wingnut215

Hello everyone. This is my first time using this board. I'm glad to see there's a place for pilots to share advice and information, or just vent.

I've been an instructor for almost two years, teaching at a school whose business has been steadily slowing down, and has little or no opportunities for building AMEL hours. I've got my TT and XC hours up to 135 standards, as well as all my ratings and medical, and I'm thinking of applying to some of the cargo companies flying the light twins but I've heard that going 135 could hamper my efforts to someday go 121. As any road to a successful career in aviation seems to go through the regionals, I would love some input here. Am I making the right move in pursuing the hours I need, and trying to get some better real-world experience? Or is it wiser to stay put and keep teaching? Of course I need AMEL time to someday get into a regional, but I also don't want my resume' to look like a guy that "jumps ship" - obviously future employers will want to see loyalty. Any advice from those who've been down the road before would be much appreciated. Thanks...

rickair7777

121 regional time is GENERALLY more valuable to the majors than 135 or 91 time, but there are a great many variables. A 91 pilot doing large-cabin international bizjet ops would be more competitive than a 121 B1900 driver.

At this point in time, I would probably take any turbine or ME job. Even a 135 ASEL gig would better experience the CFI work, due to the training and standardization. When regionals start hiring again, it will be very competitive, and the first wave will probably all have 121, 135, or turbine experience. I would do it just to get a leg up on a regional job, and not worry about majors just yet.