Originally Posted by
TXTECHKA
for the benefit of your family and the families of your passengers and the industry, why don't you hold on trying to get a jet job before you gain some experience. It will serve you better in the long run, become a cfi and instruct for a while before you go for the airlines. In my opinion it is dangerous and irresponsible to make your self available to these dump regionals (mesa, pinnacle, etc.) that will hire you with a commercial multi license. I try to avoid jumpseating on the these because I don't feel confident in the ability up front. RAH will not hire you with 250 hours, forget about it. Who cares about multi, all you need is a hundred. Get some commmand experience. If you were wondering I got on at RAH with 2000TT and 700MEL.
Only the airlines in America make it seem that you NEED 1500+ to SIC in a jet.
Our (U.S.) military puts guys in at minimal time. I'm getting ready to do another tour in Iraq and a third of our co-pilots are still at Rucker training.
European airlines hire guys right out of doing their ATPL's. Their safety record is on par with ours.
Our airlines used to hire guys in the early '50's straight into FO positions right at minimal time. And that was back when those planes really did require extra sets of eyes to fly.
If the guy can make the requirements, pass the airlines training, let him go for the job. I would have loved to have gotten my Comm rating and gone straight to a jet. I'm sick of the "I had to do, so do you mentality."
Another benefit of all these low time guys getting jobs is that means we as pilots are back in demand. Slowly our pay and benefits will start creeping back up.