RPA over PSA
 

I've seen a couple threads like this but they haven't quite answered the questions I have, so if any of you can I would appreciate it.

Currently I have an FO offer on the table from PSA. I have a friend who works there and loves it, and I have heard a lot of good things. I live in RDU and dont mind a (in fact I plan to) move to CLT.

This morning RPA called to schedule an interview with me and I decided to take it. I have another friend who works here and sounds like he loves it more.

The pressing questions for me right now that I would appreciate help with are,

How much multi engine time is required? I was told 25 at oshkosh, 44 by my friend, and this morning 50 on the phone. Currently I have 25 and the idea if having to spend my bonus on 25 more isn't exactly appealing.

I live in RDU, so how hard would it be to commute from there? How hard would CLT be? Is there any chance that CLT could become a base? Right now being able to live in base at CLT is a big factor pushing me towards PSA.

PSA loves to hype up the flow, but it seems like everyone who works for a company that does not have flow has a low opinion of it, and everyone who works for an American subsidiary loves it. I read a comment here on another thread estimating a realistic flow time of 10-16 years, so I would be curious to hear opinions from people already in the business unlike myself.

If you could, what would you say an average reserve time would be? I dont mind the idea of reserve right now but I'm sure it will get old once I start doing it.

Overall as people who work for these companies, what would you do in my shoes if you knew what you do now?(Of course this all assumes the interview goes well and I get offered a job haha)

I appreciate the help!

I can't speak to anything other than the ME requirement. You must have 50 hours by the time you start class. You must show up to ATP-CTP with either 44 hours or 38 hours if you get the in-house CTP (they give you 12 hours of sim instead of the normal six). Good luck with your decision!

Don’t plan on a CLT base for Republic.

Live in base whenever you can.

RDU commute to RAH base would be doable but it would be commuting and, see comment 2.

I had an offer at PSA as well but chose Republic. I’m happy with the decision but I would have been commuting either way. If your only options are RDU And CLT then I would focus on airlines that have bases there first. It makes a huge difference.

I am currently PSA so I will speak from my experience and what I see. Flow at PSA is about 10 years for a new hire today and the most jr reserve CLT FO has been on the property at PSA for 5 months. However, you will be on reserve for over a year in CLT. The other thing to think about is it will take a bit to hold CLT after you upgrade and it will take about 2 years to upgrade at here at PSA.

Reserve rules aren't that great at all, but once you become a line holder, QOL improves 10 fold with SAP. I will say that you will credit more per trip with Republic because of their trip and duty rigs but I can only speak on that.

YX FO here...I know very little about PSA with the exception of their SAP rules are highly touted by their folks. (calling Chrisdee)
Congratulations!

So how does one actually quantify how much one loves a job? Also has he worked at both?
I came in with my ATP so not too savy on this, but, don't you need 50 to take your test either way? Wouldn't both operations be very close on this depending on how many sim session they give you?

See the above comment regarding living in base...
That said, I've worked with several people who commute from CLT and they tell me it's not bad. Republic also has a couple flights a day from RDU. When looking at your commutes, it is better to try to get on your own company as you'll have priority. Every little bit helps.
If the flow is really 10 years for a new hire, what good is it? If you can check the boxes you need in the next few years, you should be able to move on. If there are a couple things in your background that might make the majors hesitant to hire you the flow may be able to get you around that. Who knows. According to ALPA documents the top 5 airlines are going to need something in the neighborhood of 30,000 pilots in the next decade.
This changes constantly, but, at the junior bases at Republic, most likely just a few months. I had to do @3 but I did reserve longer because I could pick my days off.
This obviously is the tough one. I will say that I'm very happy with Republic, I live in base. The contract rules are very good, the trip and duty rigs keep the pairings fairly productive. At 1.5 years I'm in the top third of the FO list in EWR and I can hold mostly high credit day trips and the occasional 2 day trip. This month I have 19 days off (including Christmas) with 78 hours credit.

Having said that....I've never worked at PSA and there is good and bad in all the contracts.

Not sure if aircraft matters to you, I'm sure the CRJ are great, but, the 900 is about the same size as the ERJ170, which is the only plane Republic has. This has the effect to make you eligible to work literally any route in our system. This is important for picking up open time etc.

If you have more specific questions feel free to PM or post here.

PSA in a nutshell:
Line-holder and SAP good. Reserve bad.

We flow 10 /month but truthfully unless they increase the flow to be more in line with the metrics that Envoy and Piedmont use it shouldn't be a huge determining factor in your decision. It does generate constant movement off the top of the seniority list but it should by no means be what you’re relying on to get to a legacy if that is your goal.

The thing to also consider is that in CLT, by the time you get off reserve you’ll only be able to enjoy the SAP for about 6-8 months before you’re forced to upgrade to Captain. And then if CLT is your goal you will be on reserve for a long time as a Captain.

I have friends at Republic who are very happy and the legacies will be hiring thousands over the next decade. Get in where you fit in, get the experience you need, and get out. I think PSA or Republic can meet your needs.

Agreed all the way around, with the ability to live in base at CLT being a possible trump card. Being reserve in base isn't the worst thing in the world.

Only need 25 ME hrs coming to Republic. You'll get the other 25hrs in atp-ctp and FMT training.

Unless you have more recent experience with this than I do (interviewed last month), that's incorrect. The new training timeline requires you to be able to take the ATP oral prior to sims, which requires 50 hours of ME time. I would recommend getting an official answer from a recruiter.

You sure you’re talking about Republic or haven’t mixed up your airlines?


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This is completely false. 44 hours is what's expected. If you are short, you can work with the training department to get an in-house ATP-CTP which will get you an extra 6 hours, meaning you need to come in with 38.

Under no circumstances will anyone start Indoc with fewer than the 50 hours required.

If you are short of that, we offer the Flight Time Initiative (FTI), which uses bonus money off the back end and pays for your remaining multi time (or the last 100 hours of flight time).

I am positive as I was specifically asked by a Republic recruiter how I planned to reach 44 hours of ME prior to ATP-CTP. I realize this is a unique requirement but this was a big factor for myself and friends that followed a similar path. But please ask a recruiter as things can always change.

How new is this requirement? I started training approximately 3 months ago with 25 hours. Got the other 25 in ATP/CTP and sims.

It’s a moving target. There is a disconnect between the recruiters and the training department.

Reserve at PSA is a special type of hell. The LOA didn't improve anything and in my opinion made it worse than it was before. You'll be on reserve definitely for the first year.

With that said, SAP is apparently awesome, can't personally vouch for that, but all the line holders love it.

Commute to CLT will be pretty easy for you and CLT isn't going anywhere for PSA.

With that said I kinda wish I went to Republic. They announced a base in my home city six months after I got to PSA. A well. My friends at republic are flying more at Republic than me, but once I'm a line holder it won't matter.

Now the flow.... I don't really care for the flow right now since it's 8-10 (I don't honestly know how many) years away from me. So far that it's essentially not a factor. Also FOs aren't eligible for the flow. With that said it's there and it's a great back up. I think the flow will get adjusted so that more are flowing so that'll change the times to flow. AA wants it, it's just PSA is dragging their feet.

Both are good companies, I think republic has a little nicer contract and better work rules. But once again the grass is always greener.

Reserve in base at PSA is great for most. I have friends who were on reserve last month in CLT and flew 12 hours in November. They live 10 minutes from the airport and got to be at home 26 days of the month. October, they both blocked in the mid 20s and mid 40s. One loves it and the other gets bored quickly.

Now, if youre trying to fly a lot on reserve, PSA probably isn't your best choice, especially since we are so fat on FOs right now.

This is lol bad information

Yeah not sure what to regional you're talking about. Republic doesn't have an Oral.

All I know is I came in with 25hrs ME with a RATP 1000hrs as an October 6th Indoc.

That is not good for anyone needing to build turbine SIC hours and total hours for upgrade.

I probably have the reasoning incorrect (I’d like to know why this is a requirement) but I interviewed after you started class and that’s the information I and others received. The Flight Time Initiative was offered up as a way to fund the additional ME hours, I don’t see why they would do this if it were not mandatory. It appears this was a recent change.

Probably because they want more experience since the failure rate is high (relatively speaking). Also, be careful who you listen to on this forum, there was no Oct 6th indoc class this year.

Woops my fault October 15th indoc with an October 6th atp-ctp.

9/17/19 class here.

I came into the in-house ATP-CTP with 26 multi hours. Seat filled and got 24 hours in the sims through the course. It seems there is a disconnect here and hopefully they figure this out.

Do the interview.

If it is important to you, gauge the overall CULTURE of the Company, (any Company), that is interviewing you. Remember, you are interviewing them as well. Ask...or interview them as well.

Why? Because, as you will find out at any Employer, time requirements, work rules, bases, training, and operations are good knowledge and decision points, but how the Company treats its employees when the wheels come off the operation is sometimes equally important. But, if you are “getting in...to get out” that may not be as important to you.

My observation of wholly owned carriers is that their leadership/management team cultures are often (not always) a reflection of their parent company. The American Airlines/American Eagle relationship is a good example.

Best wishes.

LH

When referring to Multi time, is this PIC or total time?

Total time.