How should I get to Skywest?
 

Hey guys I could really use some advice here.......My ultimate goal is to fly for Skywest out of ORD, but I will probably graduate with about 400 hours total time. Obviously I need at least 1000 hours for SKW....should I flight instruct till I get 1000, or should I get on with a low time regional like Pinnacle and jump ship after 6 months or a year?

You'll be lucky to graduate with 400TT if you don't instruct, and in a lot of debt.

You should definitely instruct or find some other form of flying job available. I know of a couple companies that love to hire UND kids for non instructing jobs. PM me if you want more details. Be sure to keep ol Chippy in line now, ya hear?

Oh god this looks like it is turning in to a 9E ramper party...

Brady is that you?

Yeah yeah it's me.... Hey I'd say do some instructing, it really teaches you a lot and I think has improved my flying especially in IMC.

Forget skywest,,,uNITED will hire this fall and they used to have 350 hour minimum....you can have my seat there after I turndown the recall....

It depends.

Pinnacle Upside: Get turbine 121 experience, which will give you a high chance of success at SKW, as well as the jet.

Pinnacle Downside: Doing 121 training as a low-timer (failing your first 121 training event is NOT the way to get your career started). Also you will not have the 1000 PIC required for IACO ATP privileges. I assume pinnacle has a one year training contract (but not sure) so you might be stuck there for a year. Also by working for a lower-tier regional, you are contributing to the decline of the industry and diluting the quality of the good jobs you hope to have in the future. But Pinnacle is better than mesa or gojets!

CFI Upside: Great experience, get your ICAO PIC, hopefully live in a place convenient for you. Probably get on with SKW in less than one year.

CFI downside: The SKW interview will probably be more challenging (except the sim will be easier for you) and you will likely get the EMB, not the jet.

Seems like a tossup. Since you don't plan to stay at Pinnacle you don't need to rush to get your seniority. I would probably do whichever is more comfortable for you. If you can get a CFI job and live at home, great. If you have to move to Kodiak, AK to get a CFI job, maybe just do pinnacle.

Not the last time they were hiring. It was ATP minimums. They changed hiring minimums about a year before they stopped hiring. I am sure when they start hiring again, and they will by fall, it will be the same.

Thanks for the advice Rickair, you made a good point about possibly getting the Bro if i instruct....which is what I don't want at all. Also, I've seen in your previous posts that you mentioned the military to supplement income....my plan is to take a MLOA and try to get a flying slot with the ANG or AFRC. Is that what you have done?