Hey thanks you guys! As I posted earlier, I am expecting a class date soon. Well I just got the call, but missed it. Nice lady asked which airplane I wanted in her message. So now I have a couple of more questions before I call her back. Actually I returned her call, but it went to voice mail.

I live near Portland, but have family in Houston. From what I have read in the preceding 398 pages, it looks like Houston is junior and Portland is senior on the jet. My question is, how long has the most junior pilot in Portland been with the company. I don't care if I am stuck on reserve for a couple of years. I am wondering if I take Houston, assuming I can hold that fairly quickly, how long will it take to get Portland on the jet? How long after class is it before a new hire can hold Houston? Are the bid lines constructed so that someone could have a crash pad in Houston and commute to Portland a couple of times a month for a couple of days?

I know I could take the Bro and get Portland right away. But I really would prefer the jet. I guess I have SJS. It appears the info about class dates being near the end of the month is correct. The message said the class date would be Feb 24th.

 

Junior RJ FO in PDX is coming up on three years. He's senior to nearly all of the EMB FOs in PDX right now.

My guess is you're looking at 2-3 years before you could transfer in. 56 pilots are on the standing bid list for PDX RJ FO, with 20 of them having it as their first choice. The base only has around 25 crews total.

Take the Brasilia if you want to be on the west coast. Especially, if this new pay package passes (vote closes in 3 days).

 

What is the new pay package about?

How long after class for someone to hold Houston on the jet? I may consider relocating there.

How do LAX and SFO compare to Houston and Portland on the jet?

 

If you want to live in PDX, take the Brasilia and enjoy the huge QOL of living in base. You might have to commute to SFO/FAT for a month or two, but you will get PDX pretty quick. You will also get a line pretty quick compared to the jet, which means more days off and more pay. If the pay package goes through, you'll be making more than the jet guys for several years.

Commuting is awful, awful, awful. SJS is definitely not worth it. Spend your free days snowboarding/mountain biking/rock climbing or whatever it is you do in PDX instead of dealing with commuting BS. You will be a much happier person.

 

Skykid

Take the earliest class date you can. If it's for the brasilia DO NOT WAIT FOR THE JET. Seniority is extremely important for determining your future earnings and living situation. Had I been in the class right before mine I would have been based at home as a CRJ CA over a year ago. Instead I commuted to the west coast as a Bro CA for a year and a half, and am now commuting to ORD as a CRJ CA while I wait for my transfer to go through.

If you actually get the choice between bro or jet for the same class date then you'll have to decide if you want to be a lineholder on the west coast in the bro or sit reserve on the jet in ORD/MSP/IAH/DEN. If you want to stay in PDX then it's a no brainer. Bro all the way. If you want the chance to get pistol whipped in Mexico then it's a no brainer. IAH CRJ you go.

 

You would get over how much you liked the jet in a month, if you can live in base you would definitely regret commuting to fly the jet. This cannot be emphasized enough.

 

Just take the BRO. Fly it for two years and make a lot more money and actually enjoy life! Then you will have 2 years senority to transfer to the jet. Don't let the SJS get the better of you! I have been on property for 5 months including training and am already bidding 50% in the BRO.

 

SFO & LAX probably longer than a year. Senior EMB FOs will transition over to those seats before you could hold it.

 

This needs to be reposted over and over. No matter how much you "prefer" the jet over the brasilia, commuting for it will make your life miserable. REPEAT: YOU WILL HATE LIFE COMMUTING. The pay is the same the first year, and probably will the second if the pay proposal passes. Portland to anywhere is a lousy commute, there is a lot of competition. Houston out of anywhere is a lousy commute. Take it from someone who has lived in domicile and commuted, the only way to truly be happy doing this job is to minimize your stress and maximize your time at home. Commuting is the exact opposite of how to make that happen. End rant. :-) Welcome aboard.

Oh, and P.S., SkyKid, you're completely wrong. You will definitely mind sitting reserve after a couple of years. The only thing worse is commuting to sit reserve.

 

Could not agree more. Commuting is miserable. I took the Bro, live in domicile (an hour and 15 minutes away, close enough) and my QOL is great. Take the Bro.