flyingreasemnky

The people that are the most vocal about RAH have never worked anywhere else worse. There are a lot of worse places. The training is night and day between the certificates though. I thought YX training was cake but have heard horror stories about RP.

The one comment I don't get is about the maintenance. As a former mechanic and after working at another regional, I would say that it is really good. One average, RAH carries a lot less MEL's than most other regionals. Hell, I get a lot of them with zero.

Sniper

Actually, in the US regional industry, its a great idea.

If you're starting out, go to a carrier that's fleet is well positioned for the future because you're going to be there for a while, so you want the company to be too. Or take advantage of the ignorance of the SJS syndrome crowd and go to a carrier that has undesirable aircraft (in the eyes of a SJS pilot) where you don't need to care much about their long-term prospects - you're not going to be there long-term either, since you'll likely move on before most guys with your DOH at other carriers even upgrade!

401K, scheduling, and pay scales are priorities only if you intend to stay there long term. Think of it this way - would you trade 3 years in a turboprop @ $40/hr with poor QOL and a small 401K for 3 years in a 787 @ $200+/hr, and large 401K, and great QOL when you're older, or would you give up 5 years in the 787 for 5 years of flying an RJ around with ok QOL and some 401K @ $80/hr?

So, yeah, you most certainly are considering your 401K, scheduling, and pay scales over your career when you choose what employer you will work for based on the aircraft you will fly.

JetBlast77

Everyone has their own situation. I have small kids and would much rather go to a place I might have to stay a few years longer but have good qol and a great contract. I have a lot of friends that went to colgan and commutair that upgraded years before me...but we make the same money and ive been home with my kids almost every night the past few years. Sure they'll get to a major a few years before me, but I wouldnt trade this time with my family for anything. My friends that went to the quick upgrade carriers either never see their famlies or dont have one. To each his own I guess.

Slats

787 is a bit of a stretch. Entry level aircraft at United are the 737. Many will never see the likes of heavy for many many years to come. I would much rather be at a stable regional with good quality of life and leave when I see fit. Not choose a crap regional because then youll find yourself in the "I can't wait to leave this place because it sucks" mode.
Also, like said in earlier posts. I'd much rather spend time with my family and watch my kids grow as opposed to sitting reserve for a major gone 5-6days a week for 5+ yrs. I can do that once the kiddies are grown and gone.
In fact no major is hiring in droves or plan to for the next 3-4yrs. That's a long time to sit at a lower scale regional. Just my .02

Moonwolf

You forgot my white rim sunglasses I keep on my head also.

TillerEnvy

Don't come here. Please.

troyb

+1 Most at RAH don't know about 20 days a month of sitting hot reserve and getting junior manned. It's not fun!

Sniper

Good QOL at a regional only comes as a senior CA, a 'lifer'. You give up going to a major for it (that's what we're discussing here, going to a major, right?).

A "great contract"? Compare your contract to the mainline carrier your carrier supports. Would you trade their contract for yours? If so, yours isn't "great".

This a Republic thread, so, lets talk Republic. Pilots hired at RAH in 2004 are relatively senior CA's, or are FO's at a major. Guys hired 3 years later can't even hold Captain. The 2007 guys have stagnated for almost their entire career at RAH, while the 2004 guys have had weekends and holidays off with their family in 2004 and 2005 as RAH FO's, then again in 2007 as RAH CA's, and will soon have them off as mainline FO's (for example) - they will (hopefully) never have to go to the bottom of a seniority list again for the rest of their lives. The guys hired in 2004 are much more than 3 years further along. They hit the front of a hiring wave at the regionals, and then punched out as soon as they could. Did they give up some QOL in 2006? Yep. Did they give up some QOL from 2008 (hired by mainline) till 2014? Yep. Will they have the choice to have weekends and holidays off from 2015-retirement? Probably. Lower QOL in 2006, and 2008-2014, 8 years total (7 of them at mainline, which gives you good QOL and good compensation by regional standards, even as a junior FO - ask anyone at a major who previously worked at RAH how their QOL compares as a junior FO at mainline to a mid-seniority CA at RAH).

So, you get to spend time with your family from 2012-2015. Your kids and wife get to see their dad maybe 20% more, and on more desirable days (birthday, holidays, etc). Then you'll be a junior FO at mainline. Even though you only started 3 years later, since no majors were hiring from 2008-2013, you gave up 6 years of Delta pay ($540,000, minimum guarantee on reserve as a DC-9B, a Republic FO earned $193,500 as a min guarantee, a difference of $346,500) for that extra 3 years with your family too. The Delta guy will have choices in 2023 that are not available to you (737 CA, great QOL or 787 CA, ok QOL with more $), and might never be in your entire career at Delta. If he invested that $346,500 at 5% interest today, he also has an additional $1.17M in 2038 for retirement (worth $578K in today's $ when we adjust for inflation). He might be able to retire early, spending every holiday and weekend with his family for those years. He can possibly not have to worry about how to pay for his kids to go to college, and maybe his grandkids too.

Like you said, you wouldn't trade this time with family for anything (over $1M and lower QOL from 2015-career end). I respect that, and it may be a good choice for you. but there are consequences, and they will last your entire life. Though you may know them and feel it is worth it, perhaps not all do.


Not a stretch at all. Everyone will hold the 737 at United. Spending 3 extra years at a regional as a Captain may mean you may never have the seniority to hold the left seat of a 787 . . . ever (so, spending 3 years as a RJ CA means you never get 5 years as a 787 CA, and that's being very generous to your point). Ask an American, United, or US Airways guy hired in 2000 what his career prospects are. If he's at US Airways, he's still a NB FO, was furloughed for years, will get placed behind much younger guys hired almost a decade after him if/when US Airways and America West merge, and won't upgrade for another 10 years. At United or American - he's furloughed today. Seriously.

Delta is projecting hiring in "late 2013". United is projecting hiring summer 2013 and is attending job fairs now (UA just did one in MIA). US Airways is hiring currently. So is Hawaiian. That's 4 out of the 6 airlines listed as "legacy" on APC planning hiring this year. If you wait till "droves" are being hired, you're on the back end of the hiring wave. You're already likely on it, since you're still at a regional (unless you were competitive but choose to not apply to majors in 2006-2008 when they were hiring, choosing QOL at your regional, which really hasn't improved much since 2008).

Either miss some time with your family now, or miss more time with your family later. Those are your likely choices. Both of them are painful. Good luck.

This is more for people who are choosing Republic now, not for those who are already invested in it - you made your bed already, and it may have been a great choice for you, but its far from the obvious and best choice for the average RAH pilot.

Sorry for the length and thread drift. This being the regionals forum, feel free to have the last word if you choose.

block30

How is RAH doing finding new hires? I see people discuss Eagle apparently having trouble, just wondering if RAH is? Not meant to be flame bait.

Natca

Actually after working for three junky 121 regional carriers, the mx at 135/121 cargo is alot better. I have yet to see a mel on something beisde a fms gps reciever or something like a autopilot gyro. Nothing like the 3 plus constant airplanes at regionals. Like i said i have seen two maybe three mels since i have been in cargo unlike the daily occurance in the pax side. Cargo people know if this are broke they loose money.