Thanks. I flew with a guy that flew there and spoke highly of the company.

 

While Cape Air SIC's can certainly log the time, be aware that they only hire a small number of SIC's... they are mostly there for the times the autopilot is out of service or for low-time Captains. They aren't going to want to hire hundreds of them and take seats away from paying passengers. (Yes, a passenger usually sits in the right seat). Also, they aren't going to hire somebody with 250 hours and have them ride around as a glorified non-rev for years getting up to 1500 hours. Realistically, last I checked, 1000 hours or so was the min and 1200 or so was competitive. They want you to upgrade to Captain before you burn out on the F/O program.

 

R57: PM me for other options that might work for your son.

 

Cant go wrong working for Cape- Good people there and the experience is invaluable. FOs are captains in training so they do expect any fo to upgrade when they reach the time and commit for an additional 12 months. Challenging but overall the most fun Ive had flying commercially. Unique culture for sure.

 

Congrats on Billings!

 

SIC is allowed to be logged so long as there is the completion of a 135.293 checkride. Some EAS cities put in their contracts with 135 operators serving them that the aircraft will be flown with two pilots. There are a few places out there like Seaport and uh... Pac... Pac... *takes a shot of whiskey* Pacific Wings that'll hire with 400-500 hours TT as SIC. One thing about the single pilot plane SIC time, as I myself have a logbook full of it, that time is worthless without proof of the 135.293 paperwork and checkride. There have been instances in the past of pilots showing up to interviews with their logbooks and no proof the time logged was legal and being sent home.

Cape Air has bridge programs with universities to get hired as an SIC/Intern but I know from conversations (not fact just conversation) with my friends flying out of STL that the mins to to get hired now are solid at 1000TT for everyone else.

 

FO's at Cape don't take away seats from paying passengers unless they're required for the flight. Otherwise they're positive space. If the flights full the FO gets bumped not the pax.

SIC's are required in our 135 op specs, with the autopilot making an exemption to the rule. Therefore SIC can be logged regardless of the autopilot.

They've hired people with real low time in the past but it's not the norm. The Gateway program with jetBlue is probably the best way to go if your son went to an AABI school and did his training there.

 

I don't think you understand what positive space means. I know they get bumped, hence the "glorified non-rev" remark. Does wonders for ones self-esteem as a professional pilot to get left behind in Ogdensburg, NY because they had to squeeze on a runner.

I have very mixed feelings about the JetBlue gateway program. Suffice it to say it's a good thing for management of both companies. In today's hiring environment, there are certainly other options for aspiring pilots.

 

Positive space would be closest analogy to how the FO's work. They're scheduled a seat on the flight, if a paying passenger shows up they get bumped, if a non-rev shows up they don't.

I was simply addressing your comment about not hiring too many of them as it would "take away seats from passengers" which is not the case.

There's lots of paths people can take, but the jetBlue gateway gets pilots into a major a lot faster than most regionals sitting with 6+ year upgrades.

 

Been reading through the responses. I start in November. Any up-to-date info on the training, IOE, etc? I've been told expect 4-6 weeks for everything. Saw the 5 min youtube vid on how they train....seemed interesting...just not too in depth.

Also, wondering if sharing apts/etc to keep costs down after the intial transition to your first base is common among the pilot group? With the new Montana service starting Dec 1 AND the Islanders joining the fleet for the additional Carribbean destinations, I'm guessing my first base could be a complete crap shoot....