Crazy Canuck

Snickers, may I ask what kind of experience your friend had?

Snickers

Pm sent....

Temocil27

Earning a degree requires a large amount of responsibility, skill, and hard work. There is more to being an airline pilot than passing an ATP checkride. A degree should be requisite!

Crazy Canuck

While I agree there is definitely a lot of hard work required (believe me, I know...I'm doing mine online now), I suppose there is a cultural disconnect between where I live (in Canada) and the us. When the talk of degrees come up here, most people laugh and say "you don't need a degree to fly a plane." As such, most people here don't have them.

Not much I can do but keep working as hard as I can!

Caution Terrain

The smile and nod deal might be a cultural difference. I've noticed that people on both coasts are less likely to smile and wave than bumpkins like me from the Midwest or the south. Or sowf. That and who cares. It is nice to treat other humans like humans though.

Caution Terrain

Is compass opening SEA?

BlueMoon

That's fine, but the fact is the people who you are competing with for a job most likely have a degree. Employers are free to set whatever requirements they feel is necessary for employment and most airlines in the US will require it.

There are plenty of jobs that you technically don't need a degree to do the job, but the employer requires it, its just not aviation.

In the future it may not be required as the pilot pool dwindles and airlines shed requirements, but they aren't there yet.

FlyingGorilla

No. LAX is continuing to grow to about 70 crews. They have been evaluating a 'Midwest' base like MCI or DFW. Personally, I don't think that until they can find a reason to close DTW there won't be another base.

We're stretched about as thin as we can go right now. We're staying in LGA until 1Q2015, and we're continuing to grow LAX. Another base would just be a bigger problem. But...things change quickly here, and we adapt and overcome.

RV5M

I'm currently a Mesa FO who is thinking of leaving for Compass (if I were to be hired). At Mesa, I'm at the front of the new hire 'wave' and will likely upgrade fairly quickly with the current schedule if new aircraft, but I'm a lot more concerned about enjoying QOL than upgrading. I've always thought of Compass as the best regional, but I'm not sure about giving up an upgrade opportunity. Granted, things will have to go as planned here at Mesa but, assuming they do, I'm in a good position to get some 121 TPIC.

So, is it worth it? Is Compass like a mini-major that treats it's pilots really well? Will there be movement?

ACessential

No we are not a "mini major". TSH runs the show and lately have been blatantly violating our contract left and right. Is it a decent regional to work for? In the grand scheme of things, yes. Are quick upgrades on the verge of happening? Yes (most jr upgrade now 2012 hire). Great pilot group? Absolutely. However, IMHO, if you are in a position to get a quick upgrade and TPIC time, why would you give that up? I'm not sure how much better QOL will be for you jumping to another regional and living on first year pay again. Will you be commuting?

Unless you are hired today, you may have already missed out on our big wave of hiring and being able to upgrade in 2 years or less (pure speculation). We have hired 150+ since last summer and they are currently building a pool (no idea how large it is now). Just a few things to think about.

I dont believe in this jargon of my regional is better than your regional blah blah blah (no way in hell any regional should be considered a mini major). Compass is just another regional pure and simple. For all we know, we could be sold/merged with another regional sometime soon. I don't believe there is a safe place to be, which is why I tend to lean towards get in, get your time, and get out. So if you already have a quick upgrade happening, I'd stick with that personally.