SkyWest Pay
 

My question is just out of curiosity. I was looking at choosing SkyWest due to it being the largest regional out there but the pay was just terrible. Training pay was only 65 min gaurentee , 0 Bonus payouts. I see all the class sizes are still full. Why are people still going to Skywest?

Im curious how you guys get through training as well. With the regional I chose we get some of our bonus payouts upfront just to help feed ourselves, but honestly, I would be eating Bread and butter during training or canned soup every night had I come to OO.

I'm not mocking your airline by any means and have a lot of respect for you guys. But im just curious what your mindset was when you chose this airline over others? I get it , " company stability " , "QOL", seriously though, pay in certain aspects is QOL.

I think what a lot of people don't realize is how QOL and soft pay affects your total pay. I JUST compared my YTD earnings with a few friends at other regionals for 2017 (same exact start date), and I have made 5k$ more so far this year than the highest paid of that group. Those little "QOL" rules really add up. People who look past the hourly rate can see that and see the potential to make good money here long term. Stability, company reputation, bases, growth of the company, fleet, diversity of flying, benefits with majors, and many other factors play into new hires decisions right now.

Excited bird
 

Congratulations, Firebird! Good choice!
It’s a wonderful time to be alive and in aviation!!

I chose SKYW because they have an SFO base. They also had a good reputation in general and a good rep specifically for training.

I am 39. I bailed from a corporate job where I made 6 figures. I have about 13 years of 91/135 experience.

Overall I'm very happy I came here. The crews are all great. I haven't flown with anyone I disliked. The work rules are good compared to every other job I've had. The pay in training does suck but I had a lot of cash saved up from my 91 job.

Overall I'm happy but I'm applying to every major airline I can. Hoping to move on but enjoying the moment.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Came here for LAX base. Got it. Easy commute.. I’d pay to have it this good. Any other regional didn’t work for that, except compass and they weren’t hiring when I interviewed around.

Aspen
 

For those who have done ASE flying.. what are the pros/cons that you've noticed from it? Did you ever have time to ski on overnights? Can you upgrade whenever or do you have to give notice to get out of the program to do so?

The overnights are pretty short in ASE. You get in after dark in the winter and leave pretty early. You only get more time if there is some kind of IROPS. You can upgrade whenever.

Lots of pros and cons. PM me for more. The program is changing in December.

The JAC overnights used to be (maybe still are?) at a ski resort hotel, which would give you free skis and a lift pass if you were there when the lifts were open.

PLENTY of 19+ hour SLC overnights... hotel is a across the street from a ski rental shop and the city bus runs to the cottonwood canyon resorts (caution, if it's an epic day the bus will be full).

Aspen program just changed. They have LAX/SLC/DEN and Aspen flying bases. Pay is 1hr extra for each landing in Aspen. To early to tell how schedules will be. But sapa said it will pay verry well..??.. (heard fly 80hrs. Get paid 120).

I see looking at your other post you're at Air Wisconsin or will be starting shortly. They certainly have a nice bonus program for new hires. I guess the question there might be why do they have that and we don't? Yet we still attract way more new hires here.

A quick look at Air Wisconsin show only three domiciles, old 200s, and a short term new contract with one partner. Additionally staffing should run about 10 pilots per aircraft yet the pilot group totals under 500. That tells me they are 150 short. And that in my opinion is why they are offering so much to new - and they should. Supply and demand right....

A quick look at SkyWest shows the opposite. 16+ domiciles, with a large number on the west coast. A bunch of new airplanes with a bunch more coming. Four partners with long term contracts. 4500 pilots and growing. The reality of it that has attracted enough pilots here that they haven't needed to pay the big bonus yet to ALL new hires. Again supply and demand...

What's Air Wisconsin going to do when the 200s time out? And they can't get any 175s because of scope limits? Or costs.. Do you think the UA contract will get extended or some other carrier may underbid them next time around? It could be us or it could be Mesa... What if Air Wisconsin tells United they can't operate all 65 aircraft? They can only operate 50 because of a lack of pilots. Or 40. And your upgrade gets pushed off another year or two? Horizon is having this problem now. And guess who's flying their aircraft?

All of that plays into why pilots are still coming here. I'm sure Air Wisconsin is a good company to work for, but there are a lot more things to consider than just first year bonuses. I wouldn't be surprised to see those offered here at some point though.