Which of these is the "better" one for me?

[CaptO'Brien]

I have decided on a couple of my top choicees for regionals to apply to, but I wanted to get the opinion of people who are currently working there before I start applying.

I know regionals aren't the "best" place to work, I just want to find a place that I don't have to sit reserve forever, I can get a decent upgrade, and the company isnt on the verge of going belly up! (...If that exsists...)

Below is a list of the regionals I have looked at (not in any particular order)...Are any better to work at than others? Can anyone suggest one that I don't have on the list that may be good? Can you tell me why they would not be a good choice, or why they would be a good choice?

Air Wisconsin
American Eagle
Mesa
Express Jet
PSA
Trans States Airlines
Northwest Airlink (Pinnacle)
Great lakes
Comair
Colgan
ASA
Sky West
Republic
Chautauqua

I can't decide which one is better than the others...They all seem to take alot of flak on this board. Can anyone offer me some advice so i dont make a mistake...My current situation is:

Flight Instructing
625TT
95Multi

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Capt O'B

 

[SkyNation]

ask yourself 'if I were stuck at (blank) forever, would that be ok?'

then apply there and 2 other places. choose places where you want to live, commuting sucks and even at it's best runs a distant second to living in base.

 

[captainv]

One easy way to whittle the list down would be to apply to the above list, see who will interview you, then see who offers you a job.

Then you can compare pay rates, work rules, growth/upgrades, etc. Another big factor - where do you live? Where would you be based? Will you commute or move to your base?

You will likely have a better idea of who you want to work for after the interview...

 

[Uncle Bunkle]

Below is a list of the regionals I have looked at

Air Wisconsin
American Eagle
Mesa
Express Jet
PSA
Trans States Airlines
Northwest Airlink (Pinnacle)
Great lakes
Comair
Colgan
ASA
Sky West
Republic
Chautauqua

Capt O'B

As for your list: You left off Mesaba, which is another NW Airlink regional. Republic and Chautauqua are one and the same company as far as hiring goes.
Don't even consider Mesa, no matter what.
Where do you live? Pick one where you won't have to commute, that should probably be Choice #1.
If you don't care where you live, you usually can't go wrong with ExpressJet, Skywest, or Republic.

 

[TNHillbilly]

Go with one where you don't have to commute...this will make a huge difference in your quality of life. If you don't care, then go with Expressjet or Republic.

 

[BoilerUP]

Where do you want to live?

That is the #1 question...after all, what's the price of QOL? Most folks would gladly trade $$$ to have a decent non-work life.

 

[CaptO'Brien]

I am not to picky where I would live....I am planning on moving to wherever I get hired...But I guess i would prefer somewhere warm..and not to big of a ghetto. I am NOT going to commute ( I have never heard anything positive about it)...So where i start is where i will move.

The reason i am asking where is better before i apply is because i don't want to get picked up by a bottom feeder only to be offered an interview somewhere better two weeks after i start.

Thanks for all the advice!

 

[poor2thecore]

I am not to picky where I would live....I am planning on moving to wherever I get hired...But I guess i would prefer somewhere warm..and not to big of a ghetto. I am NOT going to commute ( I have never heard anything positive about it)...So where i start is where i will move.

The reason i am asking where is better before i apply is because i don't want to get picked up by a bottom feeder only to be offered an interview somewhere better two weeks after i start.

Thanks for all the advice!

Try to get on with Skywest, they have multipal domiciles in Southern California. It's warm, and really isn't a "ghetto", but pretty expensive. Expressjet has an LAX and ONT base as well.

 

[Popeye0537]

You can pull Chautauqua/Republic/Shuttle off your list untill you get another 875 hours which will help you narrow your choices.

 

[BoilerUP]

You can pull Chautauqua/Republic/Shuttle off your list untill you get another 875 hours which will help you narrow your choices.

RAH is hiring 500 hour wonders like everybody else these days...

 

[bizjet800]

I have decided on a couple of my top choicees for regionals to apply to, but I wanted to get the opinion of people who are currently working there before I start applying.

I know regionals aren't the "best" place to work, I just want to find a place that I don't have to sit reserve forever, I can get a decent upgrade, and the company isnt on the verge of going belly up! (...If that exsists...)

Below is a list of the regionals I have looked at (not in any particular order)...Are any better to work at than others? Can anyone suggest one that I don't have on the list that may be good? Can you tell me why they would not be a good choice, or why they would be a good choice?

Air Wisconsin
American Eagle
Mesa
Express Jet
PSA
Trans States Airlines
Northwest Airlink (Pinnacle)
Great lakes
Comair
Colgan
ASA
Sky West
Republic
Chautauqua

I can't decide which one is better than the others...They all seem to take alot of flak on this board. Can anyone offer me some advice so i dont make a mistake...My current situation is:

Flight Instructing
625TT
95Multi

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Capt O'B

Other than location, there probably isn't much difference!

 

[hoover]

I have decided on a couple of my top choicees for regionals to apply to, but I wanted to get the opinion of people who are currently working there before I start applying.

I know regionals aren't the "best" place to work, I just want to find a place that I don't have to sit reserve forever, I can get a decent upgrade, and the company isnt on the verge of going belly up! (...If that exsists...)

It seems to me that two of your 3 concerns are relatively inconsequential. 1) Reserve: There are exceptions, but I think most people aren't on reserve for than a few months as new hire FO. After that, you can decide whether or not to go back on reserve or not be deciding when to take an upgrade. A few months of reserve time is, in my opinion, not the basis on which to accept/decline a job.

2) Upgrade time: Similiar to reserve, upgrades do not take longer than 2 to 3 years in most cases. In the span of a career, 2, 3, or 4 years to upgrade is not that much time.

Bottom line: It seems to me that selecting an employer where you might be for several years, perhaps even an entire career, should not be made based on upgrade time or time on reserve.

 

[Popeye0537]

RAH is hiring 500 hour wonders like everybody else these days...

Only interns with 500...Insurance requires 1000 total in the 145 and 1500 in the 170/175

 

[CutEmUp]

Only interns with 500...Insurance requires 1000 total in the 145 and 1500 in the 170/175

And why would the insurance company care if you were an intern?

 

[CRJ puppy]

Apply to all.

See who offers you an interview.

Study.

See who offers you a job.

Study more.

Make a decision.

Limiting yourself before you even have a job offer is comparable to a 16 yr old trying to decide whether to apply at Burger King, Wendy's or McDonald's...

Good luck!