Life at horizon..

[captainover]

I got a call for an interview at Horizon. I am from the PNW and have always thought highly of Horizon and long considered it my #1. So, I am excited about the opportunity, yet, looking for a reality check.
Anyone out there with QX who could help me out with the following:
1. What a/c they are hiring into?
2. How long reserve is for FOs?
3. Are there seat locks?
4. Is the payscale portrayed by Airline pilot central accurate? (ie. 1 yr FO $29 in all a/c, 2 yr FO $32 in the -200, $39 in the -400 and $41 in the CRj etc.)
5. Ideas about how the -200 phase out will impact the pilots who on the -200? Will their transfer into the -400 mean long-term reserve and/or lamentable lines for the low guys on the totem pole?
6. Anything else you could chip in regarding QOL (hotels, legs/day, scheduling, etc...)
7. Anything else about the long-term health of the company.
Thanks in advance for any input....

 

[Southbound]

Check out www.airlinepilotforums.com in the Regional section as there is a huge thread on Horizon. If you consider it your number one choice don't you think you should know at least the basics of the company? I'm all about helping a brutha out but help yourself man. Do some reading.
1. All
2. Forever
3. yes
4. kind of
5. huh? The -200 lines are as "lamentable" as they get
6. they are hotels and the legs in the turboprops are many
7. it is a regional airline so take the "long term health" for what it is, dependent on big sister at AK

 

[WSurf]

I'm all about helping a brutha out but help yourself man. Do some reading.

Damn Dude! I think he was doing some research by posting on here! Give a nizzle a break, Jeez!

 

[captainover]

I did read the huge thread on APC and specific answers to the questions I asked were not there. That's why I asked. I am especially wondering about about the second year FO pay quoted on APC. There was something mentioned about it doesn't matter if you were on the CRJ or a -200, Because the 2 year FO pay is the same. But, APC figures show CRJ FO's make $10K more. Some help here...? Thanks.

 

[rightrudder]

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the pay works like this: Because of the FO seat locks, you are paid by what your seniority could hold (If there were no seat locks) not by what you actually fly. A really senior FO who flys the Dash 200 will get paid CRJ pay. A junior FO in the CRJ will get Dash 200 pay.

 

[LearLove]

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the pay works like this: Because of the FO seat locks, you are paid by what your seniority could hold (If there were no seat locks) not by what you actually fly. A really senior FO who flys the Dash 200 will get paid CRJ pay. A junior FO in the CRJ will get Dash 200 pay.

yes, thats how I was told the pay works, any horizon guy care to shed some info????

 

[WestSide]

That's corretct...whatever you're senior enough to hold is what you get paid. It should take about a year to a year and a half to get 400 pay, but that could always change.

 

[HAirQ4]

I'll try to fill in the blanks.

1. They're hiring into the 400 and CRJ for now, they keep telling us they don't want to hire anymore into the 200 since it is phasing out.

2. All depends on your luck/seniority in your class. Some sit reserve for a bid, some sit it for a year.

3. Yes, already answered.

4. The payscale thing was explained correctly, a senior guy in the 200 would be on the CRJ payscale. Right now it takes about a year and a half to get up to the 400 payscale at $39/hour. It's all based on how many pilots we have on what equipment. Theoretically, when the 200's disappear, a 2nd year FO should go straight up to the 400 pay.

5. The 200 guys will be swapped into the other planes as they're phased out. They'll jump ahead of anyone else below them in seniority in the same base/equipment, so they wouldn't be sitting reserve anymore really. The 200 peeps actually tend to be senior, so when they swapped planes they held better lines (at least that's what happened in SEA.)

6. QOL is better on the CRJ, but then you're stuck in PDX and gonna probably sit reserve for a couple bids more. You also won't be able to fly a visual approach to save your life, 10 mile ILS final here you come!

7. We're tied to Alaska, always following the idea of "slow and conservative." If it'll work out, that's anyone's guess. They're still around and didn't have to declare bankruptcy.

 

[captainover]

I appreciate the input folks! That helps alot. Currently, I have a cushy job with decent pay and excellent schedule. The only real downside is that it's a CFI job. I enjoy teaching and have been a CFI for several years, but it has never been my life's aspiration. I just want to make sure I "trade up" when I move into another job. So far, Horizon seems close. Thanks for the help.

 

[DashTrash400]

I enjoy teaching and have been a CFI for several years, but it has never been my life's aspiration.

If regional pilot is your life's aspiration, QX is the place to go. Otherwise not so much.

 

[tomdav]

I would say If your aspiring to move on to bigger and better things than stay away from Horizon. Horizon is like a major in terms of movement. The top 250 on the seniority list are staying until they retire.

We have a large number of FO's jumping ship because they simply do not want to wait for upgrade. The most junior Capt. going thru class was hired 4/9/2001. About 50 fo's senior passed up the upgrade.

 

[Southbound]

I appreciate the input folks! That helps alot. Currently, I have a cushy job with decent pay and excellent schedule. The only real downside is that it's a CFI job. I enjoy teaching and have been a CFI for several years, but it has never been my life's aspiration. I just want to make sure I "trade up" when I move into another job. So far, Horizon seems close. Thanks for the help.

Captainover,
I may have seemed a bit harsh....well, I was a bit harsh. Here's the deal. I don't want you to make a mistake, esp if you already have a nice cushy job that suits your needs. Do your homework before you make any jump and part of your homework is getting to know a few QX pilots and reading all the stuff you can on the internet.
What are your goals?
Where are you in life?
What do you require in your "trade up"?
Do you live in Portland and would you be satisfied with sitting right seat in a Dash8 for 6 years before upgrade making, at most, $40,000?
If this sounds like you then QX is the place for you.

If you think you may even consider a major then QX is a mistake. You will not upgrade for a LONG TIME. Might not seem like a big deal but it is career suicide if a Major is your goal.
PM me if you'd like to talk further as I'd like to help.
S

 

[JetSpeed219]

I don't know if I would call it career suicide. I know someone who has been at QX for almost ten years, is 35, and just got hired at Southwest. Why is everyone so bitter about QX?

 

[Fratboy]

If you think you may even consider a major then QX is a mistake.

Unless you consider Alaska a major- and its your first choice for your career. If you have no PIC turbine, there is probably no faster way to get to Alaska than going to Horizon first to meet the 2000 Horizon SIC requirement. It waives the Turbine PIC requirement. Yes, that was Horizon SIC. Its different there.

2000 hours SIC at Horizon = about two and a half years.

1000 hours PIC turbine at another regional = 12 months (hopefully) to upgrade, another training cycle, then reserve for however long, then another year building that PIC... Quick upgrade would pretty much have to be guaranteed for this route to be faster- and we have all seen how that can go.

Of course, with this route you don't get that 1000 turbine pic "parachute" that a lot of guys want.

Yeah, I made a lot of assumptions here...

 

[turbodriver]

WWKD???

Did the company actually upgrade him??