Comair or stay with Eagle a fifth year?

[PositiveRate]

I was furlouged from Eagle (SJU based ATR for all of 9 weeks on line before the bad news). I was lucky enough to get hired at Comair...This is my 10th month. Reserve was only 4-5 months and everyone in my class (and WELL below me on the list) is getting a good line. LOTS of Eagle guys/gals are here. I've heard that HR likes us because we were well trained at AE and they don't have to worry about us going back ;-)

The growth behind my class has been excellent...I think they ran a class every week for X number of months. The hiring projections continue to look good. The one BIG question mark is what will happen past next year as far as aircraft deliveries are concerned. I believe we're only on paper for 7 70 seaters and 1 or 2 50 seaters next year. Upgrades are down into the 2 1/2- 3yr guys right now, but if we stop taking planes, that will go back up and the guys on the bottom at the end of the year might be stuck for a while. There's not much attrition here (or anywhere) these days. But, if hired, you will have a future at comair (retirement, great travel bennies...no frickin' D2 charges!)....Eagle seems to be a dying entity as far as career progression is concerned.

Bases - when I interviewed in 3/02 they told us DFW was a certainty. Then this winter everyone was saying SLC would be next (haven't heard much of that lately). The new rumour is ATL. I've flown with numerous captains who've said the base rumours have been floating around since they started 5+ years ago and they'll believe it when they see it. I am kind of that mindset now.

Take it for what it's worth. Pay is much better than Eagle, moral is pretty good, equipment is excellent and our trips and route structure have a lot to offer for most tastes. Good luck with your decision.

 

[English]

(CaptRob, once again using English's screenname...)

As far as the F/O pay at Eagle is concerned...

If you can make $38/hr at Comair in the second year as an F/O, there is no decision to make. I'm a 6th year Captain in the Saab. Our contracted level of pay is (fan fare that starts big, then kinda fades off with an obvious lack of enthusiasm by the horn players...) $44.47.

$6/hr more for 4 more years and the responsiblity of the Captain? You will not make more than $28/hr at Eagle for quite a while, at least 3 years, I believe.

Take the leap, it will be alright. And, Luke, I am your father...

 

[LearLove]

Tuff decision either way.....

However this just came to mind......

Remember what Gann said about "thoes who mess with the numbers..."

 

[JohnDoe]

Goodstick,

I'd say its a no-brainer: Go to Comair.

Looks like you'll make more on second year FO pay there than you ever would at eagle as an FO, and almost as much as a Saab captain at eagle would (if the pay scale for comair I saw is accurate).

Plus, barring any unfortunate changes, you'll probably upgrade at comair quicker.

With, what, about 10 years left on the contract at eagle, it is not going to get any better........

Good luck whatever you do.




generaltso:

There was a brief window of opportunity when turboprop upgrades at eagle were under 2 years. I mangaged to get a Saab upgrade in 1 1/2 years there (the training date was about 3-4 months after that).

 

[Red Baron]

Eagle

I will add my input. I have been at Eagle for close to 6 years. I did get an upgrade on the Saab at 1 year 10 months. Yeah, I was fortunate. That was obviously way before 9-11 when all was going well. Upgrades galore, and lots of new aircraft. Now, well I am being displaced back to first officer. No one likes to go backwards in a career because all pilots (well most) are motivated to keep going. We are at an impasse with the letter 3, but we hope for a brighter day. Fortunately for me, I am in the pool at SWA. So Eagle helped me get where I always wanted to be, and for that I am grateful.

Goodstick,
As far as staying here, that is a tough question. It really looks bleak. Weigh all your options, and do what is best for you. If you go, we hate to see you leave, but would be wishing you the best. My best friend works at CMR, and he loves it. Pay is great (for regionals), and it has stability for now. However, he doesn't want it to be his final stop.

Best wishes for you in your decision.

Regards,

RB

 

[Caveman]

I have a friend that I worked with as flight instructors. He went to Eagle. Last year after 2 1/2 years at Eagle he bailed to come to CMR. Although he said it was one of the toughest choices he's ever had to make he can not believe how much better it is over here. His 1st paycheck after IOE was bigger than ANY paycheck he ever got at Eagle. He's now a lineholder and loving every minute of it. He also said that he will still upgrade here 5 years before he ever would if he still worked at Eagle. He did say that the training at Eagle was a bit more organized.

One bit of caution. Until the economy recovers and the impact of scope resets and mainline concessions are worked out the amount of growth at CMR is finite. As of right now there are no 40/50 seat RJs scheduled for delivery in CY '04 and only 7 confirmed 70 seat RJ's in '04. Based on this I believe that growth at CMR will slow to a snails pace. That means you may be on reserve a bit longer than what has been the norm and Capt upgrades might start to slide back towards the 4 year mark. This is pure speculation on my part. The future at CMR is still very positive and hiring will steadily continue. We are on track to hire about 350-400 this year. I think until the dust settles that number will slow to 150-200 for next year. Again, this is only my uneducated, somewhat informed, biased opinion.

Under the circumstances I still think that CMR is a better place to be if you are an FO at Eagle. If I were an RJ Capt at Eagle I would stay put. The real tough choice is what to do if you are a Saab Capt at Eagle. It would be hard to walk away from the seniority and livable pay to go to the bottom of someone else's list. It would be equally hard to stay quagmired in a stagnant position with no hope for upward mobility within the next decade.

Make the switch. Good luck to you.

Caveman

 

[ACE]

Goodstick,
It is always a tough decision to give up seniority to go back to the bottom with another company. All I can say is just way the pros and cons. You will come up with your own answer.

 

[LearLove]

Welcome to the downgrade club

"Now, well I am being displaced back to first officer. No one likes to go backwards in a career because all pilots (well most) are motivated to keep going. "

Yeah baby, join the party in the rt. seat. The best is when you fly with a Capt. who wants you to do all the work (e.i. paperwork, call dispatch for another alt. ect.) just because you were a capt. once so you know how to do it bla, bla, bla. At least now you don't have to wear your hat, apperantly somewhere ther's an unwritten rule where downgraded guys don't need to have a hat.

have fun

 

[Dr. Hootie]

If you can get an interview with Comair - take it and best of luck to you. It's a no brainer.

 

[English]

Go GO GO!!!

I left Eagle a couple of months before 9/11. There were naysayers around every corner criticizing me for leaving a "stable" position for the unknown.

So much for the unknown. What I do know is, if I would have stayed at Eagle, I'd be a Saab first officer still with no upgrade in sight. I'd be living with my parents because I would not have been able to afford the house I just bought.

Instead, I jumped ship. Now I have found a different branch of aviation that I really enjoy. I have three type ratings and am much more marketable than I would have been had I stayed at Eagle. I've learned a great deal more than I would have if I'd stayed flying in a base with only six destinations.

I truly appreciated Eagle because of the training I received. You will probably never experience such organized training again in your career. Eagle training was better than anything I have experienced since, including Flight Safety. There is no comparison here. But unfortunately, there is only one positive on the list of why to stay at Eagle, unless you have other quality of life issues. Opportunities are better elsewhere.