Hey guys,
New member here, and wanted to quickly check to see what this community has for advice given my situation. So I have recently come back to aviation after an 8 year hiatus. I have a little over 1000TT, 150 multi, and just knocked out my BFR and IPC, with around 20 hours in the last 6 months. I worked as a pictometry pilot around 2010. I just committed to another survey job starting next week. The boss seemed like he was afraid I would jump ship as soon as I hit 1500TT, but I said if I start with him I will finish the season, especially if I can get at least 100 more multi before May 2019. He said that would be likely, and that I would hit 1500 well before March. So after perusing these forums, I am seeing a lot of folks with sub 1000TT taking FRO positions at the likes of Cape air. Any thoughts from you guys if I made a mistake by committing to another season of survey work given my TT? I really enjoyed the single pilot work last time I worked survey. Thanks for the input!

 

No mistake at all. Get your time, get some experience, and when you've finished your commitment, move on.

You're rejoining the industry at a time when it's got the highest movement in history.

It won't slow until the economy crashes, and then it won't matter, because you'll be lucky to find work anywhere.

 

Not a mistake at all. You will finish with maybe 1500-2000 hours in 7 months, which is definitely better than building the 500 hours at a 135 or something in over a year.


I'm gonna go out on a limb and say see you in Louisiana next week

 

Yea, I'm absolutely sure I did the best thing for me. Time flys as a survey pilot, and it's really a very fun job. I have a feeling I will look back on this coming year with very fond memories, and to be honest I do not really suffer from shiny jet syndrome. I see all these low time guys getting right seat FO jobs and wonder if they are really doing the right thing for their experience base. The "seniority is everything" mantra in the 121 world seems to hamper pilot development for those pilots under 2000 hours...

 

As I see some of my fellow FOs who will soon be reaching 1000 hrs of 121 SIC run afoul of company TT and ME minimums for captain upgrade I can't help but wonder how some of the major airlines are going to react to their applications once they reach the next stage. I'm not trying to put anyone down, just saying that non military major applicants historically have had a lot more hours and a lot more ME time than what these people are going to have once they have their 1000 of 121 TPIC. It ain't just how capable you are, it's how capable the major recruiters PERCEIVE you to be. I wonder how they will react.

 

Shoot me a PM - Maybe I'll see ya Sunday evening...