pilot602
If specified, this will replace the title that
They are ... thats why Flight School enrollment is down some 70% and regionals are scrambling to find pilots ...
What one year at a regional will get you
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They are ... thats why Flight School enrollment is down some 70% and regionals are scrambling to find pilots ...
Cruise
Well-Known Member
Out of curiosity, where did you come up w/ that figure. Is it nation-wide big pilot mills and mom & pop FBO or just a few schools that contribute to some statistic survey?
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
We're already seeing this at PCL even with limited hiring from places like AirTran, SWA and FedEx. A lot of the senior guys have gotten used to the seniority and the $$$ they make, and don't really want to give that up just to fly something with more seats or a lot of boxes. Some can't afford to at this point for one reason or another. There are a few senior guys that have some money socked aside for the lower pay the first couple of years, which is what I plan on doing when the time comes.
Dugie8
Well-Known Member
My advice, and that is all it is, is be DAMN sure about chasing a job. Seniority is the name of this game and it don't travel well. If you can make it through 4 to 5 years as an FO at a regional and be a Captain and live in base, your QOL and pay, I think, in the long run will be better.
Sure, SWA, FedEx, UPS, etc are great places to work, but let me speak for the freight side, the whole day night transition thing is HARD. I can't complain too much about my QOL, 8 on 6 off, with 3 day weekend layovers in that 8 on, but flying all night and sleeping all day does something to a person.
I think part of the problem we have right now, is too many of us, myself included, look at or looked at, regional type jobs as stepping stones wrather than treating them as careers. This argument is a double edge sword though....
surreal1221
Well-Known Member
Very nice peice of information and opinion.
I am traditionally an optimist, but growing up in this industry has made me very much a pessimist when it comes to flying for a living. With that being said, I am planning on the worse - flying for a regional all my career. That doesn't go to say that should the industry rebound, better labor rules at the majors, that I will turn down a job offer / interview chance. But I'm not setting my goals too lofty, too soon.
A great piece about this was in this months GA kool-aid giveaway called Flight Training by AOPA. Towards the back, great read.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
I'm not really planning on chasing a job, but there is one thing places like SWA (my #1 choice) and FedEx (my #2 choice) have over PCL. They don't operate on the whim of another airline. All we need is for someone to underbid us by a small amount or anything else NWA or whoever we're flying for wants, and I'm on the streets anyway (potentially). My goal right now is to do my time, get the upgrade, get on with SWA and move back to MCO. If that doesn't work out, I'll shift plans around. I had to do it numerous times while training, I doubt it'll be any different now that I've got my ratings. 
FlyingNole
New Member
Only an idiot reads the first two posts then doesn't read what occured after....And shmuck, learn a little english first before your berate someone. It's spelled you're
Hootie
Old Skool
I'm glad that you have the time to read every post on the forum with enough time left over to proofread.
surreal1221
Well-Known Member
wheelsup
Well-Known Member
Ya know, even as a senior regional CA look what can happen - going from $140/hr to $90/hr on an rj, losing a fleet type, losing a codeshare, constantly getting pitted against other feeders, etc. Life sucks working for a contractor. Look at mesaba, awac, ACA, now ASA v. Skywest, and mesa et. al.
One's life is multiples better working for the 'mainline' vs. working for a contractor IMO.
It's also funny that pre-911 'THE' places to be were UAL & DAL. I have a friend that left NWA for UAL in 2000. Crazy huh? He didn't think so.
FlyingNole
New Member
FlyingNole
New Member
8?
That's right..8..
That's right..8..
RoidPhreak
New Member
RIght on bro, right on.
surreal1221
Well-Known Member
lol - Did you read the whole topic, or just find the one reply that you agreed with? :insane:
Maximilian_Jenius
Super User
He is a troll....
jawright
Well-Known Member
So I decided to figure out some stats from the year I worked at a regional. Here they are:
- Pay: $24,427 hourly
- Per diem: $3,402
- Total: $27,829
- Average TOTAL Days spent at home on coach (including not flying on reserve): 16.2
- Average scheduled days off /month: 15.1 including 5 weeks after training of no flying
- Average scheduled days off /month: 13.8 not including the 5 week break (essentially the months spent flying the "line").
- Average "TAFB" or time away from base: 2,430 hours.
- Average time (in days) away from home/month (not including training): 8.4
- Average time (in days) away from home for the entire year including 6 weeks training: 142.8
In the next year (assuming the bottom doesn't fall out here or in the industry) I expect to:
- FAR block (flying time): 46:21 /month for the entire 12 months
- FAR block (flying time): 60:15 /month not including ground school and sim (essentially the average for months that I was flying the "line").
This will result in (assuming we don't get the old contract back, which would result in a $5/hour raise):
- FAR block ~80 hours/month
- Credit ~95 hours/month
- TAFB ~300 hours/month
Average Days off/month: 13.5
- Pay: $40,336 hourly
- Per diem: $5,400
- Total: $45,736
Side business income: ~$5,000
Total as a CFI the year prior: ~$27,500. Including side business: ~$32,000. Total flight hours as a CFI the year prior: 985. Average days off as a CFI: 8/month
Wow that was depressing looking at that...
Heh...It actually kinda made me happy because now I know I wouldn't be taking a very big pay cut by leaving the job I have now.... =/
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