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Anyone else think Eagle was a mistake?

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airstang

Definition of Insanity...
Joined
Apr 30, 2002
Posts
16
I am curious if anyone else out there came to work for Eagle back in the late 90's, like I did. If so, I am also curious if you left a relatively lucrative job and had your own place. In addition have you, as I have, watched my life's dream of becoming a major airline pilot shrivel and die? Nothing like being thirty and living like an impoverished college student.

I hope that I am not the only one who has had to move back in with the folks because fourth year jet pay won't allow me to make my student loan payments and rent at the same time...

I wonder how many of our passengers know that I didn't break $30k until my third year (and that's JET PAY!)

Sour grapes and all... Looking to find out if I am alone on this one.
 
I am still a flight instructor and 34. Yeah I left a good paying career. Things could be worse for you. I feel your frustration though, its not hard to find people in this industry that have done better in less time. For some reason (at least in my experience) it seems a lot harder to find a fellow pilot who hasn't done as well.

That old 'you still have your health' line doesn't do much to help I am sure. The only advice (and I realize you probably didn't ask for it or want it) I have is to remember this... This is your life. Each of these days that goes by is one day of your life so try to enjoy it the best you can.

Good luck, and heres to things turning around for you.
 
I watched many, many, many people go to Eagle. Everytime I would talk to them I would ask them are you serious? Eagle is a big time mistake. I would listen to people who got all excited because they finally found that dream job.

I would talk to people who left Eagle (or who are currently there) asking why the hell any one would want to go to Eagle. It is hard when someone comes to you all excited telling you they got on with Eagle, and you have to tell them the harsh reality.

But people still go... in my opinion it is really a set back in your career. First of all if you go there in hopes of flowing through to AA, you've got a long wait. Secondly, if you go there in hopes of upgrade and building turbine PIC time, well you've got a long wait. Then when you realize the truth, and that it is horrible working there, you find another regional and start at the bottom of the list again. You've lost two years (depending on how soon you come around).

I have NEVER talked to anyone who was at Eagle for any length of time and would recommend it. I actually listened to a seminar by a former Eagle captain telling people NOT to go to Eagle.

I think the regionals work in cycles (long ones). Eagle used to be the place to be, now it is horrible. ASA used to be horrible, now it is a good place to be. And so on.

Eagle will be doing lots of hiring, I predict. Most of the furloughed guys have found other jobs. They will keep getting the jets and need staffing. And people will still go... get suckered in. Plus Eagle was losing people left and right even before 9/11. Eagle will do the most hiring out of the regionals in the next couple years (in my opinion), because turn around is faster than most other regionals.

I'm not an eagle guy but this is what I know.
 
I dont know about you but I made 40K as a third year FO. And the fact is we are getting 3-4 JET's a month for the next 4 years. Im not saying I like the place, but with 127 jet' jets and growing at 40 a year things will get beter.
 
I spent 6 months at Eagle and went to AAin 98. I had been at 727 companies.(3 of them) before Eagle and was tired of getting furloughed. I needed stable work and did not want to be an FE again at another 3rd tier airline. So I lookled for a financially sound regional and applied.I used Eagle to network and get an interview at AA. Apparently that stopped shortly there after. I have mixed feelings. It helped me, but I still have many friends that feel the same way as you. Good Luck.

AAflyer
 
I wouldn't say Eagle was a mistake for me, but I went into it thinking I wouldn't be there long. I was there 18 months and left for greener pastures. Those with my seniority have been displaced to other bases, and are looking at upgrades 2 years down the line- that's 4 years or more of seniority. I left and have Part 121 PIC turbine experience, two types, and a great job as a jet captain making three times what I was making at Eagle. Eagle would have been a mistake if I was planning to gain PIC turbine time there to get on with a major.
 
Quit your bitchin. I'd love to have your job right now. You've been at Eagle how long, and still only have 3600 hours? Get flying. Don't cry too hard you won't have any left when the APA puts us furloughees at the top of your list and your dreaming about this job you seem to hate so much.
 
ouch...

Sure you'd love the job right now, because you are furloughed. Why didn't you go to Eagle instead of American if you love the idea of Eagle so much?
 
With all due respect, flynmonkeys, if you aren't there you don't know what it's like and you have no right to judge the relative unhappiness of the people that ARE... But I do know where you are coming from, it seems like a bushelfull of sour grapes from whiny jet jocks, until, that is, you talk to some of them and see where they are coming from.

Displacement from bases, impossibly long upgrades, years of reserve (thus that little flying you refer to, "get flying" only helps if you are actually ALLOWED to fly), senior captains that look at FO's as being nothing more than a nuisance, work rules that could stand improvement... I have heard it all. I don't work there, either, but I've yet to find an Eagle guy/gal that likes their job. Not that I've polled ALL of them, mind you, but when the ratio is 100% of those that I HAVE talked to, it should tell you something.

I know well a guy that was unlucky enough to be a Saab FO at BizEx before they got bought... Now he's been with BizEx/AE for FIVE YEARS and has not a minute of PIC time, and won't upgrade for another year. Jet FO for life, it almost seems.
 
Mr. Freley,

You write with the wisdom of an airline captain...seems your new seat suits you well!

D
 

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