Originally Posted by
going_up
First time posting here. I would like to put a lot of things to rest. I was the fortunate one to have been the first E3 visa pilot hired by any airline in the US. That just so happened to be SkyWest Airlines. I have been with the company for more than 19 months now and have nothing but positive things to say about my quality of life here. I am sure that some users here will snicker and possibly have some negative comments regarding salaries, quality of life, and just flying in the US in general. Skywest currently has more than 30 Australian pilots on staff, and they have the E3 process down pat! Other regionals wouldn't have a bar of me going back to when I was applying, but Skywest actually took the time and listened.
For those of you those want more details, please PM me. I would be more than happy to link you a special application link, guide you, answer questions, and point you in the right direction.
A few main points about Skywest.
- They are an amazing employer, but far the best regional. If you speak with any American aviator, you will find they share the same opinion.
- Your spouse & children are more than welcome! Your Spouse is also allowed to work in the US.
- The flight benefits are amazing! I have the ability to fly for free on United, Delta and American! This does vary depending on the aircraft you operate and domicile.
- The pay is more than enough! My first year, I made over 48K USD. Of which I was in training from January till April. That being said, if I flew a full year without training? 60K USD (75K AUD) as a second year FO! Keep in mind this includes my bonuses and I do work hard!
- Cost of living in the US is MUCH CHEAPER than that of back home! The dollar goes much further here!
- Current upgrade time to captain are 2 years or less if you are willing to take Detroit as a base.
- American locals are awesome people! Great to fly with! I have learnt so much being here!
- All your training is paid for by Skywest, they also provide accommodation and pay you while you train!
Any questions, I can point you in the right direction for sure!
Hope this helps!
Fishing for referral bonuses.
Anyone looking at doing the E3 thing in the US should goto Piedmont, simply for the fact it's an AA wholly owned airline and all the benefits that come with that as opposed to a contract airline. This is especially important with regards to travel benefits when trying to fly home to Aus or fly your folks across etc.
I work for Envoy so I have no bias recommending Piedmont to anyone. They've also got their E3 process down pat.