Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

A question for all of you

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web
Yeah Pinnacle is pretty much the bottom of the barrel. The only thing we have going for us is aircraft deliveries and as soon as the remaining Saabs are gone those deliveries are actually going to represent growth. When Mesaba gets their next contract signed (probably sometime in the next 1-1.5 years) the whipsawing will turn against us in preparation for our next round of contract talks. If people here think it is bad now just wait until we don't have any new airplanes coming our way. You just may be able to get a upgrade fairly quickly but you would then be looking at 4+ years of reserve all to be making the same as what you are making now. If you think its a pretty sh*tty thing for a pilot to have to pay their way through training, they are just getting you prepared for whats to come.

If you want to fly a jet apply at some reputable companies first.
 
I would leave MAC, because few people get good jobs out of there. For some reason, many passenger airlines seem to discriminate against freight guys, even though they are great pilots and the experience is excellent. I don't know anything about pinnicle, but I would leave MAC for a good regional that is growing and has lots of jets. You have a good job and can be picky, but look at where your friends are going, and that should tell you what to do. I know FedEx won't hire MAC pilots, but if you went to another airline first, they might. Ask around, see if any MAC pilot has EVER gone to United or American or Delta. I knew one that went to USAir, but he's probably furloughed now. Honestly, if you allready have 1000 pic turbine, you should go somewhere that you wouldn't mind staying for a very long time. I know it's a pay cut now, but over the long run, the pay will be better than MAC, and your chances of going somewhere better will be greatly increased. You also will make a LOT more friends, since you fly with so many more people at the pax airlines.

PS, be careful what some people tell you on this board, as they don't even fly for an airline, and never have. Good luck to you.
 
PS,
I see a lot of the answers people give you say that senority is good, and it is. However, there is essentially no senority at MAC. It has no union, and they hire captains off the street ahead of you. A junior person can keep a domicile, even if a senior person want's it. Some people assume that senority is the same at every airline, and that's not true. I know street captains don't affect you since you are a captain, but it sure does affect the FO's. Most good regionals have a union, that protects your job and senority. I personally wouldn't ever go to a non-union airline, even a good one like Skywest. Just my opinion, and if I were at Skywest, I would stay there, but I wouldn't go there after knowing what I know now. Also, 121 at MAC is not the same as a passenger airline. It's 121 supplimental, which means no dispatchers. I feel safer knowing a certificated dispatcher is watching out for me, and is just a radio call away. Of course, I used to be a 121 domestic dispacher, so I guess I'm partial.

So, just be careful if you think all 121 is the same, or that senority is the same at every airline. It isn't. Good luck to all.
 
skydiverdriver said:
PS, be careful what some people tell you on this board, as they don't even fly for an airline, and never have. Good luck to you.


You are so right and airline senority is everything.
Three years to upgrade in the CL-65 sounds good to me ( Just ask the Eagle guys how long to upgrade in the 145) and I would rather be a reserve Captain than a line holding FO. But that's just my opinion.
 
I say stay where you are.

You are putting 121 PIC into your logbook - the most valued time you can aquire. It doesn't matter squat that the motors are turbine and not turbojet.

Why take a pay cut and start all over again at another carrier just to end up putting the same quality time in your logs?

Unless of course you think you would rather retire from the regional carrier (worst case senario - if you can't move on) than where you are presently employed.

If you goal is to get on with a National carrier, then I say stay put.

Good Luck - whatever you decide.

drva320
 
Or should I go to a regional to fly a jet, fly right seat for about year and a half and take te associated pay cut??? All your imputs and help would be greately appreciated.

Right now, I would stay at MAC (sorry Skydiverdriver as I know you are also ex-MAC) unless you can get on with Southwest, Airtran or JetBlue. They are the only ones worth leaving for. Leaving for a regional (especially Pinnacle) is a big mistake.

When I left MAC for COEX, I expected to be upgrading right about now. It's probably going to be a year (or two) more until that happens. Thinking upgrade in a year and a half is, at best, the mins. At COEX new hires will be right seat for years!!!!

The majors are not hiring for the next few years until recall of furloughs and business picks up.

I used to fly that CSG route for MAC. Aside from the night shift, it's a good job, better than an FO on reserve at any 'regional' airline.

Remember, MAC pilots have gone to most regionals, Jet Blue. AIrtran, Northwest, Midway (oops) and most others.

It's not out of the question to go directly to a major (in a few years) with all the PIC Turbine time you are getting each week.

Just my opinion.
 
I do not know much about the freight side of things, but is there much variety in the flying you do or is it all the same basic route? That could get a little boring also all the 'vampire" time you put in.
I still think that 2-3 years to upgrade to a jet with a National airline is not bad and who knows what will happen at COEX and others or the industry as a whole. It all comes down to what you want to do for the next few years, your own personal situation and do you ENJOY what you are doing because that is still the most important factor. Too many people out here were so focused on their "career" and getting to a major that they missed all the fun and are now either furloughed or possibly looking at furlough. The so called Regionals are not a bad place to be at the moment, with new aircraft deliveries and hiring continuing and even profits being made. Now there's a concept.
 
COEX-FO

Okay, I agree with most of what you say, but doesn't it bother you that nobody has ever gone to a good major out of MAC? I dont' think he would lose anything by going to a good regional. Yes, he might be on reserve for awhile, but perhaps if he picked one that doesn't have a long wait for captain, or a flowthrough that is pushing people back. I have nothing against COEX, and some others, but just because you don't feel good there doesn't mean he would feel the same if he went to Comair or ASA or ACA. Some regionals have very little reserve, quick upgrades and a pretty good future, if you get stuck there.

Well, just my opinion, which is what the man asked for, and thank you for yours.
 
Re: COEX-FO

I'm actually quite happy at Express. 9-11 changed a lot here but that's just the breaks. In retrospect, I had an offer at ASA as well but choose COEX because at the time it was the correct choice (for me).

I was only at MAC for six months (perhaps you don't remember but you were quite helpful to me in getting that job) and I flew with this Captain for three months myself.

I still think he is better off at as a CA at MAC than Pinnacle as an FO. Quality of life stuff and pay being two big reasons.

The only pilot I personally know at MAC that went to a major went to NWA. Unfortunately he was furloughed.

Rigth now, with the hiring market as it is, building PIC in F-27 will do more for a major career than starting over in an RJ! I think so, anyway.


Fly safe!

skydiverdriver said:
Okay, I agree with most of what you say, but doesn't it bother you that nobody has ever gone to a good major out of MAC?
 
Elmo, you didn't state your goal other than working for a national somewhere down the road. From that, I assume that your goal is to fly people. Here's me two cents. The pax industry is bad news right now. Yesterdays conventional wisdom is out the window. We all know that the big money and easy schedules come with the majors, or rather they used to. A year ago this time, I'd tell you to go to work flying people. Now, I say find a job that you can be happy working for five to ten years. I consider myself extremely blessed to be working for a company that pays reasonable, and have a contract that dictates a decent work environment. Because, I don't think that any of those big money jobs from yesteryear will be coming my way anytime soon. Nor will one be going the way of more than a couple of hundred guys a year who happen to get on with JB, SWA, FedEX.

Bottom line, the upward mobility in the pax industry is on hold. I say don't go to work for a company with poor pay and work rules(Pinnacle), because you will probably be there for more years than you expect.

I'll defer to SDD about MAC, but as to box haulers in general; Spirit has a bunch of you. Along with the normal mix of retired Generals, Colonels, Corporate jet drivers, five year military vietnam era guys, commuter dogs, and guys who had bad luck at Midway (original), Braniff, EAL, PanAm, AirFlorida, PrivateJet, etc. Freight Dogs make good people pilots, and I don't really think that it is a stigma worth worrying about.
Good Luck,
8N
 

Latest resources

Back
Top