TheRealQuixote

• 4yr Aviation degree from a well known University
• 5000hrs total time, 3000+ Turbine PIC, 1200+ 121 PIC (from 10 years ago)
• Experience in 91/135/121

I was told when I was younger getting into flying that the regional life was tough, and that potential Legacy airline recruiters would appreciate a diverse experience of flying...so that's what I pursued. I did some "regional" flying and got my PIC time and then went into the corporate world as I had received a unique opportunity to do plenty of jet flying with little hotel time. Jump ahead 10 years, and I'm flying 135 for a great outfit but I'm watching the majors turn the corner into hiring mode and relative job security (relative to this industry anyway).

im at a crossroads of feeling like I have a decent enough resume to have a shot at pursuing both a quality 91 gig or the majors (which I would enjoy either). I want to find a place to "hang my hat", my dream gig always being SWA.

My concern is that I'm not quite the desired resume for the Legacy carriers at the moment. Regional captains seem to have the upper hand by a long shot, though I'm routinely assured by my peers at SWA/Delta/American/United that I have a great shot with my experience/numbers. I know there are an abundance of threads on this type of topic now so I apologize...but for a guy with my credentials, in his mid 30s with a wife and kids, what do I do?

Do I hold out in hopes that my resume will make it through the system and earn me a call?
Do I pursue a LCC as another step towards a Legacy carrier? Go to a regional?

I have an offer to interview with a LCC, but I'm weighing my options. It's a significant pay cut, but I might really enjoy the place and I'm wondering if it wouldn't increase my marketability at a goal gig.

Any insight, advice, or encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

bedrock

As a current regional capt. with nearly 10K and over half that TPIC, I still haven't "got the call" despite going to a job fair and applying to all of them. However, this whole mainline hiring thing is supposedly just getting started and will expand over the next 15 yrs; I'm personally skeptical due to world economic conditions being very shaky.

You have to decide your priorities. Are you willing to take a payccut to start on the 121 course? How long? JB, and Virgin are now ALPA and the pay will probably continue to get better. So extra-legacy airlines aren't a bad deal. Of course, moving vs. commuting comes into the equation too. If you really love your current job, and the pay and QOL is amazing, stay and wait it out. If you can take the pay cut and reduction in QOL for a few years at this point in life, go with a LCC or what I call extra-legacy carrier. The major's are still trying to figure out how they can keep the regional racket going, so there is still uncertainty how they are going to proceed, supposedly some are buying E-190s; are those for mainline or regional? What will be the pay and how long would someone be stuck flying that thing?

Brokeasspot

Without taking the interview you sit right now with ZERO offers to fly 121. By taking the interview, you might get lucky and receive an offer. Make the decision once you get an offer. Otherwise you are in the same boat as the other 8,000-10,000 of us out here that are trying everyday to get "hired." From someone who has pretty much the same time and stats as you do, it's not as easy as sending a resume, and showing up for class. Over the last three years, I've been to 8 job fairs, told by 2 LCC's to expect a call, told by one that international corporate time wasn't what they were looking for, resigned a week ago from my return to 121 regional, start at another regional in a few days. Good luck, maybe you will be one of the few that fires off a resume and has a class date by Friday!!! Don't give up, I hope my post doesn't sound bitter, I'm not at all. I really love what I do and you have to make the most of it to keep your sanity in this world!!! Haha!!!

hindsight2020

I wouldn't trash QOL in your mid 30s over this. I'd stay put and see if the carriers worth taking the paycut for bite. Retirements apogee in the early portion of 2020s and like bedrock already alluded to, economic/political hiccups can put an early end to this hiring trend in no time. So you got time. Going to a regional is not a guarantee to help, but it will guarantee to suck on the money front.

If you don't get called by the time where it matters, oh well. Worse places to be in aviation than your current position. But I'm a QOL guy, and I'm not married to the idea of flying airliners for a living. Good luck to ya.

PotatoChip

According to the United VP of Flight Ops who I spoke with at the OBAP Career Fair, your numbers are exactly what they are looking for.
Update your app every two weeks, network for LORs and attend WIA or OBAP etc.