Dash8Guy

Greetings,

I am 20 years old and a freshman in college with my commercial me/se with instrument on both. I currently have 280/60 hours. My original plan when i started my training was to get my certificates and ratings, then go to school and build time. After school was over, I would begin CFI'ing to gain the necessary hours to apply to the regionals. Well I have accomplished all my training except for the CFI. However, seeing all of these airlines minimums dropping, I get the sense that if I don't act now and begin applying to them, I may make a horrible career mistake. Meaning that I will miss this great chance to become hired and gain seniority and hours compared to waiting five years in college and only gaining about 80 hours in the process. I'm afraid if I wait to start applying until after I get my 4 year degree that the hiring may become a lot more strict with high minimums like the past. I know that there are people right now flying for the regionals doing the online degree courses.

So I guess I just need some input from you pilots out there flying for the regionals. What would you do or suggest?

Any and all suggestions, advice or whatever is welcome! Hit me with it!

the King

I would say finish your degree. I'm glad to have mine in case the markets go south again. You might be able to get on with a 135 operator in the meantime though so you can do more flying than CFI, although I'd recommend you getting that too. At 280/60 you can get a job, but with some more hours, you can pick which airline you like from the ones that offer you a job. You won't be able to make captain for at least 3 years anyway because you can't get your ATP until you are 23.

dbrockman2

Well with those hours while you are actually meet the mins to apply, but you don't have the hours to be competetive. 121 training is tough. Indoc is 8 to 10 days which is akin to trying to drink from a fire hose on full blast. Then systems and sim. Depending on the airline you might get 10 2-hour sessions including the checkride. I would get your CFI and get more experience. Get up to 500 hrs then go. At my first job the lowest time was 440 hours w/ 80 multi, and he BARELY made it.

rustypilot

Let me ask you this, do you feel ready with your 300 or so hours to jump in a jet carrying 50-70 pax?

Slice

I think the biggest mistake would be to not finish your degree. You can fly part-time and be able to meet normal mins by the time you graduate. You'll be working the rest of your life. Enjoy college life while you can.

rickair7777

1) Regionals are stepping stones at best, and the pilots are paid and treated like dues payers in any industry...ie abused. This is the fact despite our desires and efforts to improve things.

2) Without a college degree your chances of getting a major airline job (especially at a good major) are 0.000001%.

3) In the event of furlough, your employment prospects without a degree are poor (starbucks).

If you don't get the degree the best you can hope for is a blue-collar career flying RJ's and living in perpetual fear of your company losing it's contract (AWAC, XJet) or getting sold (AE, ASA).

At your age you have plenty of time... the industry has historically gone in cycles, if it goes south in the near future it will probably come back by the time you're ready anyway. If it goes south and stays there (spiraling oil prices) I can guarantee that you will not want to have ANYTHING to do with it.

I'm not even kidding, get the degree and try to make it in something marketable outside of aviation (aero engineering would be OK). You can probably get the instructor while in college and maybe build some more time before you graduate.

Also unless you're a real rock-star pilot (other than in your own mind) you stand a real risk of failing 121 training with your low experience...the you would have a permamnent scar on your record. Only you can evaluate the risk here based on an honest self-assessment of your abilities.

Dash8Guy

Well, yes and no. I feel that I carry the professional attitude but with the experience level I possess, probably not.

It is extremely hard to know that I have to wait 5 years before I can start anything. It also sucks because I live in eastern Washington where GA is not so big and there are not many opportunities to build without it coming out of my own pocket.

Also, what about the current hiring trend? Do any of you feel that it may become very competitive 5 years down the road?

Dash8Guy

Well the good news is that I'm getting my degree in Business Management, but thank you so much for your advice. It really helps me even though I want to not listen to you and go fly right now, lol.

rickair7777

Honestly it's hard to predict that far out. I would guess that due to retirements, global pax growth, and poor compensation packages there will still be a decent demand for pilots over the next decade at least. There may be ups and downs, but if you hit a down cycle 2-3 years of CFI and/or 135 would probably be the worst that would happen...which is still better than what most civilians had to do in the 80's and early 90's.

War, economic catastrophe, or high oil prices could screw this up of course.

bradeku1008

Stay in School!! I was in the same position you are in when I was a freshman. I wanted to leave school and go to the regionals and stat flying the jets. But I stayed in school and have gained alot of experience in the past 3 1/2 years. Get your CFI because you learn alot about flying and yourself while in the aircraft. The regionals will still be hiring like this three years from now and you will get there. I know the feeling of seeing no light at the end of the tunnel and having to take stupid ass gen ed classes. But when the time comes to gradguate, and you have interviews lined up. Its the best feeling in the world.