Skywest v2.0
02-26-2017, 01:49 PM
#5941
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2014
Posts: 613
As far as SkyWest goes you can be based in COS and pick up trips in DEN or any other domicile as well. Possibly give away trips you don't want. PBS can allow for a lot of flexibility in building your schedule with some seniority. And if you get based in DEN I understand you will wind up doing Aspen flying in the 700.
Maybe things have improved in the last couple months since I left. But with SW willing to pick up all the flying they possibly can, and force that flying on their pilots for straight time vs paying 150% for those that want the flying, I would be careful about espousing the virtues of PBS and schedule flexibility. Maybe it is just an FO thing since most of the CA's I know had no idea how bad it was for bidding on the FO side.
I will say it is refreshing to have contractual limits set with the company and pilots. If extra flying needs to be done, it is done in a way that allows BOTH the pilot and company to make additional money doing that flying. Weird thing is that the company is still able to make money and provide QOL for their pilots. Weird concept I know...
02-26-2017, 01:53 PM
#5942
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2005
Position: RJ Captain
Posts: 1,181
Okay cool, that looks like a pretty good list. Certainly a lot of things I don't know right now. Could I ask what the answers are for SKW on those things?
I believe that SKW uses PBS and TSA is in a PBS "trial period" right now.
Would you say dropping/trading would be very difficult at SKW because skeds won't authorize anything unless they come up with the idea themselves?
Daily guarantee is 4:12 for SKW and 4.25 (which I assume means 4:15) for TSA.
Trip rig at SKW is 1:4.
The rest I haven't found any information about.
Thanks again!
I believe that SKW uses PBS and TSA is in a PBS "trial period" right now.
Would you say dropping/trading would be very difficult at SKW because skeds won't authorize anything unless they come up with the idea themselves?
Daily guarantee is 4:12 for SKW and 4.25 (which I assume means 4:15) for TSA.
Trip rig at SKW is 1:4.
The rest I haven't found any information about.
Thanks again!
Premium pay: On a day scheduled over 12 hours of duty there is a 1 for 1 guarantee in addition to the duty guarantee. A 13 hour day pays a minimum of 7 hours credit. You'll see this on some of the better split duties.
Minimum daily guarantee. Make sure it covers every day and is not averaged. Some airlines don't pay it when you have a 30 hour overnight and don't fly on that day. Some airlines look at your total days worked and make sure it just averages above the mdg.
On schedules, I fly primarily locals or split duties. I can usually get someone else to pick those up from me on days I want off. SLC as a lot of those trips. I think COS and DEN have a lot of longer trips, 3-4 days and it may be a little harder to make schedule adjustments.
PBS has many complainers but it works for me bidding mid pack. I can usually get the days off I want and it's possible to wind up with a large number of days off in row without using vacation. I can sometimes bid down to 60 or so hours or bid up over 100. And that's credit not block. A 100 hour credit month may only have 40-90 hours of block.
Not to say everything is perfect at SkyWest, far from it, but look beyond just the pay rates.
You did mention something that almost no one else does in that the first available upgrades at this point are only back east. Left seat currently anywhere DEN and west is considerably longer.
02-26-2017, 02:00 PM
#5943
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2014
Position: 787 right
Posts: 504
I'll be straight forward. SkyWest is not the best financial choice right now for first year FOs with other regionals promising 60K (before tax.) If 60K makes it worth it to commute to NYC to fly a E145 or a -200, go for it. That is some HARD flying out there. Commuting sucks and at the end of the day, it's called a retention bonus for a reason. We have bases everywhere, as I'm sure you are aware of and you pretty much will get your top pick after 6 months.
People bring up that they would rather be stuck at SkyWest rather than anywhere else because the bottom line, it's too big to fail. Contracts with 4 majors and growth still occurring speaks volume. This hiring boom will not last forever. The Dow Jones is above 20,000 and it's been +8 years since the last recession. This industry is cyclical and so is the global economy. Oil is already on the rise again.
Upgrades are below 2 years and falling. 175s are still being delivers and CRJ contracts are being renewed. MX is excellent as well, even with older 200s. I've flown a total of 3 planes that had an MEL this last year.
It's a darn good product. There is a reason why we have contracts with 4 majors. They also like to hire are pilots. We have people move on to every major, cargo or LCC airline you can name.
We do have some pretty good benefits as well. 401(k) matching is 3% your first year and you will eventually get quarterly performance bonuses as well as performance rewards. We have stock purchase options that give you 5% off share price. Depending on base and aircraft, you could have flight benefits of AA, DL and UA. AS benefits are not so common but at minimum, you can go on SkyWest operated flight, no matter what the side of the plane says.
The training is great and the people you work with are fantastic as well. By no means am I saying we are the best regional, I just can't name one that I would rather be at.
People bring up that they would rather be stuck at SkyWest rather than anywhere else because the bottom line, it's too big to fail. Contracts with 4 majors and growth still occurring speaks volume. This hiring boom will not last forever. The Dow Jones is above 20,000 and it's been +8 years since the last recession. This industry is cyclical and so is the global economy. Oil is already on the rise again.
Upgrades are below 2 years and falling. 175s are still being delivers and CRJ contracts are being renewed. MX is excellent as well, even with older 200s. I've flown a total of 3 planes that had an MEL this last year.
It's a darn good product. There is a reason why we have contracts with 4 majors. They also like to hire are pilots. We have people move on to every major, cargo or LCC airline you can name.
We do have some pretty good benefits as well. 401(k) matching is 3% your first year and you will eventually get quarterly performance bonuses as well as performance rewards. We have stock purchase options that give you 5% off share price. Depending on base and aircraft, you could have flight benefits of AA, DL and UA. AS benefits are not so common but at minimum, you can go on SkyWest operated flight, no matter what the side of the plane says.
The training is great and the people you work with are fantastic as well. By no means am I saying we are the best regional, I just can't name one that I would rather be at.
02-26-2017, 02:18 PM
#5944
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2014
Posts: 584
Using PBS totally depends on the staffing in your domicile and base. And SW does not have any requirements to staff with a proper reserve compliment. The main reason I left was because despite being in the top 30% of my base, I was unable to get trips my seniority could hold and could not improve my line using PBS because of non-existent reserve levels and everyone else getting awarded 90+ hour lines. Had I been able to have a decent QOL, I would've have been updating my app and attending job fairs.
Maybe things have improved in the last couple months since I left. But with SW willing to pick up all the flying they possibly can, and force that flying on their pilots for straight time vs paying 150% for those that want the flying, I would be careful about espousing the virtues of PBS and schedule flexibility. Maybe it is just an FO thing since most of the CA's I know had no idea how bad it was for bidding on the FO side.
I will say it is refreshing to have contractual limits set with the company and pilots. If extra flying needs to be done, it is done in a way that allows BOTH the pilot and company to make additional money doing that flying. Weird thing is that the company is still able to make money and provide QOL for their pilots. Weird concept I know...
Maybe things have improved in the last couple months since I left. But with SW willing to pick up all the flying they possibly can, and force that flying on their pilots for straight time vs paying 150% for those that want the flying, I would be careful about espousing the virtues of PBS and schedule flexibility. Maybe it is just an FO thing since most of the CA's I know had no idea how bad it was for bidding on the FO side.
I will say it is refreshing to have contractual limits set with the company and pilots. If extra flying needs to be done, it is done in a way that allows BOTH the pilot and company to make additional money doing that flying. Weird thing is that the company is still able to make money and provide QOL for their pilots. Weird concept I know...
why didn't you ever upgrade if bidding was bad for you as an FO?
02-26-2017, 02:21 PM
#5945
Line Holder
Joined APC: Aug 2016
Posts: 46
Deadhead Meals
I thought I saw something pages back saying we got a free meal in united if deadheading/positive space. Is this correct? Any other times?
Thank you!
Thank you!
02-26-2017, 02:25 PM
#5946
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2015
Position: Downward Dog
Posts: 1,875
PBS is great. Our PBS does need to be fixed to always honor seniority instead of sometimes violating it to increase the efficient use of flight crews.
Junior pilots will not have schedule flexibility.
If the economy tanks or we lose airplanes we will be fat and you will then be able to get any day off you want, but you won't be going up in seniority and your career stagnates.
So....
Junior pilots will not have schedule flexibility.
If the economy tanks or we lose airplanes we will be fat and you will then be able to get any day off you want, but you won't be going up in seniority and your career stagnates.
So....
02-26-2017, 02:41 PM
#5947
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,111
See, I thought we got 3% match our first year until I noticed they weren't matching my contributions on my payroll forms. When I called I got a simple "Oh... that's because you're a first year pilot." *** guys. Don't tell us you match 3% if you're not going to match.
02-26-2017, 02:42 PM
#5948
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,464
It's after one year of service. Crappy language.
02-26-2017, 02:48 PM
#5950
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2014
Posts: 584
Obviously someone must have mis spoke. Always look at what's written! Would it have changed your decision to come here?
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