Super senior Regional Airline pilots

[Rally]

Is it me or is the first kid already balding.

In contrast, may I present the most senior Captain at Gojet...

http://www.tavustheman.com/photos/Amarillo-Sept2007/slides/DSC_9853.JPG


....Colgan....

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3223/2759177290_e709134c9a.jpg?v=0


...and last but certainly the suckiest, Mesa...


http://www.gamerevolution.com/images/misc/image/airline-pilot.jpg

 

[Captain Morgan]

In contrast, may I present the most senior Captain at Gojet...

http://www.tavustheman.com/photos/Amarillo-Sept2007/slides/DSC_9853.JPG


....Colgan....

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3223/2759177290_e709134c9a.jpg?v=0


...and last but certainly the suckiest, Mesa...


http://www.gamerevolution.com/images/misc/image/airline-pilot.jpg

Haha! That actually had me laughing! Thanks for the humor tonight!

 

[WickedPissa]

I hope those disfunctional bitter bluehairs from Newport News have retired for the sake of future generations.

 

[homerjdispatch]

Up until a few years ago the most senior pilot at SkyWest, Earl Snow, was basically the first pilot at SkyWest. I think he put in at least 30 years and that whole time he was number 1. He held various management positions as well. I never got to fly with him but did talk to him in the crew lounge a few times and he was a nice guy. He retired early and from what I heard did really well financially with his shares of SkyWest stock. The current number 1 pilot at SkyWest has been there 35 years if I'm not mistaken.

The most senior pilot at OO has hire date of 7-1-74. He is currently the VP of Flight Ops and is also the most senior employee by date of hire... Jerry Atkin was hired two months later...

 

[JoeMerchant]

And finally, what is the reason that most of these senior folks stay? QOL? or some event that prevented them from moving on?

Thanks for any replies.
73

aa73, the answer to this question is BOTH. QOL and/or events that prevented them from moving on. In my case, I planned on moving on. However, this is my third downturn in this business, and my QOL has continued to improve throughout the years. Just as I was getting to 1000 turbine PIC, the dot com bubble was bursting and then 911 occured. At that time I decided to stay.

I control my schedule and get more time off than any of my friends and family who work "normal" jobs....I'm trading that for anything. The bottom of a list at the majors just doesn't look that good from here.

 

[aa73]

Thanks Joe Merchant, I asked this question b/c I stil fly with several CAs who never worked for the regionals and can't figure out why folks stay there for a career. Having been a regional pilot, I can attest as to why someone would make it a career these days. Your reasoning makes a lot of sense.

see y'all on the ra-di-ooo...
73