Fastest route from 0 time to majors - Page 2 - Airline Pilot Central Forums

#11

fatman1683 , 01-26-2018 05:45 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Adlerdriver

I'm trying to pick my words carefully here but sometimes the direct approach works best. I kind of cringe when I hear this quest for advice on shortest/fastest path from 0 to the right seat of a major airline.

Somewhere along that path, you're supposed to develop foundational skills, gain experience in a myriad of subjects and actually become worth a sh!t as a professional pilot. I hate to burst your bubble, but that ain't going to happen in just a few years. Sure, some folks get lucky and min time the whole process. Everyone has a story about someone who showed up on the line in their late 20's and hit the jackpot. We also have lots of stories about men and women who have no business doing this job even though they succeed at getting hired (at least for a while).

The last thing I'd care to hear from someone showing up to work on a crew I'm part of is: "I took the shortest path I could here... less than 5 years ago I didn't even have my PPL". Greaaaaaat.

So, just to end on a positive note. Good luck to you in your training and quest for a job at a major airline. Don't forget to enjoy the journey and get all you can out of it along the way.

I definitely appreciate the advice, and it's good advice for most people. If I didn't have 10+ years of experience in a highly technical field that requires constant training and skill maintenance, I wouldn't be nearly as confident about my chances of being successful. This approach absolutely isn't right for everyone, but I believe I have the chops to pull it off.

#12

rickair7777 , 01-26-2018 06:02 AM

Prime Minister/Moderator

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatman1683

Adlerdriver has a point. I guess my version of that, from the perspective of someone who passed on a couple opportunities and enjoyed the full brunt of the lost decade, would be to proceed at flank-speed towards your career-destination airline (especially if you're older), but consider a "strategic pause" if you're looking at a jet upgrade with less than about 2,500 hours 121.

A lot of it comes down to you, so pay close attention to what your CA's are doing, especially when time pressure builds or you're confronted with delays, bingo fuel, and diversions. If you're within a year of upgrading, you should mentally shadow the CA for all non-routine activities, and ask him about what he's doing. Many CA's will be happy to let you "play" CA, and you should ask to do that as upgrade approaches.

Be aware that your previous experience (and the fact that you're a grownup, unlike some 121 FOs) will be helpful, but it will not replace turbine experience in the real system. You'll feel pretty comfortable with piston GA flying, but 121 is a big step change from that.

It's easy to answer a hypothetical black-and-white question about Mx or Wx and no-go. It's harder to deal with that marginal grey area, especially when you have 50+ pax who want to get where they're going, a crew that wants to get back in time for their commutes, and you're not sure how the company MOD is going to react when you call him. This is where experience, even SIC experience, helps.

#13

fatman1683 , 01-26-2018 01:26 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by rickair7777

This is part of the reason I'm strongly considering trying to get on at a 135 operator as part of my climb to 1500. Ideally I'd combine 135 with instructing on my days off, get comfortable with turbine ops and scheduled flying and still make ATP in less than two years.

PC-12 or King Air SIC time might not mean much to an interviewer or resume filter, but it would mean a lot to me in terms of developing my skills as a working pilot.