PRS Guitars

Sorry, I should have clarified in my previous post. I don't think you'll need ANY recentcy to get hired by a regional. Then that job will get you your recentcy. That said, you'll want to brush up on civilian regulations and basic concepts. There is a good book for that that slips my mind right now. Something like "everything for the professional pilot" I'll have to look it up.

WARich

"Everything explained for the professional pilot", by Richie Lengel. I second the motion, good book. Also, it should be brought up, but you have been reading, but I highly recommend interview prep. Emerald Coast is great, and there are others.

USMCFLYR

Though I agree with the above, and understand I have no airline experience, but you will certainly want to be IFR refreshed in my opinion - or at least DON'T take the regional training lightly and end of busting a ride or something. I'm sure if you approach it with the same professionalism that you would have had to approach every other aspect of a long and successful military career that you will be headed down the right path.

Btw - to the original question - my organization required 100 hrs in the past year and it didn't matter what you were flying.

BMD94

Hawayan, Did 20 and retired a year ago. Was in the same shape. Had gone staff to staff for 6 years. Regionals will take you in a heartbeat if you don't get a call from a major. They don't care about currency. I keep hearing that the combo of mil time and 121 time gives you a good shot at any of the big ones. Having said that, I'm a year in and still waiting. Good luck. BMD

flyinhawyan

BMD94: what regional are you with?

BMD94

I'm with Silver. Of all the regionals out there, it is one of them.

DaveF15

flyinhawan, also longtime lurker, first time posting...

Similar situation. Retired USAF end 2013, 2700 TT, mostly fighter with a little RPA (Drone) stuff at end of career. Did desk job for couple of years while sons in college primarily for good paycheck. Dying a slow death and getting back in game.

Apps in with majors a couple of months now. All my buds saying need currency (in line with 100 hours in last year as others have stated). Applied to one regional, called 2 days later, interviewed 10 days later and start in July. No issue with currency. Have flown 10 hours light twin and did HPA B-737NG type (wanted to get crew training and lucky to have GI Bill to cover) in last 6 months.

Again fortunate position with mil retirement to be able to afford this...doing this to fly again regardless of pay and we'll see if it pans out with major in next year. Good luck!

flyinhawyan

Thanks for the gouge! It looks like either the regionals or contract flying King Air. I'm also considering getting my CFII so I can get some instructing, PIC time and instrument proficiency.

flyinhawyan

Thanks. Do you have any minimum training payback clause with them? Did they offer any sign on bonus?

Hacker15e

Very few regionals have a training contract these days. The only one I know of is Compass ($12,000, pro-rated monthly for 1 year), but given the current staffing situation around the regionals, who knows how long that one might last.

Most of the places with "sign-on bonuses" have strings attached (a bit like the opposite of the training contract -- they require you to say on property for a couple years, sort of an airline ADSC if you will).

If you are thinking of going the regional route, pick somewhere that has an easily-commutable junior base.

The bottom line for someone with your experience is that you will be a short stay at a regional before you are going to be picked up by a major -- maybe a year, but probably not much longer than that. IMHO your only real consideration in picking which regional to interview at (and hopefully accept a job at) should be an easily-commutable junior base. That is the single issue that will have the most significant impact on your life in the time you will spend flying for a regional.

Pretty much everything else -- iron, pay, schedules, travel benefits, health care plans, etc -- is going to be of little consequence. Get in, learn about and get some valuable 121 ops and customer service experience, and get out, hopefully all in less than a year or so.