Training Departments at Regionals
 

Former military pilot here, with a couple of years of commercial and Part 121 experience until I opted to make my 9/11 furlough permanent. So a long time away from the industry, now learning, hoping to return for one last encore career change.

Apart from the important stuff like pay, work rules, flow, QoL, etc...., how do the training departments compare across the Regionals? Which carriers have a good reputation of professional pilot-centric training programs? And which are known for the opposite?


Thanks!

I seriously hope you apply for the majors or ULCCs. If you have enough time to go in as a DEC you’ll get a class date soon but considering you’re probably pushing 50 I wouldn’t wait 9 months to be a regional F.O. only because the training department will hold your hand.

I’d find a local CFII, spend a week going over Jepp charts, reading the FAR and AIM, and flying approaches. It’ll come back to you and if you apply the same rigorous study habits from the military to your 121 training you will be ready.

Based on personal experience, friends' experience, and lurking the posts on these forums, I know this for a fact:

Fantastic training departments:
United, Frontier, Mesa, Endeavor, Republic, Piedmont, ABX Air, Omni Air, Air Transport International

Horrible training departments:
PSA (believe me on this one, this I know for a fact). Air Wisconsin.

Questionable training departments (some say its alright, some others say its bad, its 50/50... I've heard of guys with prior regional 121 jet experience fail initial checkride, so)
Spirit


What makes a training department great is:

-How organized they are... do they give you everything you need right away. Is the material well organized, and presented good visually and easy to understand? do they give you a syllabus? or throw a bunch of crap out you and expect you to spend days and days deciphering it.
-The quality of instruction... does the instructor just speak in a monotone voice during ground school with death by powerpoint? or are they funny, engaging, keep you awake, encourage you to ask questions, gets everyone to participate, and has a "no-one-gets-left-behind" attitude towards the students
-How many instructors you are given throughout your training
-Family feel Vs. Just a number over there
-Class size... smaller is ALWAYS better. Everyone becomes friends and helps each other out. Everyone knows Everyone. class size of 30+ is NOT the way to go.
-Communication by email, if the training department solves any issues you have or if they ignore your emails
-Simulator availability... will you lose proficiency waiting months for a sim
-Does any one APD have a history of being douchee in the company?

[QUOTE=WindshearAhead;3589849]
-Class size... smaller is ALWAYS better. Everyone becomes friends and helps each other out. Everyone knows Everyone. class size of 30+ is NOT the way to go.
/QUOTE]

Yes, Delta, AA and United famously have horrible training departments...

Class size has nothing to do with it.

- Yes, I will be applying to majors and LCC/ULCC in hopes of skipping Regionals, but just trying to be realistic as I haven't flown in 20 years, and having been tacair in military and only FE in 121, total time is low (~2000).
- Also considering Fractionals vice Regionals, as I have experience there and enjoyed it, but prefer 121.
- over 50, so yes time is short. But after flying a desk for so long, spending a year or so at Regionals is more than acceptable, especially in this new era of livable wages there, while it lasts.
- Not expecting hand-holding. Just researching and comparing on a metric I find important.

[/QUOTE]I’d find a local CFII, spend a week going over Jepp charts, reading the FAR and AIM, and flying approaches.[/QUOTE]
- in progress

[/QUOTE]It’ll come back to you and if you apply the same rigorous study habits from the military to your 121 training you will be ready.[/QUOTE]
- that's the plan, thanks.

Perfect, thanks!

Can anyone speak to:
- SkyWest
- Envoy
- GoJet.....
- CommuteAir

- Frontier
- Breeze
- Avelo

CommuteAir has a training department that wants to see you succeed and will go the extra mile to help you if you show a good attitude. My only gripe is that training quality can be inconsistent depending upon what instructors you have. The seniority list instructors are better than the offline instructors.

Add SkyWest to top notch training dept. Im on my 3rd airline and they’ve been the best by far.

yes to skywest. Well run training dept.

I echo this sentiment exactly.