Why would a RJ Capt. leave for CAL, DAL, UAL, UAW, or NW?

[Nightrain_080]

So I was doing some looking around on airlinepilot central, and I just can't believe those FO payscales. What makes it worse is the fact that they have lower guarentees than regionals have. DAL has a 65 hr guarentee, Continental has a 72 hr guarentee, AA has a 64. Then you look at those payrates and you are making less than an RJ captain for a long long time. Since the upgrades seem to look like atleast 10 yrs (except CAL) why is it that everyone is jumping at the majors. The FO pay is AWFUL. At United, a 2nd year FO will make $42,000. a 5th yr FO will make $65,000. In contrast lets say your a 5 year Captain at ExpressJet. You will bring home $75,000 easy. I would say most people at XJT get between 85 and 90 hrs of credit a month. So I guess XJT guys make more than Legacy drivers. That makes SICK. I don't know how ya'll do it. PLEASE tell me that you atleast get more than 65 HOURS a month of credit. Otherwise I guess the LCC's are not that bad of an option. Atleast you get more than 65 hrs of pay. And you can upgrade in 2-3 yrs. Maybe I am missing something here, but how can you be in this industry for as many yrs as it takes to get to a Major, but make less than you did flying your regional jet.

My rant is over.

PS-(I DID NOT PROOF READ THIS SO THERE MAY BE SPELLING ERRORS)

Look again Troll. You need to retake Math 101

 

[xrated]

If you fly BIG airplanes, you get all the Hot Chicks!!! If you fly little bitty airplanes, you get ugly fat chicks, hence, little airplane pilots have very low self esteem!

At least thats my take on the topic.....for what it's worth.

 

[PapaSiera]

Look again Troll. You need to retake Math 101

Oh really? Lets take a closer look then...

United 2nd year pay- $50
$50 X 65 X 12=$39,000

United 5th year pay- $78
$78 X 65 X 12=$60,840

ExpressJet 2nd year pay- $62 if you upgrade which you prob will now.
$62 X 85 X 12= $63,240

ExpressJet 5th year pay- $68
$68 X 85 X 12= $69,360

85 hours is conservative for us. Most people credit between 85-100 hrs a month.

Just for giggles lets look at 12th year pay....

United 12th year pay- $90
$90 X 65 X 12= $70,200

ExpressJet 12th year pay- $82
$82 X 85 X 12= $83,640

All United figures are for 737/A320 FO You may move to other airframs as FO, but I am just keeping it simple. It WILL take you 12 YEARS to upgrade at United.

Now what Nightrain?? Do I still need Math 101?

 

[C-150ETOPS]

AA reserve G is 73 hours.

Most lines have around 76-78. With trip trades or answering the phone, lineholders can get 83 hours pretty easily.

As mentioned, "to each his own" is the answer to your question.

 

[ualdriver]

Oh really? Lets take a closer look then...

United 2nd year pay- $50
$50 X 65 X 12=$39,000

United 5th year pay- $78
$78 X 65 X 12=$60,840

ExpressJet 2nd year pay- $62 if you upgrade which you prob will now.
$62 X 85 X 12= $63,240

ExpressJet 5th year pay- $68
$68 X 85 X 12= $69,360

85 hours is conservative for us. Most people credit between 85-100 hrs a month.

Just for giggles lets look at 12th year pay....

United 12th year pay- $90
$90 X 65 X 12= $70,200

ExpressJet 12th year pay- $82
$82 X 85 X 12= $83,640

All United figures are for 737/A320 FO You may move to other airframs as FO, but I am just keeping it simple. It WILL take you 12 YEARS to upgrade at United.

Now what Nightrain?? Do I still need Math 101?

1. I don't know where you're getting the 12 year upgrade idea at UAL. I don't have the seniority list in front of me, but currently it's much less than that for 737 Capts. I'm a 12 year guy and I'm almost half way up the 737 Capt list at UAL.

2. You're comparing 65 hours of pay at UAL vs. 85 hours at Expressjet. Very few people fly 65 hour schedules at UAL. In fact, our lines are built to the low and mid 90's quite commonly.

 

[Jonny Sacko]

Easy answer, you are right. Stay there. It's better.

 

[samballs]

So I was doing some looking around on airlinepilot central, and I just can't believe those FO payscales. What makes it worse is the fact that they have lower guarentees than regionals have. DAL has a 65 hr guarentee, Continental has a 72 hr guarentee, AA has a 64. Then you look at those payrates and you are making less than an RJ captain for a long long time. Since the upgrades seem to look like atleast 10 yrs (except CAL) why is it that everyone is jumping at the majors. The FO pay is AWFUL. At United, a 2nd year FO will make $42,000. a 5th yr FO will make $65,000. In contrast lets say your a 5 year Captain at ExpressJet. You will bring home $75,000 easy. I would say most people at XJT get between 85 and 90 hrs of credit a month. So I guess XJT guys make more than Legacy drivers. That makes SICK. I don't know how ya'll do it. PLEASE tell me that you atleast get more than 65 HOURS a month of credit. Otherwise I guess the LCC's are not that bad of an option. Atleast you get more than 65 hrs of pay. And you can upgrade in 2-3 yrs. Maybe I am missing something here, but how can you be in this industry for as many yrs as it takes to get to a Major, but make less than you did flying your regional jet.

My rant is over.

PS-(I DID NOT PROOF READ THIS SO THERE MAY BE SPELLING ERRORS)

I like lifers that think regionals are good jobs

 

[SoCentralRain]

Stay where you are! Plus, I hear that Embraer seat is really comfy. Enjoy that. You'll be sitting in it for a long time. Preparation H is in the salves/ointments aisle.

SCR

 

[FDJ2]

85 hours is conservative for us. Most people credit between 85-100 hrs a month.

It seems to me, that in order to make a fair comparison you need to consider what the average line value is at CAL, DAL, NWA, AA etc., not just the minimum guarantee.

Do most pilots fly minimum guarantee at your airline? I don't think so and I know they don't at mine either. But if all you're looking for is validation of your career decision to stay at your commuter, consider yourself validated if it makes you happy.

 

[catIIIc]

Can some of the legacy drivers chime in and tell us if you get over 65 hours of credit per month. Are lines only built to 65-70hrs?

Hell no at CAL we are flying 85-90 hours a month, I believe the Airbus and Guppy guys are also at UAL.

 

[YourPilotFriend]

Well the top of the regional list is certainly more stable than the bottom of a major carrier. First year pay for the next nwa new hire will be $19500.

 

[jtf]

Do what you think is best for you. If you go to a major you may very well be furloughed since you will be so low on the list. You will also most likely make more money by the end of your career if you have lots of time left and don't lose your medical. If you stay at the regional you may be out of a job if the regional bites the dust. Everything in aviation is a gamble. How is staying at Express Jet not a gamle now- starting their own independent airline operations and their own charter is a gamble that must be made under the current circumstances, but it is not a small gamble. If those ops tank and and the company wants to live they will have to take pay cuts just like all the majors that are being ripped in this thread. I can understand staying put at Eagle more than Express Jet since it is currently wholly owned by who it feeds, but even that isn't much safer. Comair is wholly owned and was a good place in the very recent past and it is now going down. Is any regional really safer than the majors? I think salaries at the majors will go up, but they won't ever be like the glory years we all dreamed about when we started flying airplanes. This is a cyclical business, but the cycle went pretty darn low and with all the LCCs keeping pricing pressure on, I just can't see things getting as good as before. I can't believe that Skybus and Vigin America are going to do anything good to help raise the bar anywhere else during negotiations at the majors once the bankrupcy contracts are up. Analyze your specific situation and then roll the dice since either choice could be wrong.

 

[jtm2222]

I left for a major over a year ago and its the best move i've made.. Flying big equipment vs. RJ is a whole different world. Not having to deal with canceled RJ flights is huge. I think anyone under 40 should jump ship to a major if they have a chance. To me this is a very simple question. Overall you make a sh$t pile more money at a major than a regional. Get onboard and get that senority number.

 

[Thedude]

Regionals are performing all the DC-9, Folker Jet, 737 and most of the 727 routes, as well as a lot of South America.

What commuters are flying to South America??!! Thats news for me.

 

[AutoBus]

I left for a major over a year ago and its the best move i've made.. Flying big equipment vs. RJ is a whole different world. Not having to deal with canceled RJ flights is huge. I think anyone under 40 should jump ship to a major if they have a chance. To me this is a very simple question. Overall you make a sh$t pile more money at a major than a regional. Get onboard and get that senority number.

Good advise! It's easy to get sucked into the this is not so bad, kind of OK paycheck. But over the LONG haul you will be better off at a major, regionals come and go, code share agreements come and go, it's better to be working for the company that actually writes the checks rather than a sub-contractor.

There is really no arguement if you do the math and the research you will come up with the same answers. As an FO I've been working 4 on 3 off, with no weekends and all holidays off since year about year 5, averaging around 100K for the past 3 years.