Originally Posted by
Nealman1
I am a senior in college and am seriously considering aviation as a career. If I went down this path, I would be starting from the bottom,(private licence) and working my way up. I am fortunate enough to have the financial means to go through with this with little to do debt accumulating. I've read a good bit about airline schools vs. FBO, but still have a few questions.
1) Is going to you local flight school (Birmingham) for training as efficient as going to a career school?
2) once I obtain my commercial licence, is there other options to gain hours for the major airlines besides regionals?
3) For those who do fly for the regionals, are you obligated to live in a domicile city, or can you commute into wherever the hub may be?
any other thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. thanks
1) A local school is usually more cost effecient (employers could care less where you get your ratings, unless it was in the military). You have to do your homework and make sure that there is a decent school in your area...if not look into schools outside your area. I would consider the big "pilot mills" to be a last-resort...you are going to pays tens of thousands more than you need to.
2) The military is BY FAR the best option. But assuming that you are going the civilian route, regionals are usually the best way to gain experience because:
- You get 121 experience, which shows you can thrive in that environmet. Majors like that.
- You get more flight time faster than most other jobs. Also your captain upgrade to get the vital turbine PIC usually comes sooner.
Other options:
- 135 jobs (night cargo in small airplanes) usually have less QOL, pay, and benefits than regionals, and the work can be dangerous due to old / non-turbine equipment. Also Majors don't hire these guys as readily. You will need 1200 hours to get these jobs due to 135 regulations.
- Fractionals: Pay better than most regionals (but no airline travel bennies), but require more experience to get the job...you would probably need to work at a regional in order to get the experience to apply at a fractional. But majors still prefer regional experience.
- Smaller corporate/charter opportunities are based 100% on who you know. Also since many folks stay here for a career the upgrade to captain can take a long time. Even then, Majors still prefer regional experience.
- There are many other jobs (sky diving, pipeline patrol, traffic watch, ferry pilot, air ambulance) that you MIGHT be able to get with a commercial ticket and no experience, but none of them would pay well or make you attractive to the majors. The only thing some of these jobs have going for them is that you are home every night.
3) American Eagle used to require new-hires to live in San Juan, Peurto Rico but I believe they dropped that requirement. Basically you can live anywhere you want, but there are some common sense limits on commuting (Hawaii to PHL would not be a good idea). If it's 4 hours or less with multiple daily non-stop flights, you should be good.