Maurus
The Great Gazoo
Sounds about right then. I just wanted to clarify since per diem is not considered pay and some people could read the big number as not including per diem.
Skywest Questions
- Thread starter flyingbum
- Start date
Sounds about right then. I just wanted to clarify since per diem is not considered pay and some people could read the big number as not including per diem.
I agree it is not technically pay, but I think it needs to be considered when comparing total compensation as not all carriers pay the same rate for per diem.
JustinS
Well-Known Member
Since I got off of IOE last summer I've been averaging credit of 95 hours a month as a line holder the entire time. CRJ side seems to be having a LOT of movement. I've made substantially more at this job for far less work than at my last job flight instructing. If you want to sit at home, and be on reserve for a while, I think the 175 is a good way to go. If you want to work your butt off and be a line holder CRJ is the way to go. The great thing is after a year or two seat lock (it depends on a few variables) you can always bid to transition over to the other plane.
@JordanD is right though 175 has longer legs and seemingly shorter days. The CRJ-700/900 trips are similar to the 175 trips, but the CRJ-200 is more similar to Brasillia trips. The nice thing is depending on what base you're in you can get a good mix of flying the 200 and 700/900. What's cool about the 200 is flying into a LOT of airports you might otherwise not ever get a chance to ever fly into. Lots of tricky IFR procedures in the mountain airports. It's a lot of fun. I love it.
@JordanD is right though 175 has longer legs and seemingly shorter days. The CRJ-700/900 trips are similar to the 175 trips, but the CRJ-200 is more similar to Brasillia trips. The nice thing is depending on what base you're in you can get a good mix of flying the 200 and 700/900. What's cool about the 200 is flying into a LOT of airports you might otherwise not ever get a chance to ever fly into. Lots of tricky IFR procedures in the mountain airports. It's a lot of fun. I love it.
Zondaracer
Well-Known Member
The subway in the MSP airport offers a special deal if you show your crew badge, 12" sub for the price of a 6".Thanks for all the intel guys, I'm just going to have to suck it up with first year pay. If I can afford a Subway sandwich for lunch I'll be a happy camper.
tcco94
Future GTA VI Pilot
I'm going to be sending my app in later this year. I worked Skywest ramp on the DL side a lot and you guys were always the best and happiest crews...even over mainline. My heart definitely lies in Skywest and I want either DEN/MSP bases. Was wondering which one is better for the CRJ700/900 side and you guys are saying the movement seems good?
Recruiters keep telling me upgrade is around 3-4 years, 6-12 months I can bid any base I want and reserve should be less than a few months? Is that true? I know a lot could change over this next year by the time I get into class but with the competitive pay and bonuses that CP and 9E are throwing out, people keep trying to persuade me elsewhere.
Sorry to take from the OP, just thought since someone brought up a Skywest thread I could get some help. My two biggest focuses are a decent wage for my loans and location (want to stay west of MSP). I'm single and 21 so I don't need a lot of QOL with family or anything right now. I just don't wanna sit right seat 5-6 years and spend 10 years at a regional when some of these other regionals have lots of movement (it seems).
Recruiters keep telling me upgrade is around 3-4 years, 6-12 months I can bid any base I want and reserve should be less than a few months? Is that true? I know a lot could change over this next year by the time I get into class but with the competitive pay and bonuses that CP and 9E are throwing out, people keep trying to persuade me elsewhere.
Sorry to take from the OP, just thought since someone brought up a Skywest thread I could get some help. My two biggest focuses are a decent wage for my loans and location (want to stay west of MSP). I'm single and 21 so I don't need a lot of QOL with family or anything right now. I just don't wanna sit right seat 5-6 years and spend 10 years at a regional when some of these other regionals have lots of movement (it seems).
ComplexHiAv8r
Well-Known Member
JustinS' comment above is spot on. Don't forget our non-FADEC CRJ200's too! 8). Good Luck getting on board with SKW. If you need anything let me know.
flyingbum
Needz Re-Edjamacayshun
flyingbum
Needz Re-Edjamacayshun
Nope, not taking away from me at all, I encourage the discussion, besides we are a community. Lots of little questions out of curiosity could easily be answered by people in the know. Thanks everyone for contributing, keep it coming. I love me some intel so I'm more prepared with what to expect.
Cazadores
Well-Known Member
You'll like MSP. For a bit.MSP it is.
Seriously though, it's a good base, you'll go to a bunch of towns with little uncontrolled airports and fly lots of legs, do manual manifests and shoot non precision approaches quite a bit. You'll learn the deicing checklist backyards as well as the former North Central Airlines route structure. "Good People Make Our Airline Great"....cool airline, anyway...
Oh yeah, if you watch Dean Martin and Jacqueline Bisset in Airport the theme will play in your head during taxi since it still looks like it did when they filmed the movie there in 1969.
You'll get a lot of in base seniority quickly and the people there are mostly new and enthusiastic. I heard a Captain from Denver refer to it as Stockholm Syndrome but I THINK I enjoyed it there at least!
Seriously it is a nice airport, nice city and you'll have fun and learn a lot.
Take it for the memories and great experience it is if you plan to leave, and if you stay you're golden.
RA390
Well-Known Member
DEN will have more 700 flying. There is some Delta 900 flying out of MSP but the majority will be the 200 trips. As you mentioned things change so quickly here, but I'll give you up to date info from the most recent bids. I don't know where the recruiters are pulling the 3 year number from, the last couple bids have been ~4 year FOs
Most junior FO in DEN: 8/24/2015 hire date (5 months from first day of class)
Most junior CA in MSP: 01/23/2012 hire date (Almost exactly 4 years)
JustinS
Well-Known Member
They're upgrading 44 pilots a month. If everything remained as is. From the most junior just hired in first day of class to the time they would get to the seniority number of the most junior captain at a rate of 44 upgrades per month is 2 years and 11 months. Granted there are a LOT of variables that can and will change this number to be less or more. Some factors include rate of attrition, number of people that bypass first available upgrade, company needs eb and flowing causing upgrade classes to increase or decrease in size. I can see where the 3 years comes from, but we're not going to see that upgrade time drop to 3 years just yet, but it is very ripe to drop.
I think we've only hit 44 twice in the last year. There were only 5 total upgrades in August and September combined. While I think movement is definitely looking up, you might be a little disappointed if you try and project the best possible scenario forward a number of years. I think it will likely hit 3 years, but that will be for a very small group covering a very narrow time span.
JustinS
Well-Known Member
Well they specifically announced 30 CRJ upgrades, and 14 ER7 upgrades for the first 4 months of 2016. We'll see what actually happens. I'm cautiously optimistic though. We definitely haven't seen a high rate of attrition up to his point, but I think that has a high likelihood of increasing this year. We shall see. No magic crystal ball here. Once 10 years go by, it'll be fun to look back in history and see how it all really went down.
Last edited:
Looks like only 22 upgrades this month. I am cautiously optimistic as well, but I take projections, especially when they come from management, with a grain of salt. It's kind of like the Envoy guys claiming a 2.5 year upgrade and 6 year flow, when it's currently 8 or 9 years to upgrade and over 15 years to flow. Hope for the best, but make sure your hopes have some reality checks every now and then.
JustinS
Well-Known Member
Oh yeah totally. I'm right there with you. I noticed that as well only 22 upgrades a far cry from what they said. I figured for January they'd at least hold true to what they said, but I guess not.
tcco94
Future GTA VI Pilot
Besides the other post about some of the better -200 flying into smaller airports, is the QOL much different on a 7/900 than being on the 200 side? Or are you trained on all 3? From my understanding it was either 200 or 700/900. I don't really know the difference in flying a 50 seater jet from a 75 seater jet...if there even is any?
Had some 200 pilots tell me to go to the newer jets and other guys tell me a jet is a jet, who cares? Also, is COS a steady crew domicile? Tough to get or is it better to go somewhere like DEN/MSP for movement?
You're trained on all 3 variants. COS is pretty stable/easy to get. 200 lands like a lawn dart. 700/900 land more like an airplane. 700/900 trips typically have longer legs so you work a little less and make a little more money. They also tend to go a little more senior. If you're willing to relocate, your seniority will go up very fast in MSP. Also where the earliest upgrades happen.
RA390
Well-Known Member
If you decide to go the CRJ route your initial training and type will be in the 200, then you will be cross trained on the 700/900 (a simple 2 day course). This qualifies you to fly all 3 variants.
As far as the difference between the 200/700/900 trips; It all boils down to what kind of flying you prefer. The 200 trips are generally shorter flight segments, more up and down, into smaller outstations. Some guys like the 200 because they stay busy the whole flight and enjoy the challenge of flying into smaller non rnav arrival airports with limited services. The 700/900s generally have longer flight segments. This allows you to relax in cruise and do less flights (work) for any given day and still credit the same amount.
From what I understand COS is a steady base. We have a pretty big maintenance facility there. Most Jr FO has a hire date of 09/28/2015.
Blackhawk
Well-Known Member
Look at possibly getting the free type from a different regional, then transfer.
I've said it once, I'll say it again. Current upgrade time means nothing when you get hired. Most of the time it's like the stock market. By the time you hear about a great stock it's too late to jump in.
I've said it once, I'll say it again. Current upgrade time means nothing when you get hired. Most of the time it's like the stock market. By the time you hear about a great stock it's too late to jump in.
ComplexHiAv8r
Well-Known Member
Mesa keeps wanting me to jump. 8)Blackhawk said:
