Will I make it? (1500hr consideration)

[Rotor2Wing]

Someone summed it up in one sentence. "A part 121 FO hired on or before August 1, 2013 shall not comply with the provisions of HR5900" - I bet someone like this will come to fruitation. Lot's of my buddies at the regionals now are saying there's lots of talk about where the pilots will come from after HR5900 kicks in. Put in a grandfather, drop the mins to 250/multi and hire as many as you can. Is it smart? Who knows. Has it happend before? Yep. Will management do this if allowed? You bet.

Thats exactly what I think will happen too. Give it a few months and we will find out this Fall.

I have heard the quite opposite from a source at Air Wisconsin, in that they are continually raising their mins each hiring cycle so they don't have to worry about grandfathering anyone if it comes down to it. Basically was told as the date closes in, the mins go up and will not hire anyone without ATP mins.

Sure that is the plan for now but you can bet the farm that regionals will do just what USN88 said above if a grandfather is put into the law.

 

[ZL340B]

Thanks for the advice fellas. Leaves plenty for thinking it out the next few weeks.

Just to clear things up, I was hoping to be at a number where I would be considered by the regionals prior to the rule kicking in; e.g. 700+ before August.

 

[Tommay85]

As someone that flight instructed at a pilot factory(UND), you will only average 60-70 hours of flight time a month, if you want any kind of life. I tried VERY hard to do more during the long summer months when the weather is good even. The most I did for one month was 110 of flight time, and it was hell. You will get burned out, fatigued and start hating. To do 8 hours in a day, you'd have to do at least 12 hours duty time to include very rushed pre/post briefings with your student, no lunch break either. More realistically, you'll be doing 14 to the maximum allowed 16 hours.

As others have said, you're still young. Trust me, I had the same drive you did and I wasted SO much of my 20s trying to build time. It isn't worth it when you look back. You'll find that when you "make it" that it wasn't worth all the sacrifice. As a 21 year old, the ONLY thing on your mind should be how you are going to plow as many girls as possible. After that, hanging with your friends, drinking beer, school and flying. In that order. When it comes to getting ahead or even just "making it", girlfriends and networking will destroy grades and flight time every time.

 

[HVYMETALDRVR]

Your probably going to miss the 1500hr rule and if you instruct full time you'll probably hit 1500 around November 2013... But getting hiring by a regional at 23 is far from behind the curve.

Also just to point out (because I worked there) ATP instructors fly the gambit of 70-80 to 240 (the legal maximum) in a month. I have seen it... I never had the motivation to get that crazy though it does happen. Locations like BWG and PDK its going to be a little more lean, but DAB, PHX, FXE.. the flying is there.

But like others above me have said, enjoy life first... the flying will come. Work hard play hard.

Good luck whatever you decide!

 

[Dphoenix]

Speaking as a current CFI with about ~300 hours TT, I don't think *I'm* going to make it to 1500 before Aug 1st 2013 and I'm way ahead of you. I am at a big, big flight school and should be getting 100/mo but I still only got 18 hrs this first month with training and waiting to be paired up with students, mx problems, weather cancels and everything. (I figure I'll get 100 next month..) The good news is, mins are mostly going up to 1500 hours already just about everywhere worth working, so it's a pretty moot point - I'll need 1500 to get hired somewhere one way or the other...

 

[EIR]

Walmart greater...Oh, wait, Walmart axed those a few months back.