Don't look back Hotwing!!
Greetings....
I left a "stable" 135/corp. MUCH higher paying job to come to Skywest a few months ago and can honestly say that I unquestionably made the right choice.
I can assure you that leaving was not an easy decision, in fact a Hawker type was dangled in front of me to stay (as was a new car). I forced myself to be honest with myself and evaluate the situation as an outsider. I developed a list of pros and cons (of both jobs), here's a few highlights..
135/corp pros: turbine pic, TIPS!!!, good pay, flying throughout the USA and Canada, weeks long trips to the Bahamas, get to fly lots of different aircraft.
Cons: After a year, pay has for all intents and purposes peaked, live by the cell phone, what schedule??? you didn't fly yeaterday, that was your day off... fly lots of different aircraft (how safe is that). single pilot after 8 hours of flying across country into southeastern thunderstorms, checkrides every other month. etc.
Skywest pros: potential! continued growth, travel benefits, crew flying, retirement, a reasonably set schedule. no waiting around fbo's for 10 hours in b.f.e. broken airplanes actually don't have to fly! travel arrangments are made for you! Don't have to deal with over-priviledged owners and spoiled charter types. A locked cockpit door (no more visits from the good doctor as you're waiting for clearance out of SMO while all of the 74's depart out of LAX)...
Cons: pay-cut, passing up the Hawker type, starting at the bottom of a seniority list, spending two months in ground, FTD, sim, and IOE. sitting reserve.
So, how do I feel now? I LOVE IT!! The pay isn't as bad as I had expected, per-diem, open time at time and a half help. had twenty people below me in my class, there have since been four classes of 30, by my 5th grade math, that's 140 below me in less than 4 months... the training was long, but thorough, went quickly and makes you feel comfortable when you do get to the airplane. I will sit reserve for all of two weeks... Not bad...
In closing, it's a tough decision, not right for everyone, but certainly right for me. I am SO glad that I chose Skywest, I don't regret the decision to come here one bit.. Best of luck in your decision...
cheers..
