Regional CA vs LCC FO...

chrisreedrules

chrisreedrules

Master Blaster
Say you were going to upgrade in the next few months at your regional. And also say you were sitting on the times to begin looking "competitive" to apply for an FO position at an LCC.

Regional CA has better pay (and so does regional FO now) than starting pay at the LCCs for at least the first year. Regional job is an easy commute with better travel benefits than the LCC job. More possibility of schedule flexibility at the regional job vs the LCC job.

LCC paycheck matches the name on the side of the aircraft compared to regional, which obviously does not. LCC job will pay more after the second year compared to the regional job. If the economy tanks or something else happens, it would be better career-wise to be "stuck" at an LCC than a regional.

Which would you choose and why?
 
No brainer for 2016/7: stay at the regional and be a CA to log the TPIC. Yeah, people say it doesn't matter anymore. But I can tell you from a job fair I went to a while ago the lack of TPIC was the single biggest thing pointed at my application, and that included 320 SIC time. Why go to a LCC now? I honestly don't think it gives you any leg-up over a regional CA. If this was back in 2010-2014, I'd say yes go to the LCC and ride out some time there. But in 2016 and especially 2017, barring any Act of God (etc), the top 3 legacy carriers are hiring like 1,000 (or more) per year. Ride it out as a RJ CA and go to one of the big 3.
 
It totally depends on the math.

Depending on the (U)LCC in question and the regional, it makes sense financially to jump ship in some cases and in other cases it makes sense to stay put.

You're gonna have to do the math and guesstimate career earnings under a bunch of scenarios.

When I did the math for a hypothetical example a while back with one of the AA WOs and a NB career at AA vs Frontier, Spirit, JetBlue and Southwest I made more money by going AA WO compared to Spirit and Frontier and a JetBlue E-190 career, but would make more over career earnings at JetBlue getting onto the bus and more at Southwest, even as an FO for 10-12 years. This was before the new Allegiant TA, the 8% flight hour pay increase at JetBlue and Southwest's new TA.

You've got a semi accurate way to guesstimate your flow. If the Math still supports an 18 year flow at PSA like it did 18 months ago, jumping ship ASAP to any (U)LCC is a no brainer. Those numbers tighten up as the flow gets shorter.
 
Upgrade at your regional and learn how to be a Captain. You will be much better off at your next step if you get command experience under your belt.
 
i say go to the place where the name on the paycheck matches who owns the flying
 
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Which LCC are you looking at?
I was paid 95.6 hours and flew 17ish last month.
I don't think I've ever seen anything less than 10 HR spread between block and credit.

As it was stated, it depends.

Learn what each LCC soft time says. Readjust fire.
 
Based on your first year pay logic would you turn down UPS because you will make less than a regional FO first year but second year FO goes to $171/hr? There is no right answer to your question since it's all a gamble. If you knew for sure you'd would get hired by legacy in the next couple years then the TPIC is the best thing for your resume and IMO TPIC is much better to recruiters vs an airbus type with SIC time. Airlines look to hire Captains and being a CRJ or Embraer FO is no different from an Airbus FO so you're not improving much on your resume outside of passing another type/training. Personally I would take the upgrade and build the resume up and apply for check airman at your regional. If an LCC has a base in your hometown and you can eliminate a commute that would be very hard to turn down but the fastest way to a legacy is to upgrade and try to work in the training department. If you decide to go to a ULCC don't go to G4 since it could really skew your whole way of thinking about this whole job. I used to enjoy layovers and make the best of them along with airport sits and deadheads but after you realize you never have to do any of that again it's very hard to go back to that life. I have friends at UPS/FedEx and legacy that will be able to retire earlier and with a much larger pot than me but after getting a couple years of a normal life it changed my view to consider any time away from home as time at working and I should be paid accordingly (Total Pay/TAFB). What's even more odd is I'm not a homebody and don't mind being away but after a while the day trip, quick turn, home by dinner lifestyle sucked me in and I don't have any updated apps anywhere else.
 
Screaming_Emu said:
Where would you be happier being stuck if the music stops?
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This. Personally having the name down the side of the airplane match the name on the paycheck is priceless. Anyone that thinks the LCC/ULCC rates will stay what they are for their career is selling themselves short.

Besides, the owner of this site has stated many, many times that it is more about the entire applicant than it is TPIC time these days.

Good luck with your decision. Why not apply and if you get an interview, see how that goes. It's all a mental chicken choke until then anyway.
 
I think jumping ship from a regional to a U/LCC when an upgrade is pending is a highly questionable move. Sure an interview/job offer is (theoretically) about the whole person, but every little bit counts. Building turbine PIC time will always be valuable if for nothing more than making you a much better asset to the crew when you get to your "dream job."

Plus, who knows, this industry is incredibly fickle. They can turn around and pass age 70 tomorrow and all the massive hiring and movement would slow to a crawl. Guess what two things will then be big ticket items for chances of moving on again? If you said a degree and turbine PIC you're on the money. Go to the U/LCC AFTER you get some big boss time under your belt.
 
chrisreedrules said:
Say you were going to upgrade in the next few months at your regional. And also say you were sitting on the times to begin looking "competitive" to apply for an FO position at an LCC.

Regional CA has better pay (and so does regional FO now) than starting pay at the LCCs for at least the first year. Regional job is an easy commute with better travel benefits than the LCC job. More possibility of schedule flexibility at the regional job vs the LCC job.

LCC paycheck matches the name on the side of the aircraft compared to regional, which obviously does not. LCC job will pay more after the second year compared to the regional job. If the economy tanks or something else happens, it would be better career-wise to be "stuck" at an LCC than a regional.

Which would you choose and why?
Click to expand...

We still haven't flown together, so you cant leave quite yet.
 
The answer is, there is no answer. You just never know how things are going to work out. You just have to do what you think is best for you and try to position yourself as best as you can. For me, I went the LCC path and it worked out better than I could have imagined. Yet I have a friend who chose the same path and is having second thoughts. Whatever you decide, enjoy the ride.
 
Cherokee_Cruiser said:
No brainer for 2016/7: stay at the regional and be a CA to log the TPIC. Yeah, people say it doesn't matter anymore. But I can tell you from a job fair I went to a while ago the lack of TPIC was the single biggest thing pointed at my application, and that included 320 SIC time. Why go to a LCC now? I honestly don't think it gives you any leg-up over a regional CA. If this was back in 2010-2014, I'd say yes go to the LCC and ride out some time there. But in 2016 and especially 2017, barring any Act of God (etc), the top 3 legacy carriers are hiring like 1,000 (or more) per year. Ride it out as a RJ CA and go to one of the big 3.
Click to expand...

Where u looking to go?
 
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