Agree^^^ in 2011 Rah was hiring in one door and furloughing right out the next. MORONS run these excuses for airlines.

OK...lots of people have something on the side, even as 121 pilots. I guess I went on a rant on another thread about folks expecting/demanding that their first aviation jobs pay all the bills.

As always, I know it is not an easy path. I respect the folks climbing up their career ladders.

Edit I don't know why the quote I attempted got so butchered, dang mobile!

I'm not sure there is really answer to the 1500 hour question. In our corporate flight operation we have stringent insurance requirements. Personally, I've flown with excellent pilots with only 800 hours and conversely flown with crappy pilots (IMO) with 2500 hours. Personally, I would love to hire one or two "junior" pilots with 1200 hours and let them build time. Unfortunately, for right or for wrong, the insurance company has the last say (mostly).

When I was instructing full time, I turned wrenches, pumped fuel, took calls in a referral telemarketing sales firm, and worked as a night security guard. We do what we need to do.

Airline operations may get you that initial turbine experience. I had seventeen years or so before I got a turbine job. A turbine job may not be your first offer. Or your second.

It's better to take what you can find, rather than hold out for the brass ring. It's easier to bid for the brass ring when you're already working and flying.

JB you make some great posts. In fact you are schooling some of the younger pilots in which the problem I am encountering many younger pilots are only interested in starting at the top or close to it. It took me 25 years to reach the position I have now with a great company. No, all my jobs were not flying positions because I learn to crawl before I was able to walk and then run.

I have been fortunate to stay busy enough to make ends meet while instructing international students. I'm almost at 2000 hrs and ready for a change.

I should add that I started out single and have little debt from flight training/college

I am a check airman at a regional airline. I have flown with 400 hr pilots who were excellent pilots and picked up rj flying with no problems, and I have flown with 4000 hr pilots who struggled and almost failed out. The amount of time that you doesn't really matter.

However the 1500 hr rule is mandated by the government, by people who know nothing about flying. There is nothing we can do about it. We just have to live with it.

Is that what you see in the middle of the bell curves or you stating that you have seen extremes. Do you based multiples future on extremes? 1500 hr rule comes from MANY places I'll bet and is a cooperative effort I'm sure with input from MANY people and organizations who know plenty about flying and aviation in general.

A lot of pilots agree with the 1500 hour rule, including me. Is it a perfect solution? No. But it's easier to implement than a military-style screening program for all airline pilots.

There are people who have bad judgement but good stick-and -rudder monkey skills...they can play along to get through training, and might even be safely managed by their CA's while an FO. The ones with really poor judgement tend to de-select themselves before 1500 hours (one way or another: violated, fired, scared out, scared straight, jail, dead).

If nothing else, it will ensure that there are two pilots in every airliner...as opposed to a PIC and somebody going along for an airplane ride.

The best part is this does not really penalize low-time pilots...all they have to do is work for a year or two to earn ATP mins before they achieve the exalted status of RJ pilot, not a great hardship in the grand scheme of things