I want to say thank you ahead of time to anyone who takes the time to respond to this post.

I am a student at a "rating" farm school. I started back when the hiring was still good, and had hopes of jumping right in if I was lucky enough to be a FO flying on some regional. However as we all know, the hiring has dried up, and they are only taking higher time folks. I get a guaranteed interview with an airline with the school I am with, but I am old enough to understand that with the way the industry is, all it will most likely get me is a pleasant handshake and a “we’ll call you if interested".

I am not discouraged, and I personally thing this is the best time for me to get into the industry. I have always dreamed of flying since way back, when my father used to fly to Hong Kong and we were able to meet him at the gate. Boy has times changed.

My main question for you all is what can I do to make myself more marketable during this industry downturn?

I am married (To my beautiful sugar momma), and am excited to have a Child on the way (Due sometime early March 09). My wife has a good job, and she is supporting me 100% in my dream. So I trying to find a job somewhere so I can have income/insurance while she is away on medical leave, this is my concern right now (She will have insurance herself).

Once I finish school somewhere in September I will have most, if not all my fixed wing ratings except ATP. I will have roughly 250-300 TT, with over 100 in a ME aircraft. I’m not a youngin by any means; however that is debatable in the minds of some older pilots (I am 27).

I already know that if I cannot find a job right out, I am going to try and get my foot in the door by applying and hopefully getting a job for some airline's ground ops.

Beyond that, I am going to get my ATP written done as soon as I finish, and am wondering if it would be beneficial to take the Flight Engineer exam as well. I figure that by doing so I would be ahead of the game by already being familiar of the advanced systems I would see when flying rockets with wings. Does having the engineer exam help when it comes to the interview process?

I don't have my degree yet; however I am very close to finishing it. Roughly 1-2 years of classes left. I had hoped to finish while working for a regional, but with current economic downturns I don't know what to do regarding that, especially with a kid on the way.

In short, I hope to get my foot in the door and CFI on the side to build hours, play safety pilot, and do whatever it takes to make a career out of this. I am not in it for the money, but rather the joy of flying. Anything you all can add would be most appreciative. Again thanks.

CJ

 

plan on CFI'ing for a few years... or if you are in the right places you might try pipeline flying or flight watch...

with those few hours in this environment its going to be real tough. I will not discourage you from your dream but the reality of the business is such that be prepared for several years of LEAN.

Your ATP and FEx are only good for two years unless you are actively flying some sort of 121 or 135... ( correct me if i am wrong out there ) and I would say you probably wont have the quals to get your ATP in that time.... could but probably not.

I would work on your CFI. Worry about ATP and FEx writtens down the road.. and frankly there arent many places still requiring an FE written..... so I probably wouldnt even bother with that.

good luck....

 

I'd stick with it. CFI to build time. Then go do 135 freight. If you're family can deal with that, and you can deal with it, then at least you'll know if you have a shot down the road. Also, keep working on the degree as the best jobs still effectively require a four year. If you don't have the degree, you'll weed yourself out of many of the best jobs.

 

I do know on the degree. Kicking myself for not finishing it sooner, but then again, I wouldn't be where I am at now. I would not have even thought of being a pilot, and would most likely be in some dark dank cubicle punching ones and zeros.

Im from michigan, and from some of the folks out that way have hinted, some of the CFI jobs are drying up. Schools closing up. But hey, thats life.

In currently working on getting my resume together in a nice little spiral package from kinkos. So when I am all said and done, I can just make a many copies and send them out. At least I hope a better presentation on paper might get me through the door.

de727ups...I see you alot on the jetcareers forum talkin about ATP(Where I am at now). Do you think the jet course is worth it? Rumor has it I can postpone it and get 2500$ back, and within 2 years pay the 2500$ back and take it. What is your take on that?

 

"Do you think the jet course is worth it? Rumor has it I can postpone it and get 2500$ back, and within 2 years pay the 2500$ back and take it. What is your take on that?"

A. From what I've heard from people that went through it, it's not worth it. But see the forums for yourself.

B. In today's environment it's not worth it as the regionals are in an unsteady/uncertain situation.

Personally, I'd be happy if the mins went back to 1500/300. I'll be called a bitter old guy for saying so, but think setting the standard there tended to weed people out that weren't committed and put a properly qualified pilot into the right seat of a 121 pax airliner.

 

For most of the older people here, 350 hours was when you got paid your first dollar as a professional pilot...it also marked the beginning of 2-4 years as a CFI, followed most likely by night freight.

Basically it seems to me like things will be back to historical normal for a while. The industry is normally cyclical and the downturn is a good time to prepare yourself to take advantage of opportunities in the eventual upswing.

DE is correct that higher minimums will weed out non-comitted entitlement types...admittedly, I'm looking forward to it. In the long run you will think it was worth

An FE rating is unlikley to help you unless you later work for a cargo company which flies old, large airplanes. But if you have time on your hands, go for it.

Discalimer: This oil business is uncharted territory. If it doesn't come down soon (or we don't develop suitable alternative aviation fuels), many of today's airline pilots will out of the industry for good, and we will not see hiring for decades. Pay attention to oil and alternative fuels...that will tell you when and if to get settled into that cubicle.

 

How hard is it right now to get into cargo being a lowtime pilot? VFR cargo from my understanding is 500 TT, with roughly 100 night hours. I dont mind teaching, in fact if I did teach I'd aim to be a better CFI than some of the instructors at my school, but the decline in GA is killing those options as well.

I guess I will just figure things out when I am all said and done. I thank you all for your help thus so far.

 

While there may be some exceptions, most small cargo operators are under part 135....which requires 1200 hours to be PIC. You could theoretically get hired as a co-pilot with less than 1200, but most night freight pilots start in a single-engine, single-pilot airplane...which requires the 1200 hours.

Keep looking for non-cfi time-building opportunities if you like, but you had probably best assume that you will need to CFI for 1200+ TT and 100+ ME before you will be able to get a job doing anything else.

 

cj, i'm at ATP right now too. PM me if you want to chat about it

 

I dont have the magical 25 post limit Lucas. Send me an AIM pm if u got it. CrazyjeepYJ on there.