So, I've been flying part 135 for a couple years after having spent some limited time at the Regionals and taking a several year break from the industry. But I've got the bug again and want to get back into flying full time. The industry has changed a ton since 2007, so looking to the wisdom of the board for some advice.

I have 3000 TT, 620 Turbine (Mostly SIC), 30 Turbine PIC, 875 Multi, 2220 PIC, and type ratings in the HS-135 (Hawker 7/8/900 Series), LEARJET (31, 35,35A, 36, 55), and an SIC type in the ERJ-145. Masters Degree, and both 135 and 121 experience .

I don't want to go back to the regionals unless I absolutely have to, and I do enjoy flying charter/corporate, but have heard mixed things about the fractionals, though I do have applications in with NetJets, Flexjet, and XOJET

So, any career advice? Where best to look with my experience that would be a good fit without a major step backwards? I live near ORD, so if it isn't something local, I could likely commute.

Appreciate any help!

 

The place you want to be right now is the majors, and the regionals are the fastest way to get there in your shoes. You could upgrade very quickly, even DEC. Around 5000 TT and 2000 TPIC your phone should start to ring, maybe sooner. Your degrees and types will help.

Many regionals will give you longevity credit for previous 121 time.

 

gonna sound like a noob here but DEC? Off on my lingo

 

Direct Entry Captain...

Checkout the AA Wholly Owned Regionals- they’ve got the best combo of chance to be stable in upcoming years, an ORD base (Envoy), and a built in escape vector (Flow through with AA).

 

I have a friend who is a Captain with Envoy, he is trying to get me to go that route. I've heard better things about Endeavor though, but the regionals seem to rotate who is great and who sucks

 

You do not need to wait seven years for flow. An AA regional could be a good backup position, but I would plan on getting hired off the street. More options, and almost certainly faster for you.

 

In that odd middle spot where the Regionals are a step back, but don't quite qualify for the major carriers. Contemplating a larger 135/91 opp as well

 

Regional pay is better than it used to be, if you weren't aware. Some of them claim to pay new hires $80K, including bonuses (I haven't analyzed their math on that).

 

Top dog changes ever 6-12 months... nature of the beast these days.

Envoy (and also Piedmont and PSA) is fairly consistent and stable with the backing of AA. Aside from the flow as a backup plan while you sling out your apps, the flow helps prevent career stagnation by removing a decent % of the folks off the top of the seniority list which opens up quicker upgrades and training center opportunities etc. that you wouldn’t get waiting for the lifers to age out regionals without flow through agreements.

Envoy is local to you in ORD so you can eventually live in base which is a qol booster.