Thanks!
Would that be due to getting off reserve faster in the CRJ? Or other factors like block hours flown?

Off reserve faster. This is subject to change, big growth on ERJ side but on west coast.

Has anyone here taken the new class with the new systems test?

I've heard the ERJ is growing on the West Coast, but I wish there was a way to quantify the growth. Want to hitch my wagon to a star.
Is there a way to see how many new aircraft/routes are coming? Or anything else that would translate to more flying for a fresh out of training FO in a month?
Embraer's order-book shows 32 E175s are firm order backlogged for SkyWest... I really don't know how you guys get info, but this is all I have to go on. Thanks again!

SkyWest growth doesn't mean more flying for a pilot.
That is why you were hired.

Honestly none of us know. I don't think MT and CC know, either. So if anyone tells you that they do know, they're pulling stuff out of thin air.

When I got hired they wanted me to take the Brasilia because "we need a lot of Brasilia pilots." A year later they got rid of every single Brasilia. Fortunately I'd declined the Bro and had gone straight to the CRJ.

Also, when I got hired, SLC was impossible to hold as an FO (as in, many years to even make it onto reserve in SLC.) Now they're sending newhires to SLC.

Houston was a giant base, now it's barely clinging to existence.

PDX CRJ was a small base but super senior. Now it doesn't exist.

MSP was our most junior base, with lots and lots of movement. Now MSP appears to be stagnating and DTW (new base) is most junior on the CRJ.

I could go on and on. There is absolutely no way for anyone to tell you which fleet and which base will grow, and which will shrink, because it changes month-to-month.

The only 2 things constant in this industry are:

1) Change. Don't come to an airline or choose an airframe because of a particular base (ask all the SkyWest guys who used to be based in SBP, SMF, SAN, PDX CRJ, IAH, etc etc.) Bases, airframes, and flying contracts come and go.

2) Seniority is everything. I deferred my class date by a few months for various reasons. That difference of a few months means a 10% difference in seniority in my base and on my fleet, which can mean the difference between being on reserve and holding a line. When times turn bad (as they certainly will, it's only a question of when), a difference of one seniority number can mean the difference between having a job and being on the street.

Totally this. I thought about delaying a few months because I had a bonus due at the 135 company I was working for...Then my dad asked me "What is 3-4 months worth when you upgrade? What's it worth at the end of your career if you're lucky enough to make it to a major?" Point taken and I took the first class I had the hours for. 10/10 would do again.

Thanks to you all again ...that last bit was sobering.

I've been deferring my class date for a couple months now, legitimate reasons, but nonetheless, no more.

How about this: Is it possible the CRJ could atrophy (like the Brasília) within the next 2 years?

(not trying to start anything, just wondering if it's conceivable)

Sure, it's possible. If we have another 9/11, or if Drumpf starts a trade war or basically continues to run his mouth on Twitter, we could see fuel prices skyrocket again. If that happens, more 50-seaters will get parked. But that will be the least of our worries.

If fuel prices stay where they are, and we don't have another 9/11, the 50-seaters may stay for quite some time. They operate a lot (actually, possibly all, I'm not sure) of Skywest's at-risk flying, and that has been very profitable flying.

Again, though, it really doesn't matter. What matters is your seniority number. Worst case, you take the CRJ, and a year from now Skywest parks that airplane. If we park all CRJs a year from now, you'll be furloughed along with plenty of guys, but your choice of airframe will make no difference. You could take the 175 and you'd still get furloughed. (If we park all CRJs, that implies a dramatic reduction in flying, similar to what's happening at ExpressJet.)

Even if, say, SKW does a more gradual transition of all flying to the 175, all that matters is your seniority number. You'd have to go back to training in order to transition to the 175, but so what?

Seniority is everything. It really is.

You really think they are gonna park all the 200's in a year? That is where they make the most profit, and it will be around for years. The price of oil will go back up but that will hardly be Trumps fault, but whatever it takes to get you to sleep at night.