Overall Job Outlook
 

With so many airlines going out of business in the last few weeks it seems like those of us who are still looking for jobs are going to be SOL for a little while. I mean correct me if I'm wrong here but with at 190 pilots at skyway, 112 at sky bus, 902 at ATA and 308 at aloha that makes for 1512 extremely qualified pilots looking for jobs.... hmm not good. Makes me kind of glad that I got ahead of the game and have a good job offer in my pocket.

So I want to get your opinion on this as many of you are much wiser than I. How is this all affecting the immediate job market? what about a few months down the road? A year? Yes, I realize there is many other factors, but I would think that this is going to be a big difference...

I would personally suggest going freight, if you really want to fly for a 121 regional apply once the industry settles down.

Something like FLX or something, you can make over $40k/yr, it's not bad all things considering. Airnet just got sold to a private owner, that could be a little rocky, but still better than any regional IMO.

It seems the regionals have always been up and down and are going to continue down that road for a while. If you get the oppertunity to get in as people are getting out it could be a good gig for a while, but if you make it in just before the freeze than your going to ride the bubble and be at the bottom of that senority list and everyone knows who gets furlowed first.

I agree that freight would be the way to go if you want to stay out of the part 91 end of things. But alot of folks already know this and the freight slots are filling up fast.

Where ever you may go make sure that you will be able to stomach it for a while, just incase the industry closes the doors to the quick out that we all seem to plan on.

AirNow and Ameriflight are hiring captains in the mid $40k range.. Those of you 300 hr wonders with shiny jet syndrome may have do what pilots for decades have been doing.. earn your seat with some experience as an instructor. The jobs will still be there though, but they will be with bottom feeder companies like Mesa. Personally, I'd rather fly banners down the beach all summer. The military is a great experience as well. It's not for everyone.. but i wouldn't trade that experience for any seat with any airline out there. Something you just won't understand unless you've been there.

Excellent advice. Thank you. And this is exactly why I didn't go to places like Mesa and others when all my friends did... I think people often forget that while you are in fact trying to work your way up the chain, your suppoused to have fun doing it.

Ok... thanks for the lecture, but your missing my question all together here. It doesn't matter if you have 300 hours or 3000 as an instructor, regionals will go with prior 121 experience before going with newbies... so if the 1500 odd pilots from the discontinued airlines seek these jobs they will surely get them prior to CFI's.

"you're supposed"

Make sure you finish that degree too:D. I kid I kid.

and im sure the majority of your FO's wish you woulda gone that route.

The VSJ companies are another option that might fit the bill. It is jet PIC, and probably builds time faster than normal corporate flying.

Then there is the option to head overseas. You might be able to get into something other than an RJ.

If you are trying to get in with a regional why would you care about pilots from ATA, skybus, etc? Majority of these guys, if not all of them, are not going to be competing for the same jobs you are looking at. Highly unlikely that these pilots would drop back down to regional $1,200 a month pay.

Outlook
 

Sometimes this industry blows me away ... you're right ... Aloha, ATA, Champion, SkyBus, etc., etc., won't make any difference with the regionals. The regionals are looking for cheap meat, qualifications, experience, ability don't matter a bit ... it the meat makes it through training/checking, that's all that matters and training/checking are the MINIMUM standards.

The ATA/Aloha/Chapmion/Skybus guys 'n gals are waaaaaaay over qualified or interested in that market, add Frontier, Sun Country, Trade Winds and more.

I'm very, VERY, glad I'm not in that mess. It's a long term scary thing.

As for outlook, I'd bet that the downturn in the economic system, the rise in fuel price and general stagnation will bring new pilot hiring back closer to it's past history. But I'm only a 30 year observer/industry participant.

TranMach