UNDGUY

Ok, here is my dilemma. I have two job offers on the table right now. One is Trans States in the EMB 145. I figure I will make 22-23000 the first year and a little bit more the second year. (Correct me if I am way off please) I will have to get through training at Trans States which I've read on other threads is not a guarantee, and I'll be ron 15-20 nights a months whenever I get off reserve.

Or I could take another flight instructing job that requires me to move across the country. I would start out in the same equipment I'm in now. (Cessnas)This job is salaried at 30000 first year, 36000 second, and 45 third. After the first year I could instruct in a king air and eventually a citation after meeting insurance mins. I would also have the opportunity to be a check airman once I am qualified. This job has a set schedule with 8 hours days and guarantees two consecutive days off every week. The only thing that sucks is I'm still flight instructing and it feels like I'm not advancing my career. The chief flight instructor said that their king air and citation instructors regularly skip the regionals and go to corporate, fractional, or majors. Do you think this is true?

Just wondering what people with more knowledge and experience than me would say.

saab2000

What are your current times? Total and M/E?

I was never a CFI so I can't say, but it will take a while to reach those pay levels at a regional.

No offense to the pilots at Trans States at all (cuz they are a good group), but there are better regional airlines to look at. Skywest and Air Wisconsin come to mind.

Instructing is a good thing and if you can make a career out of it you will possibly be ahead of the game, especially in terms of quality of life. Getting on as an instructor with a company like Boeing or FlightSafety is a good thing (I know two at my current company who have this experience) and your career path might be leading in that direction.

Ask yourself where you wish to be in 3-5 years.

There are better companies than Trans States if you wish to go the regional route. Among other things, they have been sold down the river badly by their management, which created Go Jets or whatever they're called. The management at TSA is anti-pilot.

BoilerUP

Get the offer in writing.

Flight schools have a way of baiting newbies into jobs with the "promise" of transitioning to turbine equipment. I don't know what school you speak of or how much time you have now/would fly there, but I'd imagine to instruct in a King Air you'd need an ATP at the very least, and the Citation...I'd guess AT LEAST 2500TT. Who has a friggin' Citation available for dual given anyway???

Either way, follow your gut instinct. Upgrading at TSA will take a while, but if you want an airline career you can work there for a year or less than get hired at most any other regional you'd want to go.

UNDGUY

650TT and 76 Multi right now. They told me I could max out my hours every month if I choose to. He said that the mei guys usually get 100 hours a month of multi because most of the training is done in multis. (Seminoles, Senecas, and Barons) They have a King Air and a Citation because they train pilots that are pre-hired by airlines in other countries. When they get done with training in the US, they go back to their country and fly 747's and stuff like that. I wish we had those opportunities over here. The chief pilot I spoke to said they don't even realize how good they have it. He said many of them aren't even excited about going back to fly the heavies. The pay is guaranteed by contract. The turbine transition is not.

saab2000

If you take the job, would you be stuck there by obligation? I would consider it. Your time right now is relatively low, but the quality of that time will increase. Don't count on the turbine time. I know the type of school you are talking about.

If your career goals include airlines, I would try to go to an airline and TSA would not be a bad choice for a year. If you like it you can stay and if not your time will by then be good enough for any other regional.

The only negative about going to TSA (other than what I mentioned about their management and their Go Jet scab subsidiary) is that you will not be logging any PIC time for a long time. PIC is very important.

I have about 4000 hours total time, almost all of it M/E turbine and 2500 jet time, but a shockingly small amount of PIC time. This is what is currently holding me back. Consider your M/E PIC time as a factor, even though instructing PIC doesn't weigh too heavily in anyone's thoughts at 'real' airlines.

POPA

PIC time is a non-factor. PIC multi-turbine is very important.

saab2000

Whatever. I know from which I speak. My logbook has less PIC time than probably just about anyone here and I know the handicap that it is.

My background and the fact that I was furloughed before I got to upgrade at my last company mean I have very little (commercial min) PIC time.

Don't think I don't know how important PIC time is, especially M/E turbine PIC.

The dude

Be careful with that CFI job. People are always trying to bait CFI's just like the guy above said. Just because this guy "says" something doesn't mean it'll really be that way. It always sounds too good to be true. It sounds to me that if you go that CFI route it will be two or three years untill you see any jet time. Why not wait five or six months, get your 1000/100 and try to get on at ExpressJet/ Eagle etc.. You could be logging jet time this year. --that cessna time is as worthless as tits on a bull after you've got about 900 hours.

SkyHigh

Take the airline job. If your dream is to ab an airline pilot then bite the bullet and get on with it. The sooner you get to the left seat of a regional airliner the better. Piston PIC is near worthless.

SKyHigh

JoeyMeatballs

very true and besides you would be doing the other job just to get an offer that you already have. As far as finances go, On reserve here at xjt I clear 2300 a month, thats TAKE HOME my friend............. This past month the 1st I got like 700 take home, and yesterday I got the min, + overs & Perdiem, check was 1650 take home, thats pretty good if you ask me