1500 Hours, 0 recency in past 12 months
#11
On Reserve
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
You might be able to get calls from some airlines without flying in the last 18 months, but you're always going to have to get over the hurdle of not having flown in a year and a half. Show them that you made an effort to ensure you can still fly a plane and you're going to make it 20 times easier on yourself to get past that.
My advice, get a flight review and an IPC, and if you need a few extra flights with a CFI to get those done, then do it. The airlines don't want to step into questionable territory if they don't need to, so your app would likely be thrown to the bottom of the pile if you don't have any flight time recently.
My advice, get a flight review and an IPC, and if you need a few extra flights with a CFI to get those done, then do it. The airlines don't want to step into questionable territory if they don't need to, so your app would likely be thrown to the bottom of the pile if you don't have any flight time recently.
#12
Screen Toucher
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 221
Likes: 8
From: F/O
You’re getting good advice here. A guy in my class hadn’t flown since February of 2020 and thought he would wing it. Sure enough, he ended up being the weakest person. Failed his oral, failed his LOE and needed several extra sim sessions along the way. He’s going to be here for a while now. If you have any hopes of moving on, shaking the rust off is the single easiest thing you can do for yourself right now. Training can be hard enough even when you’re current. Plan accordingly.
#13
Thread Starter
Line Holder
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
You might be able to get calls from some airlines without flying in the last 18 months, but you're always going to have to get over the hurdle of not having flown in a year and a half. Show them that you made an effort to ensure you can still fly a plane and you're going to make it 20 times easier on yourself to get past that.
My advice, get a flight review and an IPC, and if you need a few extra flights with a CFI to get those done, then do it. The airlines don't want to step into questionable territory if they don't need to, so your app would likely be thrown to the bottom of the pile if you don't have any flight time recently.
My advice, get a flight review and an IPC, and if you need a few extra flights with a CFI to get those done, then do it. The airlines don't want to step into questionable territory if they don't need to, so your app would likely be thrown to the bottom of the pile if you don't have any flight time recently.
#14
Prime Minister/Moderator

Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 45,126
Likes: 796
From: Engines Turn or People Swim
^^^^ What those guys said. Don't take 121 training for granted, *especially* if it's your first rodeo.
You'd be surprised at what basic skills you lose after not flying for a while, and one year+ is definitely going to make it rough. BTDT.
You'd be surprised at what basic skills you lose after not flying for a while, and one year+ is definitely going to make it rough. BTDT.
#16
Banned
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 2,012
Likes: 0
#17
Agreed 100%. The OP question, was not “is it smart to go to a 121 training program not having touched an airplane in 12 months” it was “can I get a class date?“
I would say don’t give up potential seniority to get every single duck in a row. One class date worth of seniority can make a huge difference, just ask all the COVID furloughees.
You’ve got a few weeks between the call and start date to get current, knock the rust off and start studying. Base it on your comfort level, but don’t hold back an app right now to try and make sure you have everything you think they need. Just one guy’s opinion. It’s a pilot’s job market again, especially on the regional side of the house.
#18
Agreed 100%. The OP question, was not “is it smart to go to a 121 training program not having touched an airplane in 12 months” it was “can I get a class date?“
I would say don’t give up potential seniority to get every single duck in a row. One class date worth of seniority can make a huge difference, just ask all the COVID furloughees.
You’ve got a few weeks between the call and start date to get current, knock the rust off and start studying. Base it on your comfort level, but don’t hold back an app right now to try and make sure you have everything you think they need. Just one guy’s opinion. It’s a pilot’s job market again, especially on the regional side of the house.
I would say don’t give up potential seniority to get every single duck in a row. One class date worth of seniority can make a huge difference, just ask all the COVID furloughees.
You’ve got a few weeks between the call and start date to get current, knock the rust off and start studying. Base it on your comfort level, but don’t hold back an app right now to try and make sure you have everything you think they need. Just one guy’s opinion. It’s a pilot’s job market again, especially on the regional side of the house.
#19
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 307
Likes: 0
Everyone is saying get current.
One way to do that is with a good sim. A lot of flight schools offer monthly rates. You could prob pay a couple hundred bucks and have a months worth of unlimited Redbird time to get confident with approaches, flows, checklists, approach plates and briefings, emergencies and failed instruments….
you’ll be flying a sim during training so the sim environment might be better once you do a couple currency flights in an actual plane
One way to do that is with a good sim. A lot of flight schools offer monthly rates. You could prob pay a couple hundred bucks and have a months worth of unlimited Redbird time to get confident with approaches, flows, checklists, approach plates and briefings, emergencies and failed instruments….
you’ll be flying a sim during training so the sim environment might be better once you do a couple currency flights in an actual plane
#20
Banned
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 794
Likes: 0
Everyone is saying get current.
One way to do that is with a good sim. A lot of flight schools offer monthly rates. You could prob pay a couple hundred bucks and have a months worth of unlimited Redbird time to get confident with approaches, flows, checklists, approach plates and briefings, emergencies and failed instruments….
you’ll be flying a sim during training so the sim environment might be better once you do a couple currency flights in an actual plane
One way to do that is with a good sim. A lot of flight schools offer monthly rates. You could prob pay a couple hundred bucks and have a months worth of unlimited Redbird time to get confident with approaches, flows, checklists, approach plates and briefings, emergencies and failed instruments….
you’ll be flying a sim during training so the sim environment might be better once you do a couple currency flights in an actual plane
This gets my vote.
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