Originally Posted by
BitterOHFO
Funny I see these threads about hiring mins and I reflect on how I got hired at the regionals. Seems these days everyone thinks they can get their commercial and go fly for a part 121 carrier. I don't agree with the lower mins and I would have never changed that. Seems supply and demand drives that.
I was in the last class ever hired at comair with the mins 1200/200 back in 2006. They dropped the mins the week after I interviewed. I instructed for about 4 years. I interviewed at Eagle and Colgan at about 500 hrs. Didn't get either job at the time. Really and truly I wasn't ready. At 1200 hrs I was in better shape but not perfect. Still going from flying a seminole to a crj was quite a shock. And to top that I was thrown into JFK from day one. That was the best flying expierence of my life and I wish we were still up there. DTW sucks!!! C'mon 210kts 50 miles out!!!!
Being a flight instructor is more then just building hours. It's more about the decisions you make at any given time. It is something that follows you to the airlines and affects the decisions you make at any given time during a flight indirectly. I busted my hump to get the hours for the job that has turned into the worst job of my life. That's another story but I will say expierence is king!!! It affects your decision making.
So don't ask me if 250/50 plus some CRJ home study course is going help you in the airlines. It doesn't!!! Flight instructing shapes you in the long run in more ways then one. It becomes more apparent later on. Not a fan of the low mins!!! 4000 hrs later I have more time then most of the captains at some of my rivals. Only reason they are in the left seat is cause of seniority. Seen some poor decision making on a daily basis. I think the old days you spent about 10 years in the right seat before upgrading. Times have changed for sure.
This is what I have observed in my 5 short years at the airlines. Feel like I have been at comair for about 20 years after all the crap I have seen. So be patient and build some damn expierence. The jobs will always be there. It helps in the long run!!!! Not trying to be cocky just making an observation. I feel I have at least earned that right in my short airline career.
"You never stop learning in this profession....If you do you need to quit flying!!" Heard that from a family friend who flew for the origional piedmont then usair for 35 years. 30,000 plus hours. Words to live by and I take it seriously even though I truly hate going to work these days.
No one wants to work for anything anymore! They just feel entitled to it!!
Great rant, but I still disagree. Being a CFI does not mean squat. You can have 1000 hours and 50 to 100ish multi, and gone many paths. You could have that time in a cub flying banners, which teaches you THAT AIRSPEED IS LIFE!!!! You could have that time flying skydivers, with more takeoffs/landing and experience with ATC then you know what do with in 1000 hours, or you could do surveying, flying all over America with some IFR and a good idea of what a hotel room feels like.
Sitting next to someone tell them what to do, letting them know whats a 'great job' they are doing and grabbing the plane when you get scared............sounds like the roots of everyone's least favorite captain.
Flight schools do not teach you how to truly decide if a plane is safe, nor put any pressure on not taking one that might be legal and safe but someone might just turn down. Do not allow you to get good radio skills, nor FLY THE PLANE YOURSELF ALL THE TIME!! Do not put a CFI on a pedestal. I would take 1000 hours of banner towing and night cargo in a 206 to a CFI in a Seminole ANY DAY.