I am currently a captain at a regional turbo prop airline. I have been here for probably to long and will be making about 52k this year. Over 4500 tt with 1800 pic. I am wondering if it is worth the pay cut to work for a regional jet carrier solely for the jet time. If I stick around I am set to make about 60k next year.

 

I assume you want to move on to a major?

Options being sit tight and wait for major hiring to ramp up to the point where turboprop drivers are not at a disadvantage, or go try to find some jet time...

The trend lately seems to indicate a preference for jet experience, so you might not get picked up early in the wave and there's always the risk that the current slow pace of hiring will be as good as it gets.

If you want to work at SWA, then you might be able to sit tight because they seem to be fine with turboprop pilots who are check airman, but you're obviously putting all of your eggs in one basket.

Nobody knows how the new AA will consider turboprop time.

Safest thing is to go get some jet time, even some SIC would enhance your resume. But the risk is that you take a pay and seniority cut and still don't get hired by a major, or even get furloughed from your new gig.

If you go to a large, possibly more stable jet regional (if there is such a thing as stability) at least you could eventually upgrade into a jet and push the pay closer towards six figures.

 

Apply at Spirit.

 

Thanks for the response. You are right about me wanting to get over to a major eventually. I have had my apps on file with the larger carriers for a while now and last week I just went ahead and applied to every airline in the US essentially. Maybe I will get lucky with a phone call. I have an interview this month with xjt just wondering if it is worth sitting there not making any money for the jet experience.

So far the consensus seems to be for me to go for it. Not the easiest thing to do to take a paycut like that.

 

I know how you feel about the pay cut. I'm trying to transition into the civilian flying world after 15 years in the Air Force. While all of my time is jet time, I've been out of the cockpit for 2 years and I too am wondering if I should be looking at companies like Spirit or Republic. Time will tell.

Just for some perspective, you've got more TT and PIC than I do, and more recency. Hope the majors call you before V1 on the switch to a jet company.

 

If you can afford it get the jet time .... Sure a spirit gig would be a better solution than a regional but easier sad than done ..


Too many jet guys out there that sadly make the prop guys a very small percentage . And all those people who say oh yeah but my buddy got hired with only BE1900 time etc . It's a very very small percentage within the last 10 years or since the creation of the RJ.

 

Correct, but not for the reasons some would assume. More RJ PIC guys get called because as you said, more physically exist, more of them out there. However a guy who is PIC on an ATR / Brasilia / 1900 / etc is still in a leadership position (especially if 121 PAX ops aka Eagle) responsible for the safety of the flight.

Just my two cents

 

Before you go and quit your job, talk to a recruiter at each airline you want to work for about your prospects with only turboprop PIC time. Ask the very people who will be hiring you what they look for. Go to a pilot career fair and ask. Everything else you hear here is speculation at best. It's your career on the line.

 

I would definitely ask the recruiters at a job fair before making the switch. It is one thing to move to Spirit, Allegiant, etc. It is entirely different moving to another regional and taking a downgrade.

It could be hard to explain that move in an interview. I switched regionals but was able to explain it because I went as a street captain. I'm not sure I could've explained moving and downgrading to the interviewers satisfaction.

Prop guy.