Gulfstream or GreatLakes?

[John Pennekamp]

Why not come to ASA. If you meet the mins for Lakes, you meet the mins here.

 

[Lazy8]

Do you have something to back that statement up? Plenty of my bros are at SWA, JB, Frontier, Continental, Delta, UPS, FedEx, Gemini, Flex Jet, Net Jets, North American, and all the rest. I sincerely hope that statement wasn't derogatory. "Likes" isn't really a professional means of judging a fellow pilot.

Awww but we all "likes" you anyway Ruskie

 

[federico]

Federico,
some of the TAF pilots you mentioned are the ones that are ruining the airlines in your message. Since you know so much about my own situation, i appreciate the fact that you consider my 1800 hrs as nothing..
by the way, i wish you were with me on the sim eval, how a TAF pilot crashed the 738 sim

cheers.

Trust me I have flown with many Turkish Airforce Pilots and most of the ones that are old are stupid, hard headed and very proud at the same time. Some of the younger ones are quite good that is for a Turk. My point is the arrogance you have being a cfi is the same as the TAF. 1800 hours in a flying scooter, get some real time in real weather,international with hard approaches and atc, then consider being a Pic . Get a real job first.

 

[FlyingToIST]

federico,
I just asked for the opinion of some individuals.. There is no need to get on the case and call me name or get into assumptions..
I am sure you didn't start flying A320s when you got your commercial.. So, this is a stepping stone for me taking a 80% pay cut, etc. So there is my reason for a quick upgrade.. Everybody have their own reasons why they favor one employer vs. the other one.. If you are childish enough to think that every citizen of the country behaves the same way, then i am sorry for you.. Just because you had some bad experiences with some Turkish pilots doesn't make me a bad one..

Besides, i did all my flying in US.. So , i have only few bad memories about the flying in Turkey..

 

[Trogdor]

For the record, Lakes training contract is NOT prorated.

 

[kansas]

Come to Lakes. What experience could be better than flying over the Rockies day after day, especially if last year's winter in Denver happens again this year? Virtually all that come here are grateful for the rapid experience and knowledge gained...not to mention the lifelong fraternal attitude amongst all Lakers past and present.

Oh yeah, and first year FO pay is now actually $16 even...;-)

 

[Whiskey Tango]

At GLA you will upgrade at 1500tt. They can't fill upgrade classes right now. I was a GLA pilot. I was hired in 2002 so things have changed a bit. I would go where you can upgrade the fastest and then next where you would like to live/commute. You need to figure out where you want to be next and imediatly start networking with people that will be able to help you get there. Right now almost anywere will get you in the left seat fast but we may not have that for very long (you never know what will happen) Consider a company were you could stand it for 5 or 6 years if you had to.

I think for me GLA got me were I wanted to be faster than anywhere else could have. It's no picnic working for lakes but it is good experience. If you go make sure you are sharp on you scan a recent class had a 50% washout becuase they were having trouble with BAI.

 

[CX880]

Now that Gulfstream is hiring the 'normal' way which would be a better airline to get in and get out?

Gulfstream:
+ No training contract.
+ Quick upgrade
+ Better per hour pay (according to another website)
+ They are hurting for captains
- 6 hour one way commute
- Non union

Great Lakes:
+ 2 hrs one way commute
+ Quick upgrade (a buddy said 300 hrs of company time gets you there)
- Not a single cent paid during training
- Training contract for 15 months (even though is pro rated)
+ Good rep with Alaska and Frontier
- $15hrs to start (ouch)
- Union

Or should one has to chose Pinchnickle and go for a better equipment and similar upgrade times?

One is worse than the other. Personally I've heard good things about great lakes, the few pilots that I've come in contact with from GIA, had a general bad attitude and for lack of a better word were idiots when it came to flying. Granted they were pay for trainers but it makes you wonder if that's how the whole pilot group is over there because of their program. I feel sorry for the good ones in that airline but the pfts have really hurt the reputation over there.

GL is the better of the two because of the flying experience but everything else about it is brutal. No paid training, 15 month traiing contract not prorated, 16 bucks an hour that's like a grand per month after taxes! I would go neither especially since virtually everybody is hiring. But I would be cautions in choosing a place based on upgrade times, and as far as pinnace, there is no way they have similar upgrade times their upgrade mins are like 3K and time in company plane, I wouldn't count on a 1 year upgrade there.

 

[Guitar Guy]

If you can gut out the pay and the rampant junior-manning at Lakes, you'll rack up time pretty quickly. If upgrade is still quick (I've gone for 3 years), you could have 1-2K TPIC before you might upgrade at some other regionals.

Flying around the Rockies at high-elevation airports with no autopilot in the 1900D will sharpen your skills considerably. And you'll learn how to land in a crosswind flying in WY and NE.

 

[CA1900]

Flying around the Rockies at high-elevation airports with no autopilot in the 1900D will sharpen your skills considerably. And you'll learn how to land in a crosswind flying in WY and NE.

There's a certain art to pulling just one of the props into beta...

 

[Guitar Guy]

There's a certain art to pulling just one of the props into beta...

Do tell - this might be a good story...

:laugh:

 

[CA1900]

Do tell - this might be a good story... :laugh:

LOL, no story -- just a handy technique if you're landing in a really stiff crosswind. After touchdown, you pull just the downwind prop into ground-fine, and it keeps it from weathervaning without all that tedious rudder work. Of course, if you pull the wrong one.......

 

[Grey Ghost]

Take the airline that has a base in ICT

 

[captain dad]

Now that Gulfstream is hiring the 'normal' way which would be a better airline to get in and get out?

Gulfstream:
+ No training contract.
+ Quick upgrade
+ Better per hour pay (according to another website)
+ They are hurting for captains
- 6 hour one way commute
- Non union

Great Lakes:
+ 2 hrs one way commute
+ Quick upgrade (a buddy said 300 hrs of company time gets you there)
- Not a single cent paid during training
- Training contract for 15 months (even though is pro rated)
+ Good rep with Alaska and Frontier
- $15hrs to start (ouch)
- Union

Or should one has to chose Pinchnickle and go for a better equipment and similar upgrade times?

If these are your "big choices" I suggest playing in traffic. Seriously, there are a lot of options out there right now much better than these two. Lakes has always been the bad joke of the industry. I have experience with both. One I refuse to fly on (stalling at 500' tends to turn me off). The other airlines chief pilot used the F-Word on a conference call interview for an industry publication and then hung up. So, there you go.

If you want advancement you should be going for fast upgrade in the largest most complex aircraft possible. PIC Jet time is where it's at, if you want to move to a major. Experience in the area you will fly in for the rest of your life is key. FL350+ in a Jet. Not to many majors flying turbo props at 17,000' now a days. You know what I mean? When you get to the big interview, you want to be able to think to yourself, "I've done that and been there" not "I have no idea what these guys are talking about".