NWSteeringArmer

Everyone has their reasons for doing what they do... going to an airline bc of a base usually isn’t a good idea because they close... I don’t think Orlando will ever close but be weary of that... Orlando isn’t very junior anymore... you’ll get Vegas or Denver and be there for a while probably... the flying has gotten progressively worse and the reserve rules here aren’t very good either... I’d rather be at airline that makes their own schedule than being at the mercy of American... you’re truly screwed at a regional once the music stops... I always say, “well at least it can’t get any worse” then management does something even more underhanded that proves me wrong... if you lower your expectations, you might be pleasantly surprised here...

DrJekyll MrHyde

We had a Letter of Agreement with the Company (you may have seen it referred to as LOA67), that required the company to negotiate, starting in March ‘16, for upward pay adjustments after two consecutive years of profit (5% pre-tax or greater). So the pilot recruiters and the pilot group have been expecting this pay raise since 2015. This LOA67 pay raise is completely separate from our regular section 6 contract negotiations that have been in mediation with the National Mediation Board since the Fall of 2016. The company offered us an insulting 1.5% for LOA67 after initially saying “NO.” The point is that potential new hires have been told, for at least the last 3 years, to expect a pay raise “just around the corner.” And the pay raise still hasn’t happened, which means it could likely happen to you if you come here.

I would work on your seniority at PSA to get off reserve, get your QOL back, and apply to Legacies while keeping your flow number as a backup.

Missed Appch

Agree 100%. You'd be nuts to come here if you have less than five years to get on at AA. You'll be FAR better off staying. FAR!!!

LT Maverick

Thanks everyone but just to clarify unless something drastic happens and the new contract is comparable to SWA’s or something (which I know would never happen) I would definitely still keep my app in at DL, AA, UPS and SWA. The difference being instead of commuting to fly in the left seat of an RJ I’ll live in base to fly the right seat of an Airbus while I wait for a call. But I hear what everyone’s saying, thanks for the input. It’s a tough decision for me.

DrJekyll MrHyde

Maybe some of our FOs could chime in. How does sitting in the right seat of an Airbus advancing your timeline to get on at a Legacy?

singlepilot

Additionally with 1700TT you probably won’t hear anything except, “let us know when you get close to 2500TT.”

Gary et al

Hasn't worked for me yet...

and this poor kid just sealed his fate with not getting hired here. Hiring does read these forums, and I'm sure theres not a ton of 23 yr old PSA FO's wanting to live in Orlando applying at F9. Good luck convincing them you don't want to just up and leave now...

ReserveCA

Anyone here at F9 under age 45 should be actively trying to move to a legacy (IMHO) ......
20 yrs.....
I WOULD....but unfortunately I’m closer to 65 than 45

CantStayAway

Right seat here. I have 2 years in and crickets from SWA and DAL.

I don't update at UAL or AA. If you want AA, definitely stay where you are because they hire very few civilian pilots outside of their regional flow agreements.

OpenClimb

I wish there was a way to go back in time 20 years so that you could follow my career progression. I’d tell you to watch what I did and then do the exact opposite! I’ve pretty much made the wrong decision every time a decision needed to be made.

Without boring you with all the details, most of my bad decisions can be summed up by pointing out that I was chasing “quality of life” early in my career instead of attaining whatever the best airlines were looking for in terms of hiring criteria.

Things change and there’s no way to know *exactly* what the best airlines will want, but PIC and Education are constant themes. The more you have of both, the more options you’ll have.

Warning: Old Fart advice ahead... “Quality of life” will be more important to you 10 years from now than it is today. The platitude posters are mostly wrong when they say money can’t buy happiness. If you have a bunch of excess money, the annoyances of life can be mitigated. If your pay scale is high enough and you’re not working for a bottom feeder ULCC, you can afford to work less and spend more time at home even if you’re commuting. You won’t feel like your spouse has to work which will mean more quality time when you’re home. You can hire out more time consuming and undesireable tasks around the house.

Yes, the industry goes up and the industry goes down. I remember for a brief flash in time, F9 pilots were being paid better than UAL narrowbody pilots. That was a short-lived anomaly. As I’ve said in previous posts, yes, all airlines have issues. F9 continues to struggle with BS Third World style issues while better airlines have First World issues.

TL/DR: Do NOW whatever it takes to get on with a high quality airline ASAP because you’ll appreciate the QOL this provides between age 30 and retirement MUCH more than the limited improvement you’ll see by taking the instant gratification of going to a less desirable ULCC today.

My humble opinion as a 50 year old, 2nd career, 14 year F9 guy. Take it (or leave it) for what it’s worth!