Originally Posted by
rickair7777
Mesa shut down MAPD years ago, and they no longer operate any 1900s (all jets now).
Well, at least they kept one promise which was to eventually convert all routes to jet. Back when I was looking at them, I got something in the mail that announced the acquisition of the second CRJ. I wonder how many CRJs and ERJs they have in the fleet now.
Originally Posted by
rickair7777
If you can take the time off, you could do GA training to CPL ASEL, fly for fun to 1500, and then go work for a regional, flying until you feel comfortable in the jet (500-800 hours?). They you'd be good to go in a VLJ.
You are reading my mail. I've actually ruled that path out after further investigation. You allude to it - the Time involved. I too, think it would be a very sound way to actually take a step down to the Phenom 300. If you've been flying an ERJ or CRJ, or even the E-175 then certainly that's a step down when you get to the CJ4, P300 or PC-24. But, getting to the right or left seat of something like through a corporation would seem to take an eternity, given the schedule I'd like to keep.
I'm giving myself about two (2) full years from start to finish to get this done. For three reasons:
1) Hoping for Embraer to continue upgrading the Phenom 300E. I've got the feeling that the "E" designation is the first in a series of Phenom 300 transformations to a faster and longer range Phenom. That will take time.
2) I've been hoping for a long time for Cessna to redesign the CJ4. They've made incremental improvements over the years and it is a better CJ4 then originally. But, the competition really does demand something even more improved. That will take time.
3) The order book on the PC-24 is still closed and will be until Pilatus flushes its initial orders through production and finalize a more forward looking production line/facility. That's going to take at lest a year minimum. Right now, that VLJ in terms of overall performance is the new kid and the biggest, fastest kid on the block with the longest legs.
There would be a number #4 here, but I doubt it will ever happen. That would be Embraer receiving enough interest to do a Large VLJ variant of their Legacy 450 - which personally I felt should have been single pilot certified from the start. It has all of the flight envelope protection technology imaginable - which is one of the things that makes it a great single pilot platform, IMO. It is classified as "Mid-Size" but its a tiny mid-size on par with the Hawker 850XP. Though slightly larger, on paper the performance is very similar. I've always thought the 850XP should/could have been single pilot certified as well.
This is where the PC-24 really shines, IMO. Bigger, stronger airframe, faster, over 2,000nm range and with its own set of flight envelope protection features. If they can get through the order book, start taking orders again and deliver in a reasonable amount of time, this would be my first choice hands down. The problem for me right now, is their current order book and current production capabilities. Whether they will ramp up or not remains to be seen.