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-   -   Dash 8 vs Crj (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/regional/84253-dash-8-vs-crj.html)

rcfd13 10-01-2014 01:32 PM

If the commute is equal I'd go with the one that paid more and offered me more chance to move up in seniority quickly. Despite what most people in this thread are saying the majority of the guys I personally know with major class dates are turboprop check airmen. There's more movement on the turboprop and they had the chance to put check airmen on their resume quicker which lead to the major interviews. People keep saying jet time is better than turboprop time but from what I've seen personally it doesn't seem to matter.

An airplane is an airplane. I wouldn't worry about what you fly. Go to the company that has the most movement and best pay. Chasing a jet only to sit reserve in the right seat for years won't make a good career.

waflyboy 10-01-2014 01:40 PM


Originally Posted by rcfd13 (Post 1738134)
Go to the company that has the most movement and best pay.

Of course, the dilemma is that these attributes are trending toward mutual exclusivity.

BahamaBreeze 10-01-2014 01:52 PM

Dash 8 vs Crj
 
I'm on the Dash 8 Q400. Can be an absolute pig to fly but all in all it's good fun. However I'm in a different position because I'm planning on leaving Australia to fly in the US, and if I'm gonna earn peanuts I'd rather get another endorsement.

The dash doesn't have a 3 axis autopilot so whenever you touch those power levers (no autothrottle either) you're adjusting the rudder trim. Annoying but you get used to it. Chase the money!

Cruz5350 10-01-2014 02:11 PM

Dash 8 all day... Especially if he can upgrade quickly. Neither airplane is harder than the other to learn or fly.

BouyaKasha 10-01-2014 02:16 PM


Originally Posted by idlethrust (Post 1738013)
Good afternoon gentleman,
Im posting for a friend if mine who is not a member yet.He has two job offers,one flying the dash and the other a crj,both are an easy one leg commute .He is leaning towards the dash 8.I have never flown the dash so im trying to get some insight for him on the difficulty of the dash to learn and fly.I know its a lot of hands on flying as opposed to the crj which is 80% AP.Can any dash 8 guys chime in with any info for him.Any insight would be helpful.Ive heard the dash is hard to learn and fly so I really don't know.He will be reading your posts.thanks

DHC8 is a crap airplane and easy to fly. CRJ is a little bit better and definitely more challenging. I would go for the CRJ.

Freebreakfast11 10-01-2014 02:18 PM

As far as airplanes go, Another vote for the dash. It's actually fun to fly! You will have plenty of time to watch the autopilot on a jet later in your career.

Really, go with whatever will get you paid more and upgraded the fastest.

Ramprat 10-01-2014 02:31 PM


Originally Posted by BouyaKasha (Post 1738162)
DHC8 is a crap airplane and easy to fly. CRJ is a little bit better and definitely more challenging. I would go for the CRJ.

I hope you are joking..I really do.

billyho 10-01-2014 02:51 PM


Originally Posted by minimwage4 (Post 1738132)
Don't worry about the FO he makes twice as much as you.

Actually he don't you tool. Well Unless he's making 180,000 per year. Then I'm the tool.

BE19Pilot 10-01-2014 03:02 PM

You have two kinds of people...one is the miserable pudknocker that flies...a "jet", and the other is called a pilot...He or she flies...a DASH

Yazzoo 10-01-2014 04:45 PM

Bro, do you even beta range?
 
I flew Cheyennes, 1900s and Brasilias, but only because I had to. It was valuable experience and gave me some perspective when transitioning into a jet, but it wasn't necessary.

Flying a prop vs a jet are two very different skill sets with their own challenges. No one is "better" than the other. Asking Dash-8 vs. CRJ is a loaded question. What do you want us to compare?

T-prop systems are a little more complex & more things break, you fly at the worst altitudes for weather, turbulence and icing, you generally fly into smaller airports that lack the modern equipment you find at the likes of ORD and LAX, and your schedules will be more tiresome because you have more legs scheduled per day.

Jets require you to really think ahead at all times, watch out for speed and altitude restrictions, plus you have complicated automation systems to manage, you run into the problems of high-atitude flight (coffin corner to explosive decompression to name 2), jet engines don't respond as quickly as a prop, and swept wings do not like to fly slow and are susceptible to dutch roll.

Don't forget to research the airlines and see if they are companies you'd want to work for (no regionals are "great" to work for, but some are better than others given your career goals)

For a "well-rounded" career where you experience everything, it might be better to start with a turboprop and then move onto a jet, but if you want to progress to a major as quickly as possible, it might be smarter to take the jet job. Of course this is a general guideline and varies for each major. Good luck!


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