Thinking about going back
 

Left colgan air in 2006 had to deal with divorce and settle my parents estate. Been nine years sitting on the side lines through the worst economic downturn since the great depression. My background be-1900 captain Business express 1995 colgan air 1998 Sf340 captain colgan air 2000.
11509 tt bunch of pic in both aircraft. Been thinking of selling my home to finance training , maybe I could get 10 years at a major air carrier. I am just worried about the risk. Miss flying a bit. Please ask to guide me. Home is all paid for.

Why would you need to sell your home to pay for training?

Judging by the years he was active, looks like he joined the industry back when you paid for training. Wait until he finds out they are offering signing/retention bonuses of up to $20k AND they pay for your training! ;)

In order to get hired at Legacy, ACMI, or Major you would most likely need to get some proficiency. You can get hired at a regional (they offer a signing bonus now) and than start applying to the Airline that you want to work at. I would pick an airline where you don't have to commute (if that is an option).

Don't come back

Run far, far, far away.

I can't tell you what you should do, but I can easily tell you what not to do in your case.

Never finance a depreciating asset.

Whatever you do, do not sell your home to finance anything, unless there is so much equity sitting in it you can:

1) pay cash for another home you KNOW you will like/enjoy (read: no note/mortgage)

and THEN

2) purchase what you want (in your case, flight training) in cash (never, EVER finance anything except a home)

3) DO NOT PERFORM THE ABOVE IN REVERSE ORDER unless you have truly excellent financial discipline. (reread that)

If it were me.......

1) get hired at any regional (you won't have a problem getting hired) get 500-1000hrs of time to be current.

2) apply to an LCC/ major.

Hope this helps.

FYI..... B6 requires a minimum of 300hrs in the last year. We also have hired many folks in your same position. Just get current at a regional and start shooting applications out.

Yep! Flew with a FO at PDT that got current and JetBlue Hired him.

Don't come back.

Stay away until the regionals start offering $20K/year more than their current payscales or pay for training. Actually both.

Given that he all ready was previously a 121 Captain, my bet is that he finishes training, starts getting interview calls from majors within 2-6 months of being on the line, and is gone to greener pastures (e.g. a job at a legacy) within a year of starting back at a regional.

As you said, jB requires the 300-hour lookback, SWA requires 2 years of active flying in the previous 5 years, but pretty much none of the others have codified lookback/recency requirements.

If a "quick upgrade" regional like PSA or Compass is convenient to where you live, that could help you if you don't yet have the golden-1000-hours, as well as soften the financial burden for that time, too.

The "quick upgrade" at PSA and Compass is for those with 1000 hours of 121 time or close. The "quick upgrade" will not come to those with 0 hours since a lot of pilots will upgrade below them, making their upgrade prospect worse.

From the OP:

If you have an ATP it won't cost much to get current. The majors will want you to get up to speed at a regional since a lot has changed operationally and in the aerospace system, etc. Then you will be competitive again. You're in a better position than you think. Don't do anything to compromise your finances, there's no need.

It would seem your blinding hatred for all things PSA has made you bring us up needlessly again. Didn't you already start an entire thread to spread your misinformation?

There is no misinformation with the fact PSA 50 seat aircraft and other 50 seat aircraft elsewhere will be parked much sooner than planned.

Your hatred and other's with the fact, is very telling.

Yes, it wont be "quick" it will be instant. Just be captain ready when you start class.

If you have 0 121 time, you can't upgrade. It will only be "quick" for those with 1000 hours of 121 time. Meaning those with 0 121 time are looking at a much longer upgrade time as those junior to them upgrade over them.

It will be quick for 0 121 and same day for prior 121.

Yet what your selling aren't facts at all. It's pure misinformation. Our leases aren't up until starting in 2018 going well into the 2020's. IF AAG wanted to rid itself of its 50 seat feed why would they take them from one of their lower cost regionals? Whiskey certainly costs more and dare I say the 50 seaters at both Piedmont and Envoy cost more as well... We aren't having trouble staffing in the least bit. Still filling classes. The "quick upgrade" for those with the prior 121 will continue into next year. New hires thereafter can expect a 2 to 3 year upgrade (which is still great). There is movement off the top and new FOs have to sit reserve for maybe 3 months. Is it so hard for you to accept that things aren't so bad here? Oh that's right, your too busy spreading misinformation and making yourself look foolish.

Training? What training are you considering paying for?

Go get 5-10 hours in a Frasca sim, hit the books for a couple weeks, and every regional out there will be begging you to come to class.

Train to proficiency and 100+ hours of IOE if needed are the new standard. (And very few need anything extra.)

You are asking us to help ruin your life and yet you give us so little information to work with!

Where do you live, how far to the airport you commute out of, how long between feeding can your cats survive? We need all the basics.

Just did the exact same thing. No need to spend a bunch of money on training. I was out for 11 years, so I made sure my logbook was correct, got my BFR in 2 hours in a 172 and sent out apps.

Study your regs and charts before you send out the apps, I was a little shocked at how quickly I got an interview.

If you have any questions, PM me.

That doesn't matter one bit. I guess you don't understand the history how lease terms don't mean the airplanes will still fly to the end of that term.

Kind of like an e175 operator that can no longer deliver a reliable product due to commitments at another carrier..............

I don't disagree with that statement. Compass could very well lose AA flying or even Delta if it doesn't staff the flying it has.

Just like Skywest is at risk for all of their flying.

However, when the regionals as a whole have issues, the mainline partners will choose to operate the most profitable lift as possible.

No offense to the OP, but please god get a few months in as FO before taking a capt position at any regional with jets. Being "captain ready" wont be possible with that large of a gap in flying and proficiency.
In fact, with all these "quick upgrades" for guys with 1000 recent 121 tprop only time, has already led to problems. Lots of prop captains jumping ship, or being dispalced to jets (skywest) and shady things are happening because of it. You have been gone for a while and proficiency will be lacking at least a decent ammount, and therefor being captain right off the bat is a bad idea. These aircraft are no turbo props. The E175 and CRJ will eat you alive with a tprop mentalitly.

If you can pass your type ride, loft, pc, ioe, line check etc.. what more do you need?

Looks like you haven't been back here yet as your post count is still 1, but don't be spending any money for training, its unnecessary. Get a medical and a BFR in a 172, that's all that is needed. At your level, a few sim sessions you'll be right back in the saddle again.

ah - you're right. The 10,000 hr Prop captain is far far far behind the 1500 hr Jet FO. Keep telling yourself that bud.

BTW - the idea of hopping in a king air and cruising around scares the sh*t out of me...same is true for a light twin. It's not because the aircraft is more complex than the jet, but when the crap starts hitting the fan things may try to kill me even more than the jet...and especially more than the little cessna I fly.

Dude.. stay on topic. This thread was started by someone who addressed his hours in his original post. He clearly has the time and that's why people mentioned it. You come across as Mr. KnowItAll around here and that's why people are bent out of shape.
At least be relevant to the conversation at hand. In this case, it's about a guy how has over 11,000TT with plenty of 121 PIC time. So brining up anything about 0 SIC is irrelevant.

There is nothing knowitall about the fact there are no quick upgrades for those with 0 121 time.

And anyone in the industry knows that? Without the prior 121 it will take a new hire at any airline a MINIMUM of 18 to 24 months to upgrade. What's your point?

Did the OP open this thread asking questions about upgrade with 0 121 time? or did he say....

But you feel the need to expain once again...in case no one has read any of the other threads you comment on about this that you can't upgrade without 121 time. I think we all get that, and no one in this thread suggested that you can. When the "quick upgrade" was addressed earlier in the thread, it was in the context of THIS POST.. and the OP explanation of his qualifications.

I never said that. I most certainly did not reference a 1,500 hour FO being a better candidate...DEFINITLY NOT. How about you read my post thoroughly so you can avoid lying to make me look like the bad guy.

What I did suggest due to recent events that occured to people in the same position, is that with only tprop time (many years ago at that) it would be a better idea to take a Capt. position after a few months on the line in the jet as an FO. Im sure many would agree with me on that. Time in type is still important, recency even more so. I know of a few high time airline and corporate pilots, that have perished in accidents in seemingly "simple" aircraft.

For what its worth.

I am a retread and came back last year. Similar stats to the original post except I was at a major from 2000-01. Flew corporate till 08 then left flying till last year. Had my own business from 08-14. (did well but truly don't care for it)

I had been watching the industry and the APC boards and thought it would be a good time to come back. Got my medical, filled out airline apps Feb 1, 14. Had a bunch of interviews lined up within a week. I started at Compass in April 2014, (my first choice - live on west coast) was there almost a year and am now in class at F9 - With their expansion it looks like a great place for me.

I had not touched an airplane for over 6 years, put my best effort into training and it went very well. No BFR, no recurrent in a Cessna. It really is just like riding a bike!

I feel pretty fortunate and think it's a good time to come back if its what you desire. You might not make it to the big 3, but you can have a good QOL at a national or LCC - or even stay at a decent regional.

I should ad that i could afford to return to a regional because of my other income. Hope this helps anyone with this big decision. It has worked out for me so far.