What to do
 

what do I do.. 33, single, ATP will be completed this week. About 1600/50
Previous experience flyng bush planes in africa at an african equivalent of a 135, like real people in the back
so...

Regionals?
Ameriflight?
Planesense?


Long term would like to fly in a charter position or overseas with one of the ME carriers.

Just looking for some mentoring type advice. I have read all abut the regionals and that seems depressing ( well it is ). Had also considered quitting aviation but who knows what else to do.

Where else would I start? Im really at a loss so anything productive ideas would help..
Cheers.

If you want to fly charter or overseas, why are you asking about regionals? They are very different.

Regionals are very different than charter or overseas, but you don't have the time for insurability to get hired flying charter or in the ME. In your position, unless you just get real lucky, I would take a job at a decent regional, get the training and type rating, and build time to 3000 TT. It will give you roughly 1500 hours of multi engine jet time, which will make you insurable for almost anything with little mentoring. Just my 2 cents.

If you would like to get on at a ME carrier (ie Emirates, Qatar), then the regionals are not a bad way to go. I would just make sure you are on something heavier than the CRJ-200.

If you're on the E170 or the CRJ-900, you'll get looked at much more.
Look for a place close to home, with minimal or no commute.

Go to a regional with larger RJ's (> 50,000#) and follow the normal career path, jumping to a boeing or airbus major asap. Once you get boeing/bus time and types you'll be in the ballpark for the ME carriers.

Maybe you'll get lucky and get hired on overseas with RJ time. If not, you'll have a career path in the US with additional opportunities to go to the ME if you still want to.. Majors should be hiring for a few years.

Do you have personal reasons for wanting the ME? Most US pilots only go there if they can't get the job or pay they want at home. There's things I like about the ME, but I'm sort of a special case and would never drag my family over there regardless.

here are reasons about why I wouldnt mind leaving the USA but probably the number one is just the adventure. I could only imagine on your 500th landing into Cleveland you think to yourself.. Uhhh where am I? I guess in this regard like you said Im a special case as I have travelled around allot ( first paid flying job in africa ) and just want to do some more but do it smartly by flying bigger etc for the later years. Actually does not even have to be airline frankly a nice corp job would be excellent too and I think the regionals may be a good lead into it.. Its jet multi time fms and all that.