I own, fly, and maintain my own Beech Baron and fly on a regular basis to keep IFR currency (100+ hrs. a year). I'm not saying I'm prime beef to the Regional Airline recruiters by any means...just trying to make a point.
I don't think I would be willing to sit right seat at a Regional for 2 or 3 years until upgrade anyways. I don't know why more aspiring shiny jet drivers don't go to a cargo operation like Ameriflight, grab their 1000 turbine PIC in a BE1900 and start tossing out apps. to the majors. Single pilot, IFR, white knuckle flying seems like it would be worth something to a major airline...a nice change from the 500th RJ captain they've interviewed.
If I seriously considered a second run at airline flying then I would jump that way first and save the 2 to 3 years of spinning my wheels sucking up SIC time. Just Sayin'

 

About 475 of the 500 RJ captains you refer to have this white knuckle, single pilot experience. I fly with a lot of folks who have interesting backgrounds, and now they also have thousands of hours of jet time in the 121 environment too.

As to what stands out to the majors? Military time and people who have strong internal connections are the primary ones who have gotten jobs at the legacy carriers since I have worked in the US. Very, very few people are just getting calls without some kind of connection. Thousands of hours of PIC are no longer enough. But that'll change.

 

Most RJ CA's hired pre-2005, and almost certainly pre-01, at least myself and the ones I know, had to have that "twin turbine single pilot white knuckle flying" just to get a job at a regional back then...so I think the majors will see the time spent flying prior to a 121 gig just fine and not be bored by the last 8000 regional hours
But as you know those were back in the day when we walked in the snow barefoot uphill both ways to school...

 

oops Saab2000 types faster than me

 

HaHaHa...Ouch!!

So...solution. Go fly boxes at night and hang out in the crew parking lot at your nearest major airport during the day passing out your resume to flight crews as they walk to the shuttle bus. "Uh...uh...excuse me...Captain?"

Think this would work?!

 

You're right, mooney. Boy times sure have changed since those days. I started in 'the 90's at an airline that was based in NM, treated their pilots like sub-human waste, paid below the poverty level and rhymes with Mesa...which I think is Spanish for Sh%$!

But, they did require over 1000 hrs. total time and didn't bend the rule unless you were a grad of their ab-initio program. That was just to get into the Beech 1900D!!

 

I commute all the time on major airlines' airplanes and have lots of contact. I once jokingly asked what it takes to get hired at that particular company and the 26 y/o F/O looks over his shoulder and without irony or blinking said to me, "Oh, your dad has to work here". And went back to looking at something else. I don't think he was joking because there's no way he had more than a couple years, tops, at a regional given what he was flying and when this happened and how young he was.

Anyway, I also carry guys from United, Delta, AA, US Airways, SWA, FedEx, UPS, etc. on my jumpseat. I've been asking for tips for years. All have been helpful and friendly but in the end it's a real crapshoot and even though hiring has happened in short bursts in the past 7 years I've been in the US flying (my previous life had me flying in Europe) there has not been consistent movement in large numbers at most US majors since 9/11 - except backwards, sadly.

I do believe that this will change in the next 12-24 months though.

But as noted, airplanes need fuel and those prices might become very volatile very soon given the instability of many Middle Eastern regimes where the oil is sourced.

We shall see.....

 

Probably because the 500 RJ Captains have already proven they can handle airline style training programs, line checks, company BS, and still get the job done... while the pilot you suggest, may in all actuallity be the "better pilot" he/she has zero experience operating in an airline environment. The RJ CA's are known product, the pilot like you are describing could be good, or just lucky... who knows. All in all, the 121 Hiring people are more comfortable hiring somebody with similar training and requirements as their own. Does that mean they don't hire freight dogs, no... it simply means the RJ guys are a known product, and the cargo guys not as much. Besides, they don't want guys like you anyway; don't believe me? apply and see.

They want to suck up as many of the low time kids as they can, while they can.... once they can't, they'll start hiring all those furloughed and experienced guys.

Which Baron ya got... I owned an A55 and an E55 back in the day... both great machines.

 

I have a 56TC Baron...the one with the 380 hp monsters on the wings. It's actually a 55 fuselage with Duke wings, engines and landing gear.

I'm a police detective with my own plane in the hangar. No plans to come back to the airlines. Although, I loved flying the line.

When I look back at my flying career, I like to think it was like this:



But in reality it was like this:

 

I sure hope to see another special on NBC about how regionals are still hiring low time pilots. Turn the attention away from crashpads and show that airlines haven't really learned anything. Raise pay and you might attract better qualifed applicants.