I used to fly profesionally from 2005-2012 left the business now I'm getting back in. I have iterviewed and accepted a position with a regional that offers a sign on bonus. Only downfall is that it has a 2 year comitment that comes with it.


I have 3200ish total, 2800ish in a pc12 and 2300ish of that is pic in the pc12. All of the PC12 time was 91k for a company in the Northeast. Do I have a chance of making it to a Major prior to the two year mark once I get back at it or do I take he bonus?

Take the bonus and hold on to it. If you make it two years, pocket it. If you don't, pay it back. Don't let a regional get away with two years of your time without coughing up the dough.

As far as the majors go, there are thousands of guys who aren't getting looks from the majors, guys who have similar hours to yours, or more, but their turbine time is in multi-engine transport category jets, not in a light single-engine turboprop that doesn't require at type.

If you have a shot at the majors, it won't be because of your flight experience. It will be because of the other factors that go into their algorithms, and the intangibles.

Good luck getting the tax money back. Employers want the pre-tax amount. Most of them will let you defer payment until it’s “earned”.

You'll get it back on your taxes. At the worst case you're out a minority portion of your bonus (at your marginal tax rate) until the next tax season. And there are ways to mitigate that.

If you get picked up by a major, paying the bonus back will be the least of your concerns.

I second the above. Take the bonus and park it someplace safe earning interest. If you leave before the two years pay it back.

2 year commitment for a sign-on bonus? I believe Air Wisc gives you an initial 5,000 with your first paycheck and then an additional 26,000 at the completion of IOE. 5,000 is yours, 26,000 requires the 2 year commitment. Which other regionals are requiring a 2 year commitment?

Another thing to consider is that most bonuses are structured so that they are prorated monthly. So if you only work a year you may only have to pay back half of that amount.

Thanks for the input guys, I apreciate it. The bonus is paid out 5k first week then the rest at end of IOE.

I would also add that generally speaking the bigger the bonus the worse the hourly rate. If you think you might not get all of your bonus or have to pay some back a higher hourly rate with less bonus might make more sense. Obviously, there is a lot that goes into picking the right airline for you but you may want to take a look at that.