Rumor SkyWest Inc. receives new jet financing?

[Freebrd]

I can see them asking for more 76 seaters, not larger planes. I can see a ratio system where they are allowed an extra 76 seater for every 2 or 3 50 seaters parked. Lee

lmao already changing his tune, too funny, what a putz :laugh:

 

[General Lee]

In the 10 years it would take to reach parity with regard to pay and schedule if I went to a major, my kids will be out of the house or very close to it for the youngest. It's not about money or the size of the plane. My priorities are elsewhere.

10 years? Come on now. These last 10 years have been horrible for stagnation, primarily due to things that usually never happen at the same time. A 9-11 event, 5 legacy BK (UAL, US, DL, NWA, and then AA), and then a huge retirement age change that nobody has ever had to deal with before. Those three things really changed this industry. Look at UPS. They have furloughed, and the bottom 300 guys there were hired right into the 744 or MD11, but all in ANC. Talk about a tough QOL if you have to commute to ANC on reserve. But, that cargo airline pays very well, and people will continue to do it.

As far as your situation Russ, everyone has their own deal. If your situation is good for you, then great. But, the last 10 years won't necessarily equal the next 10 years. Those Age 65 retirements will finally go, and that will mean normal progression again, meaning QOL will improve faster. MOST of the legacies are profitable again and have a handle on today's costs. (could change with another 9-11 event, though) This last decade wasn't very fun unless you were hired early in a hiring wave, and that hiring wave is going to come back around again. If you want to get on it, apply. If not, then that is your choice. RJ Captain pay may take around 3-4 years at a Major, and then it should increase from there.



Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Jon Rivoli]

I live in Portland, I'm based in Portland. I'm not interested in commuting to ANC or JFK or MSP or any where. I have a friend my age at WN, he's been there five years and he tells me he will never have weekends off ever again. I'm not interested in more money. You can't touch my QOL.

Any move you make is a crap shoot. I had a jump seater once who had been a new hire at SKYW with our chief pilot back in the eighties. He left for TWA and made it to 767 captain. When I met him, he was commuting to reserve as an American MD80 FO about to be furlowed again after spending four year on the street.

My present gig may come to an end someday, for now I plan to make the most of it and let someone else roll the dice.

 

[General Lee]

I live in Portland, I'm based in Portland. I'm not interested in commuting to ANC or JFK or MSP or any where. I have a friend my age at WN, he's been there five years and he tells me he will never have weekends off ever again. I'm not interested in more money. You can't touch my QOL.

Any move you make is a crap shoot. I had a jump seater once who had been a new hire at SKYW with our chief pilot back in the eighties. He left for TWA and made it to 767 captain. When I met him, he was commuting to reserve as an American MD80 FO about to be furlowed again after spending four year on the street.

My present gig may come to an end someday, for now I plan to make the most of it and let someone else roll the dice.

That's good Jon. If you live in Portland, have family there, and NEVER want to commute, then by all means stay there. I believe you have three total airlines you could choose from if you wanted to have a Portland base, SkyWest, Horizon, and Alaska has a small one. If you never want to leave and have to fly in base, those are your choices. Now, if one airline decides someday to leave, and you are flying for them, then you might have a problem.

Another poster on here was talking about his friend who was a 10 year DL MD88s FO in ATL and never got weekends off. He may be like you, just wants to live in base. That is his choice. He might have a heck of a lot better schedule if he did commute, to say DTW on the 320. Maybe he would have twice the QOL and a bit of a raise (320 pays more). That is his choice. Flying for a legacy usually means choices, unless you are at the bottom. If you don't want to make the jump, somebody else will. Just remember, your current job and airline may look different in 5 years, and if you are willing to roll the dice, then that is your decision. Good luck. Btw, that story of yours about the TWA 767 pilot that eventually ended up as an AA MD80 FO and furloughed is a rough one. But for every bad story like that, I bet there are 5 good ones about people who left and are now very happy flying all over the World.



Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Skywest Pylot]

In the 10 years it would take to reach parity with regard to pay and schedule if I went to a major, my kids will be out of the house or very close to it for the youngest. It's not about money or the size of the plane. My priorities are elsewhere.

Having spent several years at SkyWest, I'll say the QOL is much better at the majors. Better workrules, much better retirement (401k) and you get treated like a professional. SkyWest is a company on the decline. Everyone else has figured out their strategy and the innovator that put the company on the map (Ron Rebber) is gone. You may very well wake up one day and discover that you are on a rapidly shrinking seniority list due to abandonment of the 50 seat RJ (SkyWest has a 100s of them). How long have you been with them? 10 years to reach parity doesn't sound right.

 

[Skywest Pylot]

I left SkyWest and never looked back. It was the best move I ever made. Btw, PDX never has been a very big base and could at some point go the way of SAN, SMF or SBA.

That's good Jon. If you live in Portland, have family there, and NEVER want to commute, then by all means stay there. I believe you have three total airlines you could choose from if you wanted to have a Portland base, SkyWest, Horizon, and Alaska has a small one. If you never want to leave and have to fly in base, those are your choices. Now, if one airline decides someday to leave, and you are flying for them, then you might have a problem.

Another poster on here was talking about his friend who was a 10 year DL MD88s FO in ATL and never got weekends off. He may be like you, just wants to live in base. That is his choice. He might have a heck of a lot better schedule if he did commute, to say DTW on the 320. Maybe he would have twice the QOL and a bit of a raise (320 pays more). That is his choice. Flying for a legacy usually means choices, unless you are at the bottom. If you don't want to make the jump, somebody else will. Just remember, your current job and airline may look different in 5 years, and if you are willing to roll the dice, then that is your decision. Good luck. Btw, that story of yours about the TWA 767 pilot that eventually ended up as an AA MD80 FO and furloughed is a rough one. But for every bad story like that, I bet there are 5 good ones about people who left and are now very happy flying all over the World.



Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[79%N1]

Why do some guys try to talk people out of things they are perfectly happy doing, for whatever their reasons are? Why the need to force your opinions and experiences onto others. If they are happy and content, just leave them alone.

 

[pilotyip]

Any move you make is a crap shoot.

There is great short summary of the airline pilot's career. Think of the guy who jumped from SWA in 2000 for the dream job at UAL, or the guy who back in 1975 had to pay for this training in a DA-20, in order to fly overnight mail as a F/O for $400/mo, it turned into FedEx

 

[777forever]

In summary, do what you need to do to be happy. Staying at a regional isnt a death sentence.Our COO started at Skywest as a pilot now he makes the salary of more than 3 senior Delta 777 captains combined. Ballin!

On the other hand, if you're staying put at a regional based on what happened at mainline during aviation's "lost decade" you're being very short sighted

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[Russ]

I like the term lost decade, seems fitting. I'm just not convinced its only a decade. There's been plenty of false starts and boom to busts in my time in aviation. If I was 28, I'd roll the dice. Now that I'm in my 40s with an income over 100K and a good QOL, I'm pretty darn content to watch my kids grow up in person. I had years of my wife calling me when my son or daughter was up to bat, getting the play by play second hand. No more I hope. When folks here praise the majors as the way to go, I have to think its as much of a crapshoot as staying put.

 

[General Lee]

I like the term lost decade, seems fitting. I'm just not convinced its only a decade. There's been plenty of false starts and boom to busts in my time in aviation. If I was 28, I'd roll the dice. Now that I'm in my 40s with an income over 100K and a good QOL, I'm pretty darn content to watch my kids grow up in person. I had years of my wife calling me when my son or daughter was up to bat, getting the play by play second hand. No more I hope. When folks here praise the majors as the way to go, I have to think its as much of a crapshoot as staying put.

Good for you Russ. If that makes you happy, then good for you. My point was that not every story about leaving a Regional is a bad one.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[tomgoodman]

Why do some guys try to talk people out of things they are perfectly happy doing, for whatever their reasons are? Why the need to force your opinions and experiences onto others. If they are happy and content, just leave them alone.

Maybe this is the reason:

It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.
Gore Vidal
US author & dramatist (1925 - )

 

[777forever]

I like the term lost decade, seems fitting. I'm just not convinced its only a decade. There's been plenty of false starts and boom to busts in my time in aviation. If I was 28, I'd roll the dice. Now that I'm in my 40s with an income over 100K and a good QOL, I'm pretty darn content to watch my kids grow up in person. I had years of my wife calling me when my son or daughter was up to bat, getting the play by play second hand. No more I hope. When folks here praise the majors as the way to go, I have to think its as much of a crapshoot as staying put.

Ah I see. Dont blame ya at all for staying. Smart choice IMO

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[SpaceShipEarth]

9-9-9

 

[SpaceShipEarth]

Oh yea.... 20-30 C-Series going to ExpressJet too. Ahhhh Shucky Ducky!