Epic fact based comment based on rational thought vs a history rewrite to bolster one's position. You're as clear as a southern sunrise on a hot, humid morning.

Very little upgrades in 7.5, I held it the month I left for UA. That's what getting hired in late 2006 gets you. Economic downturn, almost furloughed a few times. I held onto my job but never advanced. Trust me, I'm not complaining how things turned out, but it's been a pretty rough decade for those at the regional ranks as well. The past year and a half has really turned on the movement.

When I got hired civilian pilots were 32 +years old, had 10k plus flight hours, had 4-8 jobs, and lots of turbine PIC. 6000 TT in the right seat? You have a good start in paying your dues. But, in the real world, only 60% of the required dues paid to be here. You are below average.

Consider yourself lucky.

Ftr...I'm very happy you don't have to start at 31.00$/hr.
I'm also glad you have insurance from day one, your hotel in training is covered,your paid while in training,and your second year is close to a hundo an hour.
Had a gal in the JS,who was basically bragging about how she has never upgraded because she wanted 19 days off a month and was sr. ......then the pending interview with momma U came up...she was so excited, me not so much.
I guess that's why I'm just a line puke,not in the hiring dept.:eek:

You guys think his 6000 Total is below average, you would evacuate your bowels if you knew some of the guys getting hired with less than 3000 hours total civilian time coming through the pipe line.

I think there is a big difference between not upgrading for several years because you can't and not upgrading because you don't want to. The recruiting folks told us they know there are high time FOs out there in the former situation and are willing to give them a shot if they have a strong resume. It's a bummer being labeled a certain way simply because of ones credentials when they were hired. I know RJ FOs hired here that breezed through training and super senior RJ CAs that struggled. It all depends. We have all flown with guys during our careers that left us scratching our heads. We have also been pleasantly surprised. I look forward to flying with all of you at some point. Since I gained my other wing, I'll even get the beers this time around!

I know this is an anonymous forum and all, but jumping on a guy's case because he got hired here without PIC is pretty low in my opinion.

I was at the regionals for a lot longer than most pilots. The first decade of the new millennium was almost universally bad for pilots. I'm not going to bemoan the fact that somebody got hired here with less "experience" than I did.

I flew with 8-year FOs all the time at my last job. Every one of them would have driven over their grandmother with a bulldozer if it meant that they could finally upgrade. There might be people who are in the right seat by choice but I really doubt that's more than a handful.

I've been an F/O since 1991 over four airlines and three furloughs. Never have had the opportunity to upgrade.

You must be a real joy for these folks to fly with. "Back in my day....."

Keyboard commandos here need to log off, step outside, take a deep breath, and then realize that there are only so many diety-like pilots such as them to hire. UAL has to cast a wider net to get the rest of their needed newhires.:rolleyes:

:D Nicely stated.