Regional Upgrade times
 

I think I may be a bit confused. It seems all I hear about is regionals unable to find pilots to work for them. With the low pay and QOL as a FO, I guess I understand that. What I don't get, is why it still takes so long to upgrade? If everyone is leaving there, I would think you could move up fairly fast? On APC, Mesa shows the newest captains were hired up to 13 years ago? What is it that holds the process up?

Thanks!

You're just being misled by all the crying and mud slinging. The problem with staffing is finding first year FO's. Pay and qol is a lot better at any company after a few years. Most of the people that leave in mass are from the bottom of the seniority list.

In regards to mesa: that information is incorrect; It's at about 7 years at the moment. Keep in mind that the company didn't hire for several years, so when all the pre-bankruptcy guys get through this year, the time will drop.

Also, you can't upgrade everyone and not hire F/Os to fill in at the bottom. Its a catch 22, we are understaffed yet we can't upgrade anyone, instead we are just canceling block hours and taking less flying.

Its simple math, if your regional airline has a 2000 pilot group, 1000 pilots would have to leave to make you near 50% up the seniority list. More importantly, your airline needs to hire 1000 pilots below you in order to keep you in the top 50%. Now do you see any regional airline hiring that many pilots in the next few years? Not at the current rate. The pilots don't exist at the starting salaries offered currently so since hiring is slow, upgrade will also be slow. except for going to a small regional like compass with a 500-600 pilot group, it will be very hard if not impossible for a new hire to work his way to the left seat. The ability to hire will limit upgrades. Now if the industry does the "right thing" and increases first year pay, then perhaps regionals will be able to hire and upgrades will follow, but that scenario is unlikely.

The industry stagnated for about 8 years which skyrocketed the upgrade times. People are starting to leave now but I've met a lot of captains who decided during those 8 years that they're comfortable and don't want to leave. If captains at the top don't leave then people at the bottom won't upgrade since age 65 retirements don't really happen at regionals. Also in order to upgrade 500 pilots they need to hire 500 to replace them. Most airlines are having trouble hiring FOs so they can't afford to let the current FOs upgrade.

The good news is that a lot of majors and LCCs are hiring people with no PIC time. I know regional FOs with no PIC who have gone to United, AA, US Airways, Spirit, JetBlue and Virgin just within the last year.

It's funny how things change while back it was all about getting the pic time now that the guys got it they are not being looked at , it like u can't win lol

At PSA, wholly owned by American, nothing!! They have FULL classes starting every two weeks. I have several friends who have been hired and they are seeing steady movement. Good luck!

How many PSA recruiters have accounts here?

Mods, this is obviously a PSA recruiter. Check it out. This should not be allowed.

On what grounds should it not be allowed?