Yes. But quality of experience does count, in order of preference (for regionals)...

- 121 time
- Turbine Time
- ME Time
- 135 time
- Instrument time
- CFI Time
- Bush flying
- Part 91 traffic watch, pipeline, banner tow, etc
- Skydive (day VFR, no XC, no IFR, usually no ATC).

Spend it on multi time and IFR experience flying non prec GPS/LOC approaches in and out of small and big Airports. That experience would be more valuable. When you get to the Airlines and you want to teach ie.. Check Airmen etc..you dont need the CFI. Or go fly cargo for a little while in Barrons, Chieftans if possible and gain both for no money.... Im not saying the CFI is worthless but you need a return on your investment. Unless you can instruct on a regular basis in ME A/C I would go a different route.

And yes I have all three ratings...

CFI has no bearing whatsoever. Just have the time, and know your regs, and you will get hired

Officially the ASA/XJET hiring requirements are 1500 hours + heartbeat... Although they may shy away from you if you are high on crack cocaine while you are interviewing... Which is actually hysterical because you would have to be high on crack to interview here.

A few years ago it would have made you more competitive. Now with the new regs as long as you meet ATP requirements and you have a clean record, you're in.

As long as you are eligible for the ATP or already have it I'd say you're good to go.

Concerning the interview process... Every airline is different. Where I work, we focus much more on whether or not you'll fit in with the group rather than if you can recall some random reg. I can't remember ever asking any tech/reg questions in the interviews I've been involved with.

Whats with the hate on skydiving? It is just as good experience as other part 91 low time gigs and I would group them as such. Also, please review FAR part 105 before making such statements as "usually no ATC" - you are required to establish two-way radio communications with ATC 5 min before jumping and to continue to montinor and advise ATC when the last parachutist or object leaves the aircraft, unless authorized by ATC, which is pretty much never. Depending on the operation, one can obtain XC time when ferrying for mx and get night time during night jumps. Don't mean to bash your statement but I just dislike the negative stigma skydive operations get. Also, it is one of the fastest ways to get into turbine TT/TPIC time with caravan skydive operation mins being 800-1000TT and Twin otter at 1000TT 100 ME. Plus, again depending on the operation, one can log over 100 hours a month flying jumpers, which in this regional hiring phase, is important to note. Not disagreeing with you on the rest but didnt understand why skydiving is not on the same line as banner tow/traffic watch. Each has its own unique aspects.

It also helps with flying the plane from the right seat.

I'm curious about your TT. How much do you have, and what are your plans to get what you need to meet mins/become competitive if you don't instruct?
FWIW, I have plenty of Navy special crew time, and it doesn't mean anything on the outside unless you are applying to one of the few companies that still hire FEs.

Are you still in? Is there some way you could acquire a turbojet FE cert based on mil experience? Might be a door opener somewhere...

Not hate, I'm just telling it like it is. Since jump ops bear little resemblance to airline ops, airlines will prefer other types of experience given the choice. But they certainly won't turn away a diver driver...they'll just hire the 135 guy who was flying a crewed airplane first.

But if it's turbine, that might move it higher up the list.

Never done diver ops, but I have jumped out of a few military airplanes.