Regional Pilots, Worth it?

[On Your Six]

And just think, after 5-10 years slaving it away at a regional, you can return to the right hand seat at Jet Blue and earn $37/hr as an E190 FO!!!!! What a great industry!

 

[miles otoole]

Can anyone from a younger generation chime in? I'm on track to make it to a regional around the age of 24 - not the lowest age person I know, but I'm not a career switcher and haven't seen the high wages other people have seen. No wife, no kids. Just a serious girlfriend .

Long term goal is to go to ASA or comparable regional and go to Southwest/Delta...and before all the naysayers chime in - I know southwest has been hiring - and I can't see the majors NEVER hiring again.

~wheelsup

Go to Chamiqua, PSA or Mesa. I believe the upgrade times are around a year. 25 years old flying as a CA making around 35K ain't too shabby. 3-4 years there and off to WN, AWA or who knows in 5 years. The big complainers seem to be the folks who are pissed they went to COEX/EAGLE, et al., and are still sitting in the right seat after 4-5 years. They did it the hard way, so should you.
That, or take a trip to Thailand and get the jewels snipped.

 

[Anais Nin]

a CA making around 35K ain't too shabby.

Oh yes that is shabby!!!!!!! It's awful! I'd rather have 'em snipped than make that as a Capt.

 

[miles otoole]

Oh yes that is shabby!!!!!!! It's awful! I'd rather have 'em snipped than make that as a Capt.

After one year? In this economy? Still making MORE and working LESS than a MD resident who has much MORE education and is MUCH MORE in debt with a MUCH HIGHER wash out rate. Put it in perspective, brother.

 

[KingAirKiddo]

Go to Chamiqua, PSA or Mesa. I believe the upgrade times are around a year. 25 years old flying as a CA making around 35K ain't too shabby. 3-4 years there and off to WN, AWA or who knows in 5 years. The big complainers seem to be the folks who are pissed they went to COEX/EAGLE, et al., and are still sitting in the right seat after 4-5 years. They did it the hard way, so should you.
That, or take a trip to Thailand and get the jewels snipped.

$35,000 a year as a Captain on ANY jet aircraft is pathetic! Grow a brain, pal.

Please tell me that your entire post was an attempt at sarcasm

 

[ILStoMinimums]

$35,000 a year as a Captain on ANY jet aircraft is pathetic! Grow a brain, pal.

Please tell me that your entire post was an attempt at sarcasm

Unfortuantely I think it wasn't.

 

[AAsRedHeadedbro]

We are worth what we can negotiate and, unfortunately, we are our own worst enemies in that regard.

 

[Flyingdutchman]

I agree. That sucks big time.. I make more as a KA F/O go figure..

 

[propjockey]

Disclaimer: To any who read my earlier post, it probably wouldn't have sounded so negative if I weren't flying with someone with a slight people skills deficiency this month. When the days go by like weeks, it really has a way of sucking all the joy out of this job.

 

[nonstop]

1. Yes.
(2.) No.

 

[aewanabe]

Go to Chamiqua, PSA or Mesa. I believe the upgrade times are around a year. 25 years old flying as a CA making around 35K ain't too shabby. 3-4 years there and off to WN, AWA or who knows in 5 years. The big complainers seem to be the folks who are pissed they went to COEX/EAGLE, et al., and are still sitting in the right seat after 4-5 years. They did it the hard way, so should you.
That, or take a trip to Thailand and get the jewels snipped.

Uh, check the payscales again. I don't think even MESA pays that low for a jet captain... I don't think any of the three have 1st-year captains. I'm on pace to make captain in 20-22 months here at "Chamiqua".... and I was NOT promised that in my interview (they told us 3-5 years). However, our pilot group has grown by almost 80 percent since I was hired, AND attrition above me has taken away almost 8 percent of the list above me. So I wouldn't tell anyone hired at CHQ now to expect that quick an upgrade. BTW if I upgrade while I'm still on 2nd year pay my pay on the 135/140 (our lowest) would be just under 50K.

Now to answer the original question: Yes, I love the job. No, I don't think I'm paid enough for it, in either seat. Is it worth it? So far, yes. I'm one of those who believe while I'm here (CHQ or the Regionals in general) I need to do what I can to leave the job in better shape than I found it. Both in QOL and Pay. We'll see if I still feel that way in 5-10 years.

 

[PBRstreetgang]

PBRstreetgang.

You're at SkyWest, right? Granted, I don't fly the RJ, but looking at the bid packets, average line values in SLC have been hovering around 87 hours/month with roughly 300 hours of monthly per diem. Do the math with 3rd year FO pay and it equates to somewhere in the neighborhood of $43K+. Everything else in your previous post I agree with. QOL is hard to come by in the regional industry and I certainly don't see any major improvements coming in the future.

Right, 5+ years, for every 87hr line created there is a 78hr line elsewhere, unless we are in the expansion mode, that never stops. If you are in a domicile that is feeding the expansion, expect 85-90hrs. and 10-13 days off.
"$43k" do the math, don't have to, my taxman does it for me. maybe you should put the kool-aid cup down paddlejet jockey! Between transition, recurrent, pcs, and any other numerous ways to reduce my pay the company may employ. Try reserves with 30-60hrs of flying assigned right out of transition. Those hours areby agreement lineholder hours, not "reserveswhohavenoworkrules" pseudo lines. Sorry to rant, cant find the "pipe", nor the koolaid cup either! Here it comes!
PBR

 

[AAsRedHeadedbro]

Wow! PBR, your posts give me a chuckle . I never thought I'd see the day when a Skywest pilot would openly complain about anything!

It's amusing to watch you two go back and forth.

 

[PBRstreetgang]

Hey,
I do not drink the kool-aid, and I lost my pipe(crack, mk 1 mod 0). There are plenty of us non kool-aid types, who see the erosion of our quality of life slipping, and corporate profits increasing, all the while the new crop of kool-aid drinkers come in and swill the frosty, icy kool-aid and say "wow I have hit the big time, this is the best part time job I have ever had" You will note most of the "Pot of gold at the end, of the rainbow" are newer to the job and are still driving the tacowagon 120. The others are hard core kool-aid drinkers and cannot quit. Even while the company gives them multiple 3 hour airport productivity breaks, followed with training on days without comp days in return. Jr manning without regards to family life. ect. ect. ect.
PBR...