US or Canadian Regionals: Which are better for a low-time pilot?

[MooneyPit]

I'll have my multi-IFR within 90 days and about 300 hours TT. I own my own single-engine bird and will be picking up my hours as much as my current non-aviation profession allows. I could get up to 500 pretty fast if I needed to. Everything I read at the Yankee forums (PPruNE, JC, APF, etc.) are all signalling that the Reserve life of only a few weeks before getting Line status is quickly headed back to being several months if not a couple years at the Regionals by the time I get my hours up. Also, the flow agreements are all signally about 10 years too. The magic-super-fast upgrades to the left seat area also drying up very fast. I sat and talked a while with a young aspiring freight . who flies the B1900 for Ameriflight. He said they're picking people up at 450TT and putting them in the right seat until they hit the cargo mins for Captain. He also said they are not the horrible company they used to be and have accepted the fact they are truly a stepping stone operation. He's logged some serious flight hours over the past 18 months there and just took an upgrade to the EMB120 out West.
Considering the current atmosphere and also looking forward six months, would I be better off focusing on flying for a Regional in the States versus applying at a Canadian Regional?
Sure seems like the junior pilot climate in Canada is more comfortable than the mass-mayhem in the States. I would have to commute but I'm only 3hrs from YAM or could jumpseat to DTW from the several DL served airports that surround my residence.

My goal is to have a fairly stable airline pilot job where I can commute back to my home in Northern Michigan (I have both a US and Canadian citizenship). I'm married, 40, and very financially sound.

[vermont]

I'll have my multi-IFR within 90 days and about 300 hours TT. I own my own single-engine bird and will be picking up my hours as much as my current non-aviation profession allows. I could get up to 500 pretty fast if I needed to. Everything I read at the Yankee forums (PPruNE, JC, APF, etc.) are all signalling that the Reserve life of only a few weeks before getting Line status is quickly headed back to being several months if not a couple years at the Regionals by the time I get my hours up. Also, the flow agreements are all signally about 10 years too. The magic-super-fast upgrades to the left seat area also drying up very fast. I sat and talked a while with a young aspiring freight . who flies the B1900 for Ameriflight. He said they're picking people up at 450TT and putting them in the right seat until they hit the cargo mins for Captain. He also said they are not the horrible company they used to be and have accepted the fact they are truly a stepping stone operation. He's logged some serious flight hours over the past 18 months there and just took an upgrade to the EMB120 out West.
Considering the current atmosphere and also looking forward six months, would I be better off focusing on flying for a Regional in the States versus applying at a Canadian Regional?
Sure seems like the junior pilot climate in Canada is more comfortable than the mass-mayhem in the States. I would have to commute but I'm only 3hrs from YAM or could jumpseat to DTW from the several DL served airports that surround my residence.

My goal is to have a fairly stable airline pilot job where I can commute back to my home in Northern Michigan (I have both a US and Canadian citizenship). I'm married, 40, and very financially sound.

I'm clueless but things look a lot better in the US. Freight carriers here disappear overnight basically since the contracts/ownership are setup in really vulnerable ways. Look at Kelowna? Lost the purolator contract and they have no planes now.

[goingnowherefast]

Some US regionals pay their FOs better than Canadian regionals pay the captains. They have better flight and duty time rules than even the new ones coming to Canada next December. It is all a matter of perspective.

In your position, I would not hesitate, US regional! Pay better, flight and duty rules are better.

US regionals require 1500hrs, so gotta get there

[PostmasterGeneral]

US all the way. However it’s not as simple as commuting to the states and getting a job. You’re not gonna get sponsored for a work permit unless you’re already American, so you’re stuck with Canada. Make the best of it.

[goingnowherefast]

The OP states that he is a dual citizen. In brackets near the bottom.

Every pilot I know with US citizenship or the ability to work overseas has left Canada. Usually people stay for family ties in Canada. If there aren't any, there's more money and/or better working conditions abroad.

[altiplano]

I don't think at 300 or 500 hours you have much choice...

You really just go to whoever calls you.

You can't work at a US Regional until you have your ATPL, so they won't be calling you.

IF you can get hired with that time at a Canadian regional that's pretty good. Then once you get some time and your ATPL you can consider bailing on Canada down to a US feeder if it's a better package/commute for you.

I'm not sure if at 40 I'd be thinking about a long term regional career as a commuter out of Northern Michigan though... particularly if you're financially secure. What are your goals beyond that?

Interesting to see what good legislation has done to Regional piloting on the US. 10 years ago guys were sleeping in their cars and working at McDonalds on the side to make it work, taking home $20K, while being rostered to death, in some of the most expensive cities in the country. Meanwhile Regional Pilots in Canada were like, "yeah, we're the highest paid Dash 8 drivers in the world"... and now not so much... but then again they are hiring with 250 hours...

[FL-280]

Just apply to mainline WestJet....

[radio]

I was and still is, in the same situation as you. Both Canadian and Us citizenship.

What people are saying on this forum is true, life is better in the USA right now for a pilot. I always compare my situation to my friends in Canada flying for regionals and major, there's always something better in the states.

Yes the money is very good right now, I was flying a Piston aircraft in Alaska, 15 days out of the month and home the other 15 days. I will be making close to 100K Canadians dollars this year if you factor in the exchange rate.

I always wanted to fly for Air Canada, but came to realize that I could never catch up on the money and quality of life that Major airlines are offering the USA.

Skywest offers top pay, almost no reserve time on the CRJ in DTW and a quick upgrade. Reserve time and upgrade are a moving target, they will go up and down in the next 10 years. But the amount of retirements in the USA is going to be a very interesting factor in the coming years. Majors will be hiring a lot.

My best advice would be to flight instruct in the USA and apply to a regional there. I was lucky enough to find a job a 250hrs in Alaska, but those jobs in the USA are far in between

[GoHomeLeg]

I've done both. The United States is better. Better pay in USD and cheaper to live. Quicker upgrade times. Larger companies. Commuting across Canada is not different than commuting to some far away base in the US. After you build you hours go to whatever major takes you first (including AC) unless you have multiple offers.

[MooneyPit]

Thanks for all of the input. I think I'd be better off doing what the consensus says and stay here in the States. Just like what GoHomeLeg says I can always apply at AC in the distant future after I've racked up time at a US regional. For now I'll focus on getting PIC time under my belt. I also peruse the Jetcareers, AirlinePilotCentral, and PPruNe forums and get a decent heartbeat of the current conditions are in the US. Seems like there sure are a lot of late mid-lifer's like me doing the career change. I suppose the good thing we have going is that it is still very difficult for young kids in the US to get into flying due to the outrageous cost of flight training at the 141 schools. Many of us old buggers already have our Bachelors (and Masters, etc.), tons of maturity, little or zero debt to stress us out, and a wife/husband that can support us when our income temporarily disappears when we take our first flying job.