viktorbravo

The 1000 hr PIC turbine time that many airlines require means just that, turbine. Doesnt matter if the turbine has paddles sticking out of it or not. As far as your other comments about stick and rudder skills needed to fly some of the hotter turboprops, I agree. I have just shy of 7000 hrs in a Brasilia (thats nothing to be proud of Rusty<G>) and I can say that if I climbed into one of those today and had a 600 RVR V1 cut I would probably roll it over and splatter myself! In comparison the toughest part about flying the heavy iron across the pacific is going through the reams of paperwork required to get the jet started, bringing along enough reading material, and then once at your destination, trying to find your ride to the hotel. As far a glass goes, its way easier following the magenta line and programming the FMC than flying the old steam powered stuff, non issue IMO, but others may disagree.

If I were still in the hiring game I would feel that turboprop command time is more valuble than sitting in the right seat of an RJ. When I hired on at the "workers paradise" they told me that they heavily counted a persons turbine command time with a crew of more than one pilot. I guess the requirements may be different these days, but you still need the command time. If you can get that faster somewhere else and rack up some jet time I would say go for it. No need to get all sentimental about flying turboprops 8 legs a day in and out of that same line of level 5 thunderstorms. Its all about how quick you can get to the job you ultimately want. of course YMMV.