Originally Posted by hemi340

turbosina, 135 pic time over 10 passengers fulfills the requirement for 1000 hours sic 121. Reference 121.436 and 135.243

Originally Posted by mountainhopper

What do you all think about this?
I just interviewed to be an FO at Contour with 1440 total time, 18 multi, and working as a CFII. Given how slow 121 regionals have been to respond or offer interviews, I was tempted, but the penalties are stiff. Is it a pilot pathway or indentured servitude? I have not read the contract; I am going off of what I was told.

Pilot Pathway to Skywest and United:
Upgrade to Captain once reached ATP mins and 500 in type, assuming systems/managerial knowledge sufficient and one winter season completed: $20,000 bonus
1000 hours PIC at Contour=flow to SKYwest with up to 2 years' seniority as DEC. After IOE at SKW-$20,000 bonus.
400 hours in at SKW: guaranteed interview with United (or Delta or Alaska).
After 1600 PIC at SKW: Can flow to United/etc.

Penalties for voluntary separation or termination:
$40,000 if you leave before upgrade at Contour
$60,000 if you leave after upgrade at Contour
$75,000 if you leave SKW after starting at SKW (nothing owed to Contour after leaving to SKW)

Skywest, but would much rather get hired as an FO directly without a contract like this. It seems unfathomable to agree to a contract that holds even to your next carrier. Is anyone getting hired as an FO at the regionals right now with 1500 hours?

Originally Posted by JohnBurke

You know that both Omni and ATI pilot groups have voted to approve a strike, right?

Think carefully about that grass on the other side of the fence. It may be greener because it's astroturf.

Originally Posted by Swakid8

But they haven't been released to strike.... Therefore he can go in, but be ready to walk picket line and not cross it...

Originally Posted by Turbosina

Let's look at the reality of the duration each phase of this 'pathway' would realistically take.

• Upgrade to Captain once reached ATP mins and 500 in type, assuming systems/managerial knowledge sufficient and one winter season completed

You're almost at ATP mins, so let's just start the imaginary clock when you hit 1,500. Let's also assume that you start Contour training the month after you get your 1,500 hours.

ATP/CTP + Indoc / ground/ sims will be 2.5 months (assuming no delays). Now you have to build 500 hours. I haven't a clue how much Contour newhires are flying each month, nor do I have a clue how their reserve system works and how long it take to hold a line, but let's use an optimistic assumption of 70 block hrs/month. Say 8 months. So now we're at 10.5 months. Add a couple weeks for cushion = 11 months.

• 1000 hours PIC at Contour=flow to SKYwest
Don't forget upgrade training, which will be a month (ground/ sims) plus a few weeks of Capt IOE (during which time you cannot log TPIC.) Let's say 2 months for Capt training. Now you get to start logging TPIC time. Let's call that 15 months. Add that to your already-accumulated time and now we're at 28 months.

• 400 hours in at SKW: guaranteed interview with United (or Delta or Alaska).
After 1600 PIC at SKW: Can flow to United/etc.
Skywest training will be 2 months (assuming no delays and that they hire you the same month you flow, which is a huge assumption.) You'll then be on reserve at OO, and depending on where you are, you might fly 10 hours a month or you might fly 90. FOs are sitting right now, and will sit as long as Skywest continues to shrink and CAs continue to leave. Let's assume you get 50 hrs/month so that's 10 minths at Skywest (38 months from when you started.)

Now here's the kicker: *if* you actually get that interview and pass it, then you've gone from CFI to mainline FO in just over 3 years. That would actually be pretty darn decent, and about on par with what young motivated regional guys have been doing recently.

BUT THE BIG CAVEAT is...there is zero guarantee whatsoever that you will pass that interview, not because of your own abilities, but because none of those carriers has any incentive to hire you, and every incentive to keep you at Skywest until you upgrade and grind out 1,600 PIC.

Let's look at how long that would take. We said it would take 38 months to get you from Day 1 at Contour to a mainline interview, right? Now add:

• 10 months to log another 600 hours SIC at Skywest (you need 1,000 hours Pt 121 time to upgrade. Contour is Pt 135 so none of that time will count, as far as I'm aware.)
• 2 months to go to Skywest upgrade training and complete Capt IOE
• Realistically 2 more years (if you work your tail off) to get 1,600 TPIC at Skywest

So now you are looking at six years from Day 1 at Contour to a mainline flow.

And that is IF Skywest and its partners abide by this agreement for the next 6 years. That is an utter eternity in the airline industry.

In the meantime, if you're fortunate enough to get a call elsewhere and you leave the program, you're on the hook for $$$$$$$.

Run. Don't walk.

Originally Posted by flydci

You go DEC into skywest

Originally Posted by Khantahr

What happens in two years when your number comes up for SkyWest and they say, "sorry, there's no shortage anymore. We'll give you plug FO at whatever base will be the hardest commute for you at $19.02 an hour?"

Originally Posted by JohnBurke

There was never a "pilot shortage."

Originally Posted by cornerpocket

There was a shortage. But only at the regional level in the 121 world.
Completely self-induced and brought on by dogsh!t pay & compensation.