Loon

Put me in that category too. I love how these blowhards use the word networking so often. Funny how hard work, education and experience can be trumped by who you're drinking buddies with. I guess that's the way the world works, huh?

slumav505

6 year FO at Republic.

1.) Don't chase a base, that's why I'm here. It was safe and now it's gone.

2.) your services will be in high demand by the time you get to the magic number if things progress the way they are. Find the best situation.

3.) commuting isn't the best thing, but it's not the worst either. If you get the right gig commuting isn't the buzz kill it seems. Republic is trying to figure out this whole new world of Part 117 and it's not happening as quickly as everyone involved would like.

4.) don't watch upgrade times too closely. In about 200 numbers republic's time will drop about 2 years due to no hiring.

Let this industry go through a change, enjoy your time building, it's the most fun you will have in an airplane. Unless another major obstacle gets dropped on us in the next few years you will be a valuable commodity. Even if something does happen, eventually these retirements eventually will. Hang in there. Stay current on the happenings, especially as you get closer to putting your resume out. You're in a decent spot, lurk in the shadows until you're ready.

FL450

Not to take this thread off topic but I want to answer BZZT question.

You MUST pay your dues and be humble before anyone will recognize you! Prior to eagle I worked 135 on multiple light single and twin turbines because my Eagle and Colgan classdates were canceled due to the economy. I was very fortunate that I kept a great working relationship with Claudette Carol who at the time was the Dir. of hiring at Eagle. When I say working relationship I don't mean sucking up but staying in touch and being myself not some facade I want only Hr to see.

Luckily I was able to get hired with both carriers again when they started to hire in 2010. I went to eagle because I made a CAREER choice of where I would be more comfortable spending 10-15 years as an FO due to the stagnation that was present in the industry. Unlike you I was not given the right seat of a jet with < 1000 hours as you have mentioned in previous post. I happily was stationed in SJU where I met some life long friends whom I still talk to today.

All but 2 guys who I started in SJU with have moved on to various carriers. One guy even got hired with Hawaiian as a 767 FO after 7 months at Eagle and less time then I had. In short we were all humble and happy to be working but more so to be flying and doing what we loved to do. Some are captains in corporate jet outfits making well over six figures. Some are Heavy international drivers such as myself and two are at JetBlue living the domestic dream. None of us fit any special racial or gender quota, we just all were willing to learn and wait out our time while networking on the jumpseat home.

There's no difference between you, I, or any of the aforementioned except the willingness to learn. You seem angry and jaded yet you have very little experience compared to some of the people on this board who just want to help. To put icing on the cake I was even furloughed from my current carrier and had to go back to first year on a CRJ with a different regional until I was recalled but I still don't hate this career. Eagle is not the same company that is was years ago but it sure isn't the worst company out there. Try being more appreciative that you are where you are in your career because there are a lot worse places and careers that you could be in.


I digress


BZZT I wish you all the luck career wise!

BaronRouge380

Another perspective...the only drawback is this one will delay you a little.
You could start working in Engineering, make a good living, save some money and complete all your ratings on the side. You could either instruct on week-ends and after your working hours or find a cheap 150 and build time while making some good money.
That is exactly what I did and I am getting ready to switch from an engineering career to 121. I am entering the profession a little late, but honestly 25 years that's good enough for me, and at least you will have some savings and another career and experience to fall back on if needed.

texaspilot76

Don't listen to all these negative responses. Pilots by nature are whiners and habitual complainers. They could make $1,000,000 a year and they'd still find something to b--ch about.

Here's the facts:

Massive retirements are coming. Movement at all levels will be swift.

Regionals are facing a staffing crisis. You could have your pick with any regional. If you meet the minimums and have a pulse, you'll get hired. Eventually, a lot of flying will get shifted back to the legacies due to regional staffing issues.

Pay at legacies are back to pre 9-11 levels. After 2 year's at a legacy, you will make six figures.

Basically, when you are done with college, you can go to your pick of whatever turd regional you want, spend a year putting up with crap (think of it as an internship), then move on to a legacy carrier and start your real career. If you enjoy making six figures, working 14-15 days a month, and having great benefits such as healthcare and free travel, then this will be a great career and a great time to get in.

JamesNoBrakes

The carrot!

Rnav

Listen bro I don't care where your money came from. What I do have a problem with is that you obviously don't have any experience in the career field yet you're telling guys/gals in it what they should do. You fail to realize both the successful ones and the ones stuck and disgruntled have all sacrificed to get where they are at. And yes you still aren't even a noob in the field. Get your ratings first and then get back to us.

Literally 75%(And that's being nice) of the people I started flight school with didn't make it to professional flying. Failures, life events and yes money all came into play... And don't worry nothing anyone says about the career will deter you, we've all been there. Good luck.

DreamToFlyy

The only thing I told people to do is that if they hate their career because it hurts their family life to not post if they weren't going to post anything constructive.

To those people who just say stay away, what do you want from me? Do you want me to turn away from doing what I want? You can say get a normal job have a family, make more money and be happy? Well then why don't you do it?! I don't want to work a "normal job" honestly there is nothing else that sounds appealing to me besides playing in the NFL which is not happening. So my point is be constructive, don't tell me not to do it without reason, or that I will not be happy, that is the point I have been getting at this whole time. I am not telling pilots what they should do. I just want advice going into this career. '

I am a kid trying to pursue a career I know what I am going into, no matter what anyone says. I was just trying to get advice about a specific airline. It is upsetting because I feel like I am being attacked for being curious and open minded. I posted about pilots being pessimistic and not pursing opportunities because I see it in every field of work. I have been open minded from the start. You all know that there are pilots out there who are truly happy from the stuck at regional FO level to the widebody captain level, they are happy, so why are you trying to rain on a kid's dreams.

Erdude32

Couple of things. Legacy pay is NOT back to pre-9/11 levels. DAL is the highest paid outside FedEx/UPS and my pay is 25% lower than 2000. The Regional model is DOA. Flying at Delta is already being shifted from DCI back to mainline. It will only accelerate. Within 5-7 years DCI as we know it will cease to exist and I too see an ab-intio type hiring program. Your 2 year time table is aggressive but doable at the right school. Go to a part 141 academy in Florida where the weather is good enough to fly 2 lessons a day, everyday. I got all my ratings that route in 3 months & 3 weeks. Then CFI full time at an academy with a steady supply of students. When you don't have a lesson, then tow banners., volunteer for the Civil Air Patrol, be a hangar rat and volunteer to ferry aircraft, sit in the right seat as a safety pilot...and log everything. If you are aggressive you can be at a regional in UNDER two years.

Take the disgruntled naysayers with a grain of salt. The last decade of Regional pilots got hit by a Mack truck with the perfect storm of Age 65 and the second worst recession since the Great Depression. The last few years has been the anomaly not the norm. Now the worm has turned in OUR favor with age 65 retirements hitting, ATP rules and far 117....all at the same time. Over the past month 10,000 Regional pilots, and rightly so, have realized the ball is in thier court and have voted resoundingly NO to further concessions & whipsaw. Management may threaten all they want but there's no place to transfer the flying...the jig is up.

You are hitting the industry at the best possible time. I think you'll be at a Regional by Jan 16. Upgrade by 17 and at a major by 2018.

Even though we are still recovering from 9/11, it's still a great career. I think that by the time you get to a major we will be back to pre 9/11 wages. It will only go up from there. This is my 8th year at DAL and I'll break $200k this year.

Don't sit back and go with the flow. Be proactive with your career planning and make strategic decisions. Don't be afraid to move and DON'T commute. Your QOL will be superior, you'll make more $$ and have time to go visit family/friends on YOUR terms.

Best of luck!

Bzzt

First off I never said I got hired with less than 1000 hours, I didn't.

Second the only reason I didn't get the ATR is because I wasn't one of the youngest guys in class.

Finally here is something to consider for the OP. on average the money you have invested in the stock market doubles every 7 years. If you were to take the money you got from your inheritance and invest it while working at an engineering job (even aerospace if you truly love airplanes) you could easily scratch your flying itch with your own plane on the side. For argument's sake lets say your inheritance was 80k since that's what you'll be spending on your flight training, and let's say you would have spent 42 years in the career.

Years 1-6: 80,000
Years 7-13: 160,000
Years 14-20: 320,000
Years 21-27: 640,000
Years 28-34: 1,280,000
Years 35-41: 2,560,000

So you're looking at $2,560,000 just on the money you would have spent going to flight school, this isn't counting your salary at an engineering job (which would most likely pay better than an airline job). In this scenario you could still fly and on your own terms. Flying for a living takes a lot of the fun aspects out of aviation. So my question is why chase the career when you could spend much less getting a private and instrument and still fly whenever you wanted?