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After spending the better part of my day talking with HR departments and Chief pilots all over the country in everything from Survey/Photography to 135/91 charter outfits and some flight schools (literally about 40+ calls later)... I can say it is definitely hard times for a low-timer like myself. No one will even look at you for anything with less than 500TT (even a lot of CFI jobs... who also want at least a II and prefer a MEI) and most want 800 to 1000TT (for survey).
A lot of companies have downsized or are just not hiring new pilots because they have guys coming back to work for them who just got furloughed from airlines. A lot of flight schools aren't promising anything more than 40 flight hours per month. And just about everywhere has over 250+ resumes sitting in the stack on the desk. I'm willing to move anywhere... literally anywhere for a job to build time faster than the 20 hours a month I'm getting now. But they just don't seem to exist at the moment. I'm a bit discouraged to say the least. I'm going to keep plugging along and doing what I'm doing (what choice do I really have at this point?) but I think a lot has changed since you guys have been in these shoes (less than 500TT). Jobs simply aren't out there and even the ones that are hiring, like I said, have a stack of 250 resumes sitting on the Chief pilot's desk. How are they going to fill seats at the regional level when it seems more difficult than ever to build time (without paying for it... which I don't think anyone should do after a certain point as a professional pilot)? I had one guy tell me I had a better chance of finding a job landscaping than in aviation right now and who's to say he's wrong? It gave me a chuckle when he said it, but after the conversation I thought about it for a minute... and the guy is right. Thats the sad state this industry is in today and its downright disheartening. It sucks to know my friends got hired at 500TT with a regional just a year ago and now I'm stuck as a low-time pilot in an industry where the cards are getting more and more stacked against me every day (or so it would appear). I'm not saying that most of you didn't go through your own personal hardships to get where you are. And I'm not saying there are worse things out there. All I'm saying is it sucks for guys like me right now and it isn't the same as it was even just a year ago. For the record I support HR 5900 staying at 1500 hours. I think ultimately it will make the airline industry just a little bit better... but it does suck for us, the low-timers struggling to eek out a living. |
After spending the better part of my day talking with HR departments and Chief pilots all over the country in everything from Survey/Photography to 135/91 charter outfits and some flight schools (literally about 40+ calls later)... I can say it is definitely hard times for a low-timer like myself. No one will even look at you for anything with less than 500TT (even a lot of CFI jobs... who also want at least a II and prefer a MEI) and most want 800 to 1000TT (for survey). A lot of companies have downsized or are just not hiring new pilots because they have guys coming back to work for them who just got furloughed from airlines. A lot of flight schools aren't promising anything more than 40 flight hours per month. And just about everywhere has over 250+ resumes sitting in the stack on the desk. I'm willing to move anywhere... literally anywhere for a job to build time faster than the 20 hours a month I'm getting now. But they just don't seem to exist at the moment. I'm a bit discouraged to say the least. I'm going to keep plugging along and doing what I'm doing (what choice do I really have at this point?) but I think a lot has changed since you guys have been in these shoes (less than 500TT). Jobs simply aren't out there and even the ones that are hiring, like I said, have a stack of 250 resumes sitting on the Chief pilot's desk. How are they going to fill seats at the regional level when it seems more difficult than ever to build time (without paying for it... which I don't think anyone should do after a certain point as a professional pilot)? I had one guy tell me I had a better chance of finding a job landscaping than in aviation right now and who's to say he's wrong? It gave me a chuckle when he said it, but after the conversation I thought about it for a minute... and the guy is right. Thats the sad state this industry is in today and its downright disheartening. It sucks to know my friends got hired at 500TT with a regional just a year ago and now I'm stuck as a low-time pilot in an industry where the cards are getting more and more stacked against me every day (or so it would appear). I'm not saying that most of you didn't go through your own personal hardships to get where you are. And I'm not saying there are worse things out there. All I'm saying is it sucks for guys like me right now and it isn't the same as it was even just a year ago. For the record I support HR 5900 staying at 1500 hours. I think ultimately it will make the airline industry just a little bit better... but it does suck for us, the low-timers struggling to eek out a living. |
Originally Posted by chrisreedrules
(Post 1245648)
After spending the better part of my day talking with HR departments and Chief pilots all over the country in everything from Survey/Photography to 135/91 charter outfits and some flight schools (literally about 40+ calls later)... I can say it is definitely hard times for a low-timer like myself. No one will even look at you for anything with less than 500TT (even a lot of CFI jobs... who also want at least a II and prefer a MEI) and most want 800 to 1000TT (for survey).
A lot of companies have downsized or are just not hiring new pilots because they have guys coming back to work for them who just got furloughed from airlines. A lot of flight schools aren't promising anything more than 40 flight hours per month. And just about everywhere has over 250+ resumes sitting in the stack on the desk. I'm willing to move anywhere... literally anywhere for a job to build time faster than the 20 hours a month I'm getting now. But they just don't seem to exist at the moment. I'm a bit discouraged to say the least. I'm going to keep plugging along and doing what I'm doing (what choice do I really have at this point?) but I think a lot has changed since you guys have been in these shoes (less than 500TT). Jobs simply aren't out there and even the ones that are hiring, like I said, have a stack of 250 resumes sitting on the Chief pilot's desk. How are they going to fill seats at the regional level when it seems more difficult than ever to build time (without paying for it... which I don't think anyone should do after a certain point as a professional pilot)? I had one guy tell me I had a better chance of finding a job landscaping than in aviation right now and who's to say he's wrong? It gave me a chuckle when he said it, but after the conversation I thought about it for a minute... and the guy is right. Thats the sad state this industry is in today and its downright disheartening. It sucks to know my friends got hired at 500TT with a regional just a year ago and now I'm stuck as a low-time pilot in an industry where the cards are getting more and more stacked against me every day (or so it would appear). I'm not saying that most of you didn't go through your own personal hardships to get where you are. And I'm not saying there are worse things out there. All I'm saying is it sucks for guys like me right now and it isn't the same as it was even just a year ago. For the record I support HR 5900 staying at 1500 hours. I think ultimately it will make the airline industry just a little bit better... but it does suck for us, the low-timers struggling to eek out a living. Things are about the same as they were in 1997 when I was in your shoes except I was paid $9 per hour (about 12.50 today). I had over 1500 hours when I got my first 135 job. |
Originally Posted by FlyJSH
(Post 1245657)
Things are about the same as they were in 1997 when I was in your shoes except I was paid $9 per hour (about 12.50 today). I had over 1500 hours when I got my first 135 job.
Granted... I am referring more to the previous few years. I know a lot of you guys went through your own hardships during your time in my shoes. But I dare say more jobs were probably offering more hours than 40 p/month. It can't have always been this way, or else how did everyone get where they are? And my post was a bit of a gripe (I'm frustrated, I'll admit it), but what I'm getting at is this: If it has become this difficult for low-timers like myself to find a job that offers time or money (and I have a lot of quality time for my TT... 185ME, 15Turb, 95CxC, almost 100IFR) ... how are the regionals even going to get by the next few years? I just don't see how they aren't going to have to park planes or start training programs of their own. |
Originally Posted by chrisreedrules
(Post 1245648)
.... No one will even look at you for anything with less than 500TT (even a lot of CFI jobs... who also want at least a II and prefer a MEI) and most want 800 to 1000TT (for survey).
.... A lot of flight schools aren't promising anything more than 40 flight hours per month. And just about everywhere has over 250+ resumes sitting in the stack on the desk. I'm willing to move anywhere... literally anywhere for a job to build time faster than the 20 hours a month I'm getting now. But they just don't seem to exist at the moment. I'm a bit discouraged to say the least. I'm going to keep plugging along and doing what I'm doing (what choice do I really have at this point?) but I think a lot has changed since you guys have been in these shoes (less than 500TT). If I remember correctly - some of those hours are Multi-turbine too in the KA200? That is some of the hardest time to build in program. It seems to me that except for building your TT at a quicker pace, you are doing much better than many who are building that 40 hours a month that you are laminating yet all in a C-152/172 and who are praying for the chance to build multi time, much less multi-turbine time. Maybe things aren't quite as bad as you think they are! :);) I had one guy tell me I had a better chance of finding a job landscaping than in aviation right now and who's to say he's wrong? It gave me a chuckle when he said it, but after the conversation I thought about it for a minute... and the guy is right. Thats the sad state this industry is in today and its downright disheartening. It very well may be easier to get into some form of landscaping. Piloting , for the most part, isn't manual labor. It is HARDER to get into and to make a successful bid of it as a profession. USMCFLYR |
Originally Posted by chrisreedrules
(Post 1245660)
Granted... I am referring more to the previous few years. I know a lot of you guys went through your own hardships during your time in my shoes. But I dare say more jobs were probably offering more hours than 40 p/month. It can't have always been this way, or else how did everyone get where they are? And my post was a bit of a gripe (I'm frustrated, I'll admit it), but what I'm getting at is this: If it has become this difficult for low-timers like myself to find a job that offers time or money (and I have a lot of quality time for my TT... 185ME, 15Turb, 95CxC, almost 100IFR) ... how are the regionals even going to get by the next few years? I just don't see how they aren't going to have to park planes or start training programs of their own.
185ME, 15Turb, 100IFR and under 500 TT????????? And you are complaining????? |
Well KA flights have dried up a little bit for me as of the past month... I tweaked my back about a month ago and cancelled a flight (gave them a few days notice) and I haven't been called since then even though I'm still on the list... although hopefully that will change soon.
And like I said... I wouldn't be complaining if my "useful times" were getting me somewhere faster haha. I'm grateful for the experience I've received in such little time. But that is exactly my point... if I'm not finding a job, how hard must it be for a lot of other guys in my shoes? |
Originally Posted by chrisreedrules
(Post 1245681)
Well KA flights have dried up a little bit for me as of the past month... I tweaked my back about a month ago and cancelled a flight (gave them a few days notice) and I haven't been called since then even though I'm still on the list... although hopefully that will change soon.
And like I said... I wouldn't be complaining if my "useful times" were getting me somewhere faster haha. I'm grateful for the experience I've received in such little time. But that is exactly my point... if I'm not finding a job, how hard must it be for a lot of other guys in my shoes? |
Originally Posted by 80ktsClamp
(Post 1245690)
Get your II!! It's cheap and you're not useful as a cfi if you dont... MEI even better. Below 500 hours there are the fewest opportunities, but the II and MEI add to those big time. Opportunities grow greatly as your time increases. I had to get over 1700 hrs mostly CFIing to get picked up by a regional 10 years ago. You can do it, too.
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Originally Posted by chrisreedrules
(Post 1245681)
Well KA flights have dried up a little bit for me as of the past month... I tweaked my back about a month ago and cancelled a flight (gave them a few days notice) and I haven't been called since then even though I'm still on the list... although hopefully that will change soon.
And like I said... I wouldn't be complaining if my "useful times" were getting me somewhere faster haha. I'm grateful for the experience I've received in such little time. But that is exactly my point... if I'm not finding a job, how hard must it be for a lot of other guys in my shoes? Consider it the easy part of networking since you have already got a foot in the door. Flying a King Air - I understand how *hard* it can be to get in and out of the thing, but for such a time building opportunity getting the holy grail of low time (multi-turbine), it would take more than a *tweaked back* to put me on the sideline :eek: Get a massage, go try acupuncture, see a Chiropractor, take Aleve, see a regular doctor if you must - but get fixed and back on the fly list! USMCFLYR |
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