stay here @ SKYW or move to ASA

[ductleak]

stay or come on over?
Guys --

Hey, I have something to ponder now. I am holding a line here at Skywest, but commuting. As with all of us, the regional level is not my ultimate goal. Upgrading to Captain is most valuable as soon as possible. With only 100 newhires predicted this year for ASA, I am begining to think that moving over may not be a smart thing to do right now. The only thing that it would do for me is provide an end to the commuting (possibly). Skywest has the possibility to double in size in the next year to two years. As Southwest is my career goal, I am begining to think that the pain now (commuting) maybe worth the gain in the near future.

GENERAL LEE -- step in here -- I am requesting input here -- you are being propositioned for your input...!

Everyone -- fire away -- ready to receive your input!

Thanks in advance!

 

[General Lee]

ductleak,

If Southwest is your goal, then you will need atleast 1000 pic and a 737 type rating for now. It sounds like ASA won't be upgrading much in the near future and , due to our scope, can only be a DCI carrier. Skywest, on the otherhand, can fly for more than one carrier and has opportunities to expand. With ACA moving from ORD to IAD to start up INDY, I think ORD will expand for you and cause many upgrade opportunities. Maybe ORD will be easier for you to cummute to (From ATL or DFW etc...where you live). I would stay at Skywest and go for the upgrade. If you are on the CRJ, wait for that particular upgrade, unless you have flown the Brasilia before and are comfortable with those systems and that type of flying. Go for the upgrade that will be easiest. It sounds like Southwest will be hiring a lot of people and eventually there will be a lot of retirements there too, so go for your goal. Atleast you have a goal, many people give up when times are bad. Stay at Skywest, move to the eventual ORD base and try that commute, and enjoy your time at the regionals. Your goal will come true if you stay focused and have a good attitude. Go for the upgrade. Good luck.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[General Lee]

80for80,

It is amazing, but hopefully some of the Majors will still be around in the future. The LCCs have one particular type of flying, which probably won't include INTL. We shall see what happens to the remaining Majors, but there will always be someone flying those lucrative INTL flights....

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[trip]

80going0n8--Why dont you slither back under the rock you crawled out from under, we all know what your about.
If you really are a pilot for Eagle than you are a disgrace to the profession.

 

[ductleak]

thanks again

General Lee --


Thanks again for the reply. I do appreciate your input here. I always seek input from experienced people such as yourself before making a decision on things that will impact me for the rest of my life. Any other input that you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

 

[General Lee]

ductleak,

Give me an idea of where you live, like a region or State, and I will try to give you info on a possible commute from DEN or ORD etc... If you want Southwest---you need that PIC--and you will get it faster at Skywest. Take care.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Socalplt]

Ductleak where are you at on the seniority list? How long do you figure it will take for the Upgrade with the confirmed deliveries over the next 2 years?

 

[ductleak]

seniority list

I am on the backside of the list. I was hired at the end of last Spring. (2003)

 

[ductleak]

DFW

General Lee -- I live in the DFW area

 

[Socalplt]

SkyWest would have to be the better option compared to ASA. Who knows something crazy like an EMB base in FLA for Continental might happen. If you were around when they announced HOU you know how junior that went.

If you just got have the PIC time now, I'd go get a 135/91 job. From what I've heard it really doesn't matter to Southwest where the PIC time comes from.

 

[Russ]

Why not the BRO in IAH? DEN also would not be too bad a commute. You could probably hold captain reasonably quick. There are no seat locks from RJ FO to EMB CA, so put in for it now. The last award from a few days ago for RJ captain went to guys hired in July of 2000. On the other hand guys with a year or less are BRO Captains in IAH, likely holding a line. SWA has hired plenty of out BRO pilots, heck its harder to fly than the RJ. I have talked to a lot of SWA guys in the SWA airlines bar and grill (ABQ hotel) They say there are lots of former SkyWest pilots there.

 

[ductleak]

thanks -- BRO

Hey man, thanks for the reply. I think that you are right about the 120. I will look into that. It looks like the guys that go to Houston want out just as fast as they get in there... I would enjoy that flying - right at home.

Thanks again!

 

[~~~^~~~]

Re: thanks again

General Lee --
Thanks again for the reply. I do appreciate your input here. I always seek input from experienced people such as yourself before making a decision on things that will impact me for the rest of my life. Any other input that you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Huh - I thought General Lee worked at an airline separate from ASA, or Skywest, and was a member of an LEC intent on both limiting ASA and Skywest jobs, or outright hijacking those jobs (jets for jobs) for their furloughed buddies who were above applying at the regional level.

But he was correct, upgrades will be a long time coming at ASA, or Delta for that matter. We have a whole bunch of very young Captains that got hired in 1999. They are not going anywhere.

Further, the Delta pilots who are not in denial about the future of the functionally bankrupt company ( $620,000,000.00 in negative equity not counting pension obligations ) are going to be looking for driftwood to hang on to so they don't end up at an $18,000 a year entry level flying job. There is going to be enormous pressure to put the Delta boys in these 45 request for proposal airplanes. Of course you already know this because you fly for Skywest and are already dealing with ALPA's jets for jobs efforts related to the United debacle.

Oh - what fun. General, can you help me get hired at Airtran?

~~~^~~~

 

[General Lee]

Thanks fins for that great review. I happen to be someone who has experience in both the "commuter" (pre-regional days), and getting on with a "Major"--which was not easy when I did it. I am not an unhappy regional guy like yourself who is always blaming other people for things that cannot be controlled by one person. Any views I have about scope or J4J would be yours too if you were in my position, and you know that. What kills you is that I am RIGHT about those positions, and I have defended my opinions with LOGIC. Do you think it is right to have CR7s flying from DFW to JFK on a 4 hour flight? I don't---and it isn't my fault--it is a marketing problem. But, you will agree to it because it furthers your cause--and that is what is wrong here. We all should want Mainline to expand, and then allow DCI people to come up---not the other way around. You don't like that view, and that is what is wrong. Moving up increases your lifestyle and pay--not moving down.

Ductleak,

I still think you should go for the upgrade, and if you feel comfortable with the E120, I would do the IAH deal and see Tyler and College Station upclose etc....Good luck.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[sleepy]

I am at ASA now. I have been here for over three years and I am still over 100 numbers away from upgrading (if I want to move to DFW, which I don't). If you are hired here now, and things remain the way they are now, you will not be able to upgrade for at least 8 years.

If you are smart, you will stay at Skywest and upgrade as quickly as possible. That is what you should do.