American Eagle ATR question

[Steve]

Any Eagle guys know what the hire date is of the Junior Capt at MIA and SJU? How long is reserve for new hires in these bases? I have an offer and need to choose either the ATR in MIA/SJU or the EMB in BOS. Either way I'll probibly take the first chance to upgrade which will be the ATR for me (want to stay on the east coast).

 

[T-prop]

Any Eagle guys know what the hire date is of the Junior Capt at MIA and SJU? How long is reserve for new hires in these bases? I have an offer and need to choose either the ATR in MIA/SJU or the EMB in BOS. Either way I'll probibly take the first chance to upgrade which will be the ATR for me (want to stay on the east coast).

You can upgrade from Jet FO - Turboprop CA.

Pick which base you want most, also consider 2nd year pay. Jet FO pays better than Turboprop FO.

However,

Turboprop FO QOL does get better faster than Jet FO.

 

[skydraulic]

Any Eagle guys know what the hire date is of the Junior Capt at MIA and SJU? How long is reserve for new hires in these bases? I have an offer and need to choose either the ATR in MIA/SJU or the EMB in BOS. Either way I'll probibly take the first chance to upgrade which will be the ATR for me (want to stay on the east coast).

To get more insight I would check out www.eaglelounge.com. There is a section for newhires/ poolies etc...

 

[Steve]

bump. anyone??

 

[USMCAirWinger]

Where's home? Do you want to commute? Second year pay? Reserve time?

Upgrade should not be part of the thought process at this point.

Go to eaglelounge

 

[crashmbern]

junior capt in the ATR is about 5/2000. thats in SJU, MIA is a little more senior. Don't worry about upgrade as far as your base selection. Take the base according to your commute now, even better if you don't commute. First year pay is the same for the prop and the jet, but second year the jet pays about $7/hr more. Reserve time in SJU will probably be almost nothing and a few months in MIA and BOS. LGA is about a year of reserve.
where are you going to commute from??

 

[Steve]

junior capt in the ATR is about 5/2000. thats in SJU, MIA is a little more senior. Don't worry about upgrade as far as your base selection. Take the base according to your commute now, even better if you don't commute. First year pay is the same for the prop and the jet, but second year the jet pays about $7/hr more. Reserve time in SJU will probably be almost nothing and a few months in MIA and BOS. LGA is about a year of reserve.
where are you going to commute from??

Thanks. I'll be living near BOS. I will take the first opportunity to upgrade when the time comes which would probably be to the ATR (don't want to move to LAX or DFW). Just wondering what the junior Capt is between the jet in BOS/LGA and the Junior Capt in MIA/SJU. If its more than a year wait for the Jet I would take the upgrade in the ATR then switch to the jet when possible.

 

[T-prop]

Thanks. I'll be living near BOS. I will take the first opportunity to upgrade when the time comes which would probably be to the ATR (don't want to move to LAX or DFW). Just wondering what the junior Capt is between the jet in BOS/LGA and the Junior Capt in MIA/SJU. If its more than a year wait for the Jet I would take the upgrade in the ATR then switch to the jet when possible.

Upgrade is years off. . . don't even fret over that, you will be able to upgrade into any equipment, regardless of what equipment you are in as an FO.

If I were you, FO EMJ BOS would be quite appealing.

By the time your number comes up for upgrade, BOS may no longer be a pilot base and the last ATR may have long been retired. Too many things will change before you need to start losing sleep over upgrade.

 

[rjacobs]

If you are going to Eagle for the upgrade you are going to the wrong airline for the wrong reason. I think that upgrade times are going to drop, they are currently at about the 7 year mark, and may in the next two years drop to the 4-5 year mark, but there are so many 4-7 year FO's, that they will have no trouble filling upgrade classes.

 

[Flyby1206]

If you are going to Eagle for the upgrade you are going to the wrong airline for the wrong reason. I think that upgrade times are going to drop, they are currently at about the 7 year mark, and may in the next two years drop to the 4-5 year mark, but there are so many 4-7 year FO's, that they will have no trouble filling upgrade classes.

Definitely. Also, go where you can live in base. It makes life ohh sooo much better. Reserve wont even be as bad. I think our junior lineholder in BOS now has about 5 months seniority.

 

[igneousy2]

Once you get through the 2000 hires it will start going pretty quick. The Jet upgrade is coming down pretty quickly now to with all the flush backs leaving. This will mean that the upgrade time between Jet CA and T/P CA will start to shrink...which means people will start holding out for the Jet. Being junior in SJU is not pretty so not many people are willing to do it. In the pre 9/11 days SJU went WAY junior - and that was when you had a chance to eventually get DFW on the ATR.

It seems like a no-brainer for you to bid BOS. SJU sounds cool but it's under flag rules so the vast majority of the overnights are short and lots of two day back to backs and long hikes between customs and the ramp.

Don't be discouraged - nobody has any idea how long it is going to take for you to upgrade. When I was hired in 1999 SJU CA was 14 months with most guys waiting for 18 months to hold JFK on the Saab. My buddy who was hired with me has only recently been senior enough to hold Captain with over 7 years of seniority (he's waiting for something on the East Coast). It can go down just as quickly also. If you are willing to take a summer bid and go to the rock I imagine it will be pretty quick for you. If you have never been to SJU I suggest you take a little vacation down there - even though it is technically a part of the U.S. - it is truly 3rd world.


Later

 

[labbats]

One thing to remember....

What you are flying as an FO has absolutely no bearing on what you can bid for a captain seat.

You get hired and you get a seniority number. Regardless of what you are flying if that number can hold a captain seat on any aircraft you can bid it.