Originally Posted by
Randolph
Hey guys I could really use some advice here.......My ultimate goal is to fly for Skywest out of ORD, but I will probably graduate with about 400 hours total time. Obviously I need at least 1000 hours for SKW....should I flight instruct till I get 1000, or should I get on with a low time regional like Pinnacle and jump ship after 6 months or a year?
It depends.
Pinnacle Upside: Get turbine 121 experience, which will give you a high chance of success at SKW, as well as the jet.
Pinnacle Downside: Doing 121 training as a low-timer (failing your first 121 training event is NOT the way to get your career started). Also you will not have the 1000 PIC required for IACO ATP privileges. I assume pinnacle has a one year training contract (but not sure) so you might be stuck there for a year. Also by working for a lower-tier regional, you are contributing to the decline of the industry and diluting the quality of the good jobs you hope to have in the future. But Pinnacle is better than mesa or gojets!
CFI Upside: Great experience, get your ICAO PIC, hopefully live in a place convenient for you. Probably get on with SKW in less than one year.
CFI downside: The SKW interview will probably be more challenging (except the sim will be easier for you) and you will likely get the EMB, not the jet.
Seems like a tossup. Since you don't plan to stay at Pinnacle you don't need to rush to get your seniority. I would probably do whichever is more comfortable for you. If you can get a CFI job and live at home, great. If you have to move to Kodiak, AK to get a CFI job, maybe just do pinnacle.