MbusiHlatsh

Hi, I am in my second year of college working towards a computer science degree. I have a few questions . Would it be reasonable to expect to be able to hold a side part time job while working as a FO at a regional? For example I am planning on doing software engineering for a few years after college to pay off my college loans and saving up some money to pay for flight school.. (looking into ATP any suggestions?). When I've finally made it to the right seat I would like to have a side job doing some contract work as a freelance software engineer. Also wondering, if that's not possible how is it possible to survive off the first year pay at some of these regionals? ($20,000) What would you say is the number one factor that goes into deciding which regional to fly for until you can upgrade and get to a legacy?

Ace Hotshot

Coding on the side is my exact plan. At a regional, you can have at least 10 days off per month. You can do it!

prex8390

To answer your questions off the back.
Part time job?: Flat out no unless this job is at your leisure and your own planning.
How to survive first year pay: budget, live at home with your parents, live within your means, find a decent apartment that isnt $3500 a month. its been proven time and time again you can go sleep with a full stomach and a roof over your head.
Best regional. What you want in life, best regional is the one that will personally make your life the best. Such as, not having to relocate for base unless that isnt a issue, how is the contract? will you get cancellation/deadhead/ferry pay? Will you have to commute? There isnt a straight answer to that but some people here will give hones answers about what they personally think of a few regional that start with G or P. I'll keep my opinion on that matter to myself since this choice is up to you.

PotatoChip

Yes, you can have a side job, but you will have close to no social life. The best part about a side job like coding is that you can do it on overnights in your hotel room. However, you will miss out on going out with your crew for dinner and beers, which to me, is half the fun of being an airline pilot. To each their own.

How to live on $20,000? There are a lot of answers for that.

As to which regional to go to, I'm sure it will change by the time you are ready to make that move. For most people it comes down to pay, domicile, upgrade time, and short term stability of the company. Secondary would be flow-through programs, sign-on bonuses, and certain contractual rules. Again, I am speaking in generalities.

Lastly, you make it sound as if upgrading to a legacy carrier is a foregone conclusion if you work for a regional. Let me be the first to tell you it is absolutely not. There is zero guarantee you will ever work for a legacy carrier. Count yourself lucky if you do.

madeinUSA

If you can work from anywhere then this would be a good option. You'll have more time on your hands than you know what to do with sitting reserve or even as a line holder on 3 hour sits and 18+ hour overnights. Later you could hold 18-19 days off. Don't let anyone talk you out of it. The last decade BLEW but that's ancient history now.

Is offline

Stay away from the airlines. Go get your private and fly for fun. There is no career for a pilot anymore. It is a joke and it's only gonna get worse as they try and cut cost.

MbusiHlatsh

Awesome! Are you able to do it while flying i.e. on off days or overnights at the hotel?

RV5M

I can't imagine how, after being a software engineer, you could stomach airline flying. I'm headed in the other direction but, yes, you'll have plenty of time to be a dev on the side. Especially on reserve. It makes me sad seeing all these pilots being "bored" in crew rooms/hotels. The down time is a perfect opportunity to have a side hustle.


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PotatoChip

It's also the perfect time to drink beer and watch sports without the wife and kids around.

SayAlt

By the time you'll be ready for a FO job @ a regional the pay will be significantly more than $20k/yr, IF (and that's a big IF) there are any surviving regionals still around.

That said, with your background, you should look at being a pt-time contract pilot and earn your living coding, not the other way around. Better still, make boat-loads of $$ writing code and go buy your own plane and fly it when you want to, not when you have to.