spudskier

Ok, hear me out, this is not flame bait, these thoughts have been swirling for a while...

Backstory:

-7 year FO at ASA
-Latest position notice shows basically no new upgrades through 5/2014
-I'm commuting to my base
-0 TPIC with no hope of it through the first half of 2014
-4700TT

-CommutAir has a base at my home airport
-Upgrade I hear is about 1.5 years?
-Yes I know the pay sucks (especially compared to ASA 8-yr FO pay on the 700/900), but I wouldn't be commuting
-ASA will be losing more airplanes next year
-Insert other management threats if the TA doesn't pass (I voted no)

flyguy94

You don't want to wait until Delta gets their hiring spooled up? Might see some attrition soon on the crj side.

Edit: also there were lots of guy bailing from CommutAir to Xjt in my class because they can't find FO's and the upgrade is going to skyrocket because of that fact.

200Driver

Why would you make this move? Home based? Your giving up a tremendous amount to get rid of your commute. That is the ONLY positive I see.

spudskier

Well, chasing some TPIC (upgrade) which I know is wrong, but I'm guaranteed not to upgrade before 5/2014. But if what flyguy94 said is true, there isn't an upgrade to be had.

to answer the other question, a bunch of ASA guys/girls have recently been turned down at DAL. Seems to be an ASA stank. UAL is hiring our pilots, but it's mostly FOs that are leaving and some captains. Latest numbers for the ASA side had almost double the FOs leaving than captains and since I'm a fairly senior FO, most of those leaving are under me. FOs are short staffed like CommutAir so they're not upgrading.

Also, ASA has no flow to anywhere, no preferential interviews, etc... USAir and AA are only hiring military, friends, family, and ultra qualified pilots (1000+TPIC) It'll be a few years before AA, USAir, or DAL get around to calling me, if ever. UAL, VX, Spirit, and JB are a crap shoot but not likely.

coryk

Compass? They gave a DTW bases that's close to CLE, assuming that's where you're at.

spudskier

Thought about that but I hear the junior base is LAS and they won't be doing a ton of upgrading (my guess is a 3-5 year upgrade if I were to be hired now)

ross9238

If it's TPIC then why don't you jump ship to Compass? Their upgrade times are supposed to come down as well. Just don't let this bite you in the end chasing that upgrade.

Would I do it? Nope. Just keep plugging away with the apps to other carriers who would be a step up from the regionals (get out of the regional rat race). Don't wait for the call from Delta. Get on with someone as quick as you can and then/if Delta calls, make the switch if you want.

spudskier

Sound advice... I have apps out to every carrier out there like most people (USAir, AA, UAL, DAL, Virgin, JetBlue, Spirit, etc..) First one to call, that's where I'm going

Duke990

My backstory...
-5 year FO at Pinnacle (the original 9E), now 1 year in at CommutAir
-Still commuting so no big change there
-0 TPIC
-3900 TT
-Pinnacle has to park 140 CRJ200's in the next 2 years meaning I would see no upgrade, or possibly end up furloughed

-Upgrades at CommutAir are hovering around the 2 year mark
-The pay does suck, but I've been able to manage it
-Good relationship between the pilot group and management
-Guaranteed flying for United for the next 4 years on the Q200/Q300
-Generally a good/fun pilot group
-A recent msg from management says a big announcement in January for some sort of "career progression" to United. Most likely just an interview imo

I don't know the dynamic at ExpressJet but the Pinnacle pilot group is REALLY unhappy. The attitude change and good atmosphere at CommutAir was a real relief for me. I actually enjoy working now. Just be forewarned that with the upcoming 117 rules and the nature of our flying, expect minimum days off and up to 6 legs a day. It can be pretty tiring but the Dash is a fun airplane to fly. I've been there one year and I'm 50% up the FO seniority list. My hope is one more year for an upgrade. I too left Pinnacle for some TPIC. Let's hope it works out. Good luck to you.

TallFlyer

I'm in absolute agreement with this. With PSA, Mesa, Compass, GoJet, SkyWest, etc, hiring everyone that they can find over the next couple of years it's going to be REALLY hard for C5 to keep FOs on property, let along attract them in the first place.

They do have no some big announcement coming next month about their "United Career Progression Program," but no one really has any idea of what that's going to look like.

If you want to talk further about it you can PM me.