TSA or PDT?

[TH45]

Without any biased or stupid answers, which regional do you think would be better (short/long term) to work at... and yes I understand all regionals suck (and there maybe be better ones out there), but those are the options at this point... Thanks

 

[nyboilermaker]

PDT pays pretty well. I'm banking on a merge with PSA too.

 

[Mr Biggelsworth]

As for TSA: Last upgrade class in the jet was Nov 2003. Pretty good by industry std's as of today. All of the pilots and FA's are really nice. Just picked up flying out of San Antonio for UA. Took me about 8 months to hold a line in the jet and we're "supposedly" going to be an all jet fleet by June of this year. RIC is a good town and not a bad base. STL, IMHO, is God's gift to Satan and I can't stand the town or the airport, but that's just me.
As far as Mgmt is concerned, they are a bunch of schiesters with Uncle Hoolie as their ringleader. Pay scales are a little out of date but you still can survive as an FO if you're single and have no kids. Talks have just begun for the new contract so it's not going to be such a wonderful place to be for a while but our MEC kicks a$$ and hopefully we'll come out ok in the end with the contract (I'm of course being optimistic). As far as the whole HoJet's deal is concerned, I just ignore it when I go to work and that keeps me from getting pissed off so it makes the job more bearable. Everything has kind of been put on the back burner concerning it, since they're now with Hoffa's clan and contract talks have started. As for our jumpseat issue we have had, it will be returned to the way it was by the end of the week. (see other threads) All in all, I don't mind it here. There are better places and worse places than here, but when the name of the game is get the upgrade as fast as you can, get your 1000 turbine PIC and move on, I'm not complaining.
Schpiel Ended.

 

[LabMonkey76]

My best friend and I got jobs at the same time. He works for PDT me for TSA. He's gotten a lot more flying (and in doing so more money) as it has taken me over 8 months to hold a line. He also really enjoys not dealing with the day to day BS that seems to be associated with TSA. However, he will be the first to admit that I will probably upgrade first. Go for where you want to live and whats more important for you, more money right now and less BS, or a little less money right now and a shorter upgrade. Good luck.

 

[dollacrackho]

are u serious ? tsa is like a used tampon right now . move along nothing to see here. do the right thing!!!

 

[great cornholio]

If you do or want to live in RIC or STL then I say come to TSA. I'm not really sure where the PDT bases are but it you want to live at any of their bases then go there. Things here at TSA are pretty bad right now. We have lost over 15 planes in the past year (ok well that counts the 6 or 8 41s that will be gone in june). And as far as I know there is no growth. Keep hearing about how we got the Coex flying, but who knows I'll believe that when I see it. I upgraded on the J41 at exactly a year and a half. I'm only flying about 10 hours a month right now though so that kinda sucks. TSA management sucks because they always seem to kick us when we are down and the morale here at TSA right now is pretty bad because of contract negotiations and I think it will get worse before it gets better.

 

[waterski]

Stay Away From Tsa

 

[blzr]

TSA is growing, PDT is not. Not sure about the TSA employees, but I'm sure you would have a hard time finding a better group to work for at PDT.

 

[inbound]

they all suck!!! all of them!!!!! It doesnt matter where you go...you'll be bitching about who ever your flying for before you know it. I do think that as a whole, we at TSA are the best when it comes to bitching. Im very proud of that and I challenge anyone who thinks differently.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

go where the jets are.

 

[saviboy]

There are better places and worse places than here, but when the name of the game is get the upgrade as fast as you can, get your 1000 turbine PIC and move on, I'm not complaining.
Schpiel Ended.

Do u guys think that one can still move on with "only" a 1000 hr PIc given the competition these days ?( furloughed pilots from majors, experimented RJ captains....)

 

[flydoc]

Are you sure you want to do this...?

If you are, plan on being at the "regional" of your choice for at least 5 years...possibly 10. As savi said, the 1000pic is not an instant door-opener. I know guys at my last airline that passed that mark 4-5 years ago and still haven't been able to move on. And it's not that they are bad pilots with poor people skills and skeletons in their closet. These are solid performers that are very sociable.

All that being said, pick a place that you can live with for that amount of time. Preferrably somewhere you don't have to commute to, and somewhere that doesn't have pure unadulterated spite and hatred between the pilot group and management. Sure, bases change and no labor relationship is without some form of strife, but if the two groups can't stand even being in the same room together (TSA)--run away. Run away quickly.

 

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

experimented RJ captains....)

Is that like RJ captains that have been experimented with? What a crappy contract.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

If you are, plan on being at the "regional" of your choice for at least 5 years...possibly 10. As savi said, the 1000pic is not an instant door-opener. I know guys at my last airline that passed that mark 4-5 years ago and still haven't been able to move on. And it's not that they are bad pilots with poor people skills and skeletons in their closet. These are solid performers that are very sociable.

How prevelant is this. Are there really a lot of RJ captains with a few thousand turbine PIC that can't get anywhere with it?

 

[bizzum]

go where the jets are.

..........especially the really really shiny ones, with a really crappy contract with no pay.....seriously tho, PDT is not that bad of a place to go for a first regional, the planes are old, but the dash is a great airplane, the PDT pay is pretty good, and the contract is decent......really good people there too.....IMO

 

[millhouse21]

TSA is growing, PDT is not. Not sure about the TSA employees, but I'm sure you would have a hard time finding a better group to work for at PDT.

TSA is growing? Last I heard, we are losing all the J41s and not getting anything to replace them. That's a whole buttload of flying lost. The only reason we haven't furloughed is that attrition is sky high. According to the DO, the good news is that we will be an all jet fleet soon!!!! Woo Hooo!

 

[Shrek]

TSA pilots are the BEST group of people to work with. If that is important to you or the fact that you may be at ANY regional for 5 or more years you might as well like to fly with the people you work with.

NOT saying that PDT guys are bad to work with but you know what I mean.......

 

[ASH]

How prevelant is this. Are there really a lot of RJ captains with a few thousand turbine PIC that can't get anywhere with it?

Yup..