Should I go regional FO or take a TPIC CA freight offer?HELP
10-01-2007, 07:17 AM
#11
Self Employed.
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Aviation business
Originally Posted by SD3Dog
I have a BS in aerospace. I really don't know my ultimate goal. If I had the money I would want to start my own charter/freight company. I do want to keep my options open though. I think Legacy would be a great job too. I guess those would be my goals in order of desire.
The same thing goes for horses as well.
SKyHigh
10-01-2007, 07:27 AM
#12
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Joined APC: Sep 2007
Posts: 73
SD3DOG, I'm not a legacy guy but here is my 2cents. I was in your spot once. I chose upgrade on the shorty over a job on a CRJ. I did this because the majors were hiring like mad and I needed the TPIC to be a candidate. The shorts was the quickest route to that. With everyone hiring full swing it will become more and more a sellers market. On top of that not as many people are applying since the contracts got gutted. This will make it a sellers market much more quickly. I had a friend get hired at the majors (in a sellers market) with 2700 total and 700PIC on the shorts. He was also fairly young, and a flight engineer on a DC10 for 9 months (read, I can pass 121 training). I think those things along with his GPA, etc helped him. I didn't get to the majors before 911 (missed out on 6months of that FE time
) but I still think the TPIC first is the best, quickest course, especially in a sellers market. So did all the legacy guys I asked at the time. Don't worry about schedules and the rest. You can do anything for a year or two. Then go get the 121 job and wait.
Best of luck, keep the ugly side... uhh, scratch that, keep the wheels facing the dirt.
) but I still think the TPIC first is the best, quickest course, especially in a sellers market. So did all the legacy guys I asked at the time. Don't worry about schedules and the rest. You can do anything for a year or two. Then go get the 121 job and wait.Best of luck, keep the ugly side... uhh, scratch that, keep the wheels facing the dirt.
10-01-2007, 07:29 AM
#14
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Joined APC: Sep 2007
Posts: 73
SD3DOG, I'm not a legacy guy but here is my 2cents. I was in your spot once. I chose upgrade on the shorty over a job on a CRJ. I did this because the majors were hiring like mad and I needed the TPIC to be a candidate. The shorts was the quickest route to that. With everyone hiring full swing it will become more and more a sellers market. On top of that not as many people are applying since the contracts got gutted. This will make it a sellers market much more quickly. I had a friend get hired at the majors (in a sellers market) with 2700 total and 700PIC on the shorts. He was also fairly young, and a flight engineer on a DC10 for 9 months (read, I can pass 121 training). I think those things along with his GPA, etc helped him. I didn't get to the majors before 911 (missed out on 6months of that FE time) but I still think the TPIC first is the best, quickest course, especially in a sellers market. So did all the legacy guys I asked at the time. Don't worry about schedules and the rest. You can do anything for a year or two. Then go get the 121 job and wait.
Best of luck, keep the ugly side... uhh, scratch that, keep the wheels facing the dirt.
) but I still think the TPIC first is the best, quickest course, especially in a sellers market. So did all the legacy guys I asked at the time. Don't worry about schedules and the rest. You can do anything for a year or two. Then go get the 121 job and wait.Best of luck, keep the ugly side... uhh, scratch that, keep the wheels facing the dirt.
10-01-2007, 09:15 AM
#15
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Posts: 95
Originally Posted by Kargo
SD3DOG, I'm not a legacy guy but here is my 2cents. I was in your spot once. I chose upgrade on the shorty over a job on a CRJ. I did this because the majors were hiring like mad and I needed the TPIC to be a candidate. The shorts was the quickest route to that. With everyone hiring full swing it will become more and more a sellers market. On top of that not as many people are applying since the contracts got gutted. This will make it a sellers market much more quickly. I had a friend get hired at the majors (in a sellers market) with 2700 total and 700PIC on the shorts. He was also fairly young, and a flight engineer on a DC10 for 9 months (read, I can pass 121 training). I think those things along with his GPA, etc helped him. I didn't get to the majors before 911 (missed out on 6months of that FE time) but I still think the TPIC first is the best, quickest course, especially in a sellers market. So did all the legacy guys I asked at the time. Don't worry about schedules and the rest. You can do anything for a year or two. Then go get the 121 job and wait.
Best of luck, keep the ugly side... uhh, scratch that, keep the wheels facing the dirt.
) but I still think the TPIC first is the best, quickest course, especially in a sellers market. So did all the legacy guys I asked at the time. Don't worry about schedules and the rest. You can do anything for a year or two. Then go get the 121 job and wait.Best of luck, keep the ugly side... uhh, scratch that, keep the wheels facing the dirt.
Thanks for the reply.
10-04-2007, 08:22 PM
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2007
Position: Sidelined
Posts: 109
Im in your boat,,42 with 5500,getting back into flying from some years off,,got a pa31/be99 pic position and waiting to know on a rj-fo spot. I was just wondering if uppgrades wouldn't be real quick since the regionals are hiring so many 3-500 fo's that won't be able to upgrade for like 2-3 years, and i would imagine legacy and majors are keen on efis experience and 2 man crew since the jump from an rj to a319-21 or 73's is smaller than from a tp.
10-05-2007, 04:01 AM
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2006
Position: A Big One
Posts: 283
While I support you putting PIC TURB on the top of your list there are a few things to consider.
Do you meet all of the other minimums for a legacy new-hire? Degree etc? If not, then I'd say work on the degree as you log PIC TURB. That job will give you a lot of time to study and complete your BS Degree.
1. Networking. If you go to the regional, you'll have the opportunity to make a lot of good contacts. These contacts will eventually migrate in a hundred different directions. This will open doors you never even seen before. Additionally, this job may help you get the letters of recommendation you'll need later on for the "Legacy" carriers but then you'll need about four years or so of "networking" to get senior enough to upgrade and log the PIC TURB.
I'm a major cargo pilot. In my new hire class, we had 24 pilots (12 Mil/12 Civ). Of the 12 Civy pilots, two were prior enlisted. Two others were "Heavy Corporate" (Gulfstream types) with international experience while the remaining 10 Civy pilots were all regional jet pilots. Everyone had a 'sponsor' and several other letters from the inside. As you can see, the Regional Pilots were able to network their way into the class. Out of all of the 24 pilots, only one had NO JET TIME. He only had turboprop time. He had completed an internship with the company and was a PC Check Airman on a Dash for a large regional. Statistically speaking: 41.6% of the class had RJ time. That increases your odds!
I also think the regionals safety record "may" tank. If the legacy carriers keep hiring, there isn't a sufficient pilot pool to draw from in the instructor ranks to fill the regionals. It's possible that you could be paired up with a 23 year old captain with 1500 hours who sat in the right seat of a SAAB and upgraded to the CRJ. This guy could be paired with a 300 hour FO coming from ABC University's ab-initio program. This isn't a recipe for disaster but it certainly could add some increased risk to the safety record.
If this movement continues, if you have a lot of flight time, you might receive an earlier upgrade and thus might log PIC TURB sooner than the average new hire.
2. Another factor that is most likely going to effect retirements at the legacy carriers - the age 65 rule. If that rule becomes law, the legacy hiring may briefly stagnate. Thus regional hiring may stagnate as a result and thus your upgrade to captain. It's hard to say how this will play out but the odds of many legacy pilots hanging around another five years to help restore some retirement is real and likely. Thus, this is an argument for the Cargo TURB PIC job. It's a tough call but there are the pro's and con's. I guess it is up to you. If you pick captain, you'll be making a lot of decisions like that over the next year.
3. From what I've heard, if you feed FedEx, I doubt FedEx will hire you as it will hurt their partners. You might look into another webboard - www.usfeederpilots.com That is a board specifically designed for cargo guys that feed the Purple Tails.
Looking at the big picture, I'd say you have to decide what is more valuable to you.
Personally, if you're an older guy and have quite a bit of flight time - The PIC TURB will open many doors that SIC TURB will not. If the major's put hiring on hold due to some terrorist action, then you're better off with the cargo. Personally, I'd go for the TURB PIC. If you're a young guy with more time to spare, the regional route might be a good choice. All in all - you can never go wrong with PIC TURB. If it is likely your new NICE CP is going to stay, then good on ya. If it is likely he/she might move on and another less desireable CP take his/her place - then you might want the union protection offered by the regionals. You're more insulated from the tyranny of bad management at the regionals in comparison to a smaller company.
My .02
Major Cargo Pilot
Do you meet all of the other minimums for a legacy new-hire? Degree etc? If not, then I'd say work on the degree as you log PIC TURB. That job will give you a lot of time to study and complete your BS Degree.
1. Networking. If you go to the regional, you'll have the opportunity to make a lot of good contacts. These contacts will eventually migrate in a hundred different directions. This will open doors you never even seen before. Additionally, this job may help you get the letters of recommendation you'll need later on for the "Legacy" carriers but then you'll need about four years or so of "networking" to get senior enough to upgrade and log the PIC TURB.
I'm a major cargo pilot. In my new hire class, we had 24 pilots (12 Mil/12 Civ). Of the 12 Civy pilots, two were prior enlisted. Two others were "Heavy Corporate" (Gulfstream types) with international experience while the remaining 10 Civy pilots were all regional jet pilots. Everyone had a 'sponsor' and several other letters from the inside. As you can see, the Regional Pilots were able to network their way into the class. Out of all of the 24 pilots, only one had NO JET TIME. He only had turboprop time. He had completed an internship with the company and was a PC Check Airman on a Dash for a large regional. Statistically speaking: 41.6% of the class had RJ time. That increases your odds!
I also think the regionals safety record "may" tank. If the legacy carriers keep hiring, there isn't a sufficient pilot pool to draw from in the instructor ranks to fill the regionals. It's possible that you could be paired up with a 23 year old captain with 1500 hours who sat in the right seat of a SAAB and upgraded to the CRJ. This guy could be paired with a 300 hour FO coming from ABC University's ab-initio program. This isn't a recipe for disaster but it certainly could add some increased risk to the safety record.
If this movement continues, if you have a lot of flight time, you might receive an earlier upgrade and thus might log PIC TURB sooner than the average new hire.
2. Another factor that is most likely going to effect retirements at the legacy carriers - the age 65 rule. If that rule becomes law, the legacy hiring may briefly stagnate. Thus regional hiring may stagnate as a result and thus your upgrade to captain. It's hard to say how this will play out but the odds of many legacy pilots hanging around another five years to help restore some retirement is real and likely. Thus, this is an argument for the Cargo TURB PIC job. It's a tough call but there are the pro's and con's. I guess it is up to you. If you pick captain, you'll be making a lot of decisions like that over the next year.
3. From what I've heard, if you feed FedEx, I doubt FedEx will hire you as it will hurt their partners. You might look into another webboard - www.usfeederpilots.com That is a board specifically designed for cargo guys that feed the Purple Tails.
Looking at the big picture, I'd say you have to decide what is more valuable to you.
Personally, if you're an older guy and have quite a bit of flight time - The PIC TURB will open many doors that SIC TURB will not. If the major's put hiring on hold due to some terrorist action, then you're better off with the cargo. Personally, I'd go for the TURB PIC. If you're a young guy with more time to spare, the regional route might be a good choice. All in all - you can never go wrong with PIC TURB. If it is likely your new NICE CP is going to stay, then good on ya. If it is likely he/she might move on and another less desireable CP take his/her place - then you might want the union protection offered by the regionals. You're more insulated from the tyranny of bad management at the regionals in comparison to a smaller company.
My .02
Major Cargo Pilot
Last edited by bustinmins; 10-05-2007 at 04:37 AM.
10-08-2007, 09:22 AM
#19
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Posts: 95
Originally Posted by bustinmins
While I support you putting PIC TURB on the top of your list there are a few things to consider.
Do you meet all of the other minimums for a legacy new-hire? Degree etc? If not, then I'd say work on the degree as you log PIC TURB. That job will give you a lot of time to study and complete your BS Degree.
1. Networking. If you go to the regional, you'll have the opportunity to make a lot of good contacts. These contacts will eventually migrate in a hundred different directions. This will open doors you never even seen before. Additionally, this job may help you get the letters of recommendation you'll need later on for the "Legacy" carriers but then you'll need about four years or so of "networking" to get senior enough to upgrade and log the PIC TURB.
I'm a major cargo pilot. In my new hire class, we had 24 pilots (12 Mil/12 Civ). Of the 12 Civy pilots, two were prior enlisted. Two others were "Heavy Corporate" (Gulfstream types) with international experience while the remaining 10 Civy pilots were all regional jet pilots. Everyone had a 'sponsor' and several other letters from the inside. As you can see, the Regional Pilots were able to network their way into the class. Out of all of the 24 pilots, only one had NO JET TIME. He only had turboprop time. He had completed an internship with the company and was a PC Check Airman on a Dash for a large regional. Statistically speaking: 41.6% of the class had RJ time. That increases your odds!
I also think the regionals safety record "may" tank. If the legacy carriers keep hiring, there isn't a sufficient pilot pool to draw from in the instructor ranks to fill the regionals. It's possible that you could be paired up with a 23 year old captain with 1500 hours who sat in the right seat of a SAAB and upgraded to the CRJ. This guy could be paired with a 300 hour FO coming from ABC University's ab-initio program. This isn't a recipe for disaster but it certainly could add some increased risk to the safety record.
If this movement continues, if you have a lot of flight time, you might receive an earlier upgrade and thus might log PIC TURB sooner than the average new hire.
2. Another factor that is most likely going to effect retirements at the legacy carriers - the age 65 rule. If that rule becomes law, the legacy hiring may briefly stagnate. Thus regional hiring may stagnate as a result and thus your upgrade to captain. It's hard to say how this will play out but the odds of many legacy pilots hanging around another five years to help restore some retirement is real and likely. Thus, this is an argument for the Cargo TURB PIC job. It's a tough call but there are the pro's and con's. I guess it is up to you. If you pick captain, you'll be making a lot of decisions like that over the next year.
3. From what I've heard, if you feed FedEx, I doubt FedEx will hire you as it will hurt their partners. You might look into another webboard - www.usfeederpilots.com That is a board specifically designed for cargo guys that feed the Purple Tails.
Looking at the big picture, I'd say you have to decide what is more valuable to you.
Personally, if you're an older guy and have quite a bit of flight time - The PIC TURB will open many doors that SIC TURB will not. If the major's put hiring on hold due to some terrorist action, then you're better off with the cargo. Personally, I'd go for the TURB PIC. If you're a young guy with more time to spare, the regional route might be a good choice. All in all - you can never go wrong with PIC TURB. If it is likely your new NICE CP is going to stay, then good on ya. If it is likely he/she might move on and another less desireable CP take his/her place - then you might want the union protection offered by the regionals. You're more insulated from the tyranny of bad management at the regionals in comparison to a smaller company.
My .02
Major Cargo Pilot
Do you meet all of the other minimums for a legacy new-hire? Degree etc? If not, then I'd say work on the degree as you log PIC TURB. That job will give you a lot of time to study and complete your BS Degree.
1. Networking. If you go to the regional, you'll have the opportunity to make a lot of good contacts. These contacts will eventually migrate in a hundred different directions. This will open doors you never even seen before. Additionally, this job may help you get the letters of recommendation you'll need later on for the "Legacy" carriers but then you'll need about four years or so of "networking" to get senior enough to upgrade and log the PIC TURB.
I'm a major cargo pilot. In my new hire class, we had 24 pilots (12 Mil/12 Civ). Of the 12 Civy pilots, two were prior enlisted. Two others were "Heavy Corporate" (Gulfstream types) with international experience while the remaining 10 Civy pilots were all regional jet pilots. Everyone had a 'sponsor' and several other letters from the inside. As you can see, the Regional Pilots were able to network their way into the class. Out of all of the 24 pilots, only one had NO JET TIME. He only had turboprop time. He had completed an internship with the company and was a PC Check Airman on a Dash for a large regional. Statistically speaking: 41.6% of the class had RJ time. That increases your odds!
I also think the regionals safety record "may" tank. If the legacy carriers keep hiring, there isn't a sufficient pilot pool to draw from in the instructor ranks to fill the regionals. It's possible that you could be paired up with a 23 year old captain with 1500 hours who sat in the right seat of a SAAB and upgraded to the CRJ. This guy could be paired with a 300 hour FO coming from ABC University's ab-initio program. This isn't a recipe for disaster but it certainly could add some increased risk to the safety record.
If this movement continues, if you have a lot of flight time, you might receive an earlier upgrade and thus might log PIC TURB sooner than the average new hire.
2. Another factor that is most likely going to effect retirements at the legacy carriers - the age 65 rule. If that rule becomes law, the legacy hiring may briefly stagnate. Thus regional hiring may stagnate as a result and thus your upgrade to captain. It's hard to say how this will play out but the odds of many legacy pilots hanging around another five years to help restore some retirement is real and likely. Thus, this is an argument for the Cargo TURB PIC job. It's a tough call but there are the pro's and con's. I guess it is up to you. If you pick captain, you'll be making a lot of decisions like that over the next year.
3. From what I've heard, if you feed FedEx, I doubt FedEx will hire you as it will hurt their partners. You might look into another webboard - www.usfeederpilots.com That is a board specifically designed for cargo guys that feed the Purple Tails.
Looking at the big picture, I'd say you have to decide what is more valuable to you.
Personally, if you're an older guy and have quite a bit of flight time - The PIC TURB will open many doors that SIC TURB will not. If the major's put hiring on hold due to some terrorist action, then you're better off with the cargo. Personally, I'd go for the TURB PIC. If you're a young guy with more time to spare, the regional route might be a good choice. All in all - you can never go wrong with PIC TURB. If it is likely your new NICE CP is going to stay, then good on ya. If it is likely he/she might move on and another less desireable CP take his/her place - then you might want the union protection offered by the regionals. You're more insulated from the tyranny of bad management at the regionals in comparison to a smaller company.
My .02
Major Cargo Pilot
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