Fly4Beer

Those who can do, those who can't, teach. Get into any part 121 airline to make yourself more attractive. If it means flying at a regional for a year while in the reserves do it. It'll help you network.

WatchThis!

No doubt, a ground school gig might help you understand the hiring profile at ONE airline, but you aren't flying as much as you could if at all.

Any other airline, and maybe even the one you work for will wonder if you wanted to be a ground school instructor or a pilot. I think they call it industry motivation...you would score low.

Wish there was a shortcut, but I don't know of any. Good Luck & see you on the line.

dhc8fo

Some more food for thought is that if you ever read the Fed Ex hiring threads, you will see that just about all of them indicate that Fed Ex looks fo those who go above being an average Joe line pilot...ie: Chief Pilots, Checkairmen, AND instructors.

Bengalsfan

First of all, I want to thank you all for your input... its awesome to have people respond with geniune care and ideas. OK enough sunshine....

One last question/comment mainly to the ex reserve/guard military people.

If I live at my USAFR base, and take a job with a regional domiciled at the same place can't I have the best of both worlds?

More specifically, anytime the reserves will give me orders, can't I tell the regional I am on orders and fly for the reserves getting the PIC time and paid more... then when the reserves don't have any money/orders, I can still fill the wallet (with change), but more importantly still build time and get air carrier experience with the regional? Also by having that civilian job, I would have continuous benefits that I wouldn't have as a reserve bum.

Is this idea realistic, or am I way off?

Thanks

ps Go Bengals.... its our year!!!!!

LAfrequentflyer

sorry, don't know enough about the reserve world..I'm an active duty support officer type out on the east coast...you may want to try www.aptap.org

they may be able to help...its a site for army helo pilots helping fellow military types into the airlines...i'm sure one of the folks on their can get you the answer...

V/r

PILOTGUY

Bengalsfan

I just remembered a friend who went with a ground school job. They really wanted him, so he worked it to where they gave him a pilot senority number as well. This allowed him to fly a little every month or so.
Good luck to you. I would skip the regionals if you can. I am there now and I will I had went the exec route or to Airnet, something like that.

AriesIIdriver

I am a Multi eng turbo prop guy myself and will be retiring soon. I was enlisted for 12 years before I got my commission so I have only been flying for about 5 years. I only have about 1500 hours TT but only 500 of that is PIC. It is all turbo prop and all but 200 of it is multi. I don't think I have enough PIC to get with a major but I think it is enough to go with a regional. With my military retirement check paying the mortgage and then some, I don't mind the pay cut but every regional pilot I speak to says to stay away. I just want to fly and although there are some bad things about being a regional pilot (besides the pay), the equiptment is much nicer than most of the planes I have flown in the Navy. Can someone be specific about what is so bad about flying for the regionals?

Vito

AriesIIDriver/Bengelsfan,

Your both military pilots and that means alot to the hiring deptartments at major airlines. I know its not fair to our commuter/civilian bretheran, but they'll be the first to admit there are huge advantages to having a military flight training background. So here's my advice, stay in the reserves and fly your butts off! and also apply TODAY! don't wait till you think you have enough hours. Its like you graduated from Harvard University, and are attending classes at a junior college to build up more credits!!!
Sorry in advance to all the civillians out there, I don't mean to put you down, but compared to what I did in the military, flying for a major freight operation is child's play.
Good Luck

spitfire1500

Im an instructor at a carrier and I do Sim and ground training, but I am also on the pilot seniority list and unless this is an option I would veer away from teaching ground school, I work with contract instructors at my carrier and they get paid much less and abused much more because they have no contractual agreement.

Captain Dad

First of all congradulations on the job offer.

I am a nine year Mesaba pilot and would say don't take the NWA gig. No matter what happens at NWA mainline and/or Newco(possible new NWA low cost carrier) there could be a lot more furloughs in the future.

I would apply ASAP to everywhere you are interested in flying. Collect names of all your buddies that fly there and call them. Get the info and network your tail off. You may be surprised how low of time you can get hired so don't sell yourself short.

SWA use the GI bill and go get the type! I can't stress this enough. Use Higher Power in Dallas. The Best People on the planet, they know what they are doing and they have a long lasting tie with SWA. I went to there and have an interview with SWA next month and also at jetBlue. I wish I would have started networking years ago.

SWA 500 pilots a year for the next 4 years minimum. jetBlue 400-500 pilots for the next 4 years minimum. Airtran several hundred pilots for the next couple of years minimum. FedEx hiring indefinately. Ups wait till after the contract to be safe but apply now anyway.

Be a good guy, don't burn any bridges, fly as much as you can.

If you go to a regional...seniority and upgrade time are key, if you don't want to stay there for ever.

Good luck and fly safe.
Captain Dad