Actually, I don't. I've heard conjecture, but that's not from you.
I have no preference on how one gets to 121, if that's their goal, as long as they can be a productive crew member and not deadweight. I've only been flying 121 and jets under 121 for 10 years, and I see stuff I've never seen before quite often.
As long as one has a good attitude and knowledge base (I can expound on if anyone really is interested in my opinion), I don't see where they can't be an asset in a cockpit. I've done enough training (giving and receiving) in the regionals to have seen the gamut of high time furloughees from US Airways as they have their first Captain checkout in 121, to guys sitting next to me in the EJet that never flew anything bigger than a Seneca, to pilots getting their first type rating and Captain checkout after a couple years and meeting the CBA minimums for upgrade (2500TT). Oddly enough, it fits the standard bell curve from my non-scientific sampling.
I will say however, there were several "academy" arrangements (and I leave it in quotes for a good reason), and the string of lesser desired qualities in many pilots from there, strongly point to common weaknesses in training from those schools.
I got stupidly lucky and got a 121 job only because that's the job I could get that actually paid a livable wage. My desire was to go to 135, but I couldn't find a job doing that.
I'm just curious if you followed your own advice or not.
Well, put simply. . .I left the military, completed civilian training, flight instructed for a period of time, and then was hired by an airline in early 2008.
If I could have done it over again, I don't really know what I would have changed, if anything. I'm happy with the outcome and progress, even if I am furloughed. I didn't have to uproot my family (again) for a job, I didn't have to commute, I didn't have to spend a couple months away from home for training - it was right down the road.
Now, in today's environment, I highly recommend to anyone - if they're going to even make this a career change - to continue to build their respective level of experience to Part 135 IFR minimums so that more employment opportunities - at least flying planes - can open up.
Much like you stated, Part 135 flying opportunities were also few and far between in the metro Atlanta area during the spring of 2007. Considering my wife's career, our current location, we were not moving again. My choices were simply an airline. An airline I could feel happy working for, preferably one locally (hence ASA) or had a base in Atlanta (so no commuting). If I had to commute, so be it. Commuting isn't really an option with the many Part 135 outfits I was evaluating.
Anyway - there you have it - in a nutshell.
Conclusion: I am recommending to anyone currently flight training or working as an instructor to continue to do that until they at least meet Part 135 IFR minimums. Not like they have too many "other" options out there right now anyway, but at least when the time comes they'll have many more doors opened to them. If they're single and don't care to move again, or a couple times in a year, then even better. For me and my family, at the time, going to a Part 135 operation would have provided a lower level of quality of life than going to a local 121 operation.
But, like I said, I'm still happy with the way everything happened. I've got a great new position that'll keep me busy, happy, and earning a decent living while I'm furloughed.
