If you can hack it (family, living conditions, food) consider overseas.

 

Yup. When AirTran recalled I was already with USAir. When USAir recalled I was flying corporate for a Fortune 500 (and USAir was still bankrupt and had closed the PIT hub... Figured they were circling the drain). Had I gone back there I'd be with AA now.

All bad choices, but none of them negate the fact that had I had the 1000 PIC turbine, life would have been a little simpler in a post 9/11 job hunting world.

 

Yes, but the LCCs are more likely than legacies. Apply to all of them and keep the apps updated. Even without connections it's still possible to get hired. I got a cold call at the current company. It worked out for the best, had I been at my regional even today I'd still be a 8th year FO with no upgrade in sight. In your case it sounds like an upgrade is one year from now so you could stick it out and see what happens. IMO though with the amount of hiring coming up at the legacies and LCCs, the TPIC checkbox won't be as important. So if jetBlue/Virgin/Spirit/Frontier call first, I'd leave any regional for that opportunity.

 

Although the situation that Zap, and MYSELF were in post 9/11 is MUCH LESS LIKELY NOW, what he's saying DID happen.

Post 9/11, the places hiring were AirTran (500 TPIC required), as well as SW (1000 TPIC/73 type), FedEx (1000TPIC), UPS (1000TPIC), and JB. I don't remember JB's requirement then, but you WEREN'T getting without TPIC, never mind a blue dart. Atlas back then, 1000 TPIC also. All these places provided furlough refuge for the pilots hired at legacies that were now on the street but AT LEAST had TPIC time.

Sure, Spirit, Frontier, Gemini, Polar, and some others DIDN'T require it, but it sure as hell helped. Most of the fracs during that boom didn't require it either.

So although you can NEVER fault the pilots that went to a legacy before upgrading in the pre 9/11 era, WE ALL WOULD HAVE. But post 9/11 you were pretty much screwed without it.

 

Had you stayed at your regional you would have interviewed at Delta by now. I know some 9E FO's who were junior to you who have gotten hired at Delta via the SSP. Your # has since passed.

 

I'm happy with how and where I am today. The payraise of the last 3 years allowed me to start a family. I wouldn't have on a RJ FO salary (might get flak for that, and I know many that did start a family + make it work as a RJ FO). No regrets here also, congrats to the FOs who are getting the SSP and have a shot at Delta. It is well deserved and I hope the trend continues.

 

How were you able to change your username? I thought the forum software/admin didn't allow that?

 

Plus Vanguard, Eastwind, ProAir, ATA, National, Midwest... and a bunch of others that didn't require it on paper - but wouldn't hire you without it. Why should they? There were thousands in line who were better qualified.

I don't think we are as far from that happening as John does either. One more geopolitical "event" that results in substantially less demand for flying or substantial increase in oil prices and there could very easily be mass furloughs again as airlines use force majeur to abrogate contracts and restructure their operations. Post 9/11 there were thousands upon thousands of furloughs less than 3 years following a boom just like this one.

Not saying if I were an RJ FO I wouldn't take a major airline job today, but I'd be apprehensive about taking a stepping stone job, and if I was CLOSE to an upgrade (say within a year or so) I would sit tight and get the time.

Not having it (along with some not-great choices) cost me a decade of career progression. Wouldn't wish that on anyone.

 

Always do what is best for you and your family. I was a 5500TT zero TPIC person. I'm now at B6 and very happy I made the change. I was a former Comair guy, so Delta wasn't going to happen even if I had some TPIC (and truthfully I would rather stay at Blue for the long haul).

Depending on your commute, I wouldn't recommend passing up an upgrade to going to Allegiant or Frontier, but thats just me.

 

Lovin life at B6 with zero Turbine pic