XJ or AE?

[WMUSIGPI]

Got to agree with Hawk... I'm looking at a long time on reserve.... probably til I leave this company. But it's not that bad being at home.... done the reserve thing in the crash pad before, not so much fun.... Though still not the end of the world here (granted that was with 15 days off instead of 11 back in the good old CVG days)
I never really considered travel benefits when deciding where to send off resumes... But Delta has some of the best and we are now supposedly getting those as part of the merger so maybe that is a selling point.... I don't know since I rarely go anywhere with them.

 

[Hollywood82]

Thanks guys.

Looks like XJ for me. They were great to me during the interview. I did (as of Friday) accept their employment offer. I just wanted to make sure that I made the right decision. Looks like I did.

I don't care which plane they put me in but I would hope for MSP or MEM, but I'll go whereever they send me.

Anything you XJ guys can tell me about working at Mesaba? Good and Bad.

Thanks

 

[Limeyflyer]

I got hired into XJ back in NOV last yr. I was flying 135/91 prior and I love the change, even though I am on reserve I finally have a schedule, the flying is fun, the people are great. The former AE's in my class are seeming to enjoy it also. Hope to see you soon.

 

[colonel sanders]

Since no one answered about the non-rev questions at Eagle...Yes your parents would get non-rev priviledges. But only on AA and AE, not on NWA. Plus there will be a service charge for your first 5 years. Since you are in MSP, I also think that XJ is your best choice. I've got a few buddies at XJ, and they seem to like it over there.

 

[Raskal]

I got hired with the limey guy above and have to agree, as someone with the same background mesaba has been a very good change. I'll also be on reserve forever, but living in base is the key.

No, the timing isn't great, a year or so ago would have been better, but considering the options I think you'll like it here. Good people.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Reserve here isn't that bad especially if you are coming from a 135 background.... but you HAVE to live in base for that to be true.

 

[Limeyflyer]

Raskal and I are both from the DTW area so it works out.

 

[Hollywood82]

Reserve here isn't that bad especially if you are coming from a 135 background.... but you HAVE to live in base for that to be true.

I am a 135 Chief Pilot, I get between 3 and 6 days off a month. My current company likes to count on call as a day off. Rules change depending on the DOs mood. When I started this job last year they told me there would be 2 jets added to the cert., instead we added two PA-31s. Guess what I flew this morning... It will just be good to be in a professional environment again. Wish class was sooner!

How's the QOL in DTW? I have friends in MSP and MEM so that would be my first choice.

 

[Raskal]

How's the QOL in DTW? I have friends in MSP and MEM so that would be my first choice.

QOL is great, arguably (personal preference) DTW is the nicest hub to work out of. I prefer it over the other two by far. That being said, we are very well staffed-MEM seems to need some guys as of late and MSP needs on the 200 are increasing. As an FO you could have a shot at any base, however, MEM is the most junior follwed by DTW...MSP is notoriously senior-you might hold it but will probably be on reserve longer.

 

[Jamis81]

Seniority

QOL is great, arguably (personal preference) DTW is the nicest hub to work out of. I prefer it over the other two by far. That being said, we are very well staffed-MEM seems to need some guys as of late and MSP needs on the 200 are increasing. As an FO you could have a shot at any base, however, MEM is the most junior follwed by DTW...MSP is notoriously senior-you might hold it but will probably be on reserve longer.

You're not lying about MSP.. When I finished training last august, I was sitting # 30 in DTW right out of training, and held a line right after my Greenline (that won't happen now). People in my class who went to MSP were sitting at #80 or lower and straight reserve for months....

 

[Flybet3]

I got hired into XJ back in NOV last yr. I was flying 135/91 prior and I love the change, even though I am on reserve I finally have a schedule, the flying is fun, the people are great. The former AE's in my class are seeming to enjoy it also. Hope to see you soon.

I was one of the former Eagle pilots that Limey and Raskal was talking about. I can tell you that you're better off at XJ. Dont get me wrong, Eagle was great too. I lived in base with them, the work rules were very similar and the pilot group was also pretty good. But even if you come in at the bottom at XJ you'll be better off then at Eagle. Why? b/c there's no growth at eagle and no movement what so ever. I went to eagle to escape the 135/91 world (which sux by the way). I didnt regret it at all b/c even though I took at $20,000 pay cut at eagle I was home alot more and was able to fly the SAAB for almost a year before getting hired as a Saab captain at XJ. I commute with XJ and yeah living in base makes life ALOT and I mean ALOT better. But I tell you what my friend my QOL with 11 days off a month and commuting is still 50 times better than it was when I flew charter and was 15 minutes from the airport.
Once you make it through ground school and Sim training you'll get hit with the regional experience like a cold bucket of water. You'll get on the line, be happy that you are out of charter and you will hear a lot of whining and complaining about having to do ready reserve, and only having 15 days off, and wah wah wah. My advice is to tune out a lot of the crying and complaining and just enjoy your job. I can promise you this, that it doesn't matter what regional you go to, the issues are always the same. Management is greedy and f-ed up! and pilots will always complain.
Welcome to XJ and keep living the dream :beer:

 

[Flybet3]

Reserve here isn't that bad especially if you are coming from a 135 background.... but you HAVE to live in base for that to be true.

True, but even as a commuter with 11 days off a month I am loving this a heck of a lot more.
Doing 135 is like being ready reserve 24/7!

OOOOOHHHH!!!!! uke:
PLEASE DONT REMIND ME!!

 

[Hollywood82]

I was one of the former Eagle pilots that Limey and Raskal was talking about. I can tell you that you're better off at XJ. Dont get me wrong, Eagle was great too. I lived in base with them, the work rules were very similar and the pilot group was also pretty good. But even if you come in at the bottom at XJ you'll be better off then at Eagle. Why? b/c there's no growth at eagle and no movement what so ever. I went to eagle to escape the 135/91 world (which sux by the way). I didnt regret it at all b/c even though I took at $20,000 pay cut at eagle I was home alot more and was able to fly the SAAB for almost a year before getting hired as a Saab captain at XJ. I commute with XJ and yeah living in base makes life ALOT and I mean ALOT better. But I tell you what my friend my QOL with 11 days off a month and commuting is still 50 times better than it was when I flew charter and was 15 minutes from the airport.
Once you make it through ground school and Sim training you'll get hit with the regional experience like a cold bucket of water. You'll get on the line, be happy that you are out of charter and you will hear a lot of whining and complaining about having to do ready reserve, and only having 15 days off, and wah wah wah. My advice is to tune out a lot of the crying and complaining and just enjoy your job. I can promise you this, that it doesn't matter what regional you go to, the issues are always the same. Management is greedy and f-ed up! and pilots will always complain.
Welcome to XJ and keep living the dream :beer:

Thanks for the info Flybet3. My goal is to live in MSP. I know commuting sucks but how bad would a DTW - MSP or MEM - MSP commute be? one leg? should be easy right?

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Commuting to MEM isn't too easy cause there are so few flights. DTW-MSP is a more crowded commute but there are a LOT more options to get there including making connections through MKE, GRR, IND, ect...

 

[SplitBar]

Don't forget about FedEx. The flight times aren't the greatest but it's almost a guaranteed ride to/from work.