Originally Posted by
arthur106
I'm currently a CFI and getting roughly 80 hours per month, hopefully more when this darned weather gets better. I recently came up on an oportunity to fly for a small cargo operation where I'll get 500 hours per year flying twin turbo props. Captain upgrade time is 12-18 months and the pay is decent. I'm inclined to take the cargo job because it puts me closer to home, but I'm wondering how it might affect my career. My end goal is to get to majors.
Option 1 would be to stay at said company untill I get my 1500 hours, then go to regionals. If I do this, I'll be slowing myself down.
Option 2 is to stick around, get my captain upgrade and fly 500 hours per year until I get to majors, skipping regionals entirely.
Thoughts? How much twin turbo left seat time would I need to be competitive for majors? If it helps, I've got a degree in mechanical engineering (I've heard degrees are helpful).
At one point your option 2 was my plan as well, but life changes and that is no longer the goal. While it was though I did quite a bit of research through mentors and these forums.
From what I read it is possible to go from a non 121 turbine pic posistion to the majors but with the amount of hiring and flowing the regionals are doing into the majors nowadays I don’t think your resume would stand up against someone with PIC 121 experience. But possible!
I would say option 1 would get you to the majors faster with more consistency even though it means instructing one or two more years.
. One thing I for sure know regardless of the option you choose is always apply, consistently keep your application updated, and network network network.
I’m sure there are much wiser individuals in this forum that can help sway you one way or another better than I, but figured I’d throw in my .02 since I was exactly where you are 2 years ago.
Good Luck!