Timing is Everything....Next Up....

JordanD said:
"Boring" is good, in a sense. But I can only see Orlando and the Newark airport hotel so many times before I want to scream. Shooting the visual into SBA doesn't happen a whole lot these days.
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“100 times?”

“More.”

“200 times?”

“More.”

“500 times?”

“Maybe.”
 
zmiller4 said:
But seriously, I flew with a lot of guys in their 50’s who were making well over $100k a year with good schedules. If your retirement and educational planning are solid, I think regional airlines as a career destination isn’t a bad goal at all.
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These days most regionals are understaffed, especially in the left seat, so good schedules are rare unless you're extremely senior. I also don't see how it's possible to make $100k at my regional with our pay rates but we are a bottom-feeder so maybe it's possible at some regionals, at least by picking up a lot of open time.

Anyway it's difficult enough to get hired at a major that the regional captain vs. major FO debate seems almost pointless but if you actually have the opportunity to go to the majors, even if it's your second career, you'd be mad to pass it up. Especially with regionals getting Comaired left and right these days.

Murdoughnut said:
Certainly don't have your perspective, but less about being a Captain and more about being in a leadership role - be it training, corporate, etc. Knowing me, I'd get bored with just flying and would be looking for something with more involvement in planning and corporate matters. Also the idea of being a training Captain doing IOE trips interests me. Not sure how many opportunities there are as a 10-year + mainline FO.
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It's certainly true that with much more turnover at the regionals, you'd probably have more opportunities to get into the training department. My regional allows FOs to be ground school instructors, I don't know if that's the case at most majors but that might be another thing to consider.
 
Yakob said:
These days most regionals are understaffed, especially in the left seat, so good schedules are rare unless you're extremely senior. I also don't see how it's possible to make $100k at my regional with our pay rates but we are a bottom-feeder so maybe it's possible at some regionals, at least by picking up a lot of open time.
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I guess it depends. 3 year CA rate at 9E is 96$/hr. Not hard to get 100k just doing slightly over the bare minimum.
 
Yakob said:
These days most regionals are understaffed, especially in the left seat, so good schedules are rare unless you're extremely senior. I also don't see how it's possible to make $100k at my regional with our pay rates but we are a bottom-feeder so maybe it's possible at some regionals, at least by picking up a lot of open time.

Anyway it's difficult enough to get hired at a major that the regional captain vs. major FO debate seems almost pointless but if you actually have the opportunity to go to the majors, even if it's your second career, you'd be mad to pass it up. Especially with regionals getting Comaired left and right these days.



It's certainly true that with much more turnover at the regionals, you'd probably have more opportunities to get into the training department. My regional allows FOs to be ground school instructors, I don't know if that's the case at most majors but that might be another thing to consider.
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If you get in the training department with the override, it is very easy to make $100k. Back in the 2016-2017, we had multiple instructors make $200k+. But they was due to severe understaffing of the training department. With proper staffing, it's still possible to make $100k without picking up open time.

Talking with former XJT pilots, their average sim instructor was making $200-220k, which is a big reason why so many never left for greener pastures. They worked at IAH, drove to work, and made good money. Unfortunately, they had to start over at C5 and elsewhere making roughly half what they were before.
 
guywhoflies said:
If you get in the training department with the override, it is very easy to make $100k. Back in the 2016-2017, we had multiple instructors make $200k+. But they was due to severe understaffing of the training department. With proper staffing, it's still possible to make $100k without picking up open time.

Talking with former XJT pilots, their average sim instructor was making $200-220k, which is a big reason why so many never left for greener pastures. They worked at IAH, drove to work, and made good money. Unfortunately, they had to start over at C5 and elsewhere making roughly half what they were before.
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OT generally means working to death. Sure, there are ways to snipe the good deals, but that generally means putting your life on hold and being a slave to the computer or the phone.

I’ve seen some so wrapped up in working “extra” that when things slow and the good deals dry up, they immediately meltdown.
 
Richman said:
OT generally means working to death. Sure, there are ways to snipe the good deals, but that generally means putting your life on hold and being a slave to the computer or the phone.

I’ve seen some so wrapped up in working “extra” that when things slow and the good deals dry up, they immediately meltdown.
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There are always those who will happily work themselves to death for a company that refuses to staff properly. And management appreciates these company-man stooges. OT happens here and there operationally. Voluntary OT is another thing.
 
MikeD said:
There are always those who will happily work themselves to death for a company that refuses to staff properly. And management appreciates these company-man stooges. OT happens here and there operationally. Voluntary OT is another thing.
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“Is the pilot waiting around for premium flying because he’s/she’s divorced, or are they divorced because they’re sitting around waiting for premium flying?”
 
2006 I go out of the Navy after 5 years as an F-18 Hornet mechanic. Started really trying to hammer out certificates, ratings and hours. Started as a CFI in 2010, then took my first professional flying job in 2011. Last week I was awarded CA at a legacy airline. I feel very fortunate and lucky that I rode the wave. Knock on wood I haven't been furloughed or laid off from a flying job, and have only been through one merger.

I have a feeling that the wave coming right now will be another really good one to ride, so if you can make it work, surfs up!
 
guywhoflies said:
If you get in the training department with the override, it is very easy to make $100k. Back in the 2016-2017, we had multiple instructors make $200k+. But they was due to severe understaffing of the training department. With proper staffing, it's still possible to make $100k without picking up open time.

Talking with former XJT pilots, their average sim instructor was making $200-220k, which is a big reason why so many never left for greener pastures. They worked at IAH, drove to work, and made good money. Unfortunately, they had to start over at C5 and elsewhere making roughly half what they were before.
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Don't know if it's true but I heard one sim instructor made over $300k one year.

Of course, probably best not to count on overtime always being available, or on "If" you can get into the training department.

Richman said:
OT generally means working to death. Sure, there are ways to snipe the good deals, but that generally means putting your life on hold and being a slave to the computer or the phone.

I’ve seen some so wrapped up in working “extra” that when things slow and the good deals dry up, they immediately meltdown.
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Our regional has often had a disastrously high washout rate. Obviously there are a number of reason for this but I often wonder if instructor fatigue contributed to the problem.

CoffeeIcePapers said:
I guess it depends. 3 year CA rate at 9E is 96$/hr. Not hard to get 100k just doing slightly over the bare minimum.
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9E is by far the best paying regional though. Of course my regional is definitely an outlier on the other end of the scale.
 
Richman said:
Disagree about the commuting thing, and this is someone whose done it for 20 years.

No matter how pleasant and easy, it is a time & worry sink. Even if it’s just inches, add them up over the years, and it’s a LOT of inches.

And life is a game of inches.
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Yup. This is why I moved to the west coast. Again.
 
Richman said:
“Is the pilot waiting around for premium flying because he’s/she’s divorced, or are they divorced because they’re sitting around waiting for premium flying?”
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I’m about to be the latter, “Hey , 300% doesn’t grow on trees” but I want you home
 
Murdoughnut said:
Are there any lifer regional pilots on here? I only ask because whenever I toy with the idea of going to the airline in my mid-40s as a mid-life "I've made plenty of money, now I want do something I enjoy" gig, the thought of riding out my career left seat in an RJ at a base where I want to live sounds far more appealing than right seat at a major for most of the remainder of my career. I get it when you're 22 and have a butt ton of loans to pay off, but that wouldn't be my situation.

I've certainly ridden on RJs with up there in age Captains - anyone on here do it, and if so, why? Would rather do that and have a CLT base than ever have to commute.
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There's plenty of people who started at the my shop at 50+. The money and QOL is orders of magnitude better than at any regional.
 
Murdoughnut said:
Are there any lifer regional pilots on here? I only ask because whenever I toy with the idea of going to the airline in my mid-40s as a mid-life "I've made plenty of money, now I want do something I enjoy" gig, the thought of riding out my career left seat in an RJ at a base where I want to live sounds far more appealing than right seat at a major for most of the remainder of my career. I get it when you're 22 and have a butt ton of loans to pay off, but that wouldn't be my situation.

I've certainly ridden on RJs with up there in age Captains - anyone on here do it, and if so, why? Would rather do that and have a CLT base than ever have to commute.
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Being right seat at a major (these days) at any age is awesome. Beats the pants off of a regional in any seat. And as you know, I’m no youngster.
 
Murdoughnut said:
Yeah it’s really cool seeing you back at it and loving it.
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The time off, even when junior, schedule flexibility, and pay at a major will outclass anything you'll ever find at a regional, even in the right seat.

And you're right... the flying will get boring pretty quickly. Bit that's ok... you'll have 14 to 18 days off a month to go do what you want.
 
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