Scenic, Skywest or Pinnacle

[Irish Pilot]

Don't waste your time at Scenic.... Don't know much about Scenic.

Then dont make stupid comments about it. wtf?

 

[FlyWithSean]

I can't believe Jim hasn't posted here yet!

 

[AftCG182]

See my post in the other recent Scenic thread about bidding for a BE-1900 slot at Scenic.

Even though I've only been with Scenic for a few months, I can tell you that Scenic's a great company to work for. If flying an Otter or a BE-1900 gives you an inferiority complex, then you've got problems and should not apply here anyway.

JMHO

Dave

 

[Steveair]

I guess it would suffice to say that if you don't know much about Scenic, then you probably aren't qualified enough to say "Don't waste your time at Scenic".


Things that make you go..........WTF?!

Lets see... fly for an airline that's tiny and hardly anyone has heard of (and flying older aircraft), or get seniority with a good company that you can upgrade quickly in. There's a toss up. I was in no way trying to insult scenic guys but I think SkyWest is a better pick.

 

[Irish Pilot]

Lets see... fly for an airline that's tiny and hardly anyone has heard of (and flying older aircraft), or get seniority with a good company that you can upgrade quickly in. There's a toss up. I was in no way trying to insult scenic guys but I think SkyWest is a better pick.

With all due respect...it really depends on what a person is trying to do. Upgrade is quick at Scenic as well, and Scenic is a good company to work for. Who cares if Scenic is a smaller airline thats not as recognizeable in the industry. Do you think that matters at all?

Guess I shouldnt have expected anything more from a 1800+ hour flight instructor.

Scenic might give this guy the option to live in Vegas, sleep in his own bed every night, upgrade quickly, hand-fly a great aircraft into dirt and hard surface strips alike in lots of different weather, fly with a smaller group of pilots that are a great group of people, and grab 1ooo PIC and head off to something better (a regional of his choice, potentially a national, or a great corporate outfit). Or he could get on with Skywest, not get paid during training, live in Salt Lake City, and enter that regional world that everyone seems to be so happy about around here. Different strokes for different folks man.

In all seriousness I like Skywest and they are a great company making great strides with awesome equipment (and in fact right now a lot of guys leave Scenic for Skywest, some with 1ooo PIC some without), but they simply are two different companies and you dont know what the original poster is looking for.

Think about what you post. Maybe something like...

"I dont really know anything about Scenic, but Skywest seems to be a good well-known company with relatively quick upgrade so I would lean towards that." instead of gouging Scenic blindly.

Just a thought.

 

[Jim]

FlyWithSean -
Irish Pilot and AftGC182 have basically covered it....

T-Gates -
Thanks.

Steveair -
PM one of us your name and we'll make sure your are not faced with this choice in the future. Too bad, based on your profile you might have been looking at some quick turbine PIC time at a decent wage. BTW, Scenic is not a carrier hardly anyone has ever heard of. Scenic has a great reputation with other regionals for turning out high quality pilots who have no problems in training programs when they move on to "newer" aircraft. There are also hundreds of former Scenic/Twin Otter pilots at the majors with fond memories of the airline/air plane. Scenic has been around a very long time and has many loyal former employees.

What does Scenic have to offer:
- Probably close to the best 19 seat pay in the industry
- Quick turbine PIC
- Great way to get into the industry for low time pilots
- Home every night Otter guys, 1900s have overnights)
- Fun flying
- Management that listens to its pilots and cares about them

 

[Bluto]

Not to mention, if SkyWest purchases anyone (ASA, or whoever) upgrade time will likely skyrocket. (You'll wish you had that 1,000 pic when the 2007 hiring boom is in full swing )If I had it to do over again, the scenic deal sounds pretty sweet. It really depends on what you're looking for. If you are ready to make a regional your final resting place, get on with a big one as soon as possible. If you have aspirations to move on, you could do much worse than a place like Scenic.

 

[Steveair]

Okay... I looked up Scenic and I agree that the plus is hand flying and home every night. BUT, geez that's gotta be hot! I hope they let you guys fly in shorts. Also, is it really quality flight time? Are you flying cross country at all? Do you ever get ANY kind of actual? Do you fly any more than 3 routes? Pay doesn't look too great for you guys either. If the guy asking the question is like most pilots, he wants to go into a career at the regionals and the majors and the quickest way to go would be right to SkyWest. 1000 hours of PIC... great, but that takes a year AND who knows what this industry is going to do in the future. Not many airlines hire street captains.

It all comes down to your seniority number. The sooner you're on... the better!


As for whoever was ragging on an 1800 hr CFI... yeah, I'm sure your much more knowledgable on straight and level and doing no other manuevers or teaching anything. But I guess thats what you'd expect from a 1500 hour tour guide.

PS - Jim, sorry to here such a nice guy was furloughed. Fly Navy? The Navy is obsolete.

 

[Yellow Snow]

Okay... I looked up Scenic and I agree that the plus is hand flying and home every night. BUT, geez that's gotta be hot! I hope they let you guys fly in shorts. Also, is it really quality flight time? Are you flying cross country at all? Do you ever get ANY kind of actual? Do you fly any more than 3 routes? Pay doesn't look too great for you guys either. If the guy asking the question is like most pilots, he wants to go into a career at the regionals and the majors and the quickest way to go would be right to SkyWest. 1000 hours of PIC... great, but that takes a year AND who knows what this industry is going to do in the future. Not many airlines hire street captains.

It all comes down to your seniority number. The sooner you're on... the better!


As for whoever was ragging on an 1800 hr CFI... yeah, I'm sure your much more knowledgable on straight and level and doing no other manuevers or teaching anything. But I guess thats what you'd expect from a 1500 hour tour guide.

PS - Jim, sorry to here such a nice guy was furloughed. Fly Navy? The Navy is obsolete.

OK I wasn't going to weigh in on this but you just make such an easy target.
Many smart people couldn't care less about a "seniority number". This industry is in such a tailspin right now no one is safe. A seniority number and a dollar will buy you a nice hot cup of coffee. Now PIC turbine, there is some job security. If the infallible super regional you work for goes under after you have worked two years in the right seat your seniority number will not meet the insurance minimums for a decent corporate or 135 captain position but the PIC turbine flying "sightseeing tours" will. Also try to get any job flying heavy acft in cargo without 1000 PIC turbine and you will just find PFT (ugh). The best jobs in aviation right now (job security and pay) are in the cargo arena and these operators could care less about your seniority number only your PIC turbine (have you got experience in command of a complex acft). If you want to flame on someone for wasting their time why not look in the mirror and question your decisions about your career instead of knocking a company about which you know nothing, I'm sure you've made as many mistakes as the rest of us. I can think of no better place for a low time pilot to advance his or her career than Scenic airlines. Where else can you get upgraded the day you hit ATP mins and begin logging 121 turbine PIC.

 

[Irish Pilot]

Okay... I looked up Scenic and I agree that the plus is hand flying and home every night. BUT, geez that's gotta be hot! I hope they let you guys fly in shorts. Also, is it really quality flight time? Are you flying cross country at all? Do you ever get ANY kind of actual? Do you fly any more than 3 routes? Pay doesn't look too great for you guys either. If the guy asking the question is like most pilots, he wants to go into a career at the regionals and the majors and the quickest way to go would be right to SkyWest. 1000 hours of PIC... great, but that takes a year AND who knows what this industry is going to do in the future. Not many airlines hire street captains.

It all comes down to your seniority number. The sooner you're on... the better!


As for whoever was ragging on an 1800 hr CFI... yeah, I'm sure your much more knowledgable on straight and level and doing no other manuevers or teaching anything. But I guess thats what you'd expect from a 1500 hour tour guide.

PS - Jim, sorry to here such a nice guy was furloughed. Fly Navy? The Navy is obsolete.

Actually I did my share of instructing - in fact my last instructing job my clients paid $500 a day for my time, have more than 1500 now, and am not a tour guide. I fly turboprops 121 for a company associated with the tour industry. Funny a flight instructor like yourself should be so knowledgeable about the industry, but maybe that comes with the turf being an ingorant a$$hole. Once you get out into the industry a little you might find out whats really important...both to you and the industry.

Youre a winner buddy.