CommutAir Hiring

[Amish RakeFight]

One of the problems is that entry level pilots on this web site constantly complain about is the pay issue and not the experience they are getting flying. The regionals aren't forever.

You sure about that, Son?

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Some regional pilots who are unemployed might take their chances and try to get another regional pilot job, no matter what the pay is. Some pilots who are unemployed will find other flying jobs that hopefully pay more. Some pilots might leave the airline industy and look for a new career. I'm in a job with a crap company, crap pay, and no career or advancement potential. I also make the same basic LOW salary as a first officer working for a regional airline. Somehow, I get by and count my blessings that I have a job to go to eveyday. I am alwasy looking for better opportunity eventhough their not easy to find.

Are there any other flying jobs that pay a little better that can make use of the skills regional pilots have received? Keep your chin held high and hopefully things will work out for everyone!!

After you've put in a lot of time, money, effort and sacrifices to fly professionally, you won't hold the same sentiment. The job you have now most likely has a lot less responsibility and requires less training, so the pay may be more commensurate. Starting salary for regional pilots is too low. Way too low.

 

[Metro752]

Mesa sucks!

 

[WSurf]

Coming from the Transgender FO at Gojet...

Nice! LOL!!

 

[aa73]

do they still fly 1900Ds?

 

[onionluvr]

do they still fly 1900Ds?

Dash 8 Q-200's

 

[aa73]

for who, USAir? aren't they USAir Express?

what happened to the 1900s? just curious.
thx,
73

 

[CA1900]

for who, USAir? aren't they USAir Express?

The ceased to be US Air Express in late 2000, right after they bought a bunch of brand new 1900s. The codeshare was up for renewal, and US Airways wanted them to get bigger planes. They responded by buying 26 brand new 1900s. US responded by not renewing the codeshare, and signing Colgan instead, which was the beginning of their Saab era.

They managed to talk Continental into a codeshare, with the limitation that CommutAir couldn't fly into any of their hubs. They were later allowed into CLE in exchange for temporarily hiring a number of ExpressJet furloughees. They didn't repaint most of the planes, but just covered up the US logos, peeled off the red stripe, and put a sticker over it. Man, did that look sharp:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7062/844ca1.jpg


Meanwhile, US replaced CommutAir with Allegheny and Colgan Air, and US's passengers continued to fly on them. Meanwhile, CommutAir flew empty airplanes around New England for six months (I had the numbers for 0 pax/0 bags/3200lbs memorized), then finally furloughed half the pilots in August of 2001. I read the furlough notice in the PLB hangar, as the principals were fueling up their new CitationJet from the CommutAir fuel truck just outside.

That was about the end of it being a good job, sadly.

what happened to the 1900s? just curious.

I think they're all finally sold now, but they were replaced with Q200s (with no APU) leased from Horizon Air.

 

[aa73]

thanks CA1900! glad u ended up on your feet. are you safe from the furlough at NJA?

 

[onionluvr]

for who, USAir? aren't they USAir Express?

what happened to the 1900s? just curious.
thx,
73

The 1900's are all sold. Flying for CO out of CLE and EWR under a CPA with the 200's.

 

[no1pilot2000]

Two part question.

If you are a current or former regional pilot, which regional airline do/did you work for and why?

Ever since the Colgan Air crash earlier this year, poor pay (to say the least) is an issue among regional airline pilots. What would be a good starting salary for regional pilots?

 

[CA1900]

thanks CA1900! glad u ended up on your feet. are you safe from the furlough at NJA?

Barely! But so far, still employed; thanks for the kind thoughts.

Hopefully things will get better at CA now that they've organized. It's going to be a long uphill climb to even get back to where they were, but at least they've started the journey.

 

[WSurf]

Sorry didn't qoute, but this is the response to the guestion on how much a regional first year pilot should make.

I would say no less then 40k your first year. But hell, that ain't gonna happen! My first year at Piedmont back in early 2000's I was on reserve and flew my booty off, almost 900hrs that year and make 26k. Many people told me that was the highest first year pay of any regional.
And if you think about it, look at Republic flying EMB 175's and those guys are getting close to 26k there first year. And to think that was 10 years ago and I was flying a 37 seat turbo prop around. Sad isn't it?

 

[no1pilot2000]

What is the highest salary for a first officer before they get upgraded to captain? What is the highest salary of a captain before they leave regional airline?

 

[SkyNation]

What is the highest salary for a first officer before they get upgraded to captain? What is the highest salary of a captain before they leave regional airline?

well, we're paid hourly, not on salary. In terms of regionals, I made 55K as an FO one year. I worked a lot. I've heard some of our sim instructors make in the mid 200K range when they're super busy, doing doubles, only a few days off per month, etc. that hasn't been the case for awhile, though.

I'd guess most FOs make in the 40s, most captains in the 70k+ range for the SkyWest, XJET, Comair, ASA, AWAC, etc. crowd. If you get beyond 10 years, then I think it's normal to make over 100K. How much you work certainly depends, since we're hourly instead of salaried employees.