fjetter

Looking for some opinions here. Here's the situation I'm instructing at a school that will have a need for a part 141 chief instructor at about the same time I meet the mins for it 2-3 months from now. While I certainly do enjoy instructing, it is starting to burn me out a little bit and feels a bit like I've stagnated with my flying abilities. As hiring has slowly started to trickle open I've been reevaluating my situation. As for me my desire has always the traditional shot at the majors or a fractional operation. I'm still young and single and don't mind being away from home for days at a time.

Here's how I've been looking at it:

Part 141 Chief
Pros -
- better pay than most Single Pilot Multi IFR ops
- check airmen experience early in my career
- being home in my own bed everynight
- learning how to interface with FAA
- management experience may be helpful in future furloughs to find nonaviation job

Cons
- all SE aircraft
- not entirely what I desire to be doing

Part 135 ME
Pros
- new challenge type of flying
- desirable experience/feeling like career advancement
- actually flying the plane rather than talking
- build ME PIC time
Cons
- paycut most likely
- giving up potential 91/135 op with schools sister company (who hasn't heard that bait and switch before?)

Here's my times
2100TT
127 ME
75 Turbine (currently CMR furlough)
1875 PIC
150 INS
1500 Dual Given

rickair7777

You are in kind of a grey area. For a typical 1200 hour ASEL pilot I would say go 135...that has a lot more in common with airline operations than 141, and ME time is the key at the entry level. Ideally in today's climate I would say shoot for 300+ ME, that's what is going to be competitive.

Being a 141 CP is kind of fun in some regards, but I can tell you from experience that it will not substitute for ME time as far as regionals are concerned.

Once you get the ME time I think the 141 CP background is a good resume bullet as long as you don't get overconfident. Airline interviewers have a dilemma when confronted with a pompous 172 Sky God...do they just send him home now, or would it be more fun to hire him and let him **** off the guys in the training department?

But since you have already completed 121 training and flown the line a little, it's entirely possible, even likely, that a regional might hire you with the minimum ME time, even though you are below the competitive ME level.

I would look at what regionals you might be interested in and see what their minimum ME time is, sounds like you should meet all the other mins. The safest thing to do would be the 135 gig, but if you really wanted to the 141 thing I don't think that would hurt you, especially if you can MEI on the side or have some other ME opportunity.

But look at the regional ME minimums, if they are all still at 100 you are OK, but if they are publishing 200+ that might be an issue. Also I would not plan on being recalled by CA, there are too many really bad rumors going around now about their future.

the King

Another thing to consider: At my last 141 gig, our CP never got to fly because there is always a new project, syllabus, student issue, or general fire requiring the CP's attention. My boss had a goal to fly with all the instructors and check instructors and it never happened because of the demands on his time. You should definitely consider how much time you'll have to keep your skills sharp if you want to keep on the flying side. If you're wanting to go to the FAA or something like that, the CP slot would be beneficial as well.

minitour

Do the 135 deal. It won't be fair to the few students you do end up getting to/having to teach extensively. There probably won't be many, since you'll be up to your elbows in paperwork, but there will be some.

-mini