What would you do?

Soonermurph

New Member
If you are an older instructor (say 37ish) would you jump at the first regional job that you are offered or do you wait for the time when you meet the mins for your dream regional job?
 
I am not a professional pilot or trying to be one. But with all I hear about the industry form this board and the folks at the airport I would say with all due respect to you that that question falls under the “Bird in the hand” category.
 
I would never turn down a solid upward move. Take the first one you can get. When/If you have a chance to interview for your dream airline, go for it. Then, if they offer you a job, you'll have a choice to make. If things don't work out for your dream airline or you change your mind on what your dream airline is, at least you'll have a job where you are getting good time. A new contract or a new crew base could change an average job into a good job.
 
If you're happy instructing then keep instructing. However, you'll get much more valuable time by taking the regional job even if it's not the one you want to stay with.
 
Are you happy instructing?
Are you getting by budget wise?
Has the job been offered to you?
If there is an offer on the table and the company seems fine, then I woudl say go for it?
You don't know wwhat tomorrow will bring?
If you have the mins for your dream regional, I am sure many others do as well.
 
Well, seeing as I'll be 39 when I START instructing, let me interject my opinion:

NEVER turn down an opportunity (and almost everything that DE727UPS said)!

When I set out on this endeavor, the airlines were THE goal for me. However, after being around several pilots and looking into other avenues of aviation, I'm also GREATLY interested in the coporate side of things, so when I start meeting Part 135 mins, I'll start applying to:

The Regionals
Charter
Small freight (like AirNet)
Flying dog poop out of North Dakota

ANYTHING to get me into a paid multi-engine and/or turbine time (read: Caravan) flying position.

Then, I'll see where that leads me. My goal is to be sitting right seat in some sort of jet by the age of 45.

At any rate - to answer your question - yes, if a regional airline with whom I interviewed offered me a slot - but was not my "dream regional", I'd accept.

Just one man's opinion.

R2F
 
I'm just concerned about signing an 18 month training contract when I could be qualified for the airline I want to fly for in about four months. Then again, a regional is a regional.
 
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Flying dog poop out of North Dakota

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ready2fly,

We actually just started to carry passengers in and out of ND by air in these old DC-3s, right next to the cow [expletive deleted].

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ANYTHING to get me into a paid multi-engine and/or turbine time (read: Caravan) flying position.

R2F

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Oddly enough, the Caravan jobs seem to require more TT than some of the multi jobs, at least the ones I've come across; the exception being my last cargo job where I was dual-qualed in the Chieftain and the Caravan, then moved from Chieftains to the SA-227 and Caravan. Wasn't a bad gig out of PHX.
 
Yeah, most of the places I've checked into that fly Caravans require a LOT more than the Part 135 mins to get on board.

But, hey - when you get back to the states, drop me a PM with the phone number to that place in Pheonix and I'll drop them my resume when I get to that point.
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Look at it from the otherside... Is your dream regional job likely in four months or just a lot of hoping. How long does it take to get an interview there? How long from interview to class date? Do you have an in or connection there, a real one not just a FO that will walk your resume in? Who will you be competing against, ie rehires, furloughed UAL guys, etc? And will they still be hiring in four months? Can you defer a class date after being hired? I am guessing 9 to 12 months to class plus the 4 months till you meet the mins, that is almost the 18 months there. I would also guess the training contract is prorated and as well it might not be enforced or enforcable. If you want to name the companies, specific insight from those who are there might help. Good luck.
 
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If you are an older instructor (say 37ish) would you jump at the first regional job that you are offered or do you wait for the time when you meet the mins for your dream regional job?

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Jump at the first job.

I wanted to work for WestAir back in 1996 because Fresno was a junior base and I could sponge off the folks at home in Tulare.

But I got a job at Skyway and moved to Wisconsin during one of the worst winters in years.

Here's the kicker, if you wait until you're qualified for your dream regional, what's the guarantee that they'll even want to hire you?
 
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But I got a job at Skyway and moved to Wisconsin during one of the worst winters in years.
Here's the kicker....

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That's where I *thought* you were going to say something about meeting the love of your life. You know, your *first* wife......


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(JK - my dad still introduces my mom as his "first wife", and they've been married for something like 47 years now...)
 
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