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Regional To Mainline
In an ideal world with no furloughs, what would be the average time from new regional fo, to mainline fo?
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This is a loaded question. For some guys with bad luck, it is 15+ years (or never). For others, it is <5 years.
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For my generation (entered regionals in 2006) it seems to be 8 years or more. A few of the guys I was hired with have jumped, I make the move next week, but many are still stuck.
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Amen. some thought they were going to be hired by Continental Express, then 9/11. They waited another 3 yrs and had the rug pulled out from under them, flow cancelled and CE become XJT. Then SARS, age 65, etc. So 2001 until now. Of course they made regional cpt in 2005, so that helped, but no mainline jobs available from 2001 until 2014. Those hired from 2004-2006, could upgrade in 2 yrs, after that, stagnation of 6,7,8 yrs.
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10 years....
with college 4 year degree in-hand also by the way |
I'd bet on a solid 10 years. If all goes well.
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Took me a little over 5 years. I had a four year degree but didnt know anyone and not prior militay. I think I had 600 TPIC maybe 5500TT. RJ trash through and through and proud of it. Keep applying you never when the call will come
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Letters of recommendation, job fairs, and/or internships can put you to front of the line.
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Originally Posted by puggle
(Post 1772410)
In an ideal world with no furloughs, what would be the average time from new regional fo, to mainline fo?
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In an ideal world? Zero.
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Do the math. You need about 2 to 3k tpic to be pretty competitive. Usually you're supposed to spend about 2 or 3 years as an FO to become captain. So a few years as an FO and two or three years as captain, about 5 to 6 years to mainline. That's best case scenario, it could be 10 years or more depending on how you pursue it. Usually low quality of life means you upgrade quicker, better qol by choosing a certain base or type of plane could delay your upgrade. I would not sacrifice having a life in order to get that quick upgrade but on the other hand I would not delay you becoming competitive because you want a good qol at the regional.
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Originally Posted by hockeypilot44
(Post 1772553)
Took me 3 1/2 years. Already had a degree. That's probably about average as I went through with very little mainline hiring. It's probably faster now that everyone's hiring.
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Originally Posted by hockeypilot44
(Post 1772553)
Took me 3 1/2 years. Already had a degree. That's probably about average as I went through with very little mainline hiring. It's probably faster now that everyone's hiring.
If you're counting Spirit, Allegiant and Virgin as majors I can see people getting there in 3.5 with a lot of persistence, but definitely not UA, AA and DL. |
A month over 3 years for me... had almost 2000 TPIC from that gig, too.
Different day and age now, and 5 years from now, it'll be another completely different picture. |
Took me just under seven w/zero TPIC.
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Are we talking legacy or LCC?
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Three and a half from regional to major(came from same regional as hockey pilot). Recently left first major for a US legacy at tens yrs from right seat at regional. Seems a LOT of my friends are getting their first major gigs now so is say average is 8-10 yrs.
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8 years still stuck in right seat...
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I think that there is some difference of opinion about what a "major" airline is.
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DL, us, Ual, Luv, Fedex, ups.....a lot longer than
B6, Redwood, allegiant, spirit, etc. |
See, I would never consider most of those to be "major" airlines. I know that most of them "technically" meet the definition, but I would rather work at a regional than some of those.
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Originally Posted by seattlepilot
(Post 1772653)
8 years still stuck in right seat...
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Originally Posted by rcfd13
(Post 1772602)
Haha are you trolling? You can't even get off reserve as an FO at most regionals by 3 1/2 years. Upgrade is 6-8 most places. The big three UA, AA and DL only hire with no PIC if you're a girl or the son of the chief pilot. I haven't heard of anyone who fits into neither of those two categories who has gone to a major in under 5 years recently.
If you're counting Spirit, Allegiant and Virgin as majors I can see people getting there in 3.5 with a lot of persistence, but definitely not UA, AA and DL. 5 years from now the above will be the norm and not the exception. Right now just TPIC won't even get you an interview. You need to stand out, MBA, CP, LCP, community volunteer, Safety Committee or something else besides just showing up for work. Blemish free background & perfect credit, no rediculous FB posts or negative nancy comments about your current or (desired) future employer. They are vetting EVERYTHING. DAL has 70 full time people who do nothing but troll the webs looking for anything to do with DAL. I'd imagine the other carriers do as well. You want to be at the forefront of the hiring wave just beginning....you need to do something to set yourself apart from the other 10,000 RJ Capts with 1000's of hrs of TPIC. |
4.5 years for me.
Just over 1000 tpic. I knew nobody. Simply applied and was lucky. Legacy. |
I have been at my current airline almost 11 years. No calls at majors. I have almost 6000 turbine PIC and about 10K hours. Some people say the majors are bypassing high PIC folks like myself.
Not sure what the secret is but it's not based on time, that's for sure. No skeletons in the closet either. No failed rides, no DUI, no red flags. Just no calls either. So there is no average time. Many of the people I see getting hired seem to fall into a category or two - right school (contacts) or they have other advantages that HR departments like. Without these things the number of people I know getting calls at majors drops off a cliff. |
Something to consider is the average age of newhires. It's much higher than in previous cycles. First half of 2014 AA's avg off the street newhire was 37 yrs old. Only a couple under 30 got hired.
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Originally Posted by Sliceback
(Post 1772746)
Something to consider is the average age of newhires. It's much higher than in previous cycles. First half of 2014 AA's avg off the street newhire was 37 yrs old. Only a couple under 30 got hired.
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Originally Posted by Erdude32
(Post 1772708)
Hockey, 80kts & myself are all at DAL. There was a VERY small window in '03-'07 that some of us slipped through. Admittedly we are the exception & not the norm. I went from my 1st Pvt Pilot lesson to an RJ in 11 months. 9E newhire 12/04....DAL Newhire 35 months later. Varied resume', small business owner, BA, previous enlisted military, base CP.
5 years from now the above will be the norm and not the exception. Right now just TPIC won't even get you an interview. You need to stand out, MBA, CP, LCP, community volunteer, Safety Committee or something else besides just showing up for work. Blemish free background & perfect credit, no rediculous FB posts or negative nancy comments about your current or (desired) future employer. They are vetting EVERYTHING. DAL has 70 full time people who do nothing but troll the webs looking for anything to do with DAL. I'd imagine the other carriers do as well. You want to be at the forefront of the hiring wave just beginning....you need to do something to set yourself apart from the other 10,000 RJ Capts with 1000's of hrs of TPIC. |
Originally Posted by Al Czervik
(Post 1772791)
Hahahaha. Super pretentious post and... Not exactly right based on the guys I know at DL.
It was not my intent to come across as prententious at all. Simply pointing out the facts. There will be PLENTY of jobs available for those who simply want to show up, fly their trips & go home.....5 years from now. You want to get in at the beginning of the hiring wave you HAVE to set yourself apart from the crowd. If by pointing that out I'm prententious then I guess I am. |
Originally Posted by Erdude32
(Post 1772708)
I went from my 1st Pvt Pilot lesson to an RJ in 11 months. 9E newhire 12/04....
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Originally Posted by Erdude32
(Post 1772799)
Exactly how is that prententious? Was just answering the previous poster that not everyone is stuck at the Regionals for years & years....and offering some very sound advice on how to get a resume noticed? Everyone you know at DAL may have been hired under different times/circumstances and may or may not have gotten a call in today's environment. My phone would probably be silent as well considering how competitive hiring currently is.
It was not my intent to come across as prententious at all. Simply pointing out the facts. There will be PLENTY of jobs available for those who simply want to show up, fly their trips & go home.....5 years from now. You want to get in at the beginning of the hiring wave you HAVE to set yourself apart from the crowd. If by pointing that out I'm prententious then I guess I am. |
Originally Posted by Erdude32
(Post 1772708)
Hockey, 80kts & myself are all at DAL. There was a VERY small window in '03-'07 that some of us slipped through. Admittedly we are the exception & not the norm. I went from my 1st Pvt Pilot lesson to an RJ in 11 months. 9E newhire 12/04....DAL Newhire 35 months later. Varied resume', small business owner, BA, previous enlisted military, base CP.
5 years from now the above will be the norm and not the exception. Right now just TPIC won't even get you an interview. You need to stand out, MBA, CP, LCP, community volunteer, Safety Committee or something else besides just showing up for work. Blemish free background & perfect credit, no rediculous FB posts or negative nancy comments about your current or (desired) future employer. They are vetting EVERYTHING. DAL has 70 full time people who do nothing but troll the webs looking for anything to do with DAL. I'd imagine the other carriers do as well. You want to be at the forefront of the hiring wave just beginning....you need to do something to set yourself apart from the other 10,000 RJ Capts with 1000's of hrs of TPIC. The norm? Geez I hope not! I can't afford to finish my A.S much less an MBA within the next 3 years... Guess some of us are just f'd from the start. Makes me want to go to the "leaving the career thread" and keep planning my exit. This is becoming more of a lottery game and some of us can't keep playing and losing before life comes knocking. Oh well... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Originally Posted by eman
(Post 1772855)
The norm? Geez I hope not! I can't afford to finish my A.S much less an MBA within the next 3 years... Guess some of us are just f'd from the start.
Makes me want to go to the "leaving the career thread" and keep planning my exit. This is becoming more of a lottery game and some of us can't keep playing and losing before life comes knocking. Oh well... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Regional To Mainline
I hear you on all points...in just saying how f'd up I am in particular. I could swing the cost of finishing my B.A over the next 3 years if I keep trying, but an MBA? Nope! And now that you mention it, I'm more than 10 years in obtaining it...guess the financial choices I made early on are just going to keep on screwing me. Oh well, I'll keep trying and working for it all...can't say I have much faith anymore though.
You are right in that I didn't do very good planning, I thought I'd have it all lined up by now but making peanuts for 5 years and counting has kept me down. Oh well, that's life... I'm at nearly 4k TT now got the 1000 tpic and mostly pic twin time; now flying sic in the md83; not holding my breath though lol that's life. Thanks for the advice man Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Originally Posted by rcfd13
(Post 1772602)
Haha are you trolling? You can't even get off reserve as an FO at most regionals by 3 1/2 years. Upgrade is 6-8 most places. The big three UA, AA and DL only hire with no PIC if you're a girl or the son of the chief pilot. I haven't heard of anyone who fits into neither of those two categories who has gone to a major in under 5 years recently.
If you're counting Spirit, Allegiant and Virgin as majors I can see people getting there in 3.5 with a lot of persistence, but definitely not UA, AA and DL. Does have advanced degree, volunteer work on resume and went to Jobfairs. Jobfair was the key. Hired at AA with 4 years at Regionals. But agreed.. most people will take a lot longer. |
Originally Posted by eman
(Post 1772855)
The norm? Geez I hope not! I can't afford to finish my A.S much less an MBA within the next 3 years... Guess some of us are just f'd from the start.
Makes me want to go to the "leaving the career thread" and keep planning my exit. This is becoming more of a lottery game and some of us can't keep playing and losing before life comes knocking. Oh well... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
Regional To Mainline
Not whining sir! ;) But thanks for jumping the gun and calling me out ;)
I do all of the above; and love volunteering, wish that could be my job lol. A good dose of reality (such as his posts) sure helps to put things in perspective. We won't all make it to the top, but I'm hoping for my bite at the apple before long. This thread has been helpful so far Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
For those of you Delta folks, what is the average age and flight times of new hires.
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When I look my paycheck.....I'm thinking THAT'S part of my volunteer work!
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