Originally Posted by
187Breezy
Good afternoon. OP here with a quick update and another big question. I did pull the hook and leave my LE job for good. The 135 job fell through but I am instructing at a good school, so I've got a good spot to hang out for a while, and I do enjoy instructing. I took the ATP-CTP class on my own dime and passed the written. My next step is the check ride, and here's where I could use some advice. The school I used (ATP Jets in Dallas if it matters) has a ATP check ride program in their Seminoles which looks good. But... they also have an A320 type rating program that they offer, and that got my wheels turning upstairs (especially having just spent a few hours in the A320 sim at CTP.)
I need to take the ATP check ride anyway, and the cost delta between the Seminole program and the A320 is not as much as you'd think and is within my budget. Given that my goal is still to get to the airlines (regionals at first, after that, who knows?) would you recommend the extra effort to get the type rating? My guess is that it will help at interview time (and maybe help get the interview in the first place,) but may be viewed as a negative if I show up at a regional interview with a mainline type rating. If asked about it in an interview, my answer would basically be this paragraph, which is the unvarnished truth.
Any advice is appreciated, especially from those who have been involved in recruiting/ hiring at the regionals. Thanks.
A 320 type won't hurt, but without operational experience it's not going to make a huge difference in the US. It will be a useful box to check when you apply to majors (more types is better than fewer types), especially if you only manage to get one type at a regional. Pre-covid, the majors had a clear preference for multiple types.
That said, be aware that the bus is a grown-up airplane... easy to fly but a real biatch to learn if they don't spoon-feed you (they do that overseas but not so much here). Be prepared to put in a LOT of study effort. Also make sure you understand the lay of the land of the training/checking environment... if it's designed for experienced turbine pilots, it's not going to be for you. A checkride bust will do more harm to your career than a no-flight-time bus type will enhance your career.