It's all a roll of the dice.
Take my career so far. Made it to a commuter in 99. Headed for upgrade and TPIC then 911 happens. Get upgraded then downgraded.
By 2004 it looked like my career was all but over given the mainline was headed for BK #2 and there was little hiring at any airline worth calling a career. Then this "bid" opens up for this thing called MDA. I chose to bid MDA because it would get me out of the upstate NY "ice station zebra" base I was stuck in and back home, not because I thought I'd get a mainline number. In fact at the time that subject was a big joke among the CEL MDA guys.
Then MDA gets sold. In an attempt to pad the mainline list for the US/AWA merger the CEL guys who went to MDA get put on the mainline list for sure (we became AAA ALPA's best friends). Next thing U know I'm J4J at Rep and get some Tpic then recalled to mainline in 2008. Things look good.
Not so fast. Summer of 08 fuel spikes and everyone hired off the street in 07/08 get furloughed. 10 of the 25 190's get sold and it looks like my ride has come to an end as a mainline 190 FO. Some block hour grievance saves us bottom feeders from the street and we putter along for 2 years. Then in late 2011 things start to move fwd again due to improving airline financials and retirements.
So now things look good. My senority can hold 190 CA, 767 FO or a block as an FO on the small AB (pick our poison). Then the ugly girl at the dance smashes into the big drunk texas quarterback, but not without the govt. principle trying to separate them. Now we're banging under the gym bleachers and get to be one of the big 3.
What's next? F'ck if I know. All I do is show up, try not to screw the pooch and make the news, pass my checkrides and go home.
As a kid all I ever wanted to do was be a test pilot or fly for United. Never saw myself at AAA or AMR. In fact I never applied to either prior to 911.
If I were you (original poster) I'd stay put.
Take my career so far. Made it to a commuter in 99. Headed for upgrade and TPIC then 911 happens. Get upgraded then downgraded.
By 2004 it looked like my career was all but over given the mainline was headed for BK #2 and there was little hiring at any airline worth calling a career. Then this "bid" opens up for this thing called MDA. I chose to bid MDA because it would get me out of the upstate NY "ice station zebra" base I was stuck in and back home, not because I thought I'd get a mainline number. In fact at the time that subject was a big joke among the CEL MDA guys.
Then MDA gets sold. In an attempt to pad the mainline list for the US/AWA merger the CEL guys who went to MDA get put on the mainline list for sure (we became AAA ALPA's best friends). Next thing U know I'm J4J at Rep and get some Tpic then recalled to mainline in 2008. Things look good.
Not so fast. Summer of 08 fuel spikes and everyone hired off the street in 07/08 get furloughed. 10 of the 25 190's get sold and it looks like my ride has come to an end as a mainline 190 FO. Some block hour grievance saves us bottom feeders from the street and we putter along for 2 years. Then in late 2011 things start to move fwd again due to improving airline financials and retirements.
So now things look good. My senority can hold 190 CA, 767 FO or a block as an FO on the small AB (pick our poison). Then the ugly girl at the dance smashes into the big drunk texas quarterback, but not without the govt. principle trying to separate them. Now we're banging under the gym bleachers and get to be one of the big 3.
What's next? F'ck if I know. All I do is show up, try not to screw the pooch and make the news, pass my checkrides and go home.
As a kid all I ever wanted to do was be a test pilot or fly for United. Never saw myself at AAA or AMR. In fact I never applied to either prior to 911.
If I were you (original poster) I'd stay put.
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