Originally Posted by
Hotspot
Hello everyone, I just have a career question and I figured this would be the best place to ask it. I'm currently instructing to build time for my first job and I was really considering ameriflight but my concern is that most Majors want Jet PIC time. I like the idea of flying small turbo props for a while to gain experience but if I'm not going to be able to get a decent job after that flying bigger aircraft then what's the point? So I guess my question is would it be a good idea for my first job to be a part 135 carrier such as ameriflight or should I just go with the typical Regional Airlines? Thank you
Are you sure they say JET PIC time? I'll admit, I haven't been doing job searches for the majors lately but when I was they all wanted TURBINE PIC time. And a turboprop is a turbine aircraft. Just like a jet is.
As for "what's the point", as you said; you will gain experience you can't get at a regional. You'll get first hand experience flying single pilot, hard IFR to minimums instead of monitoring the autopilot as it takes you down the glideslope.
Now, I know there are a couple of guys who watch this thread that will likely chime in and say you should absolutely go to the regionals. That time in a 121 environment and learning to operate an FMS are way more important in getting hired and that getting that seniority established is the key. And they may be right about having that 121 and glass experience being important. (I'm not sure how important the seniority is if you are just going to go somewhere else anyway. When you move you start back at the bottom anyway.)
But you aren't going to get hired at a major at 2000 hours anyway, so why not do both? Get the hands on flying experience and the turbine PIC time, then go to the regionals and check off the 121 and automation boxes.