Southwest Pilots have a TA

[Autothrust Blue]

I don't. When I was in UPT 15 years ago, SWA was the crap place the mil guys went to to bide their time until they could get hired at a real airline. Then 9/11 happened and not long after suddenly SWA had fantastic pay (because they never took any cuts while the rest of the airlines took massive paycuts in the bankruptcyapoloozas) and people wanted to be there. Fast forward to today, the legacies are fairly back to where they were and now SWA is back to their old role. Not to mention that they have gone far from their successful niche in the industry which raises significant questions as to how they fit into the future.

I dig the avatar.

 

[Cptnchia]

Being an FO sucks. Especially after you've been a captain and know how much greener that grass is.

That's ego. I've been a regional FO and captain, and a mainline FO and now am upgrading. Even my worse day as a mainline FO beat my best day as a regional captain. It's all in your attitude and how you approach your job.

 

[Cptnchia]

"You damn kids, when I was a new hire, we flew the Brasilia at $22 an hour, 8 legs a day..."

Try $19.02/hr

Try $16/hr when I started at ASA.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

That's ego.

I don't think so. But I've never been accused of having a small ego, anyway, so be it.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

That's ego. I've been a regional FO and captain, and a mainline FO and now am upgrading. Even my worse day as a mainline FO beat my best day as a regional captain. It's all in your attitude and how you approach your job.

This is what I assume things to be like, and everyone that I know who has moved on says this too.

 

[Cptnchia]

I don't think so. But I've never been accused of having a small ego, anyway, so be it.

You've never been a captain either, so your statements on this matter aren't as valid. It can sometimes be easier to deal with a bad captain than a bad FO.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

You've never been a captain either, so your statements on this matter aren't as valid. It can sometimes be easier to deal with a bad captain than a bad FO.

Suuuure.

 

[Cptnchia]

Suuuure.

Ever been a captain either Jane?

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

You've never been a captain either.

Uh, false. You couldn't even get hired at AirTran unless you had been a captain. Part 121 captain or military command experience was a minimum qualification.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Ever been a captain either Jane?

Not yet. (If you say "upgrade as soon as you can" I will "cordially" invite you to view my Standing Bid entries. )

Also, Malcom Reynolds is the Captain every Captain should be, and Riker is the FO every FO should be.

 

[Cptnchia]

Uh, false. You couldn't even get hired at AirTran unless you had been a captain. Part 121 captain or military command experience was a minimum qualification.

Unless your last name was Colby! Course, I guess technically it was Valujet then.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

Unless your last name was Colby! Course, I guess technically it was Valujet then.

I'm not even sure who you're referencing.

 

[BEEF SUPREME]

I r the captain:

 

[derg]

I disagree. Except for those days when I'm flying with a weak or nonstandard Captain. Then I agree whole heartedly.

Flying as FO was fine and a lot of fun. Flying as FO in a widebody category was extremely fun.

There's just a time to upgrade.

But sitting as a senior captain at a regional thinking it's even marginally preferable than being a new hire at a top three or five major airline with a crap-ton of upward potential for career growth is, as Sir Charles Barkley says:

 

[derg]

I'm not even sure who you're referencing.

I do. I thought you knew everything! Ha!

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

I do. I thought you knew everything! Ha!

Care to enlighten me?

 

[Hacker15e]

But sitting as a senior captain at a regional thinking it's even marginally preferable than being a new hire at a top three or five major airline with a crap-ton of upward potential for career growth

That wasn't the point, though...it was being picky about which top-5 major/national/LCC you wanted to work at based on not wanting to spend too long in the right seat at that future company. That's IMHO a different discussion all together.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Uh, false. You couldn't even get hired at AirTran unless you had been a captain. Part 121 captain or military command experience was a minimum qualification.

That was not true in 1998. Almost everyone in my new hire class were previously FOs at Great Lakes, CCAir, or Chautauqua. Not one of us had hour 1 of PIC turbine at the time. But in 98' AirTran was where you went when you couldn't get hired anywhere else. You'll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy...

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

That was not true in 1998. Almost everyone in my new hire class were previously FOs at Great Lakes, CCAir, or Chautauqua. Not one of us had hour 1 of PIC turbine at the time. But in 98' AirTran was where you went when you couldn't get hired anywhere else. You'll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy...

Yeah, I'm not exactly sure when they implemented the requirement. I know it was always that way during the time I was looking to apply, so at least mid-2000s.

 

[BobDDuck]

There is something to be said for running your own show.

There is also something to be said for getting 17 to 18 days off a month and having to make zero decisions, all for only 35% less pay.

I've never actually be senior in a category before as I took the first upgrade I could at a regional, when lots of senior FOs were bypassing. I'm certainly planning to upgrade at my current shop, but I'm happy to sit around a bit and wait until my quality of life is ok before I pull the trigger. I actually could be flying the widebody right now, but it's not worth it to go for me as I'd lose about 4 days off a month to do so and be stuck with all kinds of west coast red eye flying. I think I'll happily sit in my little(er) plan and enjoy my extra time off until I can make an equal QOL transition.