RJ course or 100 hours?

killbilly said:
With all due respect, by asking for the former you will precisely get the latter.
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Yea, I didn't think about that, lol, but I'm sure you know what I mean. I think the question was vague. It's not about buying 100 hours. I have 50 multi and thats enough. It's that the minimums are 500/50 unless you have a RJ course. then it drops to 400/50. I have 411TT. The question is should I just instruct for a few more months and get the 90TT or drop the money, pay for the RJ, pick up 2 extra months of seniority and say to heck with instructing further. I do however greatly appreciate the responses so far! :rawk:
 
So, all of the people out there facing this decision...this doesn't stir up something in your gut telling you something is wrong here when they want you to go play in a sim instead of getting actual experience in, hmm, I don't know, maybe an airplane? I understand you feel you'll be more prepared...for the sim, sure. How about after the 2-3 months are up and now a Captain and 50-90 other people are depending on you to be an asset in the cockpit. Where in the RJ course does it show you day to day flying, be it a 150 or an RJ? Go get experience. You and your Captain will thank you for it later.;)
 
TheOneMarine said:
Yea, I didn't think about that, lol, but I'm sure you know what I mean. I think the question was vague. It's not about buying 100 hours. I have 50 multi and thats enough. It's that the minimums are 500/50 unless you have a RJ course. then it drops to 400/50. I have 411TT. The question is should I just instruct for a few more months and get the 90TT or drop the money, pay for the RJ, pick up 2 extra months of seniority and say to heck with instructing further. I do however greatly appreciate the responses so far! :rawk:
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In the end it is your choice. You will have more respect from your peers if you continue getting paid to fly rather then paying for a RJ course. There's a reason so many who are already flying for the airlines speak against the RJ course. Just remember, you may be flying with captains who needed 2,000 + hours just to get hired as a First Officer, try explaining to some of them that you decided to buy an RJ course so you wouldn't have to fly a whopping 90 more hours.
 
Yea, I think you're right on snuggle. Hell, I've sucked it up for damn near 200 hours, whats another 90 going to hurt. I'll just stick to it. Hope this thread at least helps someone else out as well.
 
TheOneMarine said:
Yea, I think you're right on snuggle. Hell, I've sucked it up for damn near 200 hours, whats another 90 going to hurt. I'll just stick to it. Hope this thread at least helps someone else out as well.
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It seems to be helping me understand that some people starting aviation careers may not enjoy flying planes. I must have been assuming too much before!

I think you'll make the right choice by flying as opposed to the RJ course. Besides -- if another 9/11 happened in the middle of the RJ course, it wouldn't do much good while the extra flying hours will always be in your logbook and if you make them fun hours flying to cool places then you'll have some good stories as well.
 
TheOneMarine said:
Yea, I think you're right on snuggle. Hell, I've sucked it up for damn near 200 hours, whats another 90 going to hurt. I'll just stick to it. Hope this thread at least helps someone else out as well.
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If I had the money burning a hole in my pocket where you are, I'd go rent a plane and get some serious practice in actual IMC doing holds and approaches and getting sharp on my IFR skills. Maybe see if a local CFI can put you through an "IFR boot camp" and really nail down those skills. Just a thought.
 
Don't waste your money on an RJ course. Get the flight time. If you get the flight time, other companies might be intrigued by you as well. Unless you're dead-set on ASA, more eggs in the basket has never been a bad thing...
 
I'll add my agreement to those who suggest flying the airplane for 90 hours.

Pick cross-country flights to primary class "B" airports. Fly at night. Fly in low-IFR and challenge yourself to fly, when possible, to approach minimums. See what it's like to miss the approach for real.

Get out there in the IFR system and make the hard decisions.

Why do you think regional Captains like flying with FOs who used to be freight dogs? Because THOSE guys were out there EVERY NIGHT in all kinds of weather making those tough decisions. The experience they acquired made them an asset in the cockpit.

A monkey can fly an RJ. Let them pay YOU to learn how to be a monkey.
 
Sorry(Please don't hurt me) but I have to wonder about this too. Though I heed the warnings of the experienced, except Joe because he is a Corporate Jet Jockey:buck:, I also wonder which would be better.

Is 90 more hours in a Cessna 152/172 really going to prepare me more to be a RJ pilot? I can telly you, after several 141 sim sessions, I would be more prepared with more 141 sim time to fly a 141 than I ever would 90 more hours in a Cessna. However, I have never attended an RJ course.

Because of the washout rates everyone is noting, including recruiters I met at JC, I personally want to do an RJ course. Again, from the little sim time do have, mostly as CRM (I didnt fly much), I know there is at least SOME value to simulator time, especially if the aircraft is drastically different (weenie 152 - Embraer XXX) than what you have been flying.
Not sure if I will, but I do want to. I am older than most and want to be as prepared for the IOE as possible. Washing out is not an option.
 
Get some experience flying in class B and C airspace. Once you get to a regional nearly every flight will go into class B. Try to land at the primary airport, if you go later at night you should be able to get in. Go to a controlled airport with a f'ed up layout where you can get some good taxi experience (Long Beach and Milwaukee come to mind). File IFR everywhere you go. Have another pilot with you and practice working as a crew. The airline you get hired by will teach you how to fly the sim with their procedures and callouts.
 
Let's think about this for a second:

90 hours x $60/hr (we'll assume cheapo 152) = $5400

It'll take you, what, 2 weeks to do that flying? And 2 months of instructing if you don't buy the time?

So you cut 6 weeks off of your class date, for $5400, assuming you immediately go into a class date (which is rare, figure another month of waiting).

6 weeks / $5400 = $900/week, or almost double what you'll be making as an FO at ASA. Plus you'll be out of $5400, not chump change.

Smart? Nope.

Enjoy instructing, use it to reach your goals, don't be a P---SY and wuss out going the easy route. 2 months is nothing. Plus, there is nothing saying you will A) Get hired and B) Pass training even if you go drop almost 6 grand.
 
Snuggle said:
When you get to the airlines, if that is your goal. You will then understand what everyone who is there right now is trying to say. Taking the RJ course does not make you a better FO. There's more to it then just taking a sim course. Real world experience beats taking a simulator course that you will get when you get to the airlines anyway.
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Has anyone here taken an RJ course? The guys I've heard speak about them all had positive things to say. I'm just curious if anyone here has any actual experience to back up these claims. If so, great - just wondering.
 
Murdoughnut said:
Has anyone here taken an RJ course? The guys I've heard speak about them all had positive things to say. I'm just curious if anyone here has any actual experience to back up these claims. If so, great - just wondering.
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I have never taken an RJ course but I am flying for a regional airline. Everyone who speaks against these RJ courses are also flying for regional airlines. Some of them even fly the CRJ or ERJ. If all of us are saying that the RJ course will not make you a better FO, believe us we have some experience in the field and know what we are talking about. We have actual experience in the 121 world which is where our claims come from.

BTW if you want some more actual experience to back up my claim... I've sat in a CRJ200 jumpseat and the new FO who had talked about how he took one of these courses was flying the leg. He was way behind the aircraft flying an approach into LGA. ATC told him to maintain a certain speed. Lets just say that if the captain didn't say anything, he would have landed at 180 knots when vref was closer to 145 - 150. He configured really late and ended up landing halfway down the field 50 feet to the right of the centerline. After the landing he was very confused and I could tell he had no idea where he went wrong. So as far as RJ courses making you a better FO, I call major BS on that one.
 
Me? I'd rather instruct a bit more than do the RJ course.

I'd a huge skeptic of job offers until I'm sitting in ground school on the payroll with a company ID.

Plus, why spend thousands of dollars on an RJ course when they can rescind the employment offer at any time for any reason? Figure (First Year Pay) - (Cost of RJ course) and that's your effective first year pay.

Worth avoiding a couple more months of flight instruction? Nah.

You're the customer, don't pay to do what their training department is supposed to do.
 
I don't!

I go to work with RJ drivers.

My kids play with their kids, we have 'em over for dinner. It's just like they're not even RJ drivers, they're different, you know? It's like they're more like Bill Cosby than they are Tupac Shakur, you know? RJ, widebody, narrowbody, turboprop, it don't make no difference. Gauge is only skin deep, ya know? Now if my daughter was going to marry one, that'd be a different story.

(I'm KIDDING folks, just adding a sprig of levity! :))
 
The only reason RJ courses exist is because the lower time guys wouldn't be able to make it through a 121 jet course in the allotted time. By doing an RJ course, you're admitting to everyone that you CAN NOT make it through the companies training without a little help.
 
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