Originally Posted by
Tom a Hawk
Razor,
Thank you for your service to our country and your community. 12 years is a good time in that industry and it’s awesome you get some sort of pension later in life even if you quit now. You’ve got 27(or more) years ahead of you in aviation. There’s three sections of an airline pilot career. 1: Training, you’ve already done most of it but need to blow out the cobwebs and finish. 2: Transition/Experience Building, this is the part that does actually have some drama and bull**** involved, but is the time when you make yourself into the pilot you want to be. 3. “The Good Job”, honestly it’s extremely easy and low drama if you want.
It’s helpful to know and understand a variety of other peoples paths in this career so you have reference for your own. I finished my ratings in 2007 and started instructing in 2008. 2.5 years of instructing, 2.5 at one turboprop regional, 1.5 at another, 10 years at JetBlue. I stayed in when you got out, I’m your same age and did the low pay thing. The first 4 years flying for a living I made 25k or less a year, the next 3 I made 40-50k a year, and I didn’t cross 100k until my tenth. This is year 16, I’m on track for 260k on only 200 hours of block(long call reserve). Like I said, it’s incredibly easy at the top, but it takes some time to get there.
Now some advice. You still have to do section 1. Get a good instructor, focus on becoming a great pilot, be expedient with the commercial certificate but don’t put yourself on as few hours as possible to get ready. Failed checkrides are not good. Get your multi commercial too. Section 2 hasn’t changed much from when you last left aviation other than it has potential to be much shorter and pay a bit more. It took me 6 years to get from commercial certificate to major airline job and for you that could be 2-3. The Tropic SIC job looks like a great opportunity. Even though I enjoyed instructing, I would have jumped at the chance to do that type of job before the regional. Did you get answers from your call with them? What’s their pay and how many hours a year can you expect? Even if you are unable to get directly to a major from there, if they’re able to get you to ATP mins quickly and then you do a stint at a jet regional that’s still good. You’re filling that variety of experience that’s going to make you a great pilot.
Like I said it was the tenth year before I made 100k, but you have the potential to be doing that in the right seat at JetBlue/Spirit or AA, driving to work in 2026 or 2027. It sounds like you already know you want a career change and you have a great option in flying, so go for it. I do want to know more about tropic.
Thanks for your reply. I'll write you a detailed response. I have been busy working on that "step 1" so I was little awol form this post...
I started flying. It took me about 8 hours to get my flight review done which included a 5 hour xc. we did hit a bunch of airports on the way back.to practice entering patterns etc. We did fight some LLWS and 29g winds so it was def a good challenge and baptism under fire.
I already did 2 solo flights to "get back behind the yoke" and feel very comfortable. it came back amazingly fast. I'm even proud of my landings lmao. Already built flew about 14 hours total. I am checked out in an older C172 that has dual G5s and IFR capable. I met a few people already that is going to share the time with me and act as safety pilot etc. Plane is $125 an hour so sharing the cost isn't too bad. I did find someone willing to rent me a C150 here for 60 dry, but I don't feel comfortable with them as they weren't best at communicating and backed out on their word and stopped communicating lol. I plan on working on the commercial maneuvers starting this weekend most likely. I'll go with a CFI, get some practice in, then go fly them myself. I feel in about 10-12 hours of instruction/practice, I will be able to demonstrate performance maneuvers and other ACS items to proficiency standards. I also will start working on the IPC and try to get current on IFR again as well. I'm trying to do one at a time though, and want to concentrate on CPL then MEL.
after I had made this post, I ran into a person while having lunch with my crew at work. he overheard me talking about piloting and came and introduced himself. He is a training captain / check airmen for a 135 charter company that flies hawker jets. he gave me his info and we became friends. He told me to get to 1000 hours and he will get me a FO job as a hawker pilot. He also told me once I get my CPL/MEL at around 500 hours, on part 91 flights (he said when on a contract) he can bring me along as a FO/SIC and get me trained on the jet and get me my SIC type rating. I trust this works out for me because it will be an amazing opportunity. He is also CFII and said he will gladly get me current and train me for IFR without charging me.
As far as tropic air goes... I called them and stopped by their facility. On the outside it seemed nice and the person from OPS that was showing me around genuinely seemed interested in me (perhaps a fresh of air from the young 20 year olds they hire). They had a mishap recently where one of their pilots overran the runway at KFLL. yikes... The lady I spoke with on the phone gave me a bunch of info. pay is the worst thing I've seen/heard. You start at 26K first month during training, then goes to 30K while you right seat. about midway as FO, you'll make 40K. when you reach 1200TT you will start CA pay at 60K. they want you there for 1 year once you reach PIC. She didn't mention contract when I asked, but from what I hear there is indeed a contract. you get about 60-100 hours a month depending on time of year. no night flying unless ferry flight and most flights are VFR. They are in the same building as Spirit's training area so it's common pilots head over to spirit from there once they reach 1500 or so I guess. you work 21/7. you're assigned a plane and you pretty much fly whatever that plane does for your rotation. There are 3 groups from applications that you get put into. 250-500, 500-800 and 800+... most applicants are 500-800. They get very few 800+ pilots applying. they don't pick much from the 250-500 pool and most are picked from the 500-800 pool. It could be an option if nothing else works out for me. I also reached out to planesense and they said I should apply at 650TT. I might do it, just for the sake of having interview expeirence so I know what it's like. It's def weird to be sitting on the other side of an interview panel now. lol