Originally Posted by
frmrbuffdrvr
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.
Thanks so much for the advice and input. I just assumed that when the majors say "turbine PIC time" they meant RJs so that was my mistake. Yes, my ultimate goal is the majors in 121 but I have nothing against 135 and would gladly fly cargo, but I just don't want something like Ameriflight to hold me back or make the transition to 121 majors and a more rewarding job more difficult. Like I said before though, I would take a job flying for ameriflight and I know I would enjoy every last second of it but on the other hand I would kind of like my path to the majors be as short as possible like anyone else. I guess in the end the only thing that matters is getting to wake up and fly airplanes all day and get paid for it.