PackFan1

Mid 20's, about 1200TT, currently employed at 135 SIC turboprop with aspirations to eventually get to the airlines, what do you think my move should be here? I had to bounce around jobs through Covid which has now made my resume potentially looking like a job hopper.

Big Box school CFI- 1.75 years
Piston Corporate Pilot/CFI- 0.8 years (company had lay offs and restructured during Covid)
Part time CFI/Independent CFI- 0.5 years
Now current SIC TP 135 gig- been here 6 months, they want to send me to Hawker school in the next 2-3 months(potentially w/ ATP) that would come with 24 month contract.

Do you think it is worth staying with this company a bit longer to build up my resume and show that I'm not a job hopper and meanwhile I get at a type rating and some jet time, or do you think I should get in line at regionals ASAP and just take another short stint on my resume? My ultimate goal is Major airline of some sort. Thx.

ComingInHot

If your goal is airlines I'd just go 121 as soon as you can, so you can get your seniority number in. The regional I am at is hiring 300 pilots a month, that's 300 pilots a month above you that you can never change. Unless you have some other major red flags on your resume, I doubt they care you've been changing jobs often, especially since we all know covid was tough on our industry.
Once you are at a regional you can show them you are not changing jobs all the time by staying a couple of years.

PotatoChip

Politely decline the promotion to the Hawker, get your addition 300 hours, go to a regional.

Whew

anyone who has or is currently flying the c-5, please give me an idea on how many hours you usually average and what the max you think you could achieve annually?

rickair7777

No C5 experience but mostly regionals are about the same in that regard since their business models are the same and they compete with each other on an efficiency (cost) basis.

Annual would be 700-800 if you avoid work. You could get close to FAR limits at most regionals if you try (open time, bid lines with block time vice DHD/soft pay ect). That's 1,000 hours in a rolling 365 day period.

Wild card is reserve, a few regionals may not fly reserves much and that's also seasonal. Really only matters if you expect to be on reserve for a long time.

galaxy flyer

With the drawdowns in Europe and now mostly out of the ME, C-5 flying in the reserves isn’t what it was. I had LTs from UPT In the 2003-04, who were flying 800 hours a year. Several made IP/EP status in 4-5 years and we’re hired early on at legacies in 2016-ish. I doubt that kind of flying exists now.

rickair7777

Are talking about C5 the regional or C-5 the heavy lifter?

JohnBurke

Either way it's a very non-sequitur, irrelevant question to ask out of the blue in this thread.

What makes you think that the regional will be a short stint?

If it is a short stint because you move to a major airline from the regional, then what does it matter? You'll have achieved your goal. Checkmate.

If you go to the regional and only spend a short time before looking elsewhere, then that may raise a question with your next potential employer after the regional.

If you're referring to your current position, where you've been for just six months, then it really depends on where you go and what you do. If you go to a regional and your goal is a major airline from there, then the major airline isn't really interested in your prior experience so much as that regional. If you go somewhere other than the major, then they may be interested. If you take the training and run, such as getting sent to Hawker school, then leave, that doesn't look good to any employer. It doesn't sound like that's your plan.

Airlines are all about seniority.

Break down the costs and opportunity costs of potential moves. Among those look at the short tern and long term costs, and consider that with any move, you may be there a while. You can you afford to do it, or can you afford not to? We can't predict the future with any certainty, but in this business, your path isn't just a job, but a career move. Each move, ideally, should grow you, or grow your career. Ask yourself which each move will do and pick the better one for you.

If you do take that training, then honor the commitment and stay.

galaxy flyer

flying the c-5[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]. Makes it relevant, if the post said, “flying at C5” it would be irrelevant.

Tryin2b

I was in a similar situation. I was going to a regional then COVID came and halted that. I had already given a month's notice so they had a hold on me and with uncertain times ahead what could I do. I was given the ultimatum to captain or leave so I ended up signing a 30 month contract but that came with a type, ATP and PIC time. A year and a half later I haven't gotten a call from anyone large even with references in so I'm assuming I'll be going back to a regional with a contract to pay back. If your company is solid and respects your time, it isn't a bad move to log PIC time especially if you're flying a lot. However I believe checking part 135 and part 121 boxes on applications will carry more weight. It just depends on if you can stomach the paycut and commuting from what I have been told from a few guys that left where I'm at for the regionals. Good luck!