Notices
SkyWest Regional Airline

Junior FOs in ATL...

Old 08-16-2018, 06:39 AM
  #1  
New Hire
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Jul 2018
Posts: 4
Default Junior FOs in ATL...

Can any junior ATL FOs share what life is like there? Specifically...

1. If you had to sit reserve for a month or two, what was the schedule like? How much flying did you actually get?
2. What do the schedules look like for junior FO line holders in ATL? Typical number of days off? Can you fly your a$$ off if you want? Can you maximize time off if you want?
3. Currently all -200 flying I assume? Is ATL flying increasing, decreasing, or holding flat right now?

I'm former Navy F-18, getting back into flying after a long time out of the cockpit. Live about 1:20 outside ATL, and am currently deciding between SKW and a good 135 operation to build quality recency (no commute, no reserve, better pay & benefits, no double occupancy). The SKW folks at the interview, while excellent, couldn't offer much insight into the lay of the land in ATL.

Thanks for any insights.
xNavyTR is offline  
Old 08-16-2018, 07:44 AM
  #2  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Skyhawk121's Avatar
 
Joined APC: May 2015
Posts: 226
Default

I haven't been base in ATL, so I can't say much on what schedules end up looking like, but from what I have heard, the amount of flying we have in ATL should remain about the same for a while.
Skyhawk121 is offline  
Old 08-16-2018, 07:47 AM
  #3  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,202
Default

http://www.skywest.com/fly-skywest-airlines/skywest-airlines-route-map/

Just look at that. Mostly 2 day and 4 day trips. Some locals..
amcnd is offline  
Old 08-16-2018, 12:20 PM
  #4  
Gets Weekends Off
 
trip's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,221
Default

Originally Posted by amcnd View Post
http://www.skywest.com/fly-skywest-airlines/skywest-airlines-route-map/

Just look at that. Mostly 2 day and 4 day trips. Some locals..
That doesn't show what base is doing the city pair??

For AUG the ATL bid pairings are approx. 72% 4 day trips, 22% 3 day trips the rest a mix of 2 days, locals and stand-ups.

1. If you had to sit reserve for a month or two, what was the schedule like? How much flying did you actually get?
2. What do the schedules look like for junior FO line holders in ATL? Typical number of days off? Can you fly your a$$ off if you want? Can you maximize time off if you want?
3. Currently all -200 flying I assume? Is ATL flying increasing, decreasing, or holding flat right now?
1> 13 days off.
2> For AUG the junior F/O's had 85-90 hrs and 12 days off. <Most likely yes> <most likely no>.
3>All CRJ200.

Get current and up to speed if you've not sat in a cockpit for some time.
trip is offline  
Old 08-16-2018, 12:21 PM
  #5  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Mar 2011
Position: 737 FO
Posts: 2,476
Default

With your experience I would take the 135 gig. A legacy will scoop you up in no time.
word302 is offline  
Old 08-16-2018, 02:48 PM
  #6  
Line Holder
 
Joined APC: Dec 2017
Posts: 45
Default

FWIW I am former mil (C-17). It took me approximately 20 months from my date of hire at SkyWest to my start date at my dream job this Oct. A guy in my SkyWest class was a former Marine F-18 guy and he has had a hard time getting picked up at his employer of choice due to lack of hours. Apparently marine fighter guys don't fly as much? So make sure you look at your competitiveness at the major you wish to land at. The RST's on facebook are a good place to start to get an idea of what type of mil backgrounds are getting picked up. Military certainly gives you a leg up but contrary to popular opinion on here it is not a for sure thing call as soon as you are current. At least not in my case, serious networking was required and I was lucky that my employer of choice called, but no one else has called, except Frontier, but I figure that one doesn't count with all that is going on there. With that said my military career was not exactly on track to be a General, pretty much just a career crew dog with one failed checkride.

Originally Posted by word302 View Post
With your experience I would take the 135 gig. A legacy will scoop you up in no time.
DelTacoBowl is offline  
Old 08-18-2018, 03:49 PM
  #7  
Line Holder
 
Joined APC: Dec 2016
Posts: 41
Default

Do you guys know if the 175 will go to ATL in the future ?
pilotled is offline  
Old 08-18-2018, 06:03 PM
  #8  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,202
Default

Originally Posted by pilotled View Post
Do you guys know if the 175 will go to ATL in the future ?
I wouldn’t bid the ERJ based on it... very doubtful in the next year... After that the regional industry is to hard to predict..
amcnd is offline  
Old 08-19-2018, 01:04 AM
  #9  
Line Holder
 
Joined APC: Dec 2016
Posts: 41
Default

Originally Posted by amcnd View Post
I wouldn’t bid the ERJ based on it... very doubtful in the next year... After that the regional industry is to hard to predict.w.
Thanks ,
pilotled is offline  
Old 08-22-2018, 04:11 PM
  #10  
On Reserve
 
Joined APC: May 2016
Position: CRJ FO
Posts: 13
Default

Originally Posted by xNavyTR View Post
...
1. If you had to sit reserve for a month or two, what was the schedule like? How much flying did you actually get?
2. What do the schedules look like for junior FO line holders in ATL? Typical number of days off? Can you fly your a$$ off if you want? Can you maximize time off if you want?
3. Currently all -200 flying I assume? Is ATL flying increasing, decreasing, or holding flat right now?

...
Former Marine F/A-18 pilot here, been at SKW almost two years, so can hopefully help a little bit.

1. Reserve.... There are 102 FOs on the CRJ at ATL. About 80% of them are line holders. 20% are reserve. Your time on reserve as a new hire depends on how rapidly people ahead of you leave or the company expands or shrinks the domicile. Most factors are beyond your control. All things being equal, your seniority will rise most rapidly at a large base with a majority of pilots commuting.

2. Schedules... it depends on what you want and what the people ahead of you bid. You can work as much as you want within reason and 117 limits. A larger domicile generally helps getting the days on and days off that you want. Commuters generally bid three or four day trips and avoid locals. If you live locally at a commuter base, you could probably get the locals you want. I did this as a new FO and had good schedules and QOL very early on.

3. ATL growth... ATL is a new base, so it was expanding very rapidly from zero to over 100 last year. It might have reached its full staffing by now, but I do not know for sure. If the majority of the pilots at ATL are commuters, expect a huge turnover. See pt. 1.

Others have commented on the military vs. civilian hiring at the majors. Regionals are what you make of it. Overall I am very happy at SKW, because I choose to be happy. If I ever do get a phone call from a major, great. If not, I'm going to enjoy flying the CRJ and will try to make SKW the best place it can be within my abilities. Whatever you decide to do, best of luck, and have fun where you are at. Life is too short to wast it being miserable.
bkmoore is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Guard Dude
Delta
201720
04-06-2022 06:59 AM
spaceboy30000
SkyWest
56
04-12-2018 01:48 PM
zippinbye
Delta
6
02-20-2018 04:56 PM
flysail
Southwest
90
11-07-2011 08:31 AM
higney85
Regional
12
03-21-2008 07:24 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices