Another new guy here - just read the thread from the beginning and am very grateful to all of the posters who've been so helpful and honest. I'm finishing up a professional pilot 2-year degree program, getting commercial & instrument AMEL/ASEL, and CFI (possibly CFII) ratings by the end. I'm around 440 TT (40 ME, 104 turbine) now, and ultimate objective is to fly for a major 121 carrier. A few career-oriented questions:
1) For BTQ hiring, several have said they like to hire folks with CFI - is it for the rating, or are they looking for a certain amount of dual instruction given? Would someone with a wet CFI be competitive to apply?
2) One knock on flying PC12s is that it's single engine, so you don't build multi time. A couple of graybeard, old time pilots have advised me that I might be better off instructing until meeting rATP/ATP minimums and then going to a regional. I'm skeptical, since looking at hiring mins for majors shows they're also interested in total turbine time and turbine PIC time, not just multi time - something I'd think you'd build more of sooner at a place like BTQ than doing pattern work in the right seat as a CFI. Thoughts?
3) I understand commuting isn't a good option for BTQ, but how close is considered local? For example, could a DEN based pilot live in C Springs?
Thanks especially to all the current and former BTQ folks who've posted here - your first person insights are absolutely golden for someone like me working towards a career change.