TSA vs. Pinnacle vs. ?

[Rip Vanwinkle]

Other than reminding me that I'm the antichrist for considering either of them, how do these two stack up considering:

1) I live in STL. This is not going to change. Presumably this would mean TSA would be no commute, wheras Pinnacle would be DTW, I guess?

2) I have a "lot" of time. several thousands, all pic, plenty multi, no turbine.

3) My primary interest is quick upgrade (another fool chasing that Turbine PIC!)

My thought, currently, is that it may be the best bet to hold my nose and go work for Uncle Hulas rather than commute for a (slightly) better work-rules job like Pinnacle. The upgrade appears to be even faster and by all accounts living in base is a big help. A dark horse contender is GLA if they'll ever open their STL base.

Republic, Skywest, and XJet are out due to rising upgrade times and high upgrade minimums.

With those things established, I'd love to hear what the community at large has to recommend. Other, of course, than I go do something anatomically impossible with myself. If you must insult, please be creative.

Thanks.

 

[35off]

what??????

Haven't we seen this same post before???

If you really are STL why not CHQ? Its JR, they are short. You could go to TSA or HOJET.

What are you talking about "hiring mins up and upgrade times up?" What world r you in?? Mins are falling all over, plus why do you even care about hiring mins with over 3000 hrs???? You post smells of bait???

If you are looking for PIC I would suggest TSA because after the sept upgrade class there will be nobody left to upgrade. You could come on as a street captain....

 

[Rip Vanwinkle]

Yes, I've asked pretty much the same question before but I was sort of hijacking other peoples' threads. I thought maybe I should start one of my own.

I am really in STL, I promise. I don't want to do CHQ because people I know on the inside say that if hired now the upgrade would be 2-3 years. I know that's not really that bad, but I started kind of late and I'd like to catch up a little bit with a quick upgrade. I'm willing to suffer a bit in order to achieve that. I don't want to suffer TOO much though...

As to the minimums, I'm not really worried about hiring minimums, but I'm concerned about the upgrade mins. My understanding is most companies require a certain amount of time in company aircraft or at least turbine aircraft to be considered for upgrade. I've neither of those.

Not bait, I assure you. Thanks for the response.

 

[stooge]

I don't want to suffer TOO much though...

And you are still considering TSA????

But seriously, the current upgrade there is still well over 3 years. It should come down (every FO left for greener pastures), but they have been upgrading less (none in june, half class in july) and nobody would be suprised if hulie hired street captains or just gave the flying to hojets. An honest recommendation is that commuting to skywest in ORD or going to CHQ would be much better options than betting on Hulas.

 

[great cornholio]

TSA sucks but commuting sucks more. I'd say out of the two go to TSA. A Sept 07 class was posted and the jr guy in the class was hired Oct 06 so now (unless the class gets cx'd) TSA officially has an 11 month upgrade. I forget the number but there is some turbine time needed to upgrade...500 comes to mind. With that being said if you come to TSA you will get that in about 7 or so months on line. So take into account the time for training and you're looking at about a 10 month upgrade.

 

[Rip Vanwinkle]

I appreciate the info. Thanks guys.

 

[flyer172r]

If you're prepared to hate your life, go to TSA.

 

[rjacobs]

XJT having high upgrade mins? Thats a new one on me, the mins have been ATP mins for a long time and will remain that way for the forseable future. Will our upgrade stay at 2 years, who knows it seems to be slowing down as the last bid only had 32 upgrades on it, but the next bid in Sept. may have another 75 upgrades on it, who knows. As much as people bad mouth TSA, I enjoyed my time there. The company itself sucks, but the people who work on the line are great and do their best with what they are given.

 

[Boris Badenov]

From what I've heard, and this seems to be borne out by the comments here, TSA's management is awful but perhaps not quite as transparently and stupidly awful as Mesa. That is to say it sounds like TSA is only awful when there's at least an argument to be made that it benefits the company to be awful, rather than spitefully and self-defeatingly awful. I stand prepared to be corrected.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

Last I heard, if you had the time, PCL was upgrading guys their first week in Indoc-TSA was not doing that lately.

cliff
YIP

 

[Rip Vanwinkle]

cliff: It's my understanding that Pinnacle has a time in type or at least a turbine requirement that would put the upgrade at about a year for a new hire with no turbine time. I'd love to be wrong!

 

[kansas]

TSA sucks but commuting sucks more. I'd say out of the two go to TSA. A Sept 07 class was posted and the jr guy in the class was hired Oct 06 so now (unless the class gets cx'd) TSA officially has an 11 month upgrade. I forget the number but there is some turbine time needed to upgrade...500 comes to mind. With that being said if you come to TSA you will get that in about 7 or so months on line. So take into account the time for training and you're looking at about a 10 month upgrade.

The funniest avatar I've ever seen. Well done, GC.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

That may be. The guys who are getting capt slots already meet all the qualifications.

cliff
YIP

PS-It took my 31 years to get my 1000 PIC Jet-I feel your pain!

 

[great cornholio]

The funniest avatar I've ever seen. Well done, GC.

Thanks. Its amazing what a few beers while stuck on reserve in a crashpad can do. I've always wondered what yours is... Cloud seeding is my guess.

 

[Rip Vanwinkle]

cornholio, stooge, et al: How difficult is it to hold STL? I'm told they ask you in the interview whether you have a problem with either base. Is this because they might send you to Richmond if they're so inclined?

Thanks again.

Rip

 

[Smarta$$]

Stay away from Pinnacle.