Transition from charter to the airlines
 

Hello all. I am currently a 5000 hour charter pilot, flying Challenger 300s. Been flying charter since 2008 and aside from flight instructing and a year stint at Cape Air, charter is the only thing I know. I have PIC types in the CL30 and also Hawker 800s.

Been feeling like I have been in a rut, and I am about to turn 30 this fall, and feel like I want to transition over to the 121 world and maybe someday retire at an airline. I am just getting tired of the constant unpredictability of ZERO schedule and always wondering if and when my cell phone will go off with a trip that ends up turning into a 3 week roadshow. Any of you guys or girls been in my situation? I am guessing the best way to start would be applying to the regionals. If so, what would be the best one to gain some airline experience at? I understand living in base would be the best scenario, but am willing to make the sacrifice in commuting and cut in pay to get started in the right direction. Currently live in Connecticut, about 2 hours from NYC, 2 hours from BOS and 45 minutes each from BDL and PVD.

Thanks in advance for any constructive advice....

I would go to a job fair and ask the recruiters what they think. If you have friends at your target airlines ask them to send in your resume and get feed back form the computer points system.

If you just want some work rules the regionals have them compared to some 134.5 charter operations.

You said you have PIC types on two aircraft. Do you have any PIC turbine time to go with them? If so, and with 5000 hours, why not apply to UCAL or whoever else is hiring right now (usair?) as well? Why start with just regional? There were 3-4 guys in my class of under 20 people that came from charter/corporate with no 121 time. Not that big of a deal.

And compared to your charter schedule as you described it (been there, except for 3 weeks part:eek:...), I would think commuting may not be that much of a sacrifice.

Thanks for the advice on the job fair. I will look into that!

Thanks for the feedback. I do have PIC turbine time in both types to go with the total time. I have an app in at mainline USAirways and JetBlue, Spirit, to name a few. I was thinking lack of 121 experience may be a hindrance, but from what you said, sounds like not a big deal. Again, I am pretty clueless when it comes to the 121 world.

U could apply to one of the -121 airlines that fly charter. Some of them, like Atlas Air, basically only fly charter. There is also Miami Air, Pace Air, Southern, Omni, North American....and I'm sure a lot of other ones that I don't recall off the top of my head.

cliff
GRB
Note: I don't know which of them are hiring now.....most of those above are not hiring presently.

With MTPIC time, depending how much you have, your phone should be going off for an interview pretty soon. I don't think US Airways required any MTPIC, but of course it's preferred and probably part of the competitive mins. I'd hop on airlineapps.com, and go majors first, wait a few weeks, then go regionals. With the regionals, do some research on which one you want to go to... Some are decent, some... well... you don't want to know. Good luck wherever you go!

Thanks for all the replies!