sigtauenus

How long have you been flying for the regionals, how long do you intend to keep flying for the regionals, and what is the thresh-hold you are looking for to make the transition to the next step?

The reason I ask is two-fold.

First is I'm a military guy stuck in a non-flying billet before I get out. I have roughly 1060 TT, 870 ME, 780 PIC, mostly FA-18. The military conversion factor (each company is slightly different) puts me at roughly 1200 TT and 870 PIC. Although that puts me at the mins for a Major such as Delta, it doesn't necessarily make me competitive for hire, particularly since I haven't flown in 3 years. I find myself wondering if I don't get an interview or hired by someone like Delta, what my options are. Usually it comes back to getting a regional job for a year or so to bump up my hours by 500, which puts me solidly over the 1500 actual TT, gives me the option of an ATP, and I'd have the mins for several more companies in the majors, and also the ever popular UPS/Fedex. BUT, I know just having the mins doesn't necessarily make you competitive for an interview.

When I look at the hours a lot of you are getting, I'm seeing numbers like 6 months reserve with not much for hours, then bumping up to 80-85 per month with a line, which quickly puts you at or over 500 hours for year 1. Regardless of how you got your initial education, once you get on with a regional, I see you picking up 1500 ME within 2 years, and with upgrade times, you're starting to see PIC around years 2-3. Say year 3. By years 4 or 5 you should have roughly 2500 ME and a good 1000-1500 ME PIC.

Second reason is based on those very loose assumptions, and is this... the majority of the conversation in this forum is based on getting hired to the regionals as a stepping stone to the major's, but I keep reading references to a 10 year regional CA. I assume up until now the option to move to the major's simply wasn't there because they weren't hiring, but now that they are, I would assume most guys with 5 years or more at the regionals have at least the mins to apply to the majors. If they don't, why not? If they do and choose not to move, why? Is QOL really that much more significant that its not worth giving up for a couple years until you at least break even again yet alone move ahead beyond that?

I cannot stress enough that I am not trying to come across as insulting or condescending in any way, I just really want to know what I might be getting myself into. I'm looking at this thinking I might just need to do a year or two with the regionals, which I prepared for, but beyond that, I'd like to see that I have the option to move up should that be my choice. My fear is that I'm missing something and I might actually need significantly more than 2 years which at this point in my life I am not financially prepared for. The optimist in me thinks I might even be looking at something as quick as 6-9 months with the regionals for mins and currency, combined with some reserve flying time, and after that it would just be adding to it as I continue to apply to the major's.

Thanks in advance

JoeyMeatballs

Well I am coming up on one full year at Expressjet and I was at COLGAN for 9 months, I like it here, but I am trying to leave ASAP............. I have applied to every airline I currently meet the minimums to and if I am able I will attend any job fair I can get to, though I have no TPIC I try to make contacts everywhere I go, because YOU NEVER EVER NOW. If I was a CA here with a few hundred hrs I would probably hold out for the 1,000TPIC, however there really isnt a choice if given an interview/class date.

With your Experience if you put 6 months if that in at a regional youd be golden.........

dojetdriver

Well, not really the answer you are looking for. But try to get that turbine PIC up to 1000+. I'm sure that if you do that, with your military experience it shouldn't be too hard to get on somewhere.

Also, make sure you are staying in touch with the guys you flew with from the first day of your training till the last day you flew in the military. This will help you out way more than you think.

As far as the guys that don't want to move on from the regionals, it's not too hard to understand. Doesn't mean that EVERYBODY agrees with their reasoning, I do. I don't plan on making a career at the regional level, but I NEVER look down at those that do. Although the regionals are ALWAYS dependent on what their code share partner is doing, sometimes it's just better for the guy and his family to stay. If you are at one of the better regionals, you can pull 100k a year at the 8-10 year mark, with a high QOL. Toss in the 3-4 weeks of vacation a year, that can easily end up being 9-12 weeks off a year depending where you work. If going to one of the passenger carrying legacy's, throw in a family and having to suck up 30k your first year at some, 50k the second, and 70k the third, maybe by year 4 you have caught up to your regional W2. that's not counting your 401k, etc.

Now, if you had a couple of kids, a nice house, spent more time at home with them and the wife than you do at work, had 3-4 months off every year, make 100k a year, got whatever schedule you wanted, and most importantly, lived in base, what would you do? Suck up the pay cut, move your family to the most junior (usually the crappiest) base, or commute and never see your family as reserve pilot/junior line holder, go without health insurance for six months (at one place), etc?

Yeah, in the end going to the legacy will outweigh the regional, but that catch up point is too long and too expensive for many to endure. Then throw in the factors of another 9/11, oil going up even MORE, whatever. The regional guy is probably in the top 10% of his seniority list VS. being at the bottom 10% at the legacy.

Of course, if you get hired at SW, FedEx, or UPS then just dis-regard everything above.

cfitstew

I've been at a regional for a little over a year and a half and will soon be going to my second regional. In that year and a half I flew almost 1200 hours. I was off for an entire month of that time and sat reserve for about 4 months. I flew as much on reserve as I did as a lineholder. Your results may vary.

I intend to fly for a regional until I get 1000 turbine PIC. That is a few years down the road and you never know what will happen in that time. Hence the main reason for my move to another regional. I want to be somewhere that it wouldn't be torture to be stuck at for the long haul.

Why do some Captains stay at regionals for a career? Everyone has their reasons. Some are just happy where they are, some can't afford to move on and start over at F/O pay (even at a major), they have decent QOL, something on thier record keeps them from moving on, the reasons are endless.

Bottom line...if you need to bump up your total time a regional will do the trick. In your case you may look for a street Captain gig at a regional or a 135 job somewhere. Ameriflight would be a good place to get some quick turbine pic the Metro or 1900. In other words, with your experience I wouldn't look just to the regioanls. Hope this helps.

Aviatrx

Theses 10 yr CA's have lost sight of their goals. On the other hand, where is the incentive to lose benefits and several years of pay by making the jump to a major. Its a double edge sword. However, the five to seven year FO's should move on or take the quickest upgrade before they end up like the 10yr+ CA's at at a regional. Keep you're eye on the prize!

HoursHore

Can you go to K-ville or Meridien, (or even P-cola for the NFOs) for 2-3 years? Much better option than dealing with the regionals.

I got out in 03 when no body was hiring except JB and did 18 months at what was then the highest paying regional (CMR). The pay was still less than half what I was making on AD. I thought I was prepared for the pay hit, But the take home was still way less than I had expected. If it hadn't been for the big gray boat on the horizon, I would have stayed in.

If you are set on getting out, try to find a Guard/ Reserve job and max that out. You can get health insurance now thru tri care, so there is less reason to put up with the Regional QOL, which as a first year new hire on reserve nonexistant.

HawkerJet

Most of the guys I knew in P'cola 10 years ago had to do the regional thing to get some 121 experience. Most of them moved on to the major of their choice, only to see the streets after 9/11. One FAC got his ATP at ATP to get current again, and look better to a potential airline.

If the current hiring continues, you shouldn't have a problem moving on in a short amount of time. If it doesn't, you'll be looking at the 10 year regional captain thing.

So much in the business has changed in the last 10 years, who can tell what the next 10 will bring?

Good luck.

tebpilot

Saab,

You're leaving Express Jet?!? What happened?

cfitstew

That's an even better idea.

JoeyMeatballs

No, I am here for the foreseeable future