air whiskey, probably not much opportunity but better than horizon.

IMO upgrade and QOL are not totally un-related unless you're independently wealthy. Upgrade means more dough which helps QOL, as well as enhancing your upward mobility which is really the best thing you can do for QOL in the long run.

You might consider mesa, psa, or endeavor if you're a career-oriented gambling man looking for a fast upgrade. They'll treat you like crap but living in base might take the edge off that and upgrades should come quickly if they can somehow actually staff all the new planes they're supposed to be getting. But if the music stops and you get stuck for years as an FO at one of those places you'll wish you'd never been born (or wish you'd been sold into sex slavery in SE asia shortly after birth).

This is exactly why I'm trying to educate myself on QOL (sched/salary) that is not based on upgrade, but rather a worst-case scenario with years in the right seat.

I'm surprised that CZ is thought of having a swift upgrade, I figured things would be slow over there.

Best Salary / QOL is the one that gets you to the left seat the quickest.