Low time with turbine PIC time or High time No TPIC

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Skybox

Well-Known Member
Hello, I been given the opportunity to become a captain on a turboprop aircraft but I am only able to log around 300 hrs yearly, my concern is if better for me to go to a regional airlines and that way I will have a high total time in a couple of years. My total now is 1800tt, 650 ME and TPIC 80. Want to know all yours opinions, thx
 
If you're planning to stay in the 91/135 world then it's probably a good idea to take the job with the usual considerations in mind. If a major is the goal then your best bet is probably a regional. These are generalizations but you want time in the sector you plan to make your career in.
 
A major airlines is my goal!! The A/C is a SD3 operated under 121 certificate from the Dominican Republic...
 
Not to hijack the thread but im also interested in this. I would think that ultimately i want to work more towards a fractional or charter buisness so would going to AMF and getting a bunch of TPIC in 99 be a good way to go or would sticking with a heavy jet in 121 with fms allot and allot more flying hours be better. Maybe just do the regionals for a year or 2 and move on?
 
I don't think anyone truly knows "the formula" but Turbine pic is helpful. Total time is helpful, as is 121 if you want to go 121 for the career (major). 300 hours a year isn't "nothing" but pic helps. Most airline guys fly 600-800 a year. You will find guys who have flown less due to reserve/training dept/ office and you will find guys that hit 1000 (or just shy) by either picking up a lot or being junior and forced into 85-90 hour block lines per month all year. While I can't tell you what to do, and won't, your resume needs to show ambition and balance. Meaning you need to show that you have strived to make it to the recruiters desk. 300 in the corporate world is looked at differently than 300 in the 121 world. On the other hand flying 121 while striving for a 121 major shows that you are dedicated to the 121 world. Here you will also find 91/135 guys who got on with a major without 121. In the end, look at QOL/pay/progression. Turboprop 91 May or may not look good for 121 jet. You are over 1500 total so regionals are definitely in the realistic realm, but the question becomes where do you want to be in how long. Joining a regional will get you total time and 121 jet (most likely.. Tprops still exist) but you now join the stack that is quite thick. 91 tpic may or may not be another stack. End result, figure out what works for you now. The regional industry is volatile, and has shown to change completely in only a few months at a time. Go back to QOL/pay/progression. Are you willing to take a (likely) pay cut, commute, and possible regional upgrade in 2-10 years in 121 or get the TPIC time now in 91 and try for a major in 3 years? Only you can answer that. Many corporate folks are hired at lower total time compared to 121 folks and it seems that it's all about connections. As usual, it's not what you know, but who. So, In the end, there is no advice. Figure out where you want to be in 3-5 years and determine what is more valuable, TPIC or total time. That's the real question in my opinion.
 
I would go with low time turbine PIC. After about 3000 hours, it really doesn't mean much as far as total time. At that point, the connections and networking along with the TPIC will take you much farther than a 8000 hour guy! Just my opinion.
 
So if TPIC is where its at why is anyone right now looking at anything else but say doing freight at AMF for example? I mean go to AMF get 500 hours a year all of which now TPIC on a 99.
Am I missing something here?
 
I will take the other side of this - just to present a different argument.

Majors don't seem to care much about TPIC at the 135 level anymore. l am sure it used to be "the thing", but you are not going to get hired out of AMF or some South American Shorts operator to go to Delta to fly the 777. It just isn't going to happen. If you want to get to a major, start building your 121 jet time. You can likely upgrade to Captain in 18mos-5 years, depending on where you go. By that time, you will have the hours you need to apply to a major, and be accruing time that is valuable in the eyes of the majors.

Also, if you are young with no family, now is the perfect time to get that first year pay out of the way.

What would look better on your resume 5 years from now. Personally, I would want an additional 4000 hours of 121 jet time, with 1000 of that Captain of a jet for a passenger carrying airline.

In the end, base your decision on what works best for you.
 
It will be much harder to go back to regional FO pay once you start making captain pay, just about anywhere, except for Great Lakes and AMF. If your goal is a major, get into 121 ASAP.
 
Skybox said:
Yes, I have an aviation bachelor degree, I been flying the SD3 (as FO) for 2 years now, and was recently upgraded...
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With the degree already done, and the TPIC time coming in, all you need to do is network and make those connections to get some letters of recommendation! I don't think anyone would disagree. It doesn't have to be in a jet and you don't need to fly an RJ at a regional to get there.
 
cmhumphr said:
With the degree already done, and the TPIC time coming in, all you need to do is network and make those connections to get some letters of recommendation! I don't think anyone would disagree. It doesn't have to be in a jet and you don't need to fly an RJ at a regional to get there.
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To get where? He said his end goal is to get on with a major airline.
 
Boyington said:
To get where? He said his end goal is to get on with a major airline.
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Where he said he wants to go. It looks like you feel the standards are of such that that advice will not work, but it's different for just about everybody. Networking comes in handy. Sometimes, recruiters ask for 121 jet. Sometimes, they don't.
 
Well I'll give you my .02 for what it's worth... If your ultimate goal is 121 major/legacy then I would say go with a regional 121. I say this for several reasons, but the biggest reason is that whether you want to end up in 121 or 91/135, you need to gain experience to get the good jobs. Sure taking a job flying the turboprop and getting 300 hours p/year of TPIC is awesome, but TPIC in a King Air hasn't landed many people from the 91/135 world a job at a major airline. The only couple guys I know personally who made the jump from 135 to 121 were both in management positions, and both had former military time flying fighters. I know one guy who got an interview after 5000TPIC in an Excel but he received the thanks but no thanks letter. Build time now, to get a good job later. A job flying only 300 hours sounds great when you have been at this for 8 to 10 years and have over 4,000 hours. But at less than 2,000 bite the bullet and get the hours.
 
chrisreedrules said:
Well I'll give you my .02 for what it's worth... If your ultimate goal is 121 major/legacy then I would say go with a regional 121. I say this for several reasons, but the biggest reason is that whether you want to end up in 121 or 91/135, you need to gain experience to get the good jobs. Sure taking a job flying the turboprop and getting 300 hours p/year of TPIC is awesome, but TPIC in a King Air hasn't landed many people from the 91/135 world a job at a major airline. The only couple guys I know personally who made the jump from 135 to 121 were both in management positions, and both had former military time flying fighters. I know one guy who got an interview after 5000TPIC in an Excel but he received the thanks but no thanks letter. Build time now, to get a good job later. A job flying only 300 hours sounds great when you have been at this for 8 to 10 years and have over 4,000 hours. But at less than 2,000 bite the bullet and get the hours.
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As some others have written, it depends upon what you want to do. With a major airline being your goal, then a modern turbojet is probably something that you should set your sites on. All of your majors are looking for current time in modern, turbine, glass aircraft. I say turbine, as in several recent classes are some King Air 350 drivers, with some Wheels Up Captains getting calls.

Do subscribe to sites such as aviation interviews, as the information contained therein is invaluable. For instance, UAL is currently attracted to 34-38 year olds, with between 8000-9000 hours, currently flying regional jets. That's this month, next month the matrix may switch to all military. Good luck with whatever you choose.
 
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