This would just be my opinion, but DEN has a wider variety of trips and start times. COS has a lot, not all, but a lot of early report times (before 6am) and late arrivals due to being a maintenance base. However, if you live between the two, COS can be more attractive because it is a short walk into the crew lounge from the employee parking lot. DEN is out in BFE and it can take anywhere between 8 minutes and an hour depending on time of day, weather and which route the bus takes to get from the lot to the concourse. COS is a small base which can make for a family-like atmosphere (and everyone knows everyone else's gossip), whereas DEN is about 225 crews and you will go weeks or months after flying with someone before you even see them again. Neither of which is necessarily a bad thing, just that they are sort of two different environments. You will fly to all the same places and on both the 200 and 700 regardless of where you are based. Hope this helps some!

 

I've been based at both, and agree with what Electra wrote. My seniority took quite a big hit when I transferred to DEN, but the trips were so much better it was well worth it. That said, go wherever you can hold a line first. That will probably be COS. I think I'd rather sit reserve in COS too, just because it's a lot easier to get through the airport there. DEN is such a pain in the ass that I don't bid for anything less than a 2 day. If I was on reserve there, I'd be ****ed if I got called in to sit ready.

 

Thank you for the info. That is very helpful and good stuff to know. Has COS shrunk any over the past couple years at all? I know you guy say it's a MX base - how many MX bases are there?

In regards to reserve trips out of COS and DEN, are they predominately short (2 or less) or longer (3 or more)?

Again, I appreciate the info and I don't want to get my cart ahead of my horse before going to the interview - but like everyone else, I want to make an educated decision...because it's a BIG decision to take a $40,000+ pay cut to get away from flying a desk.

Thanks.

 

And what are the odds of flying over guarantee on reserve? Can you pick up trips or is it hang on to your phone and wait for the call?

 

It depends on the base but usually the odds of breaking guarantee are slim. I've never broken guarantee or even been close. One month on reserve I blocked 2 hours.

You can pick up trips on your off days as long as they don't conflict with your reserve duty periods or reserve assignments. Those trips go above guarantee so if you fly 2 hours total on reserve and pick up an 8 hour local on your off day you'll get paid 75 hour guarantee + 8 hours.

 

How does the award process work in terms of aircraft for new hires? Is it based on what they are hiring for or do they assign them to you? I've heard CFI's are likely to receive the Bro so just curious if that is the case. Thanks.

 

You will be offered a class for a specific aircraft, so you will already know your assignment when you get hired. Yes, usually CFI's with no previous experience in "larger" equipment will get the Brasilia, but this is not always the case. It is based upon what is needed at that particular time, so when we don't need new hires on the jet, even fighter pilots get the Bro. Likewise when we need lots of people on the jet, people who've never touched anything larger than a Piper Seminole find themselves in CRJ training. Your bases are bid upon once you get to class, and are by class seniority, which is determined by the last four digits of your social security number (the lower the better). Previous SkyWest employees go ahead of everyone else.

 

Is it possible to get ORD out of training? If not how soon can be expected to get it? Thanks!

 

Thannks so much for the info. I'm hopeless in terms of the last four digits of social secuirty, but if I can fly for a living I'll find the happiness.

 

It's very possible as it is a junior base. I got ORD a month after OE.