Low Minimum Question
 

I've spent the last few days reading many well-articulated debates on the merits of "building time/experience" vs. "jumping" to a regional ASAP. I don't think the issue will ever be satisfactorily resolved.

I will add this for what it's worth: the value of instructing is universal. Whether you fly an aircraft or dig a ditch, you will always learn more about your vocation and become more proficient at it by teaching someone else how to do it well. To keep it, you must give it away. That is a fact above debate.

Having preached that little nugget of wisdom I would like some feedback on the issue in a presumably different context. I plan to start my training when my wife finishes nursing school. Exactly when that is isn't as important as the fact that I will be 38, possibly 39, when I get started. I would like to go through an FBO and take some time with it and finance it as I go. I'd also like to spend time honing my craft as an instructor, but I can't shake the notion that time is not my ally in this situation.

So which person has the better chance at getting hired at a regional (or anywhere, for that matter)?
a) A 40 year-old man with 250TT/25ME (approximate times)
b) A 42-44 year old man with >1000 TT
c) Neither. Stay in advertising and sweep away the chards of your broken dreams old man.
d) Anyone can get hired at a regional regardless of age.

There's no reason not to do both. A lot of the obscenely low minimums offered by regionals are for pilots with advanced training, whether that means going through an ATP-esque program or getting an aviation degree a University. Basically they're not looking for your knowledge level, they're looking for the fact that when you're put in a fast-paced learning environment, you can cope, survive, and succeed. While there certainly are people who are hired from outside of said venues, I wouldn't call them the majority.

Now, as I said, why not do both? There's no penalty to getting your commercial multi, trying to get a job while starting to work on your CFI. If you get a call, no harm done (minus maybe paying for a couple extra hours). If you don't get a call, continue getting your CFI, take the ride, start instructing and building time, meanwhile updating your resume with the airlines every couple hundred hours or so.

olbo, just out of curiosity what are your ultimate goals?

I'm not the type of person to say "give up on the dreams" As i think you'd be happeir retiring from this job at 60 knowing that you tried, and even if you don't decide to stick it out that long, you will have known that you did it briefly which could be worthwhile also. In your current situation, i don't know if you plan on going to the majors or not. At your current age, you have 21 years left, if you get out as quickly as possible say 40-41 and have 250 hrs, you then get on with said regional (if minimums are still 250/25....might be lower for all we know) you'll be looking at a couple years to be able to upgrade (plus you'll have to plan it out to have enough PIC time for your ATP). by this time, you'll be 43, not to bad, so you're now looking to gain that 1000 TPIC, after getting that it's been another year or two, so you're looking at 45 or so. Which will still get you 15 years at a major if you can make it out on time....Thats all of course full of big IF's, so hopefully everything would fall into place.

If the majors aren't your real concern, you'd probalby do better (depdending on what the industry is looking like) to just instruct, get that 1000 TT or so, then move onto a regional that you wouldn't mind working at. Have a nice 20 year career there, retire (proably flying an A320 for a regional) and enjoy every minute of it. Best of luck.

It's quite possible that I'm wrong, but I can't think of any regionals flying A320s, and I don't see scope clauses relaxing to the point where >150seat jets are regional material.

I knew a guy who had over 2000 hours, had an ATP, and over 500 hours of turbine time (king air). He was 44 and took a job at Pinnacle because he always wanted to fly an airliner. He left a very lucrative career to do so.

If I were in your shoes, I might try to fly on the side, and continue your career. Maybe you could fly a bizjet someday? If airline flying is really your dream, go for it. I would still say build up enough time and go to a place that you would be happy to retire at, just in case.
Good luck and blue skies!

It was a joke man. C'mon!

Under the current scope environment, there is no way in heck that regionals will fly narrowbodies. However, a major industry catastrophy resulting in another round of BKs might well lead to that.

First off, I hope your retirement is FULLY funded. If not, you may want to seriously reconsider because most pilots don't have retirements anymore, and it's hard to stock the 401k on $1200/month. A wife with a good job doesn't count...your divorce risk will be high going forward. If you have that covered...

Anyone can get hired at a regional. If you intend to stay at a regional, then you would probably want to stay home and CFI locally (preserving your QOL) until you can get hired at a non-bottom feeder regional. Any regional hiring 250 hour pilots is NOT a place you want to work at for long (or at all).

If you want to move on to the majors, you will need to look for a quicker upgrade, but there are several good regionals which currently offer this.

At your age, you probably do want to work at a better regional...if you get stuck there (intentionally or otherwise) your life will not be a living hell.

The good news for you is that the retirement age will get raised to 65 in the near future...if you stay healthy you could fly for 25 years.

My vote is on (b)...get that TT up and jump aboard a respectable Regional where you'll be happy.

But my other .02 is to work on the side while you're instructing...unless, of course, your wife can support the family on her income alone - that's a bonus!

Keep us posted :-)

Thanks a million, once again, for your feedback.

Ultimately, I can't do any commercial flying until I get my PPL, so I'll start there and see what the PIC in the sky has in store for Ol' Bob. Wish me luck!