Skywest or Eagle
 

Hi-

Given the choice what would you choose?

I'm a military reservist at Travis AFB with 2000 hrs (1200 turbine). I don't care about the pay, they both suck, but ultimately the commute is what I'm concerned with. I'm a 3 hour drive to FAT and 45 minutes to SFO / OAK / SMF. Moving is not an option.

With that being said… It looks like Eagle has an LAX base, which I suppose wouldn't be a bad option… although I don't know how hard it would be to get it.

Skywest has SFO and FAT which would be good, but again, not sure how hard those are.

Most of the Major pilots I work with say it's best to just get into a regional and use the AF reserve flying to supplement your income while you build time for the majors. But I don't want crazy commute hours and also have reserve flying to keep up with. Thoughts? Thanks!

Well, the Eagle LAX base just shut down, replaced by Skywest, so they're a pretty big presence there.

Skywest hands down. Next question

Well, I guess that pretty much sums it up.

Next question would be how hard will be to get those west coast bases SFO, FAT or LAX ??
2nd how long would be reserve in those bases??

FAT, SFO and PSP are the most junior bases on the Brasilia. You would be almost guaranteed to get one of those three right out of training if you got a class date on the Bro.

Eagle doesn't have an LAX base anymore, but even when they did it was really senior. The closest Eagle base to you is DFW, but you would likely end up in New York or Chicago.

FAT and SFO are two of the most junior bases on the Brasilia, but are both pretty senior on the RJ. If you don't want to move I would say that you should request the Brasilia. You'll get one of those bases out of training. After a few years when you can hold the base on the RJ you can transition over.

I was on reserve in FAT for about six months on the Brasilia. It's all dependent on movement though. I know people who were hired about a year ago who were never on reserve. They got a line in FAT right out of training. They weren't running transitions for a while after I was hired and I was on reserve for 6 months. I got a line as soon as the transitions started up. Someone hired in 2007 likely spent a few years on reserve. It's all timing and luck.

On the CRJ with a year seniority I wouldn't hold a line in any base, and wouldn't even be close to a line in FAT, SFO or LAX. If you want those bases your quality of life will be a lot better on the Brasilia.

SkyWest!

Good Luck!

Skywest or Eagle
 

FAT isn't that senior on the RJ, new hires this year have been given FAT as their base right out of class

Given your situation I would bypass the Regionals. But if I had to make a run at the Regionals (which I did in 2010) I would make SkyWest my first choice, but I would consider the following before making your decision (I'm not a SkyWest or Eagle guy, was hired in 2010 at SkyWest and bailed after ground school):

- SFO SkyWest Base is a Reserve base (at least back in 2010 it was), which means you won't be spending a lot of time in SFO and when you are there you will be sitting Reserve.

- FAT SkyWest is a base and goes junior (at least back in 2010). Seems to me you won't have a problem with this, but things always change.

- Not sure how much you know about Regionals, I didn't know that much (military guy like you) but I had to bail from SkyWest after looking at the schedule and pay. The company was very professional and made a positive impression on me, just not a good fit for my situation.

-Your protected under USERA, that will help your schedule situation (drill days/AT, etc.)

I'm sure lots of Eagle & SkyWest folks will chime in with very detailed info, but at the end of the day your QOL will not be that good, but you mentioned commute time is your primary concern as well as not moving, which leads me to believe you want to build time but not leave your area of residence. For that Combination, OO would probably be a better match. Worst Case, bypass the Regionals, continue flying (assuming C-17?) Reserve and go directly to majors. Good luck.

Thanks for the info! You're right… I don't know much about regionals. When you say SFO is a reserve base what exactly does that mean? My assumption is I'll be on call for 3-5 days out of SFO, maybe a 2 hour call out?… then at the end of my "shift", I'll be back at SFO and can drive home. Is that close? Or am I way off…

Also, since it would be easy to hold a line at FAT, then I would just drive 3 hours there, do my 3-5 day trip, then drive home… correct?

I know the pay is pretty bad, but I think at 2000 hours, I'm not quite marketable for any Major. I can still fly for the reserves and build time while flying for a regional… it seems like it would be much faster that way and a source of extra income! Plus throw in a couple deployments, maybe a short tour of some sort, and my seniority will climb while I'm working for uncle sam. Not too concerned with which plane, but like you said, quality of life. Being based in either SFO, LAX, or FAT.

SFO is not a reserve base. It used to be, but that changed long ago.

I'm a civilian, but go ahead and apply for a job at the majors and wait for the call while flying for regionals. You'll get plenty of flight time plus lots of experience in the 121 world as well as increase your list of contacts. The thing is to also upgrade ASAP.

You've got a rare opportunity to have the best of both worlds for your résumé at both jobs. See where you want to be in 5 years. It's been a proven decision maker for me.

Good luck.

Answers to your Q's (by the way I was in ground school for the EMB 120 "Bro" at OO):

- Reserve base in SFO for OO, during 2010, meant you hang out at the airport or wait for a call (can't remember the call-out times, who cares, your on the hook either way). You stand reserve 21 or more days a month. Not sure what the status of SFO is today (assuming a base for the CRJ exists because I hear a lot of OO folks). I assume it would go senior for the CRJ if it is not a reserve base. Basically, QOL = Sucks (until u get seniority).

- In 2010 it was pretty easy to hold a line at FAT for the BRO. If nothing has changed, you could pretty much do as you said, assuming you are a line holder.

- 2000 hrs is not much time, but a lot of airlines (i.e. SWA, AS, etc.) will allow you to compute an additional .3 or so if you have military flight time (review company website for specifics). Depending on what platform you are on, 2000 hrs could look really good if you are a heavy guy and an IP. Everyone will have differing opinions on the subject of "experience", but just apply and see what happens. IMHO you are more than "marketable" because I know what you had to go through to get your wings as well as the standards that are expected of you as a military aviator. The civilian world is kinda hung up on hours vs quality, something you will have to get used to.

- Sounds like u got a pretty good plan with solid back-ups. Make sure you network with your squadron mates and your squadron mates friends! You never know who u may meat that is a base chief pilot for major airline X. If I were you and you can get into OO, give it a try so you can at least say you tried it, who knows, it may work for your situation. Plus, u will fly with a diverse group of folks and make some great friends along the way. If it gets to hectic....just take some AT orders. By the way, thanks for your service to our country.

JC23 stop giving someone wrong info about SFO.

SFO LAX AND FAT are all pretty junior on the FO side now, more so on the bro. 11-12 days off on reserve depending on the month. Short call is a 2 hour call out, long call is a 12 hour call out. If you live within an hour of your domicile reserve is not that bad(I've done almost 7 years of it). Considering you're in the military you could pick up as much military leave time you want to supplement pay and the company cant tell you no. That in itself would make your life better than those who can't do that.

Does Skywest allow their pilots to fly as a CFI on their days off?

You're supposed to ask the chief pilot for permission to do it, but I have met people who instruct on their days off.

Jc23, Skywest is an airline. Airlines change a lot in two years.

SFO is a normal base (not reserve base) on both the CRJ and Bro. There are 35 guaranteed lines on the Bro there right now. SFO is also the 2nd most junior base on the bro right now behind PSP. FAT is typically the most junior base on the Bro but seems to have gone 'slightly' more senior when they reduced the lines.

At 6 months seniority on the bro someone would be a lineholder in PSP and SFO and have a composite in FAT. LAX is a bit more senior but you can pretty much hold a line anywhere on the Bro within a year.

Pretty much frowned upon and I doubt any chief pilot would approve it since it specifically says in our FOM outside flying is prohibited. Unless you're a member of the inner circle brotherhood if you know what I mean?

That's probably true but I don't see why. When I was on reserve I was averaging less than 10 hours a month. 100 in 30 and 1000 in a year would definitely not be a problem no matter how much I managed to instruct.

The general consensus is just be smart about it. In other words, don't make yourself illegal, and don't talk about it. There have even been chief pilots that said this. Personally I don't do outside flying, but have talked to plenty that have (mostly captains, oddly enough). Personally I think the no outside flying policy is BS. FOs are not paid enough to dictate their entire professional services.

I'm not giving anyone wrong info intentionally. I clearly stated that it was based on my situation in 2010.

Save your tactless blunders for the uninitiated. I was pretty specific that the info I gave was based on 2010 and that OO and Eagle folks would chime in with more specific info.

Yet you repeated the same info twice, even after somebody corrected you. Tactless blunders indeed.

I was trying to help a fellow military guy out, I'm sorry guidoverduci if I gave you any bad gouge, that was not my intent, it was merely my experience back in 2010. If you read what I wrote it's fairly spot on. Just giving my opinion on what I thought guidoverduci should do on a forum, because he asked? I apologize if I offended anyone. I don't have a problem being corrected if I'm wrong, but lets not be disrespectful to each other on a forum (myself included). If you feel the need, please PM me and we can exchange numbers and possibly meet up and laugh about it over a beer.

Guido Verduci,
I would highly encourage giving SkyWest a shot. As an enlisted member of the guard, getting time off for the military is a virtually no questions asked process. You fax in a sheet of paper with your dates and they take the trips off your schedule. If you're gone more than 30 days they'll need a copy of your orders.

SkyWest is as about as good as a regional gets, you'll get to see what civilian airline flying is all about, and unless this costs you an oppurtunity to get command time in the military, I really don't see how it couldn't be a nice addition to your resume.

If you take the brasilia, you'll almost definitely get FAT or SFO, the RJ just depends on how often they are running classes. That said, if you got hired this winter, you'd almost definitely be in FAT or SFO on the jet in a matter of months.

At the end of the day, you already have a great gig, so your only real question is: do you have anything to lose by trying out the regionals?

Not true. As long as you don't create a duty/flight time limit conflict your Chief Pilot will let you work as a CFI.

Go read it for yourself Rickair in the PPM under rules of conduct #1. It explicitly states outside flying for hire or compensation is prohibited. I guess if you want to drive off into the weeds about this you could say you are not doing it for compensation, but in the context of the question someone asked if they could supplement their income which is explicitly prohibited in the PPM.

Unless your on a LOA.

Which chief pilot allows it because I need to get some outside flying approved?

You can't CFI for hire, but you can do it for free or teach ground school ;)

As far as some people saying that by logging it you are being compensated, not true. You log since you must keep a record of any training given as well as endorsements!

Apparently that changed. I don't want to put anybody on the spot, but if you really want to CFI on the side, as opposed to being a rhetorical question, talk to your CP. Odds are they'll work something out.

Depends. The FAA has held in the past that logged time can be considered compensation and used as the basis for various violations (commercial flying with no CPL, flight time limits, part 135 violations, etc) in the case of pilots who have an obvious time-building need.

If you're a gainfully employed turbine pilot with an ATP I suspect they wouldn't bother since you don't really need any more piston time, but a low-time professional pilot could get burned.

I think some occasional CFI work could be considered as recreational if you're not in time building mode. But it should probably be "ad hoc" with friends/family, as opposed to standing around the FBO offering free instruction to all comers...

It wasn't stated as a rhetorical question Im curious which chief would actually allow it because I know the west coast chief pilot would never allow it. It's been in the PPM the 8 years I've been at OO. Plus the company is busy enough tracking time in regards to 121 time why would they also ever want to have to track time outside of the 121 world. From a common sense company standpoint their are many reason why outside flying is not allowed. BTW I don't like it but I see why the rule is there.

Back to topic of this thread: I use to work at eagle left and came to Skywest, if you live on the west coast OO should be your number 1 choice.

Thanks for all the great info everybody! I filled out the airline apps info a couple days ago, submitted to a few places, and have already been asked to interview at Eagle. At this point, and given my specific situation, I'd only consider Skywest. I hope they give me the chance to interview. Any idea on how long they take after receiving the application to offer an interview?

Unfortunately, I haven't done my ATP written (in the painful process of scheduling it at Travis... But free). I know it's a requirement, but then again, it was for Eagle and they offered me an interview. Oh well, as soon as I get it done, I'll update my app. In the mean time, does HR have a contact #? Would it be a bad idea to call and see if they received my app?

Talk to me about that free written!

Travis AFB offers FAA tests free at the base education center. Not a bad deal!

Go to Eagle.......

Can you provide anything on why they'd be better? Seeing how the pay for both pretty much sucks, what would motivate me to pick them over Skywest..… serious question.

FAT / SFO as junior base is pretty much the main selling point for me! Not to mention, I haven't heard anything bad about them and they seem to treat military guys good!

If you just want to stay on the west coast go to Skywest...

Now, Eagle it will be in a interesting position in the next six months. Why???

Flow thru will resume soon, and once AA starts hiring there are 824 pilots with preferential hiring. After those 824 goes, all the pilots hired before Oct 11, 2011 have also preferential hiring.

So, if they want to hire 2,500 in the next 5 years like they said last month, 1,250 of those pilots have to be from American Eagle. We have 3,100 pilots in our seniority list, so I guess that our upgrade time will go down quickly in the next 5 years. Also you have to consider those pilots that will leave to somewhere else in the next couple of years.

In my personal opinion, I just started my 3rd year at Eagle and I'm very happy here. I started around being #2900 in out seniority list, and right now I'm in the 2400ish. That's a lot of movement in 2 years, considering we've been in Ch 11 for one whole year.

First year sucks wherever regional you go.

I am on the same boat at Eagle, been here for 2 years and I am in the high 2,400s. If I was at SKW, RAH or most other regionals I wouldn't be as high on the seniority list. We have our issues at Eagle but taking the management out is a good company. With the movement we should have in the coming months we should see good things for the folks who been here 2-3 years as schedules improve and that upgrade start looking attainable, the question is how are going to be able to staff the airline and how many airframes we will have. Now if eagle management makes some positive announcements and we flow guys to AA we will see more applicants. Now with that said go to SKW, don't commute to ORD or DFW for eagle stay out west as your QOL will be much better specially since you are military and probably will be aircraft commander before captain at eagle or SKW

If I were looking for a regional right now I'd be looking at Compass. They'll replace half their pilot list by the middle of 2015. That's less than a 3 year upgrade.