Hueypilot

As was pointed out previously, most of the pilots being hired with 2500 hours TT have military backgrounds. Also, it's not just about total time.

Take this for what it's worth, but this was told to me at my US Airways interview over 7 years ago by the former CLT Chief Pilot...I'm ex-military, and I was hired with about 3,500 hours total. But they didn't care how many hours I had. He pointed out the experience I had as an instructor and flight examiner on turbine airplanes, formal training unit (FTU) experience, worked as chief of flying safety for several organizations, was an assistant director of operations, assistant chief pilot and a number of other things.

Most of us just want to get hired and fly the line. But look at it from an employer's point of view. This former chief pilot (Bruce Galleron for those of you that knew him) told me people with a resume that included check airman, chief pilot, director of operations, safety experience, etc, were indicators that the candidate would not only be suitable for flying the line, but also potential for various other roles in the company, ie, check airmen, fleet captains, training managers, safety folks, and so on.

There will be times when airlines just need to hire whoever has an ATP, a safe record, and a pulse. But most of the time, major airlines can be somewhat picky in who they hire. It's important that all you guys/gals working for regionals, corporate operators and 135 outfits understand that just logging hours and collecting type ratings isn't going to be super attractive to major airlines. Become a check airman at your company. Work in training. Serve as an interview pilot. Become your 135 operator's director of operations or chief pilot. Ask to handle your corporate operator's safety program.

Those are the things that will always be valuable additions to your resume, and it's a major reason why military guys tend to get hired with so few hours. The training the military provides is very good, but it's the fact that military pilots are also military officers and often wind up working desk jobs in addition to flying that rounds out their resumes. This isn't to get into a mil vs civilian argument, I'm just trying to provide some feedback that was given to me by a major airline interviewer. I lose track of the number of pilots out there getting on internet forums upset that they have ten billion hours and dozens of type ratings but never get a call. But when you get past the hours in their logbook, all they've ever done was fly the line. Nothing wrong with that, but when major airlines can afford to be choosy, they aren't going to pick you.