Glass time and hiring minimums
 

I have heard rumors that some regional carriers lower their hiring minimums for pilots with glass cockpit experience. Can anyone give any good isights or resources to back this up?

Don't know if it "lowers" minimums, but exstensive glass experience could only help if you're looking to get into a newer RJ.

Won't do you any good if they have a bunch of older turboprops though.

I'd be amazed if anyone did that. It doesn't take a whole lot of practice to stare at a TV screen and I haven't heard of a whole lot of people failing because it was too hard to follow the little pink arrows on their PFD.

Most regionals that operate RJ's will snap up folks who have passed 121 training on an RJ or have corporate or military jet and/or glass time.

There are a significant number of prop pilots (91, 135, and 121) who cannot pass 121 jet training, and airlines are aware of this fact. They like to hire folks who have a high probability of completing training.

I'm not sure why some prop drivers have trouble with glass, but I suspect it is jet speeds more than the glass aspect. This is not prop-bashing, just observed fact. Generally turbo-prop airliners are more workload-intensive, but obviously slower than jets.

Are you kidding me? The only time the jet goes faster than
us lowly T-Props is above 10,000, its not like you are yanking and banking much up there. As far as approaches go, a crj usually shoots an approach at what, ref+10, so about 140? That's not real fast, comparable to a prop. What about V1 cuts? The rj's are rocking with almost centerline thrust. You ever tried a V1 cut with an unfeathered prop in a dash or emb120? I don't think it is the props that are the deciding factor passing training. I think regional airlines are more than happy to hire anyone with 121 experience regardless of what was pushing them through the air.

I just ran across this in the majors board, thought it was appropriate for this in summing up my point...

Turbine PIC is the most important factor in getting hired, period.

Previous jet/glass time improves your odds of completing glass jet training.

Once again, not prop-bashing, just the facts.

That's cool, I just don't know that I agree with your facts. These days most people grow up with computers a big part in their life. I don't think the glass cockpit is that big of a deal (yeah, I have glass time too). I think it is their personal attitude that does it. If a bunch of flight instructors coming from ratty 172's are making it through rj initial training for most of the airlines out there, I think it defeats your argument.

My sim partner in my RJ training had no glass experience and he struggled with the new picture in front of him. But he caught on.

I have flown turbo props and now jets. They both have their own challenges. But the centerline thrust argument is a bit of an exageration. If the plane is not coordinated quite quickly in the event of an engine failure at V1 it WILL roll over, centerline thrust or not.

Also, the Vref speeds of the CRJ are Cat D, pretty fast.

Of course any qualified turboprop pilot can fly a jet, and any jet. At my last company we used to think we had the harder job on the turboprop. But now I don't think so. They each have their own challenges. Flying a jet is not easier, just different.

And yes, the guys who flew Beeches are getting jobs at majors. I agree with those who say PIC turbine is what matters. I have more turbine time than many of those guys getting hired, but unfortunately due to circumstances beyond my control, not one single minute of PIC turbine. Waiting to upgrade......

To get back to the point. Point out in the interview if you have glass experience. It surely can't hurt. But it is not likely to be the deciding factor. They will hire you if they like you and they won't if they don't.

Each airline has their own hiring preferences and quirks. I would argue that it really doesn't matter WHAT you flew...it's WHO you flew with, whether or not they liked you, and if they are willing to put in a good word for you down the road that really matters in the grand scheme of things.

Rick, I think you missed the point of the original question. What each airliner "prefers" is up to them - but I haven't seen anyone actually lower their hiring minimums just to pick up someone with "glass cockpit" experience, unless you count the academy kids, ERAU, etc. who already have deals worked out. Otherwise, flight time is flight time. PIC still includes your first solo and turbine still includes the Brazilia.

Okay so turboprop pilots can easily handle a jet workload...but what do majors think of say....Shorts time? Yeah its turbine, a turboprop whose empty weight is heavier than the Jetstream's max gross....yet its slower that the Cessna 404 I fly. What do majors think of shorts time? Still turbine time and thats all that counts? I guess youre alo flying in the worst weather at the low altitudes, maybe that counts for something too?

I think the real issue here is old school steam vs. new school LCDs.

In my experience, it's not prop vs. jet as the issue, it's can you go from working hard to GET information to having TOO MUCH information and filtering it out at the right time?

I think I'd kill myself if I took steam into the soup today!!! It's been along time baby... ;)

I was a CFI flying ratty 172's and had very little trouble getting the hang of the CRJ's glass display. Going back to steam would probably be way harder. Its not that people are unfamiliar with computers, its that you have a different scan in glass than with steam. Some people do have problems making the adjustment - 2 of 10 in my new hire class didn't make it in the sim. FWIW, there was a higher washout rate with lower TT guys.

The only guy in my class that didn't make it thru the sim was a 1900 CA with 1000+ TPIC and 3000+ TT. The active CFI's with <1000 TT sailed right thru.

And that happens, unfortunately attitude and ambition have as much to do with success as flying experience. The problem with captains is the attitude that they already know everything and CAN't fail. Cooperate to graduate kids!

I was at a career fair and approached ASA. I had almost exactly 600 TT and 330 Multi with 300 SIC Turbine. They had an unofficial min of 600/100ME with ERAU if you had to have taken the Riddle CRJ course (ground and FTD training) or had done some training in a glass cockpit (new cessnas). I figured that with my 300 turbine I might be able to get a nibble. No Go. They said if I took an RJ course I could get an interview. Granted, they might not have liked my attitude/appearance or other things about me, but I'm pretty sure it was the glass factor.

My buddy had a similiar experience while working for ATP. He was looking at applying to XJT and ASA and was told that without some kind of glass experience he wouldn't qualify for the bridge and preferential hiring programs.

600/100 mins!?!

Geeze, not to be a jerk, but it was only a couple years ago XJT wanted 1500/500 with 100 actual. Comair & ASA wanted similar times, & Whisky wasn't even interviewing.


Stay a flight instructor. Get 500 to 1000 dual given. Its worth it.

You'll learn how not to be killed.