Hi all,

First-time poster after finding this thread by accident.

Currently in a career change and getting my PPL. Didn't go through one of the big schools and am training at a local club.

Did have a couple of questions and would welcome people's thoughts.'

To get the APT license you need 1500 hours. I get that. A lot of the big flight schools offer you interviews at regional airlines, who in turn, will give you a job once you reach your hours (1500). They then promote themselves as a way to the main airlines. However, from looking at various jobs online (such as Delta, Spirit etc), they will hire you once you hit 1500. So, why bother going through a regional to get to the main airlines? I saw on the Horizon Air website that Alaska will hire between 30% to 50% of their pilots. So where is Alaska getting the rest of their pilots from?

Then other small regional airlines will hire you on 200/500 hours....so surely it is better to go with them rather than become a CFI? Granted the pay will be low, but I wouldn't mind doing that for a couple of years to build hours.

Has anyone looked at getting jobs with airlines outside of the US? I know that Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines will hire second Officers on 200 hours.

Welcome your thoughts.

Your question summarized is “can I skip the entry level position and get hired directly into a major.”

The answer is no.

Welcome LondonLad.!!

Is it your ambition to get to a major airline.? A career in aviation is like a step ladder. Pilots start at the bottom and work up. Sometimes pretty quickly, sometimes not so quickly.

Read those big flight school adds carefully. They usually promise an interview IF (big if) you are accepted as a CFI for their school and complete the required time. Not everyone that completes flight training at their flight school gets an offer to be a CFI at the school.

I have known plenty of pilots that did the CFI time, then went Part 135 flying then went to whatever regional that would take them and then onto a major airline.

Then again, I knew a pilot that got an internal recommendation from his dad and skipped the regionals, but that is rare.

Good luck to you,

They publish the bare minimums to hire lower time fighter pilots and anyone else they want for various HR reasons, astronaut, family. What you need to ask is what is the 99% of people coming from your proposed background experience.

Regional Part 121 Airlines require 1500 hours and an ATP. Major airlines you need thousands of hours to be competitive unless you flew fighters in the military or have a relative in a position to push your app thru.

There are very few ways to build time other than CFI. Pipeline patrol perhaps, or banner towing. Approaching 500 hours you may be able to get on with a part 135 charter operator.

Others have answered these questions. To reinforce that, no way you're getting a major job with 1500 hours and no fighter time.

There's a REASON no CFI's are skipping the regionals to go direct to legacy majors

Lots of people have done it in the past. When the US industry was in really bad shape. They've mostly all come back recently.

But your pay, QOL, and job security will be MUCH better in the US right now.

Today it would only make sense if you really have a passion for foreign travel/adventure and are willing to sacrifice long-term money and seniority to get it.

You will also generally need captain (PIC) experience on the EXACT airline type you'll be flying overseas.

The very few employers (Cathay is one) who hire low-time foreign pilots as SO's are very selective in that process... astronaut style medical exams, etc. Also CX is in a world of hurt because of the HK situation... they won't be hiring pilots any time soon.

Not quite. I was thinking that if you can get a job with an airline such as Boutique Air, Ameriflight etc, would you still need to go to the regional once you hit the 1500 hours?

This is what I am hearing. Can I assume that Southwest's Destination 225 program is effectively the same as ATP and the other schools?

Really grateful to the others who posted for their input and feedback. Very helpful.

Pilots are still seen as professionals for some reason. They get all uppity about seat time. Some DO get big breaks on time through ascribed status. Dispatchers have a similar caste system. Every other worker below can be hired right off a typical bus stop.

The only surefire way of avoiding the regionals is going military. Ameriflight pilots aren’t going direct to majors very often, either. In the future, I could see Ameriflight, ACMI or corporate as a route.

GF

the general civilian path, largely unchanged in 50 years, is reflected by this example. SPEED and LENGTH between stops changes depending on economy or pilot needs. does not consider "flow programs" aka Envoy

CFI for 1 year until 1200 TT
Aeromedical charters, Caravan freight, 135 freight in piston twins, Part 91 twin engine stuff at the local airport. 1-3 years of this
Regionals/Commuters until attaining 4000 TT ish. Prob 2+ years of this
Apply to majors, hired soon thereafter

Time to majors since CFI job typically 8+ years

assumes: 4 year Bachelors Degree. Unrestricted ATP. etc