Umm.....who said anything about Mesa??

 

Try these guys if you are getting bored with flight instructing. Just another great way to build X-C/Night/IFR PIC. (Employment at Flight Express, Inc.) You will probably make more money there too. Good luck bud.

Cheers

 

A lot of folks have said to stay put - it is good advice. This industry is so volatile and unpredictable right now you're most likely better off where you are than risking furlough somewhere else.

Having said that, it is my understanding that Mesa has furloughed and NOT hiring. If you do some research you'll probably find that most regionals are not hiring right now. There are some who are - and don't forget the smaller regionals like Great Lakes or Cape Air.

The trend over the past several years has been that lower time folks (right at minimums) were being placed into a regional jet. Exciting for most of those folks at first, but unfortunately that has now turned into an expectation, almost an entitlement. If you land a jet with your first 121 carrier consider yourself lucky - certainly not entitled. This is the attitude a couple of others have eluded to on this thread.

If you poll 100 pilots I would venture to guess that most of them would advise starting your career in a turboprop. It's an easier transition from what you are flying now which gives you better odds for passing training and a more solid foundation for the more complex airplanes in your future.

The reality of this industry is that we are in, and will continue to be in, a highly competitive era for pilot hiring. Instead of focusing on a jet at a regional you should really be focusing on what will make you competitive in the long run. Focus on ME time and perhaps become a Gold Seal instructor. The idea is to make you as competitive as possible when the airlines start hiring again.

Good Luck!

 

I went through this same type of industry downturn in the early eighties. Many pilots ended up on the street looking for work and many threw in the towel on the profession. Those of us who managed to find and keep flying jobs where very lucky and we where also positioned well for the recovery of the industry.
You are interested in flying PAX jets, so is everyone when they start out, its the place everyone is supposed to want to go.
My suggestion on looking for employment is not to look so much at the QWL, or Minimal pay differences but, how well the company is run, what is the financial position, are the pilots that are currently on the property happy.
When the industry recovers it is the pilot who is currently flying someplace that gets the first jobs up the ladder .

Good luck

 

I recently got my Gold Seal. Do employers really care though? If I stay here until spring, I should have close to ATP mins (only 100 of my hrs are not PIC) in March with 500-600 multi. I know the multi PIC time will make a difference, but will the Gold Seal really do my resume any favors for non-CFI jobs?

 

I had my Gold Seal many moons ago and It certainley doesnt hurt your resume. If nothing else it shows that little extra drive and ambition. Anything along those lines helps. It also shows you can teach, which is what a Captain at a regional basically does everyday.