Value of time

EatSleepFly

EatSleepFly

Well-Known Member
Here's a non-airliners.net-ish post for those of you so inclined to ponder and comment on. Beware, it's long.
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Suppose for a moment that I was weighing getting out of this freight thing for QOL and location reasons. Suppose further that I might perhaps reconsider my choice to stay away from the regionals. I haven't really flown anything with two engines in 6-7 months or so, but I meet or exceed the multi requirements for most regionals and easily exceed the total time mins. Would I have a shot at getting hired with 400 hours flown in the last six months, all of it being single-turbine, single pilot, and a bunch of night/hard IFR?

Here's the story behind my questions...because I'm sure some of you are wondering who this is, and what has he done with the old EatSleepFly.
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I'm really lost in terms of my career. There are some days when I just want to walk away, but I don't know of anything else I'd rather do. I like freight, but they work us to the bone. I've had some duty days lately that are completely out of hand dangerous in terms of fatigue. I get one day completely off a week if I'm lucky, other than that I'm either sleeping, flying, or on call within 20 min. of the airport which is in the middle of nowhere. While the money is good, I would happily give up some for a better schedule and some semblance of a life.

I got struck by lightning the other morning (well, I didn't...the plane did)...and it was like it powered up a lightbulb inside my tiny brain. I mean, WTF am I doing flying around in a single engine airplane (albeit a turbine, but still just one spinny thing) all hours of the night, in all kinds of weather, for not much more than a regional F/O makes- zero time off, little room for advancement into anything much bigger. Not to mention the dangers of constant fatigue and the financial problems inherent with the ups and downs of the on-demand business. A very experienced major airline pilot friend (who has an incredibly impressive resume for his age), who's opinion I value highly, seems to think that I'm stark raving mad and need to get myself to an airline in short order. I'm left wondering if he's not right.

I think my past bad experience with a certain regional really jaded my view of this career as a whole. Not a day goes by that I don't regret my decision to deliver that resignation letter- not because I wish I was still there (believe me, I don't), but because I feel like a loser for quitting (under the guise of personal reasons because I didn't want to be based where I was) just because I got into a little jam that wasn't going to result in anything more than a "missed assignment" and a come to jesus talk with the director of training. It's been almost a year and it still keeps me up at night sometimes (when I'm not up already, that is).

I wouldn't trade my freight experience of the last 6 months for anything. It's made me 10x the pilot I was in many ways. But I think maybe I've come to the realization that I've been lying to myself for the past 10 months telling myself that I don't want to fly for an airline. It seems like the fact that I screwed up once chance at it already makes me want it even more. All I can remember is how happy I was to get a class date, how bittersweet it felt to get a base I truely didn't want, and yet how disappointed I was to lose it all (or rather give it all up) right at the very end.

So up comes my original question about my lack of recent multi time. Hypothetically of course, if I were to send out some resumes/apps, this time I'd only apply at regionals that I would want to work for and that don't have any bases that I absolutely don't want. My biggest concern is- will anyone hire someone with as screwed up a story as mine? What say the wise people of Jetcareers?

Specifically, my target airlines are...er, would hypothetically be:

CHQ (probably #1 choice for a variety of reasons)
PSA
ASA
Possibly Comair
Possibly SkyWest, though I don't know if I can swing not getting paid during training.
Not too sure about Pinnacle, already been turned down by Mesaba awhile back- not really interested in reapplying.
Mesa, XJT, Colgan, PDT, Wisconsin, CommutAir, Lakes, and a few others are completely out of the question for various reasons- don't ask, they just are- not trying to start an airline vs. airline debate.

Any ideas which ones are most or least likely to overlook lack of recent multi time, and look favorably upon freight experience?

Thanks for reading!
 
I don't think you're out of the picture by not having current multi time. I wasn't specifically asked how much recent multi time I had during my interview at skywest. He looked at my logbook and I'm sure he figured that out for himself. Regional QOL may or may not be what your looking for. There are some advantages though. During transition this month, I had 7 days off in a row
 
A friend of mine applied to Chautauqua and got a call 3 days after submitting his online app. He was a current freight dawg. I'd guess they'll call you almost immediately!

And when you get there, tell them I've been applying since 2/2005...and exceed the 170 mins...and to call me sometime!
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~wheelsup

P.S. Forgot to mention he had less multi then me. They don't even ask for recency of experience.
 
if it's what you want to do, the only way to find out is to send out the resumes and wait for a call. Would you prefer corporate or airline flying?

If I was on a hiring board I would much prefer a 135 freight pilot with turbine time over your 1000hr (or 600hr!) cfi.
 
Buddy, APPLY APPLY APPLY APPLY! Don't worry about 'recent lack of multi-time'. Take the time you learned flying freight and use it to your advantage, and apply for the regionals. If at first you don't succeed try try again. So what things didn't go well at the other regional? You learned from that didn't you? Use that to your advantage! STOP BEATING YOURSELF UP OVER IT! Life is to short to look back and say could have, should have, would have. Its in the past. Look to your future. You know what you want to do. So do it!
 
I'm going to give a typical SteveC post and completely ignore the questions that you've asked, and ask a question of my own: Do you have a final destination in mind? Major airline / corporate / Alaska bush?

Maybe if you have a clear idea of where you want to go, it is a little easier to plot your route to get there?
 
There was a freight dog in my class who was flying the same equipment as you. I dont think he had any problems. I know ASA requires 100 hours in the past 6 months, but I don't think it needs to me multi-engine. Good luck with you decision, if you have any questions specifically about ASA, you know my number.

See ya around buddy!
 
If QOL is your priority then I'd not apply to Champion. I talked to someone who flies there right now and he is going backwards, from FO to FE after a few years. There's other stuff too, like going on a four day charter with just a couple of hours of pay for the flights.
 
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Here's the story behind my questions...because I'm sure some of you are wondering who this is, and what has he done with the old EatSleepFly.

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Who the hell are you, and what have you done with ESF?

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I got struck by lightning the other morning (well, I didn't...the plane did)...and it was like it powered up a lightbulb inside my tiny brain. I mean, WTF am I doing flying around in a single engine airplane (albeit a turbine, but still just one spinny thing) all hours of the night, in all kinds of weather, for not much more than a regional F/O makes- zero time off, little room for advancement into anything much bigger. Not to mention the dangers of constant fatigue and the financial problems inherent with the ups and downs of the on-demand business.

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ESF, this is the fun of it!!!! The constant being "on the edge"
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I'm saddened. Of all the youngin's here, you were the one I wanted to bring up as my own.......too live the danger, to love the danger, to meet the challenge. You had the MikeD jr persona going with the single pilot ops, the desire to engage in battle with the gods of WX, the "no fear" attitude personified by the willingness to kick the devil in the ass when his back was turned, the utter disgust for the regionals............

You were the chosen one, young ESF. The future Arbiter and leader if men. Now you find conflict within, created by the darkside of the regionals.....

I'm saddened.....

Don't go to the darkside
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MikeD- I figured you'd say something along those lines.
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Thing is, I don't necessarily want to go to a regional and yes, am a little ashamed that I've even considered it. It's just that I look at my friends at airlines, and they have better schedules, better benefits, travel benefits, etc. They're also building multiengine jet time, while I'm building single engine time and working twice as hard for a little more money but a much worse QOL.

I love flying freight. I love flying single-pilot. Hell, I don't even mind the night and wierd schedule and being on call. I don't like being abused like we are (3 hour tail-end ferry after a 14 hour duty day and 8 hours of flying type of abuse). I also don't like having nothing to look forward to in terms of a couple consecutive days off away from the pager once in awhile.

Like I've told some people on here and some of my friends- I would absolutely love flying freight in a Metro, MU2 or some other such aircraft single pilot. I have some perverse attraction to someday mastering something that is well known to be a handful and a half. But alas I am stuck in a Caravan with no way to meet the multi. insurance requirements needed to move on to anything bigger. It's been a great plane to cut my teeth in the freight world in terms of making decisions, dealing with wx, etc., but holy hell it's just not really a challenging aircraft to fly.

I've considered Ameriflight, I just wish they had more ops on the east coast, because I'm not too sure of the idea of moving out west. Maybe I just need to suck it up, get hired there, and get E_Dawg to get me rockin' in the PA31. Then work up to the -99's and Metros.

I don't know. Like I said, I'm lost. But at least I'm lost while still gainfully employed and flying a lot... even if it is in a giant 182.

Then again, maybe I'm just a Sally who's never satisfied with anything.
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It's quite possible that I could wake up tomorrow, read my first post, and say, "WTF was I thinking?!" Either way, feel free to talk me away from "the darkside." Deep down, I don't think I want to go there- I just want to improve upon my quality of life a little bit and the regionals seemed like an easy way to do it.

Maybe I should just get my head examined.
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[ QUOTE ]

It's quite possible that I could wake up tomorrow, read my first post, and say, "WTF was I thinking?!"

Maybe I should get my head examined.
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Well, you have valid points and concerns. With a regional, life will be tough at first as you well know. But many of them are growing at interesting rates, and the chance to get on with a good one, and move into some good equipment, is definately there. If only the regional guys got what they truly deserve pay and QOL-wise, would that be the icing on the cake.

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CHQ (probably #1 choice for a variety of reasons)
PSA
ASA
Possibly Comair
Possibly SkyWest, though I don't know if I can swing not getting paid during training.
Not too sure about Pinnacle, already been turned down by Mesaba awhile back- not really interested in reapplying.
Mesa, XJT, Colgan, PDT, Wisconsin, CommutAir, Lakes, and a few others are completely out of the question for various reasons don't ask, they just are- not trying to start an airline vs. airline debate.

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Does the bold part include Freedom?
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Mesa or Freedom...if you were gunning for that place, I'd have to come over to where you're living and take you out with extreme prejudice......for your own good.
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I'm right there with you on the west coast thing. I can't stand it - I've been on the east coast for 23 out of the 24 years of my life, and liked the armpit of the nation (NJ) better than this *&%# hole.

I think the freight guys generally work more than the regional guys (at the better regionals). They make more $$, however INITALLY. You're doing on-demand stuff, living on a pager, that's pretty much the worst QOL of any job in aviation. A real good friend of mine left a 135 charter gig flying PIC in a C90 and right seat in a LR35 for expressjet, and he LOVES it. Took a pay hit intially, but in the long term he'll be working 1/2 as much for MUCH more top-end pay and benies.

~wheelsup

EDIT: Why won't people just let the freedom thing die? I'm not trying to defend WHAT THEY DID, but it's over and done with...jeez. They're all under MAG's master seniority list now...
 
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EDIT: Why won't people just let the freedom thing die? I'm not trying to defend WHAT THEY DID, but it's over and done with...jeez. They're all under MAG's master seniority list now...

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Because it's funny.
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Because people should never forget the folks who helped JO lower the bar for the Mesa pilots. Same reason we don't forget scabs.
 
"I've considered Ameriflight"

My friend at Amflight just checked out on the B99 after six months with the company. Takes a year to get to the Metro but you gotta be willing to live in the right place. 40K is a figure that sticks in my head for Metro Capts but not sure how long it takes to get there.
 
Ameriflight would be a dream job for me. It also helps that their HQ is down the street (KBUR). ESF, moving to the west coast is hardly a bad thing. For the right company I would move wherever they wanted.

Does anyone know how hard it is to progress from something like the Lance to a multi once you are hired? This is assumming having mostly single time as a flight instructor for a year or two before applying to them. I also am curious how hard it is to get your foot in the door. I wish there was a flight school I could work at at BUR after I get my CFI... it would be create to make some contacts there.
 
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