Great Lakes AND PHX
 

Hey guys...I was wondering how hard it is to get based out of PHX with Great Lakes. Thanks all!

Why are you even considering Great Lakes? If we stop applying and taking jobs there, they'll be forced to raise pay to attact people. Come on guys!

Lesson to DMEarc, he absolutely correct! Hold out for a better airline and one pilot at a time we can start moving this industry back in the right direction.

Because....
 

I have a wife that wants to go to Arizona State University and is going to be getting a PhD in chemistry. Thus, I would like to live in the Phoenix area, and have a quick upgrade...the pay is low but the upgrade is fast...that is what is attractive about them. Now...does anyone have a response to my question?

Give great lakes some credit...at least they aren't replacing Mad Dogs and 73's like the other PHX airline :eek:

I would never recommend them but seeing your situation....:eek: ...Whoa I don't want to say it...:eek: .....it's killing me to try to say it...:eek: ....what about Mesa? Fly there Dash 8's out of PHX. A little better pay, a little better respect (actually NO), and a little better money. They're hiring street CA so upgrade is quick.

My advice, have her go to a different school or commute. Neither airline is really worth it!

OR, get hired my Pan Am International Flight Academy and instruct for them. They pay $15 and hour, you can easily fly 100 hours a month and if you commit to a year you can work in their Korean program for 30K a year. I instructed there and they need CFI’s.

There is no sure way to get the D-8 at Mesa...they will hire you and assign your aircraft at the end of indoc. Also the dash training program at mesa is run by a pack of legendary tools...it has an EXTREMEMLY high attrition rate, like 30% for FO's :eek: Failing your first 121 training event is a great way to get your airline career off on the right track :eek: :eek:

OK then run for the northern hills and instruct for Pan Am. Mess-A SUX!

Sabina is also hiring instructors like crazy out there. 20K a year gaunrteeed plus $12 perr flight hour.

But just remember commuting from any decent sized city on the west coast in and out of Phoenix is EASY!! There are so many flights. I know I do it!

You say Sabina...I say Sabena.

Don't let 'em scare ya
 

Hey, if Lakes is what you want, then go for it. It sounds like you have a good grasp on why you would like to be there and it is good for the fast upgrade. Obviously you aren' t going to make a career out of them, but it is a place to start. I have a buddy that flies for them in DEN and he loves it because he is based in his home town and has a good attitude about his career. I would have gone there myself, but I landed a good 135 gig. Last I heard, about a year ago, you could hold PHX as an FO in a month or two. Not sure if it is still the same though. Not many destinations out of PHX, so you will see a lot of the same airports. Page is a cool spot though, and they do a lot of overnights there, especially in the summer. Good luck

Thanks VTcharter!!!

Most FO's who wan't PHX can hold it within within 1-6 months. It's all contingent on existing PHX FOs leaving or upgrading, which happens with some regularity. Upgrades have been leisurely the last few months, so your mileage may vary. Or you could drive/fly to TUS and work for Skywest.

I've heard that PHX only has like 4 or 5 pilots. I certainly wouldn't plan on any moves if those numbers are correct. Plan on DEN, they also fly EMB120s those are DEN only I think. Also I'd check the upgrades, according to this site it's 1.5 years, certainly not short especially for a 1900.

I would aim to fly the plane you intend to upgrade into. And if it was me, I would try to commute for Skywest.

I worked at Lakes for a year and absolutely loved it. I was also based in PHX. I live here so I bid it right away and got it in 2 months. As an FO it is fairly easy to hold PHX. As a captian, it is a little harder but not impossible. You'll love the experience you'll get flying the good ol mighty beech. I'm now at another company (hmm.. guess which) and love it here but still miss the beech and the people at Lakes. The mgmt sucks but especially in PHX you never see them. There are a lot of people who will tell you not to go there but very few, if any, have actually worked there. Most of the people at Lakes are happy to work there which is not true for Mesa... but then again I didn't work for mesa. Let me know if you have any questions..

Phoenix has about 10 crews (20 pilots) They fly to IGM PRC PGA FHU SOW and soon to Gallup (i think)

What part of instructing 100 hours a month in the heat of the Arizona desert sounds like fun? I did it, and wouldn't recommend it. If the wife wants to go to ASU for a chemistry PHD do whatever it takes for her to get it.

ATTENTION everyone: I can now say I have heard and seen everything on this board! I can count at least two dozen + people I know who have worked at Lakes (Most but not all of them flew in the mid 90's - Spencer, IA days) and not one of them has ever said they liked working at GREAT LAKES! I guess there is always a first for everything! Thank You!

Unless you are like some of these guys that want a lifelong career at their kickass regional airline...my friends that flew at Lakes had a great time...it is what YOU make of it. I was at Mesa and had a great time....along with friends that also did. Well...we were all there less than 4 year and now we have all moved on to Southwest and FedEx...

These other guy will probably tell you to hold out for a real airline like United and Delta...

But then again there are people at Continental, United, Delta, Jet Blue that are unhappy so you don't want to go to any of those either... right? What I'm trying to say is that there are good and bad points for working at any company. NO company is perfect for anyone. You have to just look at what a company has to offer and decide if its right for you. Thats what I did with Lakes and it worked. There are people at Lakes (and many other regionals) that don't like it there and there are people who do. Anytime anyone makes a blanket statement about a place, you know they are full of.... well, you know. (I liked it there but I'm not saying it is the right place for everyone). I encourage you to talk with people about their EXPERIENCES (not opinions) and then decide for yourself...
Also according to some people here, the people that like working at Lakes are not real. They are a figment of your imagination...

I agree...it is what you make of it!

I am happy, and I work at Great Lakes. Management still sucks hind mammary, but the people, the aircraft, the environment, and the overnights rock. Though I'm trying my hardest to leave, I know I'll miss it terribly.

I personally know 4 pilots who worked at Lakes within the past 2-3 years and they all liked it (4 for 4 isn't bad). Of course they were happy to move on, but no one expects to make a career out of the place.

I have been corrected and my views have changed! Thanks for the info and incite everyone! :)

Thanks all!!!

Yay $15 an hour! Yay $27 an hour for captain! Teamsters is doing a great job there... oh wait they are the same regional that represents gojets!

Shooting ourselves in the foot....

I fly the beech for mesa (Air midwest) and every ZK guy I talk to seems alot happier then I am. also even though they make less per hour the guy I talked to grossed more than I did. He was payed for more hours than my, skin flint, cheating, mgmt would pay me.

People continually knock Lakes, but in the end, you have to do what is right for you. Sounds like Lakes may be right for you. I'm in my first year here, and I love it. Financially it is also the most difficult thing I have ever done.

On a side note nwa, what is an MEII rating?

PHX is short of pilots right now, but with so few, it's hard telling as to when you'd be able to be based down there. I would agree with the others and say that it's likely within a few months of your hire date.

Best of luck.