tOP 5 rEGIONALS TO WORK FOR ?

[Beavis]

How about crummy pay, poor work rules, poor management, crummy bases...........

 

[Dep676]

How about there is no top 5. They all pay crap to start. The only good ones would be the ones that pay a livable wage to start and didn't make you sit reserve for 6 months to a year. Also pay you from day one of training and pay for your housing while in training. That will never happen huh? Didn't think so.

 

[AWACoff]

Um, not to toot my own horn (inside joke)...

Air Wisconsin pays you from the 1st day of training. They pay for your housing during initial newhire training (even if you live in the same city as the training event...newhires only). The starting pay (which begins from the 1st day of training) is the applicable hourly rate of your equipment. 1st year jet pay is $24/hour. That's pretty liveable. Sitting reserve...get used to it, this is the airlines. I am guessing there are other regionals out there with similiar setups. Never say never (dammN, I said it twice).

 

[Dep676]

Well that's half way descent pay and not a bad setup as far as getting it from day one. I guess maybe that could make a top 5 list. No if only the other regionals would follow suit.

 

[everyonedoa360]

Skywest pays first day of training, pays for your hotel, and the 1st year rate is 19.58 (I think it's .58) in both the RJ and the EMB

 

[Dep676]

That's all and good about Skywest. However the pay sucks. If it is 19.58 and you get a 75 hour guarantee that's only 17622.00 a year. I wouldn't classify that as a decsent wage. Nothing that I am going to run out and try and get.

 

[><><><]

Its all about paying your dues. Why do guys flight instruct for $15,000 - $20,000 per year? Fly night single pilot IFR cargo in planes that are questionably airworthy? They do it because they love it (flying), and know that at some point things will pay off. $19.02 per hour at SkyWest isn't much, but if you stick it out, second year CRJ is around $34.00. An upgrade to captain raises that figure 2X -- flying awesome equipment. If you want something for nothing, and aren't willing to pay your dues, you'll be pretty unhappy for the rest of your life.

 

[everyonedoa360]

Hey Dep676,

Then keeping flying your Conquest and C310 around and don't go to work for a Regional airline. We don't need more whinning pilots in the crew lounge.

<><><><> got it right.

 

[Dep676]

It's guys like you 2 and others that will keep the pay so low. And as far as the Conquest remark the captain that I usually fly with is pulling down around 80k a year and gets a company car and oh yeah a 20% bonus every year. Let's see and that 20% of his salary. That is 16,000.00 extra a year for flying a conquest. UMMMMMMMMMMMMM now that's as much as your first year guys make. In my book it doesn't matter what equipment you fly. It's all about quailty of life and being able to pay your bills. Also I will be flying around in a KA 200 making more than your second year guys and having more time off and better per-diem. Oh yeah I don't have to fly to the same place 2 or 3 times a day. So keep on flying around your glorified grey hounds. Flying the same old routes day in and day out. I have paid my dues and then some. Starting at wages like that just prolongs the pain. The guys instructing for 15 or 20K a year are paying dues. They shouldn't have to do it longer.

 

[Gator Aviator]

Dep676...get a grip

I'm amazed at how many pilots are more concerned with pay rates than any other aspect of their flying career. I like money as much as the next fellow, but the regionals/nationals is by no means my final career stop. I would rather have the flying job I desire most for less pay than fly purely for the money.

Folks that bitch about pay rates are guilty in my book of doing little to no career research before getting into flying as their sole means to pay the bills (did you really think you'd be making money hand over fist right out of the gate?). Anyone who loves flying AND wants a good paying career right out of college could be a doctor, lawyer, consultant, etc. and fly their own aircraft for fun.

The reason the regionals can pay so little to new-hires? Just check the stack of resumes at every hiring airline in the US. Even the lower-tier regionals have plenty of applicants. If not for the unions, the pay rates would be far less.

><><>< was correct in saying the pay rates are liveable from the 2nd year. 3rd/4th year pay isn't bad at all if you make Captain. Is it that unbearable for a few years? NO.

Before I get flamed for "accepting" the crappy pay rates, I undoubtedly will stand with my fellow union members at contract time. But I will trade flying with a stable, growing, financially healthy airline for slightly better pay any day (can you say Southwest & jetblue?) if it helps me land my dream job with a Major.