Your thoughts on a lateral move
 

I am coming up my first year of employment at XJT and I am stongly considering a move to PSA. When I first started a year ago I had interview offers from everyone I applied to and decided to go against everyone's advice and go with a company with a strong contract as opposed to living in base. In recent weeks, I am starting to regret my decision. I live in CLT and commuting is slowing balding me. I am considering this move mainly for the much improved QOL, but also because of the uncertainty at XJT. If we furlough in the future because we losing aircraft, it won't be temporary and I'll have to find a new place of employment anyway. The other reason I am considering this because I am missing the 3 big keys to getting on with a major: a college degree, TPIC, and friends. I have to accept the fact that not having a degree may be my biggest limiting factor and I may be a regional for the forseeable future so why not be a place with better QOL? Trust me, if I was a lot more marketable, I would not consider this move at all, but I chose the Air Force as opposed to college.

So, I am hoping you guys can help me list some pros and cons to help me make an educated decision.

Thanks

You know you aren't going to get any positive feedback here from this. Not because of the lateral move but because it's PSA.

Good luck. I wish I lived in base.

Ex-military is a golden ticket to the majors.

PSA won't get you college and it most definitely will not get you friends. You might get a faster upgrade if everything goes as planned, but regionals are always the flavor of the week. Last year it was Republic, this year it is PSA.

Things will never be as good or as bad as you think they will be at any regional.

You're going to get a bashing on here for even considering PSA, but living in base vs commuting? It not even a question to me. I commute and can only imagine the qol living in base must offer. One thing to consider, PSA is regional, and no base is guaranteed to exist forever.

Let me clarify...Ex ENLISTED military is the golden ticket to the majors?

Do it while you only have a year in at xjet. Live in base it makes life much easier

If commuting is so stressful and you are unable to relocate, it sounds like your options for moving on to a major are severely limited to begin with. Putting all your faith in the prospect of an eventual preferential interview at which they may or may not hire you is not a prudent move.

NC is the best state in the union, I understand your desire to stay there. Believe me if I could I would move back in a heart beat. Unfortunately the reality of this profession makes such a move unfeaseable right now.

My point is that if you want to make this job a career but don't want to relocate, at some point you will have to commute. As a trained medic you have other skill sets that will not require such a sacrifice. Might be a good time to step back and consider all your options.

Run, don't walk away from XJT. PSA is a great choice since you live in CLT

Mesa also has a base in CLT if you're considering living at home.

Ya, I considered them as well, but sub-30 second year pay is a little more than I can handle.

I am a former enlisted (retired) military member. I do not believe it is a ticket to the majors. I do believe however that all other things being equal: flight time, education, etc. military service, either enlisted or officer, is viewed favorably by most majors. That's just my opinion. No stats to back it up. In other words, if you are choosing the military to serve your country, good on you! I would not let anyone mislead you into believing it's an automatic ticket to the majors.

I was in the same situation about 3 years ago. I made the lateral move and it was the best decision I could have made. PSA is growing in CLT so you will have no trouble getting based there and will probably hold a line very quickly.

Mesa will get you faster Upgrade. Work on degree online or whatever it takes.

Living in base at a growing regional is a no brainer compared to commuting to a regional whose future is uncertain. Make the move and get started on college.

Just be advised that grow and bases could change tomorrow. Good luck.

If you're going to do this do it ASAP. Every day you delay you reduce your long term QOL ten-fold. If I were you I would go to PSA in a heartbeat as well. Living in base, this job is a completely different gig. Even at a regional. Don't listen to people on here, they talk big but no one at the majors cares who the &^$# Gojets, TSA, Pinnacle, PSA, Skywest etc. are. Nobody cares, they worry about other stuff like "Which crew meal? Chicken or salmon"? The only people who care are those who have recently moved on and still identify with their past airline, and they will soon forget.

The ONLY thing you should concern yourself with at this point is

1) Go to a growing/high turnover company
2) While as an F/O start your 4 year (THIS IS IMPORTANT)
3) Apply to every carrier out there you feel meets your needs
4) Upgrade ASAP at the earliest possible time, and then fly as much as you possibly can
5) While in the union volunteer for a lot of safety related stuff, airlines like that and it will give you something to talk about

Don't become one of these guys who spend 10 years at a commuter then complain they can't get a call meanwhile they've been sitting on their ass the entire time and don't even have a 4-year, and they miss two large hiring waves.

Thanks for the responses everyone, I appreciate it.

Figure out the quickest way to get a 4 yr degree. Depending upon your military service you might be able to get some experience credit.

While being former nonpilot military is not a ticket to a major airline, it's how you market it when you get some face time with a human recruiter, that will differentiate you compared to someone of equal flight time and flight experience who has only done aviation since college.