I am a former TSA pilot who got furloughed in the second round of furloughs back in July and I am now enjoying flying the CRJ for SkyWest. TSA isn't the terrible place some people ou there make it out to be, but you can certainly do better. Given your time, I might recommend holding out for a carrier that doesn't have awful relations with their pilots, and that will upgrade you sooner than 4-5 years. As previously pointed out, your time should get you in the door at ExpressJet, a company which took a ton of the TSA furloughs, and after a few more months teaching you'd have the mins for just about any other regional out there, including SkyWest who is hiring like crazy at the moment and I would certainly recommend them over TSA. But like I said, Trans States has decent pay, decent QOL, no training contract, and very good people to work with on the line. It's an ok place to be, especially for someone with low time, I just think that you could do a whole bunch better without teaching all that much longer.

 

[quote=flynavyj;74635]I'm with tsa currently, but don't have much experience (new hire as of sept. 5th) I've heard from all the formers and current employees that management can be a pain, but it's not unbearable if you're not looking for tons of days off a month, also, the better you get along with scheduling, the better you'll be. Pilot group is really good.


I too am a new hire with TSA and starting class next week. I've heard the same, management not the greatest, but great pilot group. I've had some friends that worked there and moved on after six months, and others that are hoping to be there until they move to a major or corporate position. One guy who moved to another regional said management was a little, and emphasize the little, better, but the pilot group was not nearly as fun to fly with, and wished he had stuck it out at trans states. Bad case of he always saw greener grass on the other side.

Also, start applying now. Don't consider going, just apply, get the interview, get hired, then decide. I think the december class is filled, or close to it already, so if you get an interview, say, next week, your earliest class would probably be january or february.

Tell me if I'm wrong, but this makes sense to me. Get hired as soon as you can. I was hired at lower times then the majority of guys i'm instructing with. They're all waiting for their "dream" regional to call them. First off I didn't know there was a dream regional. I have always heard its a matter of suck and suck more. Anyway, instead of instructing for another six months and getting another 3-500 hours of 172 dual given time, get hired, go through training, get 121 experience and get 80-90 hours a month of jet time. If your not happy after six months, move on. You'll probably have more total time, and definitely better type of time, then your peers who stuck it out for the dream regional job. You might even get that job ahead of them. Anyway, thats my bit, I'm really excited to be starting at TSA, not looking to go anywere until I'm able to move up in the world.

 

By the way, I've heard upgrade time at TSA right now is about 3 years, and they're expecting it to go down soon, since the majors are starting to recall, and hopefully hiring soon. I guess the key words there are expecting and hoping, so who knows.

 

think the upgrade time going down might be wishful thinking...if we're lucky. Way they've made it sound for us, we'll probably all have the upgrade time, well before the chance to upgrade...they'll get to fly our butts off

 

Flynavyj, What have you heard the upgrade time is right now?

 

whats the best way to apply for someone with 1000/100, email them a resume or use the airline apps website.

 

email them your resume........ when I was there I don't think they hardly ever checked airline apps, that site is more for Mesa. But I did have at least 5 buddies who emailed them in who got called within a week or two. Also if you know somebody there to walk it in to the recruiter that's even better. Believe it or not, a new hire can manage that for ya.

 

Please excuse my naivety, and hopefully I won't get flamed by an ERJ full of folks for the thought, but what is the motivation to get a job with a regional carrier... no matter the cost? I'm currently flying freight in the Baron, Navajo and Caravan. I'm building quality Multi and Turboprop PIC time, and making as much, if not more, than a first (or second) year regional FO. If I took a Caravan only run, I could meet SWA turboprop mins within 18 months (they will take Caravan time). If I take the Learjet upgrade path (which I'll be eligable for in about 3 months... 14 months after starting in the props), I'll be logging jet SIC time... and I could be in the left seat logging jet PIC time in a about a year after that. A year to 18 months of jet PIC time should get me an interview with FDX or UPS. Total time to a major... 18 months to 3 years.

What are the current upgrade times at the regionals? Where are guys going after they put their time in?

 

I presume you are working for Airnet. Its a good company, and for full disclosure I didn't get hired there but I also wasn't impressed with CW's koolaid speech.

How many pilots do you know that have been hired at SWA with only Caravan PIC? Also, how many Lear captains are leaving for legacy or LCC jobs? Not flaming, I'm very curious...

 

Presumption correct. To be honest, I don't personally know anyone who has been hired at SWA with only Caravan PIC. I was only stating the possibility. I talked to a SWA captain who was riding on the system and he gave me the information regarding minimum times and the fact that SWA would consider SE Turboprop time. Is it competetive? Maybe... maybe not. Will your resume make it by the filters without minimum turbine/turboprop time? No.

I don't know of any Lear Captains who would give up left seat in the Lear to go to a Regional, but I do recall hearing that recently we've had some guys getting on with SWA and one or two of the LCC's. I've also talked to NetJets pilots and hear that they are more than happy to talk to freight dogs who meet mins.

I know what you mean about the interview sales job. You just have to take it for what it is. CW is excited about AirNet and his job, and he just tries to impart that on the folks applying. When I interviewed I told him that I was very excited and interested in working for AirNet. He told me "careful what you wish for". I got the job and have been busting my tail ever since... and am enjoying every minute of it!