Nice article by Chip Wright - RJ's

[Alaskaairlines]

Hello guys!

Just wanted to let you guys know that in the March issue of Flying, Chip Wright, published a nice article about Regionals.

Take a look if you havent', it talks about how Regionals are growing quickly and so on, etc...

Comments appreciated...

Thanks!

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Agreed

I agree it was an exceptional article. If more people would look to the so-called "regionals" as a career, rather than as a stepping stone, compensation and benefits at those companies would begin to bridge the gap between the traditionally poor regional contracts, and the sometimes excessive mainline contracts. (As they have started to do at Comair, Air Wisconsin, Horizon, etc...)

Unfortunately there are always those who are in such a hurry to get to the "majors" that they would do most anything to acquire the credentials, no matter the cost, or the impact on the profession.

I've worked on both sides of the fence. Sometimes friends or other pilots ask me whether or not I thought I would ever go back to the majors.

I think of it like baseball. Every kid in America played baseball on the corner sandlot. Of those, maybe 1% decided to make baseball a career. They played for their high schools and colleges (CFI, Banner-Tow), with hopes that perhaps a scout from the farm teams might see them and offer them a position. Of those kids, maybe another 1% was picked up and sent to the farm teams (Charter, Night-Freight). If they played well at the farm teams then sometimes scouts would recruit them for the minor-leagues (Air Wisconsin, AirTran, Comair, Jetblue). The minor's were very much like their major-league counterparts, but with a little less pay, a little less notoriety. A great many players made long careers at the minors. They made fair money, lived where they wanted to live and did the job they loved to do. Of those, maybe 1% decided they wanted more. If they were fortunate, a scout would draw them to the majors. Throughout their career some would stay, some would go, some would return to the minors.

Baseball is simply what you make of it. Some people are glad to play once a week on a sandlot. Some people love it so much that they want to make it a career, regardless of the compensation or benefits. They have no interest in the majors and thats ok. Some may have played for the majors and been traded back to the minors, and thats ok too. Its still baseball after all.

 

[ACABlueridge]

I agree it was an exceptional article. If more people would look to the so-called "regionals" as a career, rather than as a stepping stone

I think everyday more and more regional guys are looking at their current position as a career, I know I am.

The problem is we need every regional pilot to look at it this way especially during contract time. We cannot settle for what we once did because this IS our career. Like it or not.

 

[46Driver]

Does anybody have the link to the article - or do I actually have to go to the store? (might as well, I hear the SI swimsuit edition is out now )

 

[AWACoff]

I just found the article to be a Comair advertisement. If I wanted to read that, I could just flip to another page with the Comair academy ad on it. It has erroroneous "facts" in it and was a bit biased.

 

[Alaskaairlines]

I don't know if there is a link, you might have to buy it in the store, I would recommend it! Its great!

Looks like the regionals will be places were pilots will settle in and work untill retirement.

 

[Floyd94]

Would someone please post a link if they find it. I would love to email this to my parents who think I am at a "stepping stone" by being at a "lowly regional". I just cant convince them that I will probably make a career at my respective carrier. They think I need to constantly build hours so I can make it to the "majors". In todays day and age, it probably won't happen.

 

[Alaskaairlines]

I a link can't be found with-in the next few days, I'll type it out and post it here. Sound good?