Originally Posted by
FSUpilot
welp just read most of this thread... 3.5 regional FO here with no upgrade in sight. From what I read it sounds the same or even a bit better than working at the regionals. It would be a pay raise for me. 15 on would suck with a new family though. would it be a good move to go and upgrade to get the TPIC time.. then after a year or two head to a major?
I read something about upgrade mins going up? What are the times for that? I have a ton of of total and SIC time of course but less than 1000 PIC. Just wondering if the projected quick upgrade is really there; and if it would be worth resigning at my current company. Ran into a 2 year TMC guy today.. a friend I havent talked to in awhile. He seemed happy.. and he had been a capt for 8 months or so. Upgrade seemed legit. I just don't know.. stick out at the regional or try for TMC?
Upgrade minimums are as follows:
Total flight time (Fixed Wing): 3500 hours
Total PIC time (Fixed Wing): 2000 hours
PIC time in type: 250 hours
Total Muli-Engine: 1500 hours
Multi-Engine PIC: 500 hours
Turbine Engine: 500 hours
Instrument Time: 300 hours
Yes, guys are upgrading at around a year (some in less) and you don't need to worry about the upgrade train stopping so long as attrition keeps up. That said, if you have less than 1000 PIC you're probably looking at a 4 year upgrade. They will allow you to count "sole manipulator" time towards your PIC requirements but if you're only flying 500 hours a year (typical) and swapping every other leg, 2000 hours is a long way off. Even if every captain you fly with gives you every single leg, you're still probably looking at 2 years.
PIC time is probably the biggest hangup for the regional SICs that have come over; there's a number of them who have sat (or are currently sitting) in the right seat and barely making a dent in that 2000 hour PIC number. A few guys have also been burned on instrument time because they stopped logging it after they got their instrument rating, another thing to think about.
So the question is will you upgrade at your current place in the next four years? Even if the answer is no, what is your QOL like? It's nothing to write home about at TMC. Even the crappiest regional has work rules that TMC pilots can only dream of. I'm guessing your pay won't change significantly if you're already on 4th year pay where you are. Vacation? Scheduling flexibility? Training after you've already been on the road for 15 days?