Hi folks,

I'm looking at getting back into flying after a brief medical issue (only about 6 months since I was flying). I'm looking at a couple of potential corporate/charter opportunities, but my first real flying job was with a regional and I miss it. I'm willing to make SOME sacrifices to go to a regional, but I realy dont want to commute. Since I live less than an hour from CLT that makes PSA just about the only real prospect. Since my long term goal is to get into a training position PSA's CLT sim really makes it the airline I'm interested in.

I've heard the negatives about long reserve and long upgrade, but with a 90 min callout reserve in CLT wouldnt be so bad. Moving isnt an option since the wife has a pretty good job where we are.

So, I guess the big question is, what would the prospect be for a new hire hoping to get to the training department? Is it a process that would take 5 years? 10? If so it may not be worth it for me. Or is it one of those places where they are hurting for instructors and it can be a quick process to get there?

By the way, I have an ATP, about 5500TT, 3300 Turbine almost all 121/135, 1500 Turbine PIC all turboprop, and I loved my time as a CFI.


Thanks for any info!!

 

I left PSA because my family was in Mass. Had we lived in NC I probably would have stayed. The planes are in good shape, the crews are excellent, and the CPs are good guys. Schedules blow. Hard. Reserve is forever and a day. Scheduling blows. Hard. Upgrades are forcast for the near future; and have been for years. Schedulers blow. Hard. Upper management is probably actively working to lower non-economic QOL. Or they are grossly incompetent and that's just a by-product.
Long term - and I mean a decade or so down the line - the flow through will be a good thing. Unless there's another downturn before that happens. In which case its probably a bad thing.

Commuting to sit reserve is an abomination; If I were you, I'd interview there.

Most of the Sim guys I met were flowbacks. Sooooo its likely there will be some turnover in the training department in the near term. What your chances would be is beyond my prognotic abilities.

You could PM PSAChiefPilots (I think thats thier screen name) they post here from time to time.

Luck!

 

I know that they are hiring for Ground School instructors right now out of Dayton. You can easily commute that out of CLT. That would be your best shot to start off with. If you get a GI position you would have a good chance of later becoming a Check Airman in the sim in CLT. I would say that could happen in the very near future. PM me and I will give you some more info.

 

Given any thought to Piedmont? They have their training offices right at the US Airways training center in CLT...I know they're looking to hire a lot of pilots and might need some help in training too...First year pay is better (but just first), very short reserve right now...however there's no crew domicile in CLT for pilots...just a thought

 

Sky-

Thanks for the info!! I'm a newbie here so I can't PM yet, but if you have more info you can e-mail it to [email protected]

Thanks again!

 

Ok, I am on a trip right now, but when I get a chance maybe later tonight or tomorrow I will send you some info