View Poll Results: Which career path should I take?
Stay in the U.S.
5
83.33%
Move to Panama
1
16.67%
Voters: 6. You may not vote on this poll
New CFI Working Towards Long Term Goals
02-06-2015, 05:17 PM
#1
On Reserve
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jan 2015
Position: Instructor
Posts: 14
New CFI Working Towards Long Term Goals
Hello everyone, and thank you ahead of time!
So here is my conundrum...I have two paths laid before me and I want you all to weigh in on my options. I want to make sure I get as much info as possible before making this decision and I know some of you have taken similar paths. The end goal here is to fly for a major US airline as soon as possible.
Here are the two options:
Option #1
I instruct at a place where I can get hours relatively quickly until I get to 1000 or so hours. At that point I would be working on getting hired on for a cargo operation where I can get some multi turboprop time. Grind the hours out until I am attractive to the regionals and make the jump. Rinse, repeat, then on to a major airline. Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems like this path will take a few years until I can get on with the regionals, then x more years until the majors. Maybe at the majors in...6 or 7 years? This is the more typical route of the two options.
Option #2
I have an opportunity to go to Panama and build my hours there as an instructor. I have already visited and met with my (potentially) future boss. It went well and I took the compass test while I was there. As far as I can tell the instructor job is pretty much locked in as soon as I get to 350 hours. So why go to Panama to instruct? Once I get to 1000 hours they will bump me up to fly right seat in a 737 flying for Copa. I have read that Copa may be hard to work for, and that the pay is bad. I am trying to look long term here though and doing my best to expedite where I can, even if that means spending 2 or 3 years in a third world country...afterwards I would of course come back to the U.S. to fly for a major airline. I am assuming that I would be significantly ahead of option #1 here by getting jet time and becoming more attractive to the U.S. majors. Do the majors mainly want jet time, or is it total time? I have heard that due to varying standards my hours accrued in Panama may not be given the same weight as those I would have if I stayed in the US. Is this true?
Ok so those are the options that I am considering. What are your recommendations? Did I miss anything noteworthy? Any advice is appreciated. Sorry for so many questions, there is a lot of misinformation out there!
Thanks again everyone!
So here is my conundrum...I have two paths laid before me and I want you all to weigh in on my options. I want to make sure I get as much info as possible before making this decision and I know some of you have taken similar paths. The end goal here is to fly for a major US airline as soon as possible.
Here are the two options:
Option #1
I instruct at a place where I can get hours relatively quickly until I get to 1000 or so hours. At that point I would be working on getting hired on for a cargo operation where I can get some multi turboprop time. Grind the hours out until I am attractive to the regionals and make the jump. Rinse, repeat, then on to a major airline. Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems like this path will take a few years until I can get on with the regionals, then x more years until the majors. Maybe at the majors in...6 or 7 years? This is the more typical route of the two options.
Option #2
I have an opportunity to go to Panama and build my hours there as an instructor. I have already visited and met with my (potentially) future boss. It went well and I took the compass test while I was there. As far as I can tell the instructor job is pretty much locked in as soon as I get to 350 hours. So why go to Panama to instruct? Once I get to 1000 hours they will bump me up to fly right seat in a 737 flying for Copa. I have read that Copa may be hard to work for, and that the pay is bad. I am trying to look long term here though and doing my best to expedite where I can, even if that means spending 2 or 3 years in a third world country...afterwards I would of course come back to the U.S. to fly for a major airline. I am assuming that I would be significantly ahead of option #1 here by getting jet time and becoming more attractive to the U.S. majors. Do the majors mainly want jet time, or is it total time? I have heard that due to varying standards my hours accrued in Panama may not be given the same weight as those I would have if I stayed in the US. Is this true?
Ok so those are the options that I am considering. What are your recommendations? Did I miss anything noteworthy? Any advice is appreciated. Sorry for so many questions, there is a lot of misinformation out there!
Thanks again everyone!
02-07-2015, 01:17 AM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Position: ERJ, CA
Posts: 718
Look up some of the things about COPA to help you decide. That said, getting SIC in 737 would give you a distinct advantage over RJ FO's, however, getting some TPIC is good for your own development and future safety. If you are thinking about going to fly in Asia, the 737 time will open doors, that currently RJ's do not.
02-07-2015, 07:46 AM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2014
Posts: 473
To the OP:
How long will it take you to reach the 1000hr instructing in Panama vs here?
737 experience sounds good, but once again, if your final goal is the majors, you should get to the regionals here ASAP. It's about the network that you will build, guys that you will fly with, going to get hired ahead of you, and they will get you hired later. You will not be able to build such network at Copa.
Eventually, if the big future pilots shortage is true, you will get hired, but you will be at the bottom of seniority for long time, since the guys hired now are relatively young. And seniority means everything.
How long will it take you to reach the 1000hr instructing in Panama vs here?
737 experience sounds good, but once again, if your final goal is the majors, you should get to the regionals here ASAP. It's about the network that you will build, guys that you will fly with, going to get hired ahead of you, and they will get you hired later. You will not be able to build such network at Copa.
Eventually, if the big future pilots shortage is true, you will get hired, but you will be at the bottom of seniority for long time, since the guys hired now are relatively young. And seniority means everything.
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