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Majors Career Advice

Old 02-18-2016, 02:21 PM
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Hey Folks,

I'm looking for a little career advice from pilots currently working for major airlines. I'm currently employed for a 135 carrier, I'm worked half to death but I'm mostly happy with it, great salary, benefits etc. They recently upgraded me to captain and I'm wondering what my next move should be, given the current pilot market. My end goal is get into a major airline (or Fed Ex, UPS) as soon as I can to take advantage of all of the upcoming movement but my flight time is probably much too low at the moment (3000TT, 1000 jet, 150 jet PIC) So what would most likely get me into a major the soonest? Post up where I am and soak up the Jet PIC time, then apply like crazy? Or head out sooner to somewhere attainable such as JetBlue or Atlas? Will the majors often hire non military pilots with no 121 experience?
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Old 02-18-2016, 02:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Rumpel View Post
Hey Folks,

I'm looking for a little career advice from pilots currently working for major airlines. I'm currently employed for a 135 carrier, I'm worked half to death but I'm mostly happy with it, great salary, benefits etc. They recently upgraded me to captain and I'm wondering what my next move should be, given the current pilot market. My end goal is get into a major airline (or Fed Ex, UPS) as soon as I can to take advantage of all of the upcoming movement but my flight time is probably much too low at the moment (3000TT, 1000 jet, 150 jet PIC) So what would most likely get me into a major the soonest? Post up where I am and soak up the Jet PIC time, then apply like crazy? Or head out sooner to somewhere attainable such as JetBlue or Atlas? Will the majors often hire non military pilots with no 121 experience?
Best I can say...if you meet minimums, apply. I guarantee you won't get hired unless you do this.
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Old 02-18-2016, 02:43 PM
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IMO, depending on how much you fly now, get your PIC and TT up while continueuously applying to the Majors ( cause ya never know!) and at the same time apply to JB, SWA, Virgin etc...

If you get on with someone other than your desired big 3, you can always keep applying while making a good living at the others..... There may be a point when staying at a place like JB or Virgin outweighs going to Delta, United or AA... Cross that bridge when the time comes.

There having been many to go straight from 135 to a Legacy... But far less than those coming from a 121 background. It can happen, but IMO having time at JB, Spirit etc will probably be more desirable than Joe's charter flying a Beechjet...

Worst case you can always try a regional to build some 121 time
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Old 02-18-2016, 03:27 PM
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Originally Posted by kingairfun View Post

Worst case you can always try a regional to build some 121 time
I wouldn't do that. Stay where you are and get the pic jet time. As you are building it apply. You could consider taking a job at a LCC. You can stay at the legacy or continue applying to the legacies and move on.

Depends somewhat on your age and family situation I would imagine too.
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Old 02-18-2016, 03:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Rumpel View Post
Hey Folks,

I'm looking for a little career advice from pilots currently working for major airlines. I'm currently employed for a 135 carrier, I'm worked half to death but I'm mostly happy with it, great salary, benefits etc. They recently upgraded me to captain and I'm wondering what my next move should be, given the current pilot market. My end goal is get into a major airline (or Fed Ex, UPS) as soon as I can to take advantage of all of the upcoming movement but my flight time is probably much too low at the moment (3000TT, 1000 jet, 150 jet PIC) So what would most likely get me into a major the soonest? Post up where I am and soak up the Jet PIC time, then apply like crazy? Or head out sooner to somewhere attainable such as JetBlue or Atlas? Will the majors often hire non military pilots with no 121 experience?
Simple: Apply early, apply often, apply to everyone you'd be willing to work for while you built TPIC jet time. The competition for places like JetBlue and Atlas still exists so there's no promise they're as easily attainable as you make them sound.
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Old 02-18-2016, 04:25 PM
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I would think that a LCC would be a good move.

Spirit or frontier or some such. Those types are much more valuable than an RJ type.
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