Regional Today, ULLC Tomorrow
- Thread starter 86BravoPapa
- Start date
drunkenbeagle
Gang Member
As the eternal pessimist, this is hard for me to write. But demographics dictate things will probably be okay for a while still. (caveat - I promise management will claim otherwise whenever it comes to money). Reality - we are still kind of young, the baby boomers aren't.
JDean3204
Well-Known Member
I simply haven't seen the results you're talking about. A year at a regional to show up on property? I've run into some guys that spent 2-3 years at a regional, but they weren't around much since they were flying planes around with the guard at the same time. Otherwise, most my friends are line check airmen at regionals, or captains with thousands of hours, and they're waiting on a class date where I work.
Are things amazing right now? Yes, they are. I'm going to upgrade after 3 years. I've gained 10% on the seniority list every year. This is amazing, I don't disagree with that.
But it's not a year at a regional and then showing up at a LCC amazing.
That being said, I'll be flying with the new kids this summer, so I'll let you know what experience levels I run into.
Also, expect things to start to suck sooner rather than later. I (don't) hate to be debbie downer, but at some point this ride is going to come to an end. I hope we've all got amazing jobs and United doesn't furlough 2,000 pilots. Again.
Almost 35,000 pilots retire in the next 12 years. A lot of flying will have to disappear for that music to stop.
Box hauler
Well-Known Member
yeah....... no
jtrain609
Antisocial Monster
First, this has been said before.
Second, retirements are no guarantee of seniority progression.
broncoav8r
Well-Known Member
They just reduce the chances you get furloughed when management wants to shrink the operation...
jynxyjoe
Queso King
Stop making sense.
adk
Steals Hotel Toilet Paper
@86BravoPapa you need more flight time.
Repeat after me: Fliiiiiiight Tiiiiime.
The vast majority of pilots who are hired at any carrier where paycheck matches the paint job have at least several thousand hours. You currently have fewer than 1,500. 121 PIC would be most beneficial. We can debate all day over 121 jet SIC vs. 135 tprop PIC but again I’m going to guess that you don’t do that many annual hours at your current job.
The reason you’re getting so many snarky answers is that you’re basically asking the 200-level version of “how do I get my hours without doing the CFI thing?”
Atlas might consider you soon. You’ll make less than an RJ FO and add fewer hours to your logbook. The fact remains that the vast majority of pilots hired at career gigs came from regional airlines. Pick your poison.
Repeat after me: Fliiiiiiight Tiiiiime.
The vast majority of pilots who are hired at any carrier where paycheck matches the paint job have at least several thousand hours. You currently have fewer than 1,500. 121 PIC would be most beneficial. We can debate all day over 121 jet SIC vs. 135 tprop PIC but again I’m going to guess that you don’t do that many annual hours at your current job.
The reason you’re getting so many snarky answers is that you’re basically asking the 200-level version of “how do I get my hours without doing the CFI thing?”
Atlas might consider you soon. You’ll make less than an RJ FO and add fewer hours to your logbook. The fact remains that the vast majority of pilots hired at career gigs came from regional airlines. Pick your poison.
jynxyjoe
Queso King
I may have lost my marbles but it sounded like he had some 135 time, and might be trying to fill in some airline SIC time then hed have 2 or so thousand TT with some PIC from 135 and a year of 121 time.
Also Fast Forward a year or so when six airlines grab 5 or so thousand pilots out of the market. Am i missing a HUGE piece? Keep in mind im old and slow.
Dexter
Hop off there, Blonde Ambition Tour
Don’t know what to tell you other than it happened.
86BravoPapa
Well-Known Member
No, you got the gist of it. I'm not trying to find shortcuts and I expect to be at a regional at least a few years, even after upgrading. If I'm able to move on quicker, great, but it's not what I'm planning for.
The ULLC scenario came up because my company has a bit of a hybrid opportunity with one or two...basically something between a flow agreement and DGI, is the best way I can describe it.
The biggest factors are: trying to go the ULCC route means staying in 135 another year (so delaying building 121 time), being stuck at a 135 if the music stops for whatever reason between now and when I could be elgible to go for the ULCC opportunity.
I do appreciate the responses.
jynxyjoe
Queso King
Dont think too hard about it. They either realize what you said finally and moved on or theyll have some large explination how what you didnt even say is wrong. Then you find out what they thought you said, and you can apologize and correct as needed.
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jtrain609
Antisocial Monster
100%, it's always cheaper to shrink from the top.
mastermags
Well-Known Member *giggity*
No one has mentioned the most important thing about getting hired. It’s all about who you know.
CoffeeIcePapers
Well-Hung Member
Yeah. I had like 4500TT and 1300 TPIC from 135 and couldn't get a call from a LCC. Went to a regional who hired me immediately. 2 years and 1000 hours of 121 time, still can't get a call from anyone.
jynxyjoe
Queso King
I get it, but at SouthernjetsInternational there was a pilot who looked like me at 26 with two years of regional work and very little else in a del-southernjets newhire class. Now hes probably a legacy or CP son but i look at the DOB and DOH here and i realize there aint no formula. They cant all be the CP's son.
Ive said often, if i had to go back and change a thing or two inwould have gone to compass and flowed, left seat of 737 nyc or mad dog in atl today.
Ayork62493
GBR
Instead of flying 135 cargo and instructing while I was 19 and getting my degree I would go back and try to be an intern. Silly me for thinking experience mattered!
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jynxyjoe
Queso King
Dude, i had almost 10k hours when i got hired. HR apparently isnt impressed by experience. It isnt pilots hiring pilots or this seniority list would look a lot different.
jtrain609
Antisocial Monster
I know a 23 year old who went to delta after two years at a regional, and his background makes us all look like a bunch of hacks.
nibake
Powder hound
2200TT for me. No need to update the logbook anymore (mostly kidding).
Come to SY. From this lofty perch you can look down your nose at all those lowly regional pawns. Nevermind being the lowest of the LCC's, that's not important right now, hehe.
@86BravoPapa I think we have talked before. All joking aside, keep your nose clean and you will be in a good position. Many LCC's are still tough to get into, we are not. Weird coincidence, right? Stay were you are and try in a year or two or go to a regional ASAP, neither is a bad move, per se.
Do know that if you are going to try to skip ahead in the line you should probably have something up your sleeve. Degree? With the amount of money most LCC's are paying, there are still a lot of applicants. You are going to be among guys and girls who have 121 jet time, albeit SIC only. What will make you stand out? And more importantly, would you be prepared to make the jump from a twin turbo-prop to flying bigger jets under 121? Do you do well in the training environment? (You don't have to answer these questions here, of course!)