SkyWest Questions

[ERJFO]

How do the EMB bases work out in terms of senority? Where is it most JR? Where is it most SR? Are any shrinking?

How many Jet FOs upgrade onto the EMB?

How many EMB FOs go to the jet after their seatlock is up?

How is senority assigned in a class (age I'm guessing)?

Commutibility to smaller EMB bases (FAT, PSP, ect.)

Time on reserve in the EMB?

How do base advancements and trades work at SKYW?


Any interesting/diffrent operational or contractual issues at SKYW?

Anything else relating to QOL and advancement at SKYW and on the EMB in perticular would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for the somewhat boring questions I am just trying to educate myself before I decide to make a change or not, giving up senority is kinda a kick in the nuts already so I'm trying to not make a big mistake here.

 

[blackbox]

I dont work for skywest, but i do the answer to 1 question. Seniority assigned in class is based on the last 4 digits of your social security number. other than that you have to wait for the real OO people, though I have been here reserve is fairly short on the EMB.

 

[ERJFO]

Anyone?

 

[Rogue5]

I had let this one slide earlier b/c I just answered a post very similar to this about a week ago. Do a search and you'll find many answers. I lieu of that I'll get to as many as I feel knowledgeable of (its been a while since I've been on the Bro side of the house).

How do the EMB bases work out in terms of seniority? Where is it most JR? Where is it most SR? Are any shrinking?

FAT and PSP are the most junior for newhires, be all the small doms seem to have openings at the bottom of the list. Movement in places like PDX and SAN is fairly slow because the people who go there, generally value their domicile more than other factors.

How many Jet FOs upgrade onto the EMB?

Very few. Even less if they were hired into the jet and have never flown the EMB. Some realize the importance of upgrading ASAP and make the leap, but I'd say around 10% of EMB captains.

How many EMB FOs go to the jet after their seatlock is up?

A lot, I'd say most. Growth has been on the jet side in the past few years. Better pay and schedule as RJ FO. If pay is primary concern it has been stated that a line-holding jet FO makes almost as much as a EMB PIC on reserve.

How is seniority assigned in a class (age I'm guessing)?

Last 4 digits of SSN, although I've heard previous employees (interns, rampers etc.) sometimes get put in the head of the class due to their previous commitment.

Commutibility to smaller EMB bases (FAT, PSP, ect.)

FAT and PSP are actually the larger EMB bases. Good commutability due to many flights in both A/C to several hubs (SFO, LAX, SLC, DEN).

Time on reserve in the EMB?

As an F.O., most likely next to nothing, although it all depends on where you get hired in a hiring boom.

How do base advancements and trades work at SKYW?

I don't know what you mean by this.

Any interesting/different operational or contractual issues at SKYW?

No contract presently. Most recent ALPA drive is just getting underway. "Work rules" such as they and a phased in bonus-program are actually pretty good compared to the rest of the industry, but the lack of a legally-binding contract to protect those rules has many pilots very uncomfortable.

Anything else relating to QOL and advancement at SKYW and on the EMB in particular would be greatly appreciated.

What? Sorry can't hear: ears still ringing from my time on the weed-whacker. The only major QOL thing about the EMB is that since it has 30 seats the company is able to work the crews under Part 135 crew duty reqs. That means 120 hours per month instead of 100, 35 (?) in 7 instead of 30. Bro guys do more work per hour for longer hours, and get paid less. That is why the movement to the CRJ is so swift.

Sorry for the somewhat boring questions I am just trying to educate myself before I decide to make a change or not, giving up seniority is kinda a kick in the nuts already so I'm trying to not make a big mistake here.

Best of luck with your decision.

 

[Bluto]

How do base advancements and trades work at SKYW?

SkyWest uses a "standing bid" system for bidding upgrades, equipment transitions, and domicile transfers. Basically, the way this system works is, whenever an opening occurs in a domicile for a given seat and aircraft, a nice lady in SGU looks at the standing bid and awards that opening to the most senior pilot with a bid in for it. Exceptions are a 1-year seat-lock after a transition or upgrade, a 2-year seat-lock for a downgrade(captain to FO), a 6-month seat-lock for refusing an award ("ooh, I still have my bid in for ORD? Um, I don't really want that..."), and the somewhat shady practice of ignoring seniority at the company's convenience and awarding junior pilots domicile transfers before awarding relatively senior pilots transitions or upgrades (In other words, you may be the #1 pilot, an EMB FO, bidding for CRJ FO in DEN, but if there's already a junior CRJ FO somewhere else bidding for that same spot, he's more likely to get it, regardless of seniority, depending on classes, overall staffing, etc.)
p.s. base trades are possible but have to be done with respect to seniorty. IE. you can't jump to the front of the line by finding someone who wants to swap with you. The only purpose this might serve is expediting the process if both you and the person you want to swap domiciles with are the most senior pilots bidding each other's domicile, then you shouldn't have to wait until they get around to awarding transfers (which usually happens about every month or so)