should I leave MESA for Air Wisconsin?

[jetdriven]

or if SWA/JB is hiring you would have the minimums.

You never know when the majors (economy) will come around. You need to put yourself in a position to be competitive when it does come around. That means turbine PIC.

Do you have a college degree?

JB requires 1000 PIC in aircraft over 20,000 lbs and the 1900D is 17,120.

I have a 2 year Associates in Aviation. so, kinda.

whats the upgrade time if I were to get hired into the 328?

 

[VFR on Top]

Well, seems to me you can go elsewhere on your terms, or you can wait til Ornstein gives your job to a Freedom Air pilot.

The choice is entirely up to you.

 

[Boz]

I did not make my point earlier but I would goto Air Wisc. When the majors do ressume hiring? and who the hel! knows when that will be, you will have plently of RJ, BAe-146 PIC time along with all the other that somehow go through this airline funel process. Good luck to you whatever you decide.

BOZ

 

[throttlejockey]

JetDriven:

Looking at your profile, it seems that we are at the same point in our careers (I have 3000 TT, and have 1.5 Yrs as an FO on a 19 seater).

I cannot give you any direct career advice but I would definately ask the following questions:

1) How much seniority do you have right now? Will you be close to holding a line if you upgrade soon? How much movement is happening in the company now? Route expansion or contraction?

If there is a chance that you will move up pretty quick then there is no doubt that I would stay and get the 1000 PIC Turbine. (There is no movement where I am so I am considering leaving, even though I am one of the most senior F/O's on the property. However, If we were to grow back to our Pre 9/11 size, I would immediately become a lineholding captain).

2) If you leave to go to another carrier, you will be on the bottom of the list, is the new carrier positioned well in the market? Is there a chance you can get hired and then furloughed right afterwards?

The old saying goes, "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
(Is the UAL situation good or bad for AWAC? Most likely good, but who can really tell?)

3) Are you happy with your schedules or your commute? Do you live at your base?

If you will have a better commute, or no commute at all by leaving to go someplace else, you may want to take that into consideration. (I am considering AWAC because I live at one of their bases, whereas I commute now. However, my company is commuter friendly so the commute is really good for me. But that could change.)

4) Can you survive on your pay now? Do you have a support network (friends or family) that you would give up if you left?

If you can survive now, you should do much better in CA pay even if it is only at a 1900 pay rate. Do not leave to go elsewhere if you have to give up your support network. (I would not take a new job if I had to pack up and leave. My family lives here, and I am a kept man so my rent is free! (Or so I think!)

5) Are you so fed up with your company that it gets you down?

I feel that way about the outfit I am at. But, then again, is the grass really that much greener on the other side of the fence?

6) Take a look at your resume, what do you really need to be ready for the next upswing in the market?

Judging from your profile, you need 1000 PIC Turbine, and a 4 year degree. Sure, 1000 PIC Turbine in the 1900 is not as good as 1000 PIC in the CL-65, but it will get you hired at most every airline in existance except for JetBlue. In addition, you may be able to bid out of the 1900 after you get your 1000 PIC. Also, Corporate and Fractional Operators like guys with 1000 PIC Turbine too. Remember, industry downturns are times to improve your resumes and qualifications. Downturns are not good times to hunker down and wait.

You may also want to consider finishing your schooling by getting your bachelors degree.

7) Where do you want to be in five years?

I know that I do not want to be working here in five years. I also know that I want to be employed by the company where I will retire within 5 years. Therefore, I need to position myself now, so that within the next few years I have all the necessary items on my resume so that I have a competative chance of making it to that final place. Going to another regional, without giving myself the chance to improve my qualifications now seems to be a lose-lose situation. If in 5 years, I am not where I want to be - I will make a new plan. I might settle for less, or I may get out. But, I want to stay the course that I originally set until the writing on the wall tells me to jump ship.

In my instance, the writing on the wall is written in grease pencil, so it isn't perminent - yet!

throttlejockey

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

AWAC just expanded and is now going to fly as a feeder for AirTran using RJs based in ATL.

I would go to AWAC ASAP, as you can comfortably retire from there if you need/want to, and I don't believe there are a lot of guys retiring from MESA.

Cliff
GRB

 

[surplus1]

I can't give any advice so I'm really just nosy and curious. I see a lot of people commenting on Mesa vs AWAC with the words "go to another regional". Do you folks really believe that comparing AWAC to Mesa makes AWAC "just another regional"? In my simple mind they are not comparable at all.

Another thing that confuses me is the 1000 PIC. What's the rush? Do you folks actually believe that airlines like UAL, DAL, CAL, NWA are reall going to be hiring pilots in 5 years or even less? To me, that seems so unrealistic.

Maybe you'll miss out on SWA by not having the 1000 PIC, but you're worring about Jet Blue? Just how stable do you all really think JetBlue is? With all the furloughed pilots from the big five, how do you expect to be competitive at Jet Blue with 1000 hours in a light twin? The 1900 is not even a transport category airplane.

Why am I so confused? Don't you expect that in 5 years you would be a captain at both Mesa or AWAC? If that is so, won't you have the same magic 1000 PIC turbine?

To me, the choice seems very simple but what do I know?

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

NetJets requires 1000 PIC, and they're hiring a ton now and in the foreseeable future.

Cliff
GRB

 

[crjcaptain]

Having known mesa, I would say that you are probably very close to ERJ left seat. ..a few more months, maybe. If that is the case, stick with mesa, get the jet pic.. good for even JB and looks much better than 1900 pic. If things have changed, and ERJ left seat is more than a year away, consider AW,.. they are the good management types (at least better than Mesa).. If quality of life and retirement, are also an issue, then AW,..in other words, except for the quick ERJ pic opportunity, everything else points to AW...
Good Luck..

 

[fr8doggydog]

NetJets requires 1000 PIC ? Hadn't heard that one. Something new ?

 

[rattler]

Things change so quickly in this industry. You would be nuts to give up 1.5 yrs seniority. Look at it this way, you have a job. There are alot of good guys that don't. What if you go to AirWis only to get furloughed 3 months later. Don't think it can't happen. It already has for too many people.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I think the 1000 PIC is wrong. Someone told me that, but then someone else posted the mins and it was not there. I think 2500 TT.

Cliff
GRB