I have seen a lot of similar posts in the past, but now its my turn. The airline I work for is purchasing A LOT of A319s in their endeavour to transition from Regional to LCC. I am currently flying in the left seat of the CRJ200 (the 50 seater). The lines suck right now, but are forecast to be excellent once the transition is complete. For example, now, with my seniority, I get about 12 days off and 80-90 hours block mostly on 4-day trips. After the transition, it is forecast that I should get 16-20 days off with the same block, on mostly 1-day trips. Also, I expect that I will be able to hold AB CA by the end of 2007. The pay for AB FO is slightly less than CRJ CA (ca. $300/month) If I switch from CRJ CA to AB FO, I will be seat locked for 3 years. I have been flying the CRJ for over two years and LOVE it, probably because I came from the J32 (what a fun plane). I have not been an FO in nearly four years and don't look forward to playing camellion again. As captain, I can set the mood, be safe, ensure that SOPs are complied with, and most important have FUN. From what I am told, FOs like flying with me. So, my question is: Everything being the same (same company, same pay, etc) Is the transition from RJ CA to AB FO worth it? So far, several CAs senior to me have made the jump and several have stayed. After putting my thoughts down, here, I am leaning towards staying in the CRJ. Any input would be appreciated.
Cheers
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BBB