Yea, Im going to be making the jump to the airlines. So since Im a low time fixed wing guy and have a bunch of dumb helicopter time, I am going to start at the regionals.

Are there any to avoid?

So far PSA and Envoy are my #1 due to domiciles, and maybe TSA after that. I would prefer to not commute, and the Army is going to move me, so I have that going for me at least....

The only place I will tell you with absolute conviction is Mesa with the possibility of GoJet. I have also heard that XJT is starting to spiral the drain. Compass is losing planes to Republic although that used to be a great place to be.

Just about every regional carrier has upped their game considerably in order to attract and retain pilots. Typically if they don't, they simply cannot operate according to their contracts with their mainline partners. I've heard of stories in which if pilot A gets sick or unable to work, those same companies can't cover the flying and cascading delays/ cancellations will take place. That there are NO reserves at some of these companies.

In addition to that quality of life is miserable at the first two, or so I hear.

All regionals are stepping stones and they all have their pros and cons. Envoy and PSA are just fine to work for, although my friends have told me that PSAs MX deptartments may be striking at some point in the near future. Envoy guys seem to be a disgruntled group from what I've seen and the pilot group seems to have an adversarial relationship with their management so weigh that into your decision making process. All my buddies at PSA seem to be content for the moment so I can't really trash them unless your planning on going the flight attendant route. They don't seem to treat their FAs very well for whatever reason.

i would consider Endevour, Republic, and Skywest as well. I've got friends in all of those except for SW but they have an awesome base structure.

Either way in five years it will be highly unlikely you will still be at any regional you choose to go to, but still if the music stops for whatever reason try to aim to go to someplace that you would be comfortable. Whether that be lifestyle, quality of life, money or whatever your priorities may be

If you need more detailed info, feel free to PM me

Honestly, my first and foremost concern would be domiciles. Do everything in your power to not commute. This will drastically increase your quality of life and makes it easier to pick up trips if you want (or can). Aside from that, I'd want to know if any regionals are growing. Nothing decreases upgrade time like new jets. Typically, I discourage guys from chasing good contracts at the regionals. Good contracts mean guys are slower to leave. Chase the left seat instead. The left seat is for the resume and there is no regional that pays more for the right seat than the crappiest regional pays for the left. Left seat is most profitable and helps you move on. Sometimes the crappy regional gives you the left seat opportunity first. Don't start chasing contracts until you're shopping for majors. Then move heaven and earth to get there.

Look for programs like Piedmonts where you're guaranteed a seniority number at American in a set amount of time. This is a stepping stone position, go where ever you have to inorder to get to 1000 hours Pt. 121 PIC time as quickly as possible.

Op we are going to miss your helicopter threads.

Thanks for the advice so far. I am really not planning on commuting, at all. I am wanting to go to CLT or DFW, hence the PSA or Envoy.

PSA, Envoy, and Piedmont all have the flow to AA, but I do not plan on waiting for it to happen. I will keep my apps continuous updated at the majors and hope for the best

I wouldnt be surprised to have a regional start 1st year FOs at $50/hr by the new year. Someone just went to $43 today.....

Mesa
PenAir

If you wanna come up to the great white north, be home every night, and be dash trash let me know.

those are halfway desirable locations, plan on having them one bid rotation, then screwed into JFK/LGA/ORD the next.  Just the way it goes for a little bit.


I'd take hauslp up on his offer.  crash-8's, but meh, they're ok.  be something fun for a while

I've been at Envoy for six months, if you have any questions feel free to message me.

You'll have no problem getting DFW. If you're old enough you might get the 175 which is only dallas. They're talking about opening up another base for it next year, though.

I ended up on the 145 in LGA, but I was awarded DFW before I finished training.

First day of Indoc they sit you down and give you the bonus check before anything else. Lots of Army RTP guys in my class too.

Good luck, I wish the best for you!

Just hearsay from a couple Mesa pilots that I know, they've just re-negotiated their contracts and things there apparently have gotten a lot better in the last few months.  Not sure if true, just something else to consider.

Cool, thanks for the info. Im only 37 so I doubt I would get the 175 out of DFW. I heard that was for dudes that were 50+, lol.

That is exactly what you should be doing, see my note above about 1000 Pt. 121 PIC.

Horizon?  Though a long way from your AO.  They just had an article in the paper a couple weeks ago that they are very short of crews.



Sir James...

Lol it depends on the class, some have a stack of guys in their 50's and some do not. I'm 30 and I was 3 or 4 slots from getting it. I think the youngest in my class was 34 to get it.

As of right now upgrades are right at FAA mins of 1,000 hours 121. I've been here 6 months and had the seniority to upgrade if I had the time. A year ago Envoy required 3,000tt for upgrade, then it went to 2,500tt in May or so, now there's not TT requirement.

There was a guy that hasn't even finished FO IOE and got upgraded because he had 121 time from another airline.

Hold out for one of the flow through regionals.   With your connections you probably won't need it, but it never hurts to play it safe.    

How long is the flow through projected to take these days?



It's kinda ironic and sad to see you finally going the airline route.  

Well, Im a whore now, and just want good money

I figure it was time to make it full circle. My grandpa flew for Pan Am, and my Dad flies for AA, both flew for the military. Might as well make it 3 generations of people who dont have real jobs

I've been at SkyWest since the beginning of 2000.  I won't say it's a bad company to work for, but with what some of the other regionals are offering now it wouldn't be my first choice.   The bonuses and flow agreements need to be given serious consideration.

Stay away from ASA/XJT.  Don't even consider it for one second.  

Mesa has always had a bad reputation for treating employees like shit.

The really pro union guys will tell you to stay away from Gojets, but I'd bet their pilots get hired elsewhere without issue.

About the only thing keeping me from Envoy right now is my weird desire to put some management time in my resume, and my fear that after a couple of years of line flying, I'll blast out the top of the 6-8k hour sweet spot for hiring.

There are more helicopter pilots in the Army actively trying to ETS or already in the training pipeline than you can shake a stick at.

Its insane really. There is a mass exodus.

I have flown for Mesa,TSA and now fly for GoJet. Stay away from Mesa at all costs. The pilots themselves are great. However management thinks it's the bad old days of 2003 where you can treat pilots like crap. I was also in the top 1/4 of the PHX FO seniority list and could never drop ANYTHING. and when I had a medical issue and tried using FMLA the PHX chief pilot said he "couldn't guarantee what will happen to me if I use it."  

So I went over to Gojet as a street captain and actually have a better quality of life based in Detroit with a two leg commute than when I was living in base in PHX. Let that sink in. Gojet has been good so far. People are getting hired elsewhere and it's a good place to hide if you want 121 PIC. Also the benefits and pay are good.

TSA is a lot like GoJet. Good pay, bonuses and benefits for a regional. Good people also.

Really the major thing is figuring out which base you want. And if it's realistic living there on FO pay. Like LGA on FO pay isn't happening.

Next I would look at the flow arrangement and see if it would be worth it.

Next go to the job fairs. That's how people have been getting hired lately.

Ok thanks for your input.

Interesting, I'm a touch over 1100 and SW is my top choice. More so from base location, DTW. I know I can make more elsewhere but they also seem to be a good company in general. It also appears to be great CA pay if I got stuck at a regional.

To the OP, congrats.

I'd take PSA over Envoy. The SAP bidding schedule is a big deal once you get on the line and past the shiny jet syndrome. Envoy picks up the crumbs for AA and has garbage schedules.

Austin,

I have a buddy from 1-82 who is still in the Envoy RTP.  If you wanna talk to him let me know.  If my current plan doesn't work out I'll be retiring from the Army and looking at airlines, too.

Brandon

This is second-hand, but a former roommate of mine is a pilot for PSA out of CLT.  He likes it for the most part.  As I understand it, PSA offers one of the best ways to create your own work schedule.

Best of luck to you, OP.

I'm currently at Mesa and have been for one year.  I had talked to a recruiter at Skywest and was told I would be on reserve in Chicago for abt a year.  I chose mesa because I wanted the Ejet 175, I wanted Houston (easy commute) and I didn't want to sit reserve.  I was aware of the reputation but I'm not 22yrs old anymore and QOL was more important to me and I knew that they were in a position that a raise was coming.  Training was great, The personnel are great, Schedules are good, pay is now on par with others, etc.  Like any regional, they are hiring anybody but not everyone makes it through training as you have to have the skills/basics.  I never sat one day reserve, I'm blocking 90 hours a month, with a pay credit of over 100hrs a month.  After 3 months online, I had a fully commutable schedule and have dropped my crashpad as I don't need it as I was able to bid noon starts and ends.  We are losing pilots daily, with most headed to SWA, Atlas, and ATI and turnover is high as we don't have a flow through.  I've been here a year and have a seniority number in the top 45% of FO's, and upgrade will be in another year or so.  I don't regret it.  Do your research and find out what's right for you.  $2-3.00 more and hour is great, but if you are on reserve and need a crashpad, then you just spent that extra money.  Check the schedules and see if they have overnights in your hometown.  I was lucky enough to get overnights at home and in Aug, I had 22 nights in my own bed.  

As mentioned before, you won't be at a regional for very long anyway but you do want to max out the experience.

FWIW...

The Ejet 175 is a great aircraft for a first jet/glass cockpit and a great airplane for passengers.  I can't tell you how many comments I hear as people are boarding the aircraft, that they are happy it's a "real plane" and not a CRJ or a 145.  

One of our FOs just left the Ejet for Atlas/Southern and now is the youngest typed 777 FO in the world at age 22.

His story is here

He might be the youngest American, but there are hundreds of 18/19y/o 777/787/A380 FO's at Qatar/EK/Etihad. They are Qatari/Emirati nationals picked up with wet commercials.

We trained a few at CAE.

Thanks for the input. I actually flew on a Mesa E jet from DFW to IAD the other day. I flew on the CRJ900, Ejet and E145 within a week, and the 145 was the only one that felt small. I didnt notice a difference of the 175 and big CRJ in the back.

I will live in my domicile, no question. The Army will move me. I will not commute at a Regional.

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I like to think that I have one of the more fun regional jobs out there.

I can remember getting into Toronto years ago with ice accretion on probe on the end of the wipers that was the size of a baseball.

I'll say this for the Dash, it can handle some serious ice.

Why are you wanting to bail from the helicopter world.  I remember you used to be so excited to go that route.  Why not get hired at an EMS operator, make $70k+ and work half the year?  

The "dumb helicopter time" is just in reference to airlines that equate helicopter time equal to being an FE or a WSO.

As for why? QOL and money. Nothing pays like the airlines...

See, this is what happens when someone flies a Chinook.  Get some Boeing time, and they start thinking they are an airline pilot.  

Hahaha, lets face it. Its pretty much an airliner.

I absolutely love helicopters, and I know I am a better pilot because of them. I do intend to keep flying them somehow if I can...

PHI???

Naaa. Probably instruct or something. Im going to try the airline thing.

I'd take a Dash 8 anywhere on this planet.

Go for the money; EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.