Starting at Supplemental vs Regional
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Flagship_dxer
Penske Material
Supplementals usually pay more than regionals. You also usually get ETOPS experience.
At the regionals, you get the benefit of working with mainline dispatchers and dispatch managers if you work your way into coordinator or supervisory roles. They are run very similiar to the mainlines and tend to be easy to train due to system familiarity so a large percentage of mainline new hires come from regionals.
I would recommend going supplemental if you get offers from both. Mainline hiring is on the back end of a wave. I would plan on at least five years before getting hired by a mainline carrier. Unless you live in a city where a regional is based, go for the higher supplemental money.
At the regionals, you get the benefit of working with mainline dispatchers and dispatch managers if you work your way into coordinator or supervisory roles. They are run very similiar to the mainlines and tend to be easy to train due to system familiarity so a large percentage of mainline new hires come from regionals.
I would recommend going supplemental if you get offers from both. Mainline hiring is on the back end of a wave. I would plan on at least five years before getting hired by a mainline carrier. Unless you live in a city where a regional is based, go for the higher supplemental money.
rogerthatbravo
Well-Known Member
Regional dispatcher :
Probably 40-50 flights (1-2 hr short hops)
Building a release might take 5-10 mins
ERJ/CRJ aircrafts with alot of MELs
50/50 operational control of all those flights
More volume of flights (repetitive)
More scenarios /diversions/reroutes/emergencies
Your situational awareness gets better
You are busy for the the first 8 hrs constantly
Never talked to the director of operations
Prolly build a better foundation
Pay starting is about 20/hr
Supplemental Flight Follower:
Much slow pace (it can get busy)
Flight plan may take 1-1.5hrs or even more
Build flight plans to different countries
Deal with permits/customs/ etc.
You are guarantee to talk to the director of ops
Might have to do random things besides dx
Rarely get a reroute or an emergency
Less releases but it’s very complicated
Deal with volcanos /missiles /op spec B050
Pays probably about 60k plus/year
They have hired flight followers with no experience
(Supplemental would make more sense financially, but if you like the non-rev benefits or it’s closer to home , regional is where it’s at)
Probably 40-50 flights (1-2 hr short hops)
Building a release might take 5-10 mins
ERJ/CRJ aircrafts with alot of MELs
50/50 operational control of all those flights
More volume of flights (repetitive)
More scenarios /diversions/reroutes/emergencies
Your situational awareness gets better
You are busy for the the first 8 hrs constantly
Never talked to the director of operations
Prolly build a better foundation
Pay starting is about 20/hr
Supplemental Flight Follower:
Much slow pace (it can get busy)
Flight plan may take 1-1.5hrs or even more
Build flight plans to different countries
Deal with permits/customs/ etc.
You are guarantee to talk to the director of ops
Might have to do random things besides dx
Rarely get a reroute or an emergency
Less releases but it’s very complicated
Deal with volcanos /missiles /op spec B050
Pays probably about 60k plus/year
They have hired flight followers with no experience
(Supplemental would make more sense financially, but if you like the non-rev benefits or it’s closer to home , regional is where it’s at)
Last edited:
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