Great Lakes

[Crossky]

Lake Okoboji is friggin awesome.

Yea, you'll find multi-million $ houses on natural spring fed Lake Okoboji. That's right, West Lake Okoboji is a deep water natural lake, and part of a connected chain of Lakes - Spirit Lake, W and E Lake Okoboji, Upper and Lower Gar, and Minnewashta. Those lakes and N of the there in Minnesota were glacier carved and many are spring fed and have good water quality.

Lakes has the worst contract out there for flying a 1900 but suprisingly there do have a 401K with a company match (when I was there at least) and you get paid for designated holidays, even if you don't work them.

Flying a 1900 in the Rockies and Wyoming winters was such a memorable experience that it made the pain $ of enduring it bearable, yea, I'd do it again.

 

[Guitar Guy]

By the way, Lakes will put you up in a hotel during initial. It is true that you don't get paid till after your checkride. Plus, due to standard pay practices, there is about a two week lag. So the moral to this story is, save up enough to survive for 6-7 weeks without any income if you go to Lakes.

The hotel room was double-occupancy while I was there, but at least it was paid for by the company. After the initial checkride, you do get single occupancy on the hotel rooms from there on out.

I think gt1900 said it very well. The company pays poorly, scheduling is atrocious (after a while, you'll think your name is "junior man") and the planes are old. But you'll get a lot of time quickly, make a lot of good friends and fly in some very challenging environments. From what I've seen and heard from other pilots since I've left Lakes is that Lakers are usually well respected for their flying skills and for being able to survive, if you will. If you search around, you'll find that a number of Lakers have gone on to career jobs directly from the 1900D's and EMB-120's at Lakes.

If you do decide to go to Lakes, go in with your eyes open and realistic expectations. If you don't, you'll be bitter and hate every minute of it. If you are aware of what you're getting into, Lakes could be a good stepping-stone in your career.

 

[staylow]

Lakes was named Spirit Lakes Airways and the changed to Great Lakes for Great Lakes region in northern Iowa. Lakes is a better choice than flight instructing any day. Fast upgrade and PIC time so you can go somewhere better when they start hiring again. CRJ time and a 5-6 year upgrade window...not a very good idea, unless you just love the regional airline lifestyle.