Sky Regional vs Mainline
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Sky Regional vs Mainline
I have a buddy that works at Sky Regional. His goal has always been to make it into Mainline. I work for a 704 operation and with all the hiring at SR with the Embraers operation, it is tempting. The only problem I have is that nobody ever made it into Mainline coming from Sky Regional. My buddy says that if I go to SR, I will be blocked at Mainline. Should I stick to my current job (left seat 1900 not GGN) or get 705 time on either Q-400 or EMJ in order to achieve my ultimate goal i-e Mainline.
Thanks in advance for your advice!
Thanks in advance for your advice!
Re: Sky Regional vs Mainline
Be careful about other people's personnal opinion about what you should do with your career.
I don't see why someone would be blocked at mainline because they work at SR.
If you feel it's in your best interest to go work there, do it.
I don't see why someone would be blocked at mainline because they work at SR.
If you feel it's in your best interest to go work there, do it.
Re: Sky Regional vs Mainline
That being said a lot of guys on my PIT course were GGN 1900 captains.
Re: Sky Regional vs Mainline
Like said above, don't let anyone tell you how to steer your career but since you came here for advice I'll offer my 2 cents.
I personally believe that experience on a 1900 onwards will not really matter for when it comes to get the call from Air Canada and WestJet for that matter. I have a lot of personal friends as well as witness a lot of colleagues leaving the 1900 for EMJ/Airbus/Boeing spots with bigger and better companies.
While 705 experience will look nice, I wouldn't give up a 1900 captain seat to go right seat 705 in order to have a better shot at getting a call from mainline. Unless there's other reasons for why you'd want to do that. That being said, if you are a 705 captain that seems to be a fantastic spot to be in if Encore is where you want to end up as your buddy should know, cause there has been Q400 interviews for pilot's from SR at Encore right?
All the best!
I personally believe that experience on a 1900 onwards will not really matter for when it comes to get the call from Air Canada and WestJet for that matter. I have a lot of personal friends as well as witness a lot of colleagues leaving the 1900 for EMJ/Airbus/Boeing spots with bigger and better companies.
While 705 experience will look nice, I wouldn't give up a 1900 captain seat to go right seat 705 in order to have a better shot at getting a call from mainline. Unless there's other reasons for why you'd want to do that. That being said, if you are a 705 captain that seems to be a fantastic spot to be in if Encore is where you want to end up as your buddy should know, cause there has been Q400 interviews for pilot's from SR at Encore right?
All the best!
Re: Sky Regional vs Mainline
That's what everyone told me when I was leaving my Northern job to go to Jazz a few years ago because "AC doesn't hire from Jazz". I did some research and found out that they actually were but in very small numbers. I took a chance and went to Jazz anyway because it was the right move for me and my family at the time. I also decided that if I never got a call from AC (and that is a big IF), I would rather be working for Jazz for the remainder of my career than my old job up north.Mo Jo wrote:My buddy says that if I go to SR, I will be blocked at Mainline.
Well last year I was hired at AC and surprised to see that in my PIT course of 22 new hires, at least 10 were from Jazz. If AC isn't hiring from SR (and I'm not sure if that is even true), it likely won't last long as the only certainty in aviation is that there is no certainty. Make the move that seems right for you now.
Good Luck!
MRP
Re: Sky Regional vs Mainline
Mo Jo wrote:I have a buddy that works at Sky Regional. His goal has always been to make it into Mainline. I work for a 704 operation and with all the hiring at SR with the Embraers operation, it is tempting. The only problem I have is that nobody ever made it into Mainline coming from Sky Regional. My buddy says that if I go to SR, I will be blocked at Mainline. Should I stick to my current job (left seat 1900 not GGN) or get 705 time on either Q-400 or EMJ in order to achieve my ultimate goal i-e Mainline.
Thanks in advance for your advice!
Maybe you should talk to your buddy at Sky one more time... Ask him about the actual operation and lifestyle conditions over there. I talked to my buddy there and can tell you it's not even close as to what they sell you in the interview. Not that they sell you much anyways, because I bet you make close to what the left seat Q400 driver gets there.
Be careful. I would rather wait for WJ/AC/Jazz then go there.
Re: Sky Regional vs Mainline
I was told years ago "get to a 705 airline as quickly as you can"... I am a firm believer that was good advice... anyone telling you sitting at a 703/704 operator and hoping is the way to go hasn't seen the otherside of the fence very clearly.
Re: Sky Regional vs Mainline
Your point was probably very true until recently, as the 705 market in Canada has/is changing rapidly. Look around, and you will see that new regional start ups are nothing to be excited for someone coming in from 703/704 back ground. If anyone thinks that coming in to fly left seat Q400 for 55-65K/year is exciting, then I would love to hear how you feel 6months later once the novelty wears off and the pay check reality sinks in.altiplano wrote:I was told years ago "get to a 705 airline as quickly as you can".
Having said that, I would say the same thing to Mo Jo, go ahead and move on to 705 airline if thats what you want to do. But again, make sure you get all the information before making that leap....because it may not be a leap at all (in this specific case).
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Re: Sky Regional vs Mainline
That thought process is old school.
Each class I have seen is an eclectic mix of pilots from across Canada. Minimums haves steadily dropped in time. Racing to a 705 will just put you in with 400-1500 other pilots that may or may not be trying to move up as you are.
The application process showed interest in EFIS, FMS, JET and College/post secondary.
The cadet program will be drawing from 1900 pilots....
The bigger is better time argument is old. Don't put much merit in it.
Each class I have seen is an eclectic mix of pilots from across Canada. Minimums haves steadily dropped in time. Racing to a 705 will just put you in with 400-1500 other pilots that may or may not be trying to move up as you are.
The application process showed interest in EFIS, FMS, JET and College/post secondary.
The cadet program will be drawing from 1900 pilots....
The bigger is better time argument is old. Don't put much merit in it.
Re: Sky Regional vs Mainline
Sure you can get hired without 705 experience... but 96% of commuter and air taxi outfits are gong shows - work your ass off, chucking bags, garden sprayers for deice, stinky passengers, O dark 30 callouts, min rest day in day out, shitty benefits, marginal maintenance, poor training, clapped out equipment... it goes on and on...where would you rather be spending your time? Save youself the aggravation and take the 705 job before the airlines stop hiring... Get the t-shirt, survive and get out.
Re: Sky Regional vs Mainline
I guess it all depends on how much PIC time you have right? If you're on the B1900 and have logged a decent amount of command time, then moving up to a 705 (SR) would seem like a good move. However if you just got upgraded on the B1900, you'd probably be better off staying.
I can't beleive that working for SR would end your chances of going to the mainline. Unless AC and SR have an agreement to stop the flow through in order to keep training costs down? Just speculating there.
I can't beleive that working for SR would end your chances of going to the mainline. Unless AC and SR have an agreement to stop the flow through in order to keep training costs down? Just speculating there.
Re: Sky Regional vs Mainline
altiplano wrote:Sure you can get hired without 705 experience... but 96% of commuter and air taxi outfits are gong shows - work your ass off, chucking bags, garden sprayers for deice, stinky passengers, O dark 30 callouts, min rest day in day out, shitty benefits, marginal maintenance, poor training, clapped out equipment... it goes on and on...where would you rather be spending your time? Save youself the aggravation and take the 705 job before the airlines stop hiring... Get the t-shirt, survive and get out.
+1
My thoughts exactly. Gong show sounds about right loll!
Once u have a decent logbook and your 500mpic or so... Survive and Get out while u still can and airlines are hiring.
That's my opinion too.
Sky Regional sounds a million times better than my 703-704 experience, which was similar to the one described above.
Re: Sky Regional vs Mainline
Here's the thing, AC has been hiring pretty intensely for the past 2 years. One would imagine that they would mostly take as many 705 people as possible, since they integrate easier through the training program. But after 2 years of interviewing, they will have mooched most of the experienced 705 guys, and as such have opened the doors to 703/704 ops. Judging from where things are in the hiring process, I'd imagine you might want to grab a 705 job for now, in case AC doesn't call you when the music stops. At least that way, you have a seat in a 705 op until the music starts again.
Re: Sky Regional vs Mainline
Taking a job purely because you think it will help you get hired somewhere else is ridiculous. Take the job because its a good job. Things change overnight in this industry. Jazz used to be the way to AC because of LOU 18. If you took that job based solely on that criteria you would be very dissappointed as it is now gone. Guys at Jazz are in the same boat as a guy flying a Metro.
Take the job that is best for you. Don't let anyone tell you that one job is "the best way to the airlines" because there is no such thing.
Take the job that is best for you. Don't let anyone tell you that one job is "the best way to the airlines" because there is no such thing.
Re: Sky Regional vs Mainline
Given that AC is funding 100% of the training and setup expense at SKY for the EMB program, and probably did so for the Q400 program as well, it seems unlikely that they would poach many of the SKY pilots when they have more high value targets at Porter/Encore/etc that have the beneficial effect of triggering incremental attrition based training costs at the competition. It will be trickle hiring at best from SKY.
If you really covet that career at AC then GGN has a bridge for sale that you might be interested in
If you really covet that career at AC then GGN has a bridge for sale that you might be interested in