Fourpaw

Hello all,

I'm just mulling over my next step in my aviation career. I'm feeling a little stuck at the moment and could use some criticisms for my career progression.

Here's my current situation:

Fly a Cirrus Sr22t about 80-100 hours/month
I contract fly and flight instruct also
I make decent money(~60k)
Approx 2400tt
250 multi

I know the airlines are starting to hire again and I know that would be the quickest way to build multi time. The problem is the money. I am a single income household, wife is in college, I'm also a father of two with a mortgage. I just don't see how we could live off of 2000/month. My thoughts are to go to All ATPs and get my ATP and go from there. I've been passed up for three right seat gigs for lack of twin time.

My dreams would be to end up in a decent corporate job(prop or jet is fine) in Houston, that's where all our family is. We are currently in South Texas.

I've started networking again at the local FBO to try and get some right seat time with people in single pilot ops.

Thanks.

Edit> I forgot to mention, current company has implicated the purchase of another aircraft for some time now. It has been about 1.5 years total with them. They say now something definitely before the end of the year, BUT I have heard that line about 5 other times:-/

pilot0987

I was doing the same thing you are doing minus the instructing, same situation with wife and kids. I was making about the same as you. I made the jump to the regionals in January, it has not been easy at all. I wouldn't worry about the right seat time because they probably wouldn't type you and you would be making less money. I clear about 1700 a month after taxes on a good month. I would take back my old job in a heart beat, a plane is a plane to me now. What part of Houston are you from? I have some friends down there with a Citation Excel?

Fourpaw

In Corpus Christi right now, originally from spring. If we move back I would like to end up in Kingwood.

Strangely enough, just after writing this got a call from an old client about offering a 50k job in Houston with 5k relocation assistance plus company car. I wouldn't be flying though, so I don't know.

deftone

Small world....I live in Kingwood

9780991975808

My first flying job paid minus $20/month. That's right: minus $20. In the gouging days of bush flying, the insurance premium surplus the employer had to pay came out of the salaries of pilots who didn't have seaplane time, other than the endorsement and checkout minimum. True, being single and enjoying free Room & Board the fire depot provided - plus all the black flies you could eat and inhale - it wasn't much of a hardship. Still, I had to borrow money to pay for a job. 'Course $20 was worth something in the days of 5c coffee and 35c gas. Sometimes, one has to look beyond the immediate to see the big picture. My 2c.

Fourpaw

That used to be me, until I had two kids. You can't seriously look past the immediate when you have people counting on you.

Rasta Flyer

Have you tried Ameriflight? With your time I'm sure you could start in the Beech 99 and quickly move up to the Metro all the while making a liveable wage. You won't reach 60k anytime soon though. The advantage is that you will log m/e turbine pic time and we get upgraded quickly here. Also, once you have that time logged, with your experience and what seems to be good connections for you so far; you'll get a better choice of jobs without having to consider the regionals.