I don't have my CFII, so I have been a primary instructor this year and plan on doing CFII next year. I would say the actual flying part of instruments is the easiest, I would say flying is a really small part of instrument work. Most of instrument flying is regulations and procedures things you learn best by teaching it over and over again (and by the time it gets boring you know it).

That is why I'm not applying I don't feel I'm qualified. If I got offered a job yes it would be hard to turn down (well not at pinnacle that would be easy to turn down). The regionals I want to fly for aren't hiring people with 500/50, because those places are crap airlines (with few exceptions like express jet, but I don't know if they are hiring that low). And you may not understand but there are people in the world that have a set of beliefs and morals that they stand by, I dont think it is safe or right for people with 500 hrs to be flying turboprops and jets with peoples lives in there hands so I'm not going to do it. I don't see why you have to mock me for making a decision to do the right thing.

I'm saying that people being able to become airline pilots in 400 hours because mommy and daddy had enough money to send them to one of these programs is brining down the pilot profession. I'm not a welder what I'm saying is being a profession pilot has gone from a profession (where it requires years of training and studying and paying your dues) to the equivalant of being a welder, a couple years of school no practice and your ready to hit the skies.

Mesa saves the money on the interview sim and lets the training department weed out non-hackers. Ground School and the oral are pretty cheap, so they eliminate a few folks there, then when you go to sim training you have to prove your sh*t in the first 3-4 sessions...if you have trouble early on in the sim, you're gone. Mesa training is not easy, it is still part of the interview! I do understand that SKW training is more thorough, but not hard compared to Mesa (this is from folks who have done both recently). But SKW seems to do their weed out during the interview stages, and focus on training new hires.

The PFT types can USUALLY do the sim, because they have 40 hours of practice from school. Doesn't make them skilled or experienced pilots, but they are high-quality trained switch monkeys in that particular cockpit.

Cowboypilot-
Teaching instruments helps make sure you understand the regs and procedures pretty well....but if you don't know them well enough to teach them, you shouldnt be given the CFII in the first place. Someone who just finished studying 3 days straight for a checkride will typically know more details of the rules than someone who has been flying on and off over a year.

You allude to express jet, but what other regionals do you think are worth "holding out" for? What regionals would you turn down if they called today and said you have a job? (assuming you did great on the interview).

Not all pilots getting hired low time went to these flow through programs from ATP, RAA, ERAU, UND, (insert school/academy name here). I have met many from Part 61 FBO training also. It has been said before, but there are many fully capable 500hour pilots that can fully handle the training, job tasks, and succeed in the airline world. There are also a number of 1000+ hour pilots that can't do as well in training, but are given the opportunity because they have logged the hours. Hours alone does not make you a better pilot. Quality of time, Quality of training, varied experience, and motivation to self study all play into how well qualified a pilot is.

If these pilots were a danger, incompetent, or not ready for training, the airlines would not waste time and money to train them.

Instrument flying is hardest when you have to do your scan get the radios and apply the regs. (can I descend...why...why not? where are they taking me. what is going to happen next?) Its not knowing the regs it is applying them. You will see that when you get your students.

oh and express is hirring vigirously it seems right now. Yeah that includes 4 guys I know within the last 5 months or so that only had 600/100.

I was saying express jet is an exception of a good airline that I know is hiring low time pilots. Oh lets see mesa, great lakes, pinnacle are all pretty sad excuses for airlines. I want to fly for horizon or skywest, then AE or CoEx would be next on the list.

"can I descend...why...why not? where are they taking me. what is going to happen next"

I would say those are all procedures having to do nothing with flying the aircraft.

There is no flow through at UND. Never has been and probably never will be. There is no contracts, no obligations, nothing like that. UND offers what is essentially a crj ground school course followed by about 20 hours in the crj sim. Many of the regionals will lower their mins if you have taken those courses. Many of the regionals will also come here to interview because there is always a hand full of qualified flight instructors (UND employs over 200) looking to move on.

Oh man, I'm never flying Express Jet. How could you accept that job, your so unqualified? :rolleyes: Really though, congrats and best of luck to you.

flow through or not......reduced mins is what we are talking about here.... I would venture to say that a lot of the regionals have picked people up that are below what the website says.... most published mins are 1000/100 or higher. Some state 1500/200 or even 300 multi.

Cowboy....
Great choices on airlines.... :rolleyes: But what are you gonna do when you dont know anyone at those places or cant get hired? What will you do if these places dont grow or worse yet shrink in 2 years when you are "qualified"? Its great to have standards and stick to them, but you are also limiting yourself. Options that you turn down are a little nicer than waiting for something you can't get....just a thought.

A lot of the issues you may see at some regionals are typically common throughout the industry but to varying degrees.....To a point, a regional is a regional now a days....

One of my favorite quotes, I don't remember who it was on here that said it:

'Fighting over which regional is better, is like homeless people fighting over whose box is better.'

Absolutly beautiful!

Sounds like something Skyhigh would say/write...


-LA