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Skywest of Horizon?

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ferrell18

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2006
Posts
21
Skywest or Horizon?

I have interviews with both companies coming up and not sure which way to go, that is assuming I was offered a job by either company. I know the upgrade times at Horizon are long but the QOL sounds good. Don't know much about Skywest QOL but the company sounds great and the pilots there seem happy. Any thoughts or current pilots out there from either company?
 
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ferrell18 said:
I have interviews with both companies coming up and not sure which way to go, that is assuming I was offered a job by either company. I know the upgrade times at Horizon are long but the QOL sounds good. Don't know alot about Skywest QOL but the company sounds great. Any thoughts or current pilots out there from either company?
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Proofread
 
Go to Skywest. I had an FO that came here from there. He said that the work rules, seniority, and upgrade times are all better here. Go to where the growth is so you can get your PIC time. Your 1000 hrs of PIC will come in about 4 years if you want it at Skywest, or it can be 9 or 10 at Horizon.
 
Pic

ok here is one for you. i also have been invited to interview at both. I already have a 1600 PIC TURBINE. Skywest is on Monday and have not set a date with QX. I think pay sucks at both but from what i understand is that there is no training contract at skywest. I think i should just hold out for COA. I am already in the recemendation bucket there. Any thoughts
 
If I could chime in here for a second...

I have had the chance to work for BOTH companies (QX almost 5 years, OO just over 2), and I would pick QX in a heartbeat. The travel, health, 401K and other bennies are FAR SUPERIOR than Skywest for starters.

Skywest is basically just a contractor- UA and DL treat us like redheaded stepchildren. Horizon on the other hand, basically has its own market in the pac nw. It can survive without AS.

Sure, you will be an FO until the second coming, but its worth it. QX is a career regional- and u get teated pretty darn good by the people above you, and they are CAT III.

besides, the dashes are BIOTCHIN!

Discuss...
 
propsarebest said:
QX is a career regional
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Are you insane? That's giving up before you even get started. Yeah, if the guy who started this thread is 50 years old, you got a point. But if he's 25 or 30, then bul l shi t. NO regional should be his career. If things end up that way due to circumstances beyond your control, as has happend to many of my buds, then that's one thing. However to start out thinking that way is definately not that smart. Ever hear of a self fulfilling prophecy?

When I started there in 1999, I told myself daily that this place is just a stepping stone, and I never let myself forget. And 4 years later, I was out of there, and have been thankful ever since.

Take the SkyWest choice, if lucky enough to have one. Get 1000 or 2000 PIC turbine, and then take a shot at Southwest, FedEX, CAL, or JetBlue. Hopefully these carriers will be still hiring when you are competitive. Of course there is no gaurantee that they will be, but if they are, you can be da mn sure that they'll be looking for PIC 121 Turbine time from their civilian applicant pool.

Ohh, and I'd bet willing to be that your 1000 PIC will come substantially quicker than 4 years from date of hire at SkyWest. If you take the 1st available Brakillya captain upgrade, you will probably only be an FO for around 1 year.
 
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flyer7rm said:
ok here is one for you. i also have been invited to interview at both. I already have a 1600 PIC TURBINE. Skywest is on Monday and have not set a date with QX. I think pay sucks at both but from what i understand is that there is no training contract at skywest. I think i should just hold out for COA. I am already in the recemendation bucket there. Any thoughts
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Depends on where you live....but only a little bit. I assume COA is CAL? Go to the skywest interview. If you get the offer, don't even come to the Horizon interview. Get some skywest 121 time before CAL calls, and if they don't call for a year or so, upgrade and get some more PIC time. You won't see PIC time at QX for at least 5 years. Contrary to what everyone at Horizon thinks, we don't make enough more $$ than Skywest to put up with the R Seat for so long. Save yourself man!!!!!!!
 
Skywest. If you fly for QX you will be basically trapped on one coast forever (unless you fly the CR7 for QX). Go fly a Brasilia around Cali and have fun - and enjoy a CRJ/CR7 later down the line... Just don't be surprised if you are flying a CR9 on CRJ-200 wages in the future.
 
ILStoMinimums said:
How many a month are they hiring right now? How long from Interview to class? Also, what is the average take-home w/w out perdiem?
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SKW is hiring 80-100 a month through the end of the year and that could continue into next year. From interview to class can range anywhere from 1 week to 3 weeks. The training and class schedule is maxed out. They said with new hires, transistions, and upgrades a total of around 900 pilots will be trained from July-December.
 
propjob27 said:
Are you insane? That's giving up before you even get started. Yeah, if the guy who started this thread is 50 years old, you got a point. But if he's 25 or 30, then bul l shi t. NO regional should be his career. If things end up that way due to circumstances beyond your control, as has happend to many of my buds, then that's one thing. However to start out thinking that way is definately not that smart. Ever hear of a self fulfilling prophecy?
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The major airlines are not the be all/end all of airline existence. I spent 10+ years in aviation and never really had any strong desire to work for the majors. Quite simply it was due to lifestyle. I had absolutely no interest in living in any of the places I would be required to live in, had I gone to the majors, nor did I want to commute.

Don't fault someone because he wants to live his life a certain way. Not EVERYONE wants to go to the majors.
 
Here's my logic tree for deciding where to take a job:

If money is the most important thing: leave aviation immediately. Become a drug dealer or sales rep (same thing, really).

If money is not the most important thing: why bother upgrading? (Senior FO's have a nice lifestyle: good schedules, little stress, lots of giggles at the expense of newly upgraded jet FO's.)

If you don't care about upgrading: go to QX (assuming you don't have to commute).

If you do care about upgrading: go to Skywest (assuming you don't have to commute).

If you are using Flightinfo for career advice...well, then, you're a lost cause.
 
Looks like upgrade on the Bro is always at a year? Doesn't seem to change. Is the reason because a lot of people are bypassing it due to QOL? What is CRJ upgrade looking like now?
 
As with most things, it depends upon how picky you are. If you don't care about being FAT based in the brasilia, you can probably get upgrade in a year-year and a half. PDX will be quite a bit longer. People who take transition to the RJ are seat locked another year, hence, it takes two years if they decide to go back to the bro. If you want to be a ORD jet CA, again, less time than, say TUS or DEN. Closer to 3 years on the average. I'm sure someone will correct me there, but I have friends who've been with the company two years and are still almost 250 pilots away from jet upgrade.
 

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