SkyWest or CHQ

[c-wood75]

Im an AWAC FO-lookin to leave before i get furloughed anyway.

ORD is a high priority, so is upgrade obviously.

Have great connections at both CHQ and SkyWest..any advice on what my next United 121 carrier should be? plans for long term growth? or should i stay at AWAC and commute to PIT on reserve for another 2 years.

 

[flyguy81]

i start at chq next thurs and was told in the company brief that they're bringing in 2 planes a month until june '06, with a 170 ORD base opening june 1 of this year

 

[Heavy Set]

i start at chq next thurs and was told in the company brief that they're bringing in 2 planes a month until june '06, with a 170 ORD base opening june 1 of this year

What percentage of newhires will likely go to the 170? Will hours/experience play a part in aircraft assignment (as long as you have the minimums)? I would assume that ORD will be pretty popular...

 

[Mookie]

We've got 32 700's coming by the end of the year (unfortunately including 20 that are awac replacement). I've asked the powers that be where they'll likely go, and the response was ord and den. ord is far and away the jr fo domicile, so good luck.

I think that all the skyw folks on the board should send Camielle an email to please hire as many of the awac dudes/ettes that want to come to skywest asap.

good luck guys,
Mookie

 

[avrodriver]

My vote would be CHQ. Totally throw out this whole idea of upgrading anytime soon because you are looking at two large ass companys who have done a ton of hiring in the last few years.

I'm not bashing non union skywest, but look at what they have done with their 70 seat pay....in the past mgmt has seemed to play pretty nice with the pilots, but stunts like this could possibly be the start of more to come and even if they aren't it's still bullsh.it. I know alot of people run around bashing CHQ and calling them a bottomfeeder, but they actaully have a pretty decent contract so I don't think many people are doing their homework before they open their mouths. Bottomline they have a contract and you know what to expect.

Also they have an all jet fleet. I could give a rats a.ss about what I fly as long as you pay me a decnet wage, but the fact is those EMB-120's are not going to be around forever and they represent a large part of Skywest's fleet. Yes I know I know, people say they are not going anywhere for another 3-5 years or whatever, but they will go, and when they do that leaves a big question mark. I don't see CHQ's fleet going anywhere being all jet, in fact with all the positive comments I've heard about the 170, I wouldn't see why more wouldn't be on the way concidering they wil now operate them for USAir, United, and Delta. Things to research though are what the heck is going on with this whole shuttle america thing as far as bring over their pilots, as well as what is going to happen with Mid Atlantic pilots when the 170's from there are brought over.

Good luck.....I know you probably feel like you need to make a move now because senority is everything, but if you think making that move now is going to get you an upgrade at your new carrier six months sooner....well anything is possible I guess. What I'm getting at is anything can change, and nothing no matter how sweet it looks is for certain. Options are always good, being furloughed from here and then moving on to your new company gives you two horses to play...but that is easy to say when you have a job. The chances of AWAC working out for you are about the same as anywhere else, it's just a matter of how fast you move up their F/O list. Think about it, if USAir fails then yes you might be screwed. If USAir or United fails and you are at CHQ you will defintely be in the bottom bunch that will be screwed. If United fails and you are at Skywest.....screwed. Your playing with a bunch of wild cards with your selection of airlines honestly. I'm done rambling....PM me if you want to talk more, Good Luck. AD

 

[fuelflow]

I have to agree with AVRO. Also consider all the codeshare agreements and domiciles Chautauqua has. Probably not a bad move either way though.

 

[HowlinMadMurdoc]

Im an AWAC FO-lookin to leave before i get furloughed anyway.

ORD is a high priority, so is upgrade obviously.

Have great connections at both CHQ and SkyWest..any advice on what my next United 121 carrier should be? plans for long term growth? or should i stay at AWAC and commute to PIT on reserve for another 2 years.

Skywest likes to boast, "Hey, we're a great company with a bright future!" READ the fine print closely and make sure you have 2-3 months of expenses saved up in the bank. Skywest, for all it's "great" things, doesn't pay a DIME during training. Not so "great" after all, huh?

So, done with your CHQ app yet???

HMM

 

[fuelflow]

Not to mention you will be flying Brazil's finest!

 

[propsarebest]

Not to mention you will be flying Brazil's finest!

AND JUST WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT? WE TAKE THE BRO'S TO ALL OF THE FINEST CITIES ON THE WEST COAST, LIKE IYK, YUM, IPL AND OF COURSE, SGU. ITS A GOOD, HEARTY AIRPLANE, AND THE BASES ARE PRETTY BITCHIN.

 

[91100 100 set]

Good Post Avro, well thought out without bashing anybody. We need more of that around here.

Unfortunately, you mentioned doing research about the whole SA/CHQ/MDA deal. There isn't alot of information out there about the whole deal, especially regarding the MDA thing. It seems alot of people are making some blind assumptions about where those planes will end up, and who will fly them. That information probably won't be ironed out until the summertime at the earliest.

 

[TEXAN AVIATOR]

Find the airline with the better looking FA's, then make your choice.

TA

 

[rattler]

I have to agree with the others, if it were me I would also choose CHQ. From what I've read on these boards the CHQ guys get a ton of days off. I was suprised, but many people agreed that 15-18 days off a month is pretty much the norm. I am a senior line holder at my company, and I consider myself lucky to hold 14 days off. For me days off is what it's all about.

I am sorry it has come to this. Air Wis. has always been a very respectable company, good luck to you.

 

[c-wood75]

ok, great info,

one thing about CHQ is they only have 25 fo's and Capt's in ORD...
thats not very many, and would probably have bad schedules for a long time as Jungle Jet guys come over to the 170, and have higher seniority, and all this is considering i can even get ORD out of class...

Does anyone have confirmed/options on A/C for CHQ and SkyWest?

i already know SKYWEST is getting 20 more 70's, but is that it?

 

[avrodriver]

ORD is a new base for CHQ......new bases start small.

F/O's are paid the same no matter which aircraft at CHQ which means senior F/O's will not be bidding over to the 170, most likely they can't. I've heard the most senior F/O on the 170 hasn't even been there a year yet so people on that aircraft have been becoming super senior (on their a/c list) rather quickly...on the flip side I don't think there is any guarantee you will get the 170, even though that is all they are taking delivery of they will have to hire into the 145 as well to cover upgrades...so yeah if you don't get the 170 as a F/O, no ORD base for you unitl you upgrade into it or until they open a 145 base there (very possible.... think of all the flying we do out of there to markets that will continue to need 50 seat service).

It sounds like the most important thing for you is ORD, which in that case I'm going to have to say Skywest is the best fit for you, at least there is a guarantee of you eventually getting there either from the start or in the not so distant future.

You also seem very concerned about future delivery's which make sense because even if you don't upgrade at least you'll float up the list. Well there is a reason I brought up the EMB-120. 20 of those go away and that is 200+ guys that bump you right back down the list....and they have how many of those? It happened here at AWAC with the D-328.

Hard decision....very hard. No regional looks like a good deal to me these days. But if I was 22 again (not saying you are) and starting all over I'd be looking at CoEx.....maybe even Comair or ASA. AD

 

[Corbon]

You'd probably have a pretty decent shot at the 170. I think they try to pick people with previous 121 experience for that and the Purdue/DC Academy/ER folks for the 145. Good luck.

 

[Dave Benjamin]

i already know SKYWEST is getting 20 more 70's, but is that it?

According to news reports they still have proposals on the table for 25 and 14 aircraft. That could be for other carriers besides UAL and DAL. Check www.skywest.com and look at the press releases.

 

[Jack Mahogoff]

Since you are current AWAC guy with 121 time, you would probably get the 170 right out of the box at CHQ. It's a great flying plane and we have lots of flight in and out of ORD with it.

When did you start flying for CHQ? How do you like the 170?

 

[avrodriver]

I know before I mentioned that I didn't see CHQ fleet of all jets going anywhere, here's more to consider as part of CHQ's new agreement with Airways, it's not a whole lot of airplanes, but it could still cost you senority numbers and something to concider in addition to just worrying about the aircraft they have on order.

"a one-time option for US Airways to remove 5 ERJ-145 aircraft from the existing Chautauqua JSA; under certain specific conditions, a one time right to remove an additional 10 ERJ-145 aircraft from the existing Chautauqua JSA."

I would assume these aircraft would possibly find a new home at Delta like when the America West codeshare was ended, but there is going to be a surplus of 50 seaters out there in the near future so who knows.

AD

 

[sweptback]

I would assume these aircraft would possibly find a new home at Delta like when the America West codeshare was ended, but there is going to be a surplus of 50 seaters out there in the near future so who knows.

I wouldn't be quite so sure... Delta is getting more 50 seaters than it wants or needs thanks to the deal with GECAS. With GE having nothing to do with the ERJ 145 series, I wouldn't be surprised to see Delta pass on these. Also, the lack of integral airstairs doesn't help, unless the door can be replaced easily (which I doubt).

 

[avrodriver]

I'm with you. I'm not sure of sh.it, just ponting out what happened last time, which I agree is probably not going to be as easy this time.. The safe way to view this is that they would go away or possibly be replaced with 170's, either way it cuts into the growth that a newhire would be looking at. They negotiated it for a reason. AD

 

[ERJDRVR]

Find the airline with the better looking FA's, then make your choice.

TA

I can tell you, IT IS NOT CHAUTAUQUA...... I will be the first to admit we are DEAD LAST in this department.

 

[avrodriver]

Skywest defintely has foxes.....so there you go, decision made. Then again we'll probably be replacing half of our F/A's in the next year......unfortunately I think their setting up all of our recruiting centers in front of social security offices and gay/lesbian community centers. Runway, Runway!! Head out to Utah and go score a few goals for your brothas over here at AWAC.