TURF17

So, a lot of time in the CRJ 200/700/900. How does the ERJ145 perform on routes you guys fly? How about high altitude - any faults? How would you say the aircraft is to set-up from cold dark to taxing out to the runway? Are your checklist lengthy or compressed for the NE corridor?
I've done a lot of flying myself out in the NE and having the right tools does make the job in that part of the area easier.

c402fr8er

The 145 has been operating these segments for close to 20 years now. Keep it on speed and follow the profile, and it's a *****cat.

It will march right up to FL370 at ISA +10 at most weights, and then (slowly) accelerate to .79 all day long. Upper 20's you might have issues if its warm out, sometimes will top out at 280KIAS, but it's a very straight forward airplane. Only real gotcha is making some of the crossing restrictions when descending into an icing layer if you're not planning on the thrust bump.

Oh, and get used to doing your own descent planning, as we don't have VNAV or auto throttles.


Checklists and flows could be improved, and are also a work in progress, but if you're competent, or even slightly below average like me, you'll have no issues.

Biggest beef, in the NE especially, is not having D-ATIS setup on ACARS, especially when doing IOE. It can be a bit much to have to get ATIS and talk to ops while also keeping an eye on number 1, because the new guy is getting only every 3rd radio call from N90.

But, things are improving steadily on all fronts. And movement is fast. Come in, do your time, and move on. Try to make a positive impact if you can/want to. Or show up, fly your trip and go home.

TURF17

Surprising you don't have D-ATIS. How about PDC? Do you currently fly the line at CA? How about PM me.

Freebreakfast11

Only W&B and comms with dispatch.

tothebigblue

1. Bonus money can be taken away overnight.
2. PCs are an unnecessary pressure on your airline career.

JediCheese

Depends. The sign on bonus money can be taken away. The quarterly CA bonus payouts are fixed per an LOA.

I agree PCs are a risk to an airline career. We just got FOQA and are unlikely to get AQP anytime soon.

TURF17

I appreciate the insight. Hard making decisions with the 121 climate we're in these days. Like most of us in the lost decade we have been trying to do the right things to get hired but the equation for getting hired has changed. I took another position to get another type rating (something bigger than a regional jet) for the purpose of experience and show I'm worthy. No bites, just crickets. So, reason for my interest in C5 with the better equation of getting a UAL interview.

A bit concern of sitting two years reserve as PIC out on east coast, while commuting from Midwest area. On top of that, I'm approaching my mid-forties (can't believe I'm saying that) and having a family, it is also another huge sacrifice I have to decide on. How exactly does the commuter clause work at C5? It's a bit wide open from the little I've read.

Anyone have insight on PIC reserve schedules, days off, guarantee days in a row, LCR/SCR/RRV?

Thank you :-)

JediCheese

You need 2 flights with open seats 24 hours in advance. Call after the 1st missed flight. The company can either PS you out (if they want) or you get to your base/trip yourself.

When using the commuter clause, if you miss segments you don't get paid for those segments and can go below min guarantee. No limits on amount of use.

I've found that with reserve you can choose the days off you want. You're getting 11 days off and if you don't put in preferences it will build you 6 day stretches with 2-3 days off in between.

No LCR. SCR is very rare, 90% of our reserve is airport standby. SCR is 12 hour shifts, 2 hour callout to airplane. Airport standby is 8 hour shift with 30 minutes to airplane from notification. With our bases, you can be just outside security for airport standby but the airport parking is likely slightly too far.

The Union is fighting airport standby language right now. Supposedly we're to call from the crew room when we report (or go through KCM before report) but our contract has none of that.

We also get 4 commuter rooms a month at the start or end of a trip. If you can get a line, it's possible to get by with those 4 rooms and only buy 1-2 rooms a month which is cheaper than a crash pad. Also can sometimes find another pilot to share a room with or make friends with someone in base who doesn't use any rooms.

JediCheese

IMO, C5 is a great place to be to get your 1000 TPIC and move on. If you're 23 and just got 1,500 hrs without wife/kid and are willing to move, this is an amazing place to be. You could easily get on with United at 27 and then be set for life.

But if you've already gotten the 1,000 TPIC checkbox checked or want QoL (you are mid 40's and have wife/kids so likely QoL is high on your list), this is not a place to be. I know very few happy commuters with wife/kids except for a few that live in the NE and it's a short hop on us to EWR. CPP is something, but I wouldn't take a classdate here to try to only get a shot at an UAL hogan/interview. I've seen a ton of pilots try to hack it and it's a rough road with many quitting along the way.

If you're midwest, AW has good options out of ORD/MKE and they have CPP. Envoy has a large ORD operation and they were forcing upgrades to LGA/JFK so you could get back to ORD eventually and their flow is guaranteed.

TURF17

Great insight. You are right on the QoL, I've done the regional reserve SIC and PIC many times and it is a bull loose in the streets. I have no desire to work at AA and already gave one of their regionals a few years, which I'm grateful for getting me back in the left seat in under a year. So, I guess it is a update and connections process I will have to continue. Keep flying something bigger than a regional and enjoy the ride.
Thanks again for your insight.