Eagle or Skywest...job fair Q

[N60OSU]

Pay is better at Eagle (first year anyway) than most but upgrade is longer than most also. Eagle is ALPA, which counted for someting with me. Skywest is not union but I believe they are in the process of organizing.

Ultimately go with whichever will give you the QOL, especially if you plan to commute.

 

[labbats]

I can tell you that Eagle is hurting for pilots.

I think the Phoenix thing is mainly to scrounge up Mesa folks.

 

[siucavflight]

I had a very hard time choosing between both airlines, both are in the top tier as far as regionals go. In the end it came down to which place was going to give me the best QOL, at the time it was Eagle, I wanted an ORD base and it looked like SKW would have been a Fresno base.
Things have changed now, and both companies will allow for an ORD base off the bat.
With the bases being equal would I still have chosen Eagle knowing what I know now? Yes I would have, only 15 days of reserve, holding all weekends off, never been junior manned, never been extended(other while on reserve). I have 85 people below me in ORD, time to CA has dropped 1.5 years in the last three months, all of the flowbacks are on their way out, management has started a major airline career placement program. The feeling now is that in addition to the flowbacks going back to AA, all of the Eagle CAs with number will flow in the next few years(which is most of our CA's) and us new hires will all get AA numbers when we make CA(as long as we dont choose Eagle rights).

I dont know much of SKW, other then I have a few friends who work there and they love it also, say it is a great place, quick time to CA, and great equipment. The only thing that would possibly scare me off would be the lack of a union on the property to protect the good contract that they have in place over there.
In the end if you wind up at either place you will be very glad that you are there.

 

[Steve]

I had a very hard time choosing between both airlines, both are in the top tier as far as regionals go. In the end it came down to which place was going to give me the best QOL, at the time it was Eagle, I wanted an ORD base and it looked like SKW would have been a Fresno base.
Things have changed now, and both companies will allow for an ORD base off the bat.
With the bases being equal would I still have chosen Eagle knowing what I know now? Yes I would have, only 15 days of reserve, holding all weekends off, never been junior manned, never been extended(other while on reserve). I have 85 people below me in ORD, time to CA has dropped 1.5 years in the last three months, all of the flowbacks are on their way out, management has started a major airline career placement program. The feeling now is that in addition to the flowbacks going back to AA, all of the Eagle CAs with number will flow in the next few years(which is most of our CA's) and us new hires will all get AA numbers when we make CA(as long as we dont choose Eagle rights).

I dont know much of SKW, other then I have a few friends who work there and they love it also, say it is a great place, quick time to CA, and great equipment. The only thing that would possibly scare me off would be the lack of a union on the property to protect the good contract that they have in place over there.
In the end if you wind up at either place you will be very glad that you are there.

What do you mean by as (long as we dont choose Eagle rights).

I'm only a eagle wanabe at this point

 

[pipejockey]

Yes I would have, only 15 days of reserve, holding all weekends off, never been junior manned, never been extended(other while on reserve).

and us new hires will all get AA numbers when we make CA(as long as we dont choose Eagle rights).

I know people at eagle who have been there nearly a year and have NEVER had weekends off and are still doing reserve. Don't assume the other eagle bases are comparable to ORD...they are not!! It's the same old story of Eagle stagnation, no matter how aggressively they hire, you just can't get any seniority.

Oh, and good luck on the number at AA. That thats over with. If you go to Eagle hoping for flow through, you will be sorely dissapointed when you become an old man, flying 37 to 50 seat jets around the sky. Because thats all you will ever see at Eagle!

 

[Steve McCroskey]

I had a very hard time choosing between both airlines, both are in the top tier as far as regionals go. In the end it came down to which place was going to give me the best QOL, at the time it was Eagle, I wanted an ORD base and it looked like SKW would have been a Fresno base.
Things have changed now, and both companies will allow for an ORD base off the bat.
With the bases being equal would I still have chosen Eagle knowing what I know now? Yes I would have, only 15 days of reserve, holding all weekends off, never been junior manned, never been extended(other while on reserve). I have 85 people below me in ORD, time to CA has dropped 1.5 years in the last three months, all of the flowbacks are on their way out, management has started a major airline career placement program. The feeling now is that in addition to the flowbacks going back to AA, all of the Eagle CAs with number will flow in the next few years(which is most of our CA's) and us new hires will all get AA numbers when we make CA(as long as we dont choose Eagle rights).

I dont know much of SKW, other then I have a few friends who work there and they love it also, say it is a great place, quick time to CA, and great equipment. The only thing that would possibly scare me off would be the lack of a union on the property to protect the good contract that they have in place over there.
In the end if you wind up at either place you will be very glad that you are there.

I think you are mistaken about a few facts. No EGL CAs have been given AA #s since AA furloughed right after 9/11, so most EGL captains do not have AA #s at this time. Also with Letter 3 set to expire May 2008 I do not think any new hires or those hired in the last 5 or 6 years ,for that matter, will receive AA #s nor flow through. While recent and ongoing arbitrations may change things in regards to current CAs without #s getting one at AA, your assertions are not correct at this time.

 

[labbats]

I think you are mistaken about a few facts. No EGL CAs have been given AA #s since AA furloughed right after 9/11, so most EGL captains do not have AA #s at this time. Also with Letter 3 set to expire May 2008 I do not think any new hires or those hired in the last 5 or 6 years ,for that matter, will receive AA #s nor flow through. While recent and ongoing arbitrations may change things in regards to current CAs without #s getting one at AA, your assertions are not correct at this time.

Anyone making jet captain for the first time at Eagle must choose Eagle Rights (keep your captain seat, but no flowthrough to AA) or get an AA number upon completion of IOE. There were lots that did this in 2004 and 2005 that were 1998 hires and previous Saab captains.

 

[Steve McCroskey]

The choices are between Eagle rights and electing to flow through (not an AA #). AA #s are only given out when the company is hiring (no pilots on furlough). Ask any CA that has completed IOE on the jet since AA furloughed (9/2001) what his / her AA seniority # is. They will tell you that they do not have an AA #. All these EMJ / CRJ CA that completed IOE since 9/2001 might well end up with AA #s as a result of TWA LLC pilots being labled new hires when recalled to AA, but as of yet this has not occured.

 

[siucavflight]

Steve, you are right the only CA's with AA numbers are those pre 2001, which are a lot of CAs here. Almost every CA I fly with has an AA number. As to what happens after that is unknown. But in my opinoin the flow through will continue through 2008, Eagle is so desperate to get rid of the senior CAs they have a career resource center thta will do your logbook, type your resume and job hunt for you. Only time will tell what happens. Sorry if I was not completely clear.

 

[Steve McCroskey]

Things could end up a number of different ways. All I know is that I am usually wrong when determining the thought process at the hangar and CP4. I hope you have better intuition. Take care.