Regional Turboprop vs. turbojet PIC time

ColMustard

ColMustard

New Member
I have a good opportunity to pick up a job at a regional flying turboprops this summer, with a possible upgrade time of less than a year.

All of my fellow CFI's (with the exception of the two who want me to join them at their airline) advise me to wait for the jets, because the airlines look for that jet PIC time and the regional carrier I could go to only has turboprops.

I really want to fly with my two friends at the turboprop regional, but I have only been instructing since Jan., I just passed 500 total (just under 200 dual), and I have about 80 multi and instrument time.

Any thoughts on the smart career move: take the opportunity I have now, and risk the possibility of not being as desirable a candidate when it comes time to apply to the majors, or wait for the jets?

I'm really torn on this one, any thoughts would be appreciated

ColM
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I'm not sure I can help too much with your dilemma. I'd say wait out the job you want most, and don't go chasing PIC time. First of all, who knows where any of these jobs will be in five years. I'd go with the job where you'll be happy for the next 5-8 years, because at least for me, I think it will take at least that long for the airlines to "right" themselves in this total upheaval.

That said, when you say "chance of upgrade in less than a year", I'd look realistically at your flight time and look forward to a year from now. I'd chance to say you won't have ATP mins in a year, let alone less than that. I got hired at an airline with a little less time than you, and now after two years of flying I'm just reaching ATP mins. Of course I had two ground schools in there, not just one.

PIC is PIC, however you look at it. But I've become an avid believer in "learning" and "growing" as a pilot, combined with constant career movement. Yes, you need to worry about making money, good benefits, and of course free time. But I wouldn't go hard charging for those things, completely disregarding learning and growing as a pilot. Sure, get the turboprop job for a while as a next step. But stay open to the idea of moving forward again to get that jet time, and that jet PIC time. It will do you well in the long run to have that experience. Just my personal opinion though, based on my own experience.
 
>because the airlines look for that jet PIC time

Are you sure about that? I think pic turbine time is what they are looking for.
 
I say take the regional job. At 500 hours and 80 multi, you're not going to get picked up at any other regional. well maybe asa, when you hit 600. Most regionals want 1000 tt. So if you take the regional job now, once you have 1000tt, you will have 580 multi and 500 turbine. thats much better time than 1000tt 200 multi all in a recip, had you stayed and instructed. The first regional job is the hardest toget. Once you get on with an airline its relatively easy to jump from one regional to another.
 
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All of my fellow CFI's (with the exception of the two who want me to join them at their airline) advise me to wait for the jets, because the airlines look for that jet PIC time and the regional carrier I could go to only has turboprops.

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They're all (except the two at the airline) full of it. Most airlines want PIC turbine, turboprop qualifies.
 
If it's a good opportunity and you don't have another option on the table take the job. Why would you pass up turbine time in a 121 environment to continue instructing if a 121 job is your goal?
 
I would say skip the regionals.There are better place to build time with faster upgrades and better pay.And blee what is rivertucky?
 
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And blee what is rivertucky?

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Riverside, Calif., part of the oh-so-lovely "Inland Empire"--the eastern end of the L.A. basin--and my birthplace, incidentally.
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Yeah that is what I thought.Riverside has gotten pretty bad but Temecula and Corona are nice and within driving distance.
 
Take the job! You are crazy to wait. There are several reasons. First, if you have the opportunity to get on with a regional with your times you should take it. Second, if they are hiring now, and you have a chance, what makes you think they will be hiring later and what makes you think they will be hiring direct to the jet? At SKW, if you didn't have turbine time, you didn't go to the jet, period. My EMB-120 class was willed with CFI's, some who had well over 2000hrs. Third, if you think that going to the jet is better then you don't understand what happens at an airline. The first thing you want is a seniority date. The quicker you get one the better. If you wait and someone you know goes on today, and goes into the turboprop, they will out bid you for your whole career, and that includes upgrades and domicile changes and even getting home on that commute too.

Here's my take on my current position: I was hired with the mins for SKW. My class was 30 people, 20 in the RJ and 10 in the Bro. I am done with training and start getting paid as of this week. My RJ collegues, they are just finishing with systems and getting ready for sim training and there looks to be a one to two week backlog to get sim time. I make the same pay as the RJ guys for the next year. All of us will sit reserve right away. I got FAT, along with the rest of my class but I will be able to get SLC (home) in one month. The RJ guys will sit reserve for perhaps the entire year and some in not so desirable locations too. I will be home and it looks like i will hold a line within a month of getting back to SLC. They will not hold lines for quite awhile. I make 80hrs month guarantee, they make 75hrs. In one year from now I will bid to go to the RJ and I will be paid for the training. I was sixth in my class for seniority so in one year, I will be ahead of almost all the guys/gals I was hired with flying the same plane and maybe not having to sit reserve for that long.

I hope that makes sense and if it doesn't, I will tell you a huge percentage of the RJ guys in my class told me they wished they were flying the Bro this year. It is real flying, not all autopilot.
 
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Take the job! You are crazy to wait. There are several reasons. First, if you have the opportunity to get on with a regional with your times you should take it. Second, if they are hiring now, and you have a chance, what makes you think they will be hiring later and what makes you think they will be hiring direct to the jet? At SKW, if you didn't have turbine time, you didn't go to the jet, period. My EMB-120 class was willed with CFI's, some who had well over 2000hrs. Third, if you think that going to the jet is better then you don't understand what happens at an airline. The first thing you want is a seniority date. The quicker you get one the better. If you wait and someone you know goes on today, and goes into the turboprop, they will out bid you for your whole career, and that includes upgrades and domicile changes and even getting home on that commute too.

Here's my take on my current position: I was hired with the mins for SKW. My class was 30 people, 20 in the RJ and 10 in the Bro. I am done with training and start getting paid as of this week. My RJ collegues, they are just finishing with systems and getting ready for sim training and there looks to be a one to two week backlog to get sim time. I make the same pay as the RJ guys for the next year. All of us will sit reserve right away. I got FAT, along with the rest of my class but I will be able to get SLC (home) in one month. The RJ guys will sit reserve for perhaps the entire year and some in not so desirable locations too. I will be home and it looks like i will hold a line within a month of getting back to SLC. They will not hold lines for quite awhile. I make 80hrs month guarantee, they make 75hrs. In one year from now I will bid to go to the RJ and I will be paid for the training. I was sixth in my class for seniority so in one year, I will be ahead of almost all the guys/gals I was hired with flying the same plane and maybe not having to sit reserve for that long.

I hope that makes sense and if it doesn't, I will tell you a huge percentage of the RJ guys in my class told me they wished they were flying the Bro this year. It is real flying, not all autopilot.

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Dude, FAT is way better than SLC. Much more flying variety. Welcome aboard!
 
WILL THE TURBOPROP OPPORTUNITY MAKE YOU SIGN AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT? MEANING IF YOU LEAVE WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, WOULD YOU HAVE TO PAY A LOT OF $$?

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Anybody know what its like to live in Fresno.

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Well Fresno is considered the armpit of california.
 
So "Ophir", you're saying your EMB-120 "Bro" airplane does not have an autopilot?

Are you also saying SkyWest's new RJ pilots are sitting reserve for one year?

Interesting...
 
I never said anything about an autopilot. The bro has one.


I think the new RJ guys will sit reserve and the senior bases for about a year, yes.


Why is that interesting?
 
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WILL THE TURBOPROP OPPORTUNITY MAKE YOU SIGN AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT? MEANING IF YOU LEAVE WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, WOULD YOU HAVE TO PAY A LOT OF $$?

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No.

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Well Fresno is considered the armpit of california.

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By those who don't live here. It's not bad, 'cept for the heat.

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Are you also saying SkyWest's new RJ pilots are sitting reserve for one year?

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It all depends on what base you go to. Go to a senior base (at any airline) and you're probably going to be on reserve for awhile. Bro pilots in San Diego or Portland will probably find themselves on reserve for quite awhile. It's not specific to an airplane type or a company.
 
ColMustard:

I think you can't go wrong flying the turboprops now. You're going to have so much fun and its going to open up all sorts of opportunities for you. I basically did the same thing. Instructed, flew the 1900D for 6 months, then got hired into the CRJ by SKYW (only sat reserve for two months) and now have 14 days off and overnighting this month in Santa Barbara, San Diego and El Paso. Upgrade is right around the corner. Just don't sign an employment contract with the turboprop operator. Have fun!!
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Great advice everyone!!

Ironically enough I recently flew with an Alaska pilot for a 205 familiarization, and he told me the same thing, they are looking for that Turbine PIC time (not neccessarily Jet time).

TIme to get busy on the resume, and get finished with my CFII and MEI (or perhaps just the CFII).

Anyway, thanks again for the advice, and besides, I will still have two buddies with SKW while working for the regional, the more options the better right?!!!

-ColM
 
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