T-Gates said:
Mesa has a base in IAD, Republic has a base in DCA, as does Air Wisconsin. Also the aforementioned HEF base for Colgan.
I'd say there is a pretty good chance of getting a base in the DCA/IAD area eventually for some regionals, if not right out of the box.
Yeah, that is the thing though. With mesa, you could be based anywhere from west coast to Florida to that start up thing in Hawaii. Plus it is Mesa, don't think I would want to work there anyway.
Republic is very small, has really high mins, and again, you would most likely not get DCA.
Whisky would be the best choice, good company, but DCA is senior so you will be stuck in Norfolk or Philly for a while... This would probably be the best option though. I hear last year around this time DCA was most junior, nuts!
And then Colgan, again not the greatest company, especially after you read the "do da colgan" thread, but I would be worried about having to tell them "no thanks" if they put me in the Beech and wanted me to go to live on the Cape or in Maine.
I have heard that at Mesa and Colgan once you get assigned an aircraft you are stuck with it and only can bid on bases with your aircraft. I guess if you are an ERJ driver for mesa you will never be able to bid DEN?