sts1212

They keep you at the hotel until your line ends.

stevecv

Okay guys give it to me straight, no hard feelings. I want good information, I don't care how you put it. I am a CFI plain and simple. The last 4mo I have been doing almost exclusively IFR xc time building, did a round trip FL>CA and 6 times did FL>NYC (Teterboro). I have been thinking about atlas for awhile and I am close to ATP mins. What is the deal with a guy like me going to Atlas? Don't hold back, again I just want good information.

Roverruckus

I wouldn't wait around trying to get that 73 spot, it seems like they aren't doing much hiring for it anyways. Go to a good regional and by the time you get a year under your belt there, you could make moves to a whole lot of other places, or apply to go directly to the other fleets at Atlas. If Atlas is a place you want to be go ahead and apply. Just don't sit at ATP mins waiting for a call that might not ever happen when you could already be in a regional class.

Birdsmash

Nothing wrong with asking. However, I’m sure the rest of us that have followed your exact path will agree that at this point in your career you do not know what you do not know. Flying a light GA aircraft low level, out of the ice, away from convective weather, XC is worlds away from flying a jet into a very busy terminal environment, in real weather, with multiple speed/crossing restrictions, and landing in the middle of a winter storm. Now mix in the additional challenges of international ops and you will quickly discover you are way, way over you head. Get a type rating somewhere or at least survive a year flying single pilot, night freight, turboprop ops and then look back at your current self. I admire your excitement & determination though.

After you get hired at you first 121 job and possibly set your sights on a top tier airline you will start to question why they require 1000+ hrs of TPIC. That used to drive me crazy….until I became a captain for the first time. I quickly understood there was A LOT of experience to be gained that I thought I already had.

Roverruckus

No reason to fly anything single-pilot turboprop in this market. Just go to a regional, it sounds boring but it's the best option and the pay is pretty okay now for just starting out.

Birdsmash

True, but few flying jobs will give you better basic flying skills then what i described. I never flew single pilot TPs (just crewed). My basic flying skills were never better. Since then the automation has degraded them.

There is an essential progression in gaining piloting skills IMO. Jumping from light GA to transport category will never allow those skills to develop. Just as a recipe can never rise above the quality of its ingredients, so goes the same for pilots. I’ve seen it a generation before. Some bottom feeder carriers offered pay-to-play schemes to get low time pilots into a turbine powered aircraft. Those pilots really struggled/continue to struggle due to their early lack of experience.

dera

Only if you are on reserve. For lineholders, anything over 48 hours in domicile until next assignment and they owe you a trip home.

Swakid8

Lots of opportunities to develop hand flying skills at the regionals if one takes them ( flying in outstations and hand flying the descent into the pattern all the down to landing. Hand flying a SID on out of hubs. Hand flying an entire flight on a short run.

dera

4 leg day with inop A/T and AP is fun.

Sidewinder27

Maybe late for ya to help decide, but totally two different gigs brother. But maybe this will help another who is trying to decide on NJA vs. XYZ.

I've been at NJA since '04. Two different planes, CA in both, initial cadre in one and I enjoy going to work.

At NJA you'll fly into places you'd not even thought about. From non-towered airports in the mountains, islands or low-land private runways in FL to West Texas then you'll land at ORD, MIA or JFK just like that. You'll be mid-flight at FL410 from MIA to TEB, empty and be diverted to HOU to recover a pax trip to TUS and RON. They flying is challenging and diverse.

You'll enjoy crappy crew food, but not often, or get a prime meal from some great vendors. You will love the medical care package, as well you family, and you can take that to the bank. You'll not like the 0400 show time day one and work a 14 hour first day of seven. But you'll enjoy going home a day early with pay when it happens. You'll enjoy the soft money flying around for you. You'll love the 59% 401k match come next month, but wish we had a defined contribution. Yes, you keep ALL of your points at the airlines, hotels, company AMX and fuel programs.

What you won't have is the ability to say you fly a very, very large plane around the world and spend chunks of off time seeing sites in far off lands. It's about choice, QOL, happy family, cared for family and much more. Pick one and roll with it. Go into it, Atlas or NJA, with open eyes, ears, mind and closed mouth, but don't look back.

It's aviation and crap happens, we all learn to embrace the suck and move forward. Best of fortune to you. Have fun with either and just enjoy the ride brother.