In your experience, why are some pilots are regionals “lifers?”

jtrain609 said:
When I hit two years and 1 day at Azul I'll make nearly twice what I did as a captain at compass.

Plus a 15% DC to my 401k without having to contribute a dime myself.

It isn't even close, and this is without getting to work rules.
Click to expand...

That's terrific - I'm glad that is going to work for you. All I was saying is that the perspective of the older pilot breeds a little more caution - not that you were wrong or anything.
 
killbilly said:
That's terrific - I'm glad that is going to work for you. All I was saying is that the perspective of the older pilot breeds a little more caution - not that you were wrong or anything.
Click to expand...
I certainly get it. And I flew with a lot of people who were “stuck,” for one reason or another too, and I have the deepest sympathies for their plight.
 
killbilly said:
That's terrific - I'm glad that is going to work for you. All I was saying is that the perspective of the older pilot breeds a little more caution - not that you were wrong or anything.
Click to expand...

Oh no, even at my age there's caution. I'm sticking around at Azul because I've gained seniority so quickly that I'd be a fool to leave. I have no interest in flying wide bodies to other continents, so what we do is fine for me.

You would not believe the amount of shade I've gotten from other pilots about this decision. These are people on this forum who think I have a hole in my head for not pushing to work at X legacy.

But the truth is I'm too risk adverse to start over at the bottom of ANOTHER seniority list when I think there is a recession coming. Me and my colleagues disagree on the level of risk I'd be accepting, and that's fine, reasonable people can disagree.

So I get it, but I still think the largest exposure to risk is by saying at a fee for departure cattier.
 
Autothrust Blue said:
Honestly, the only one I’d have wanted a long term tie up with was the one I had a long term tie up with. Of the lot of them, the sheer size and scale of the Mormons makes them survivable, but overall, get in and GTFO as quickly as you can.

With the exception of the Brasilia: 0/10, would not repeat, no stars, D minus see me after class etc.
Click to expand...

Wow, you sure seemed to have a terrible experience! In my seven years there, I had a pretty good time. Made some great friends, did some great flying, Mormon experience was minimal. I know it’s popular to hate on SkyWest here, but I don’t regret my time there at all.
 
killbilly said:
That's terrific - I'm glad that is going to work for you. All I was saying is that the perspective of the older pilot breeds a little more caution - not that you were wrong or anything.
Click to expand...
Yeah, as excited as I am to be jumping into this career full time and fulfill a dream, the 3 little mouths and 6 innocent eyes I look at eveyday truly make it a terrifying concept. I keep looking at it as improving their life down the road.
 
GypsyPilot said:
Wow, you sure seemed to have a terrible experience! In my seven years there, I had a pretty good time. Made some great friends, did some great flying, Mormon experience was minimal. I know it’s popular to hate on SkyWest here, but I don’t regret my time there at all.
Click to expand...
Eh, perhaps I was a bit extreme above. I did have a lot of fun and I learned a ton and so on, and made some good friends, but being way out east it is a radically different place to go to work than out west.

I do believe it changed, culturally, rather dramatically, in the time I worked there.
 
Dexter said:
ITT i learned working at a legacy is better than working at a regional.
Click to expand...
S H O C K I N G, right? :)

Or an (U)LCC for that matter. Generally anywhere where the name on the airplane matches the name on the check and they sell their own tickets is a better gig.
 
BaronPete said:
Other than personal preference, of course. I’m an outsider looking in, but have always been curious to hear about captains at regionals who “can’t get a call” from the majors. Is it age, background issues, ...?

What would you say the percentage is of those who want to move on, but don’t get the opportunity?
Click to expand...

Reasons I’ve noticed

Aged out
Personality is WEIRD and they don’t know it
Bad attitude
Got the random “no and don’t come back”
Had a rough day and flunked a part of the interview

Also, left seat at a regional that treats you decent is a fantastic job and really kills the motivation to move on.
 
I’ve flown with my fair share of lifers that were 20+ year captains. Good schedule. $120K+ and good coworkers and a stable job. I get it. Some people are content just the way things are. Also some have their hand in another line of work, and the regionals are just a fun job or a hobby job. Those guys have no desire to start over on the seniority list for an extra $50-$100K a year because it would effect their side gig where they already make that and work significantly less and get to enjoy some flying time to time. I’ve flown with lifer FOs that are super senior to me. Super nice guys. They have other jobs, and they’re loving life. So lifer status isn’t always for bad reasons. Sometimes they’re understandable, but you’re not going to find any of those types of lifers on these forums. Seldom have I met lifers here that were bitter, and had excuses or skeletons, but there are definitely those too, but in my experience most lifers here are very happy enjoying life. I can’t hate on them for that. They’re a pleasure to work with honestly.
 
killbilly said:
All I was saying is that the perspective of the older pilot breeds a little more caution - not that you were wrong or anything.
Click to expand...

I think about age 50-55 is the tipping point for jumping from a regional to mainline. Older than that, and the low QOL as low seiniority FO isn't worth it for a guy who will be retiring soon anyway.

There are quite a few guys who got caught in the lost decade and found themselves 53 years old, making low 6 figures, and relatively good QOL and schedule when mainline hiring took off.
 
TWP said:
Reasons I’ve noticed

Aged out
Personality is WEIRD and they don’t know it
Bad attitude
Got the random “no and don’t come back”
Had a rough day and flunked a part of the interview

Also, left seat at a regional that treats you decent is a fantastic job and really kills the motivation to move on.
Click to expand...

Trust me, that isn't a disqualifier.
 
USMCmech said:
I think about age 50-55 is the tipping point for jumping from a regional to mainline. Older than that, and the low QOL as low seiniority FO isn't worth it for a guy who will be retiring soon anyway.

There are quite a few guys who got caught in the lost decade and found themselves 53 years old, making low 6 figures, and relatively good QOL and schedule when mainline hiring took off.
Click to expand...

I agree that there is a tipping point but I disagree that 50-55 is it.

I have worked with some people at a former company that, although I can't directly speak for them, would almost certainly say that they made up for the QOL by the end of probation. Age 60 would still be not even the tipping point.

Of course a variable that can change the pace of re-matching previous QOL and pay is the pace of hiring after making a move.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top