135 Question
 

There is word going around Ameriflight that a pilot with 1000TPIC can go straight into a major when they start to hire again. I just wanted to know if that is common? Can a part 135 cargo pilot of a be99 go straight to Southwest, UPS for FedEx? Or is the regional airlines where most of these 135 pilots end up? :confused:

yes you can go straight to a major. no you don't have to go to a regional

Hold on...

Theoretically, yes. But in practice you will probably have to know someone who is very, very well connected.

If you just apply off the street there are thousands of regional captains and furloughed mainline pilots with extensive 121, glass, turbojet experience. Those folks will be viewed as lower training risks and known quantities in a 121 environment.

Amflight is most likely a good path to a non-bottom-feeder regional or maybe corporate flying.

If it was a reliable path to good major jobs (I'm not talking about the skybus league) a whole bunch of us would be over there for the fast upgrade instead of doing years at regionals.

I have a friend who went there 8 years ago so he could straight to UPS...but guess what, UPS requires heavy, long-range, international experience. You get one guess where my buddy (still) is today...

You MIGHT be able to get hired at SWA, they seem to be more open to turboprop-only pilots but they interview 20 and hire 2-3 so that's not a reliable bet unless you happen to be EXACTLY what SWA is looking for (nobody really knows exactly what SWA is looking for, their interview staff is all HR, no pilots or simulators involved).

I remember the claim when I worked at Ameriflight (1988-89). Yes, the claim is true. Many left and went direct to United. Of course, they were women. I fly at World Airways with a pilot that went straight from a PA-31 to a DC-10. One of my AMF class went direct to UPS. These are the exceptions to the rule, not the rule it's self.

You have to do what's best for you. If that means going to a regioanl, then do it. Most of my friends at the majors went from AMF-communter-major.

is there such thing as "discrimination" when i comes to turbine time? Its turbine time regardless of where it came from or it what form right?

Not exactly....airlines prefer turbine PIC time of this nature, in order of desirability (my estimate):

Military, multi-engine, turbojet, heavy, glass, 121, 135, turboprop.

Some airlines (notably SWA) are just fine with 121 turboprop time.

Also note that while airlines allow single-engine TPIC, that is only because some fighters are single engine...caravan time is NOT competitive for major airlines.

isn't part 135 cargo operations the only way around the regionals? I feel personally that the bottom regionals are a joke. I don't believe in being paid that little and treated that poorly... we are all worth more than that in my opinion.

Majors like regional pilots because they come from a very similar background, know how to deal with pax, and the myriad issues associated with large airports.

135 cargo is somewhat similar in a few respects (training), but there's a big difference in airplane types...even if you fly a turbojet in 135 cargo it's probably going to be small and analog, the regional guys mostly have glass and large aircraft experience (RJ's are FAA category "large").

You can get hired by a major out of 135, but it's much harder. As always, who you know is more important...most regional CA's know plenty of guys who went on to majors.

I don't think 135 pay is better than regional pay...we get plenty of 135 pilots who come to SKW.

Ain't that the truth.

I interviewed with SWA back in 1998 for a ramp position. Got the 2nd interview. Even with all my experience and knowledge, I guess I wasn't animated enough. Because that's what it seems like what they're looking for.



atp

But youre home every night and I know companies like AMF and ACC are starting at 30k+. ACC at 40k+. I don't it just seems like there should be another way around the regional system. Do you expect any new contracts after 2012?

How many regional captains that have been doing it for 10+ years can't afford the jump to the majors. You risk furlough, being on reserve, 50k less for the first year etc. Part of me wonders if there will be more movement in the majors than in the regionals