I am currently at 2100TT 600ME 1300 TPIC with 500 METPIC the rest is single turboprop. I currently fly a single and a ME turboprop single pilot part 91. I make decent money and can stay at this job as long as I would want but there is nowhere to go farther than exactly where I am. My end goal is to be at a lager airline that I can make a career at in the next 5 years or so.

So should I bite the bullet, take the pay cut and jump to a regional while they are hiring and get my airline career started? I am in my early 40s and not getting any younger. I have a couple of mentors and depending on who you talk to the opinion is different so I wanted to see what the masses think.

One school of thought is to stay where I am building about 1200 hours of TPIC each year till I have the hours to be competitive at a major or LCC. I have no 121 time so I am not sure how it would go over even with the hours.

The second thought is to jump while the jumping is good to a regional get the 121 time and get in something way bigger than 12500 pounds. I have over 1000 TPIC so I can check that block when the time comes at a major or LCC and wouldn't be stuck at a regional waiting to upgrade.

What do you all think? Am I as far as I need to be at my 91 gig? Should I hang out a few more months till I get to 1500 TPIC or does it even matter after getting the magic 1000 hours?

 

I'm afraid your 1000 TPIC isn't quite what the airlines are looking for. Single engine really only counts if it has a pointy nose/ejection seat. As a civilian, you need ME TPIC.

Where are your mentors flying and where to you want to be? Some have said there are airlines such as Spirit, JB, Allegiant who hire 91/135 TP drivers. The legacies may also, but think of the applicants you are competing against.

 

If you are happy where you are, making decent money and have a good quality of life, I say stay where you are. You're staying current and building multi engine turbine PIC. True you won't be as competitive as someone with PIC 121 jet time but you will still meet the hiring mins of most majors.

Someone will come on here and tell you the only way to the top is through the regionals. Don't buy that fools gold!

 

I'm going to go against the popular opinion and say to jump to a regional. If you add 1,000 hours of 121 time onto your current times you'll have exactly what the majors are looking for. I've seen a few regional FOs hired by majors recently. If you want a major job in the future jumping to a regional now would probably give you the best shot. Having the time you do will leave you looking more competitive than a lot of current RJ FOs too.

 

Actually there was nowhere on the app that asked if it is SE or ME just that you can mark yes to _so you have 1000 hours or more turbine pic

 

I realize that. It's because a F16 only has one engine. While you may be able to check that box, when your application gets looked at, it won't be in the same light.

You may want to think otherwise bit it won't be the case. If you don't believe it that is your choice.

WTFDIK, I've only been hired at 5 airlines.

 

You have not mentioned your education. Do you have a 4 year degree? Unless the majors get desperate, you don`t have much of a chance to get there without the degree. Someone will probably chime in and tell about someone he knows who made it without one. Sure, someone made it with out the degree, but very few are that lucky.

 

Yes I have a 4 year degree

 

Go where you have the best chance to network with folks that are doing what you want to do. That's probably what I would do.

 

They will have a breakdown of all your flying by hours and type, at the least the big legacies have that on their app. Their computer screening system will decide whether you get an interview.