Aviation can be a lot like the stock market, in that it’s nearly impossible to time it perfectly. All you can really do is best prepare yourself to move on when opportunities present themselves. Just like you should diversify your portfolio for investing, you should constantly strive to diversify your resume as well. Beyond your situation, even if a pilot can’t get on at a Cape Air or Planesense type place, branching out and getting more fodder for the resume (glider instructing, glider towing, masters degree, picking up extra duties at the flight school, etc...) will help you stand out over the CFI that just kept instructing during the downturn waiting for a call.

Imo you have made a good move going to Cape Air. Multi time in a scheduled carrier is going to give you a far better resume than continuing to slug it out in the pattern and practice area as a CFI. I think we’ll start to see improvements in the aviation industry in the next year but I think hiring will be competitive for at least the next 2-3 years.

Thanks for all the encouraging responses everyone, it seems like everyone agrees that taking this job was a smart move. This post wasn’t really for anything other than getting some people’s opinions (and maybe a bit of a peace of mind that I did the right thing). The reason for that is at this point there is nothing I can do! I already am here at Cape Air and almost done with training. The training contract is non pro rated and began the day I walked in the door. The only thing upgrading has to do with it, is that’s when the 15mo commitment starts counting down. They will however send me to ATP-CTP as soon as I meet the mins, then an in house ATP checkride in the 402, and then I’ll be flying as a captain. No wait times on upgrading, since they don’t want us as SIC’s!

In that case, your timing ought to be pretty good. Upgrade as soon as you can, build the hours, and put in apps to whichever regionals are still around. ULCCs too. By that time hiring ought to be back at a decent pace.

That’s the plan, also if the industry is really booming by the time my contract ends, it may even make sense to stay a bit longer, hit 3k hours and go somewhere like NK or F9 if possible to even bypass the regional carriers

Maybe it’s been said above.... Cape air PIC time can significantly reduce your time in the right seat at a regional down the road. When hiring booms, you could upgrade much quicker.

You didn’t make a mistake. There are MANY paths to your ultimate goal, and your ultimate goal may change anyway.
Enjoy your time at Cape Air, don’t compare your career to others, just try and enjoy what you have when you have it.

You can put another check in the "Good Choice" column. This is very much a bird in hand is worth two in the bush situation. You may not realize it now, but you are extremely lucky to land the Cape Air job in this hiring environment. The experience and flight time you will gain there will be far more valuable than time as an instructor. Not only on paper, but also in your flying skills and personal development in preparation for a 121 airline.

Having said that though, I feel I should reel in your expectations just a bit, and I only do this because you've mentioned staying at Cape Air longer than needed in hopes of bypassing the regionals and going straight to Frontier or Spirit. Do not spend a day longer at Cape Air than you need to or are obligated to. The chances of going straight from there to a ULCC are between slim and impossible. I know for a fact that F9, and I believe NK, has a *minimum* requirement of 500 hours turbine time. This is a minimum and most people who came over pre-covid had at least 1500 hours or more of turbine time. However, it wasn't necessarily turbine PIC or even 121 time. F9 hires a fair amount from the corporate pilot ranks.

With hiring at the legacies likely stalled for many years, pay scales at the ULCCs rivaling that of the legacies for similar equipment and the rapid growth/seniority gains occurring at the ULCC level, I would suspect that hiring qualifications at F9 and NK will become very competitive for at least the next 5 years or so. I certainly don't say this to discourage you, but to rather light a fire under you to keep moving in your career. Certainly put your stuff in at F9 and NK to show your interest, but don't hang your hate on an unlikely expectation. Get into turbine equipment as soon as you're able.

As another poster said... For now, just concentrate on being the best pilot you can be and don't worry about mapping out your next moves. You are currently in the infancy of your career as a professional pilot and still learning to walk. Don't worry about planning the marathons you will run in the future. As quickly as this industry moves and changes, any bridges that you plan to cross far into the future may not even be there by the time you try to cross them. Take this career one day at a time. You will be much happier for it.

I would focus on building the hours for the first few years and try not to think about the money. Who knows if you will like Part 121. The good thing is there are many different avenues you can take and what they all have in common is the more total time you have the easier things get for you.

Bumping this thread with regards to the insane recovery this industry has seen in the past few months. Out flying the line for cape air, and find the flying to be so repetitive at this company, that I’m not building the same “experience” that I was hoping. Also, the QOL here isn’t as good as a traditional 121 regional. I don’t mind the “grind”, but worry that even time here will put me behind the curve once I’m out of here since even the scheduled 135 multi pic time, is only in piston aircraft, not turbine or 121

No. If you're at Cape Scare...I kid I kid, I assume you're young. It's a paying, flying gig. Keep hacking and get your quals up and pad that resume. Take the first Turbine job offered to you. Good luck.