Just asking for a little advice here, as a flight instructor, with little multi time mesa seems like an easy way to move on. I do not have my MEI and dont really want to spend the money on it if I dont have to. Some people say mesa is horrible, while others just tell me its ok if I stay out of the pilot lounges. What do u guys think!?

 

Here's how I look at it.

Probably, you're not going to go to a major or fractional or wherever you want to go until you've got some substantial PIC time at a 121 operator. Some additional experience as check airman or whatever wouldn't hurt.

Given that that's probably going to take you at least a few years, you should probably spend that time at a company which is going to take reasonably good care of you. In my mind, ExpressJet, Republic, and SkyWest make the short list in no particular order.

I think what it boils down to is how are you going to meet the minimums for one of those companies? You could flight instruct, or you could go to Mesa. To be honest, Mesa might not be a bad way to go, if you know exactly what you're getting in to, expect to be there for as short a time as possible, and expect inhumane, cruel, and abusive treatment. If you're single, money is no object, and you don't mind having 16 hour duty days during which you'll fly 2 hours and maybe get paid for less, it could be for you.

By the way, there's another thread going about how SkyWest lowered their mins to 850tt if you have 200 in a CRJ or equivalent in 121. Mesa to SkyWest wouldn't be a bad plan. You'd be in good company, too.

 

Don't go to Mesa. There are FAR better companies to work for and by going there you continue to subsidise J.O. and his slimy operation.

Any of the above mentioned ones are way better. Don't go to Mesa just because they will take you.

The WHOLE airline industry would be better off without Mesa and their like dragging things down.

 

Block or better baby.

 

I have to disagree with SharkAir. If your goal is to get on with a good airline like ExpressJet, Skywest, Etc... then going to Mesa is a bad Idea. Sure you will get the multi time there. AIRLINES are not time builders. You will be basically undercutting your own future at a "good" airline. How can the pilots at ExpressJet expect to maintain that "good" contract when there are pilots willing to put up with anything, in the short term, to get on with, well, ExpressJet. Building experience as CFI is great but there are many other way to get your Multi-Engine time up. You can fly a light twin for freight, pipline patrol, NOAA, Private Corp., etc. Also you have to realize that Mesa has a training contract that will prove to be a headache.

This hiring boom that we are all seeing now will not disappear anytime soon. Well, unless another 9/11 type of event happen. In which case you will find your self looking for work anyhow. Many airlines will look at applicants with as little 500/100. Some like ASA and Comair have hired in the 250-350TT range with 75-100 Multi.

As pilots we tend to make short term decisions, this is your career and you should not sell yourself short. You have invested lots of time, money, effort, and passion into getting yourslef prepared for a career in commercial aviation.

Remember how rushing in the cockpit leads to problems, the same ironically applies outside as well.

Sorry for the rant, if it seems like one. Good Luck.

Paul

 

Biz,

Depending on your TT, there are better choices. If you have 600 - 800TT, you can go to other places than Mesa. I don't recommend Mesa, however, it is a great place to build time and they will hire you in a flash. The vast majority of people go to Mesa simply to build up time and get some experience. After a year, maybe two, they leave and go to better places. I talk to a captain at Mesa quite often and he said 85 pilots quit last month. Thats a lot! Good for you because they need pilots ASAP.

 

heck, TSA would be a better choice than Mesa. at least you have block or better, and crew scheduling is slightly less evil.

 

To clarify, I don't mean to come off as a Mesa proponent. I would like to see them just disappear about as much as anyone.

My general point is that if you're faced with a choice of buying multi time or going to a 121 operator who will get you some arguably "better" flight time, it's tempting to go to the airline. I didn't go that route because I thought it would be more financially responsible to CFI for a while (which it was), and frankly, because no one had these ridiculously low minimums when I was at that point.

But like I said, if you have no financial obligations, no family, and you're willing to destroy a few months of your life in terms of happiness, a "bad" airline seems like a good way to get to a "good" airline.

 

I don't think going to Mesa for a short time would be "undercutting" everybody else...think of all that money and time they'll be spending on him to get almost zero return ;-)

 

Assuming you need 85 hours of ME...

$165/hour x 85 = $14,025

Divide by two (safety pilot) = $7,012

I used to work at mesa...and I'd pay $7K not to have to go back.