Htxpilot

Hello All, I am currently at ATP Flight school, and interviews with regional airlines are fast approaching. I would like some advice from experienced pilots.

Is it worth it to sign a 3 to a 4-year contract with a regional airline then move on to a major, or is it possible to take my 1500 hours from CFI and get on board a major airline?

I know some major airlines require you have a turbine experience and some require just the minimum 1500 hours of flight.

Taking into account, I'm 33 with a family of 4. And we've been living off my wife's salary for about a year and a half. I know there is no fast track in a flight career(paying your dues is part of the gig), but I would like to do everything possible to nudge it along and if there was a way to move to a major airline sooner, then that might a path worth looking into.

Thanks is advance!

60av8tor

Not sure where you're picking up your info, but you need a new source. Going to a major with your CFI and 1500..???

I don't see a reason to sign a contract. Instruct, build your 1500, and take your pick of regionals...

Quarryman

I don't know any regional that will demand a contract from you. The choice is yours. Once you have the minimum requirements pick the regional that allows you to drive to work if you can. Training contracts are obsolete these days in the regional airline world.

rickair7777

There is no need to sign a contract, unless you take a huge bonus or some other incentive like free CTP. Contract won't hurt you unless it's a bottom-feeder and you plan to switch regionals soon, or you think you'll be eligible for the majors well before the contract is up.

In today's environment, you should just go to the regional you want right off the bat rather than use a bottom-feeder as a stepping stone (unless you have a 121/135 training failure which makes you ineligible for your regional of choice).

Nobody but military pilots are going to be getting hired out of a regional with less than 2-3 years right now (might change in the future).

1500 CFI hours will not get you hired at a major, not even maybe. They all require turbine time, at 1000 SIC hours last time I checked. Also, average white guy pilots are a dime a dozen, so unless you have family connections, diversity, or some really interesting whole-person credential (something like ex-Olympic athlete or Rhodes scholar) you're going to need to upgrade before the majors are likely to call.

But once you meet the mins, by all means might as well apply, I've seen a few FO's get called by legacies for no apparent reason (may have had family connections I suppose). If you had a really good academic record, that helps with some airlines and also previous significant non-aviation work experience seems to help. By significant I mean military or challenging professional work involving people skills, not pizza delivery or medical receptionist, etc.

Keep in mind there are regional CA's with 15 years 121 and 10,000 hours still waiting to get called by a major. It's possible to jump the line these days, but you have to do some research and figure out how to improve your odds.