lolwut

People with PIC time will tell you it matters. People without PIC time will tell you SIC time is just as good.

Most people doing interviews and selection have PIC time.

xjtguy

Assuming TPIC isn't a minimum requirement..............

It depends, who do you know? There's a crap ton of VERY experienced pilots with TPIC, sim instructor, LCA time that are STILL waiting on a call. AND they KNOW people. There's a crap ton of mil guys, with IP/StandEval/NATOPS experience STILL waiting on a call, and they KNOW people. So again, WHO do you know? As far as "in a few years" goes. Sorry, it'll be a long time before a pilot with ZERO TPIC gets the "cold call" from a legacy to interview. Even BEFORE 9/11 when the hiring was going at a rapid clip, it just wasn't happening.

PLENTY. Saw it at all the time. But there's a recurring theme here, THEY KNEW SOMEBODY!!!!!. However, in this hyper competitive environment, one is going to have to know either a HIGHLY connected somebody, or lot's and lot's of somebodies.

I know, I know......EVERYBODY has a story of "well, I know so and so, and they got hired at (insert airline here) and never upgraded!!!!" Yep, and there's more to the story, THERE ALWAYS MORE TO THE STORY.

As does FedEx. UPS did, probably safe to say that when (if) they start hiring they will again.

RedeyeAV8r

But he said he was looking at working for the Majors...........not a lowly cargo outfit like FedEx or UPS. Some day I might work for a
Real Airline Again.

SJUflyer

As someone mention, anything that enhance u r resume is good, but the question is, what have you done during u r time as pic!?!, did u got in activities that enhance your status as pic!?!?... Quality is very important, 0 or 1000 pic doesn't make a difference if the market is flooded and it offers options and those options can be mold or are already molded to the needs...

xjtguy

"so, are you just trying to get flight time so you can fly passengers some day?"

"maybe you should try to get hired flying boxes, have you ever thought about that?"

ShyGuy

I was the only one in my room at VX without 1000 TPIC (I had 0). The problem isn't the room. In fact, from personal experience, once you get called to the room you are all treated the same and qualifications don't matter at that point. The biggest obstacle is getting that call for the interview in the first place!

The problem with PIC time is that it has most to do with timing and luck. It's not merit based, you have to wait for your number to come up in order. Almost all regional FOs hired in 2007 were affected by the Age 65 rule and the economic recession. Without any movement no one was moving up, and now we have 5-7+ year regional FOs as the norm. You can't really fault these people for not having PIC time. It was never an option to begin with. Some majors/LCCs recognize this and have hired FOs without TPIC for that reason. Now of course, everyone would rather have some TPIC before going to a major but that is not the reality for many regional pilots due to what's happening to the regionals these days.

I guess the point is if you can TPIC time, get it. But if you can't and a major calls, it's probably worth taking the leap instead of sticking it out at a regional hoping it will work out in the future.

xjtguy

Agree, once you meet the mins, apply anywhere and everywhere.

However, that "hoping it will work out" carries a little further than just the regional carrier. Ask the people that went from regional FO to legacy pre 9/11 that got furloughed. On the street, NO TPIC. And most of the better jobs that hired after 9/11 required TPIC. IE; SW, FX, UPS, JetBlue, Airtran, etc. Granted, there were places hiring that didn't have a TPIC requirment. But good luck getting on somewhere if the market suddenly gets flooded with highly qualified pilots and one has NO TPIC.

ShyGuy

I'd still rather be at a legacy with no TPIC in my 20s than with TPIC at legacy in my 30s. All those guys you mentioned, including Zap, would be like kings had they accepted their recall. My point is if a major calls and you have no TPIC time, it's still worth taking the plunge.

TenYearsGone

Apply to your dream jobs.
Continue to update.

While waiting, get your PIC as an insurance policy. Without PIC some jobs are not attainable. Kind of like a college degree.

You never know, today's non-PIC dream jobs might be tomorrow's dogs.

Good luck,

TEN

xjtguy

And I agree with that. I'm simply saying, you can NEVER oversell the importance of TPIC.

As far as "all the guys I mentioned", sure. Let's take a UAL furlough hired pre 9/11 with NO TPIC. Furloughed, for years. Then recalled, then furloughed AGAIN. Then recalled, AGAIN if they took the S-UAL offer, and now waiting on the S-UAL/SLI recall if they bypassed the S-CAL offer.

It's been nearly 12 years since 9/11. Those in the above group that may have been hired in their 20's with no TPIC and think they hit the jackpot are now in their 30's, or older. And in the last 10+ years never really went ANYWHERE career progression wise.

Like I said, apply anywhere/every where and go if you can as soon as you can. But keep in mind, you simply NEVER KNOW.