Crazy Canuck

Also, Imapilot2 offers another good perspective! My GF is graduating from college in DC this May. I go to visit her and party with her friends and sometimes I wish I had given myself the college experience! I have no regrets as I was extremely career driven since the age of 16 when I started flying. But there is certainly something to be said for that.

The most important part of this career is don't play the "what if" game in the regionals. I went to SkyWest at a time when upgrades were 7 years and everyone was screaming at me to go elsewhere for the quick upgrade. Suddenly the upgrades dropped at OO and went up everywhere else. You just don't know what's going to happen. When you've exhausted logic, go with your gut, it's often where your heart is and the only thing that'll satisfy you in this career!

Marlin

I started this career at 21, got my ratings ,then a job at a commuter/ regional .
At this point I would go with a flow airline. There will always be piles and piles of apps for the majors to look thru. This forum is full of pilots that can check a lot of boxes on their app, yet don't get the call . Most folks start this career with a goal of being a 747 captain at a major, some will get there, a lot won't , thru no fault of their own. It's simply a numbers game. The real issue that needs to be addressed by airline managers is the career PATH. As of today....
1) get your ratings
2) build your hours
3) get hired by a regional
4)??????
The next step(4)needs to be more clearly defined to attract new pilots to this biz, it's just too expensive and time consuming to "maybe" get to the next / final step of your career path.
So, I would go with an airline that offers a flow, as it is the only guarantee of a job with a major, at least as much as any guarantee is worth in this crazy business.
Good luck
Joe

eaglefly

Amusing thread.

It starts off as someone (supposedly) unsure about a future career path and quickly morphs (as far too many threads do on this forum) into a pulpit for Envoy sales, including pre-emptive North Korea type rhetoric towards "Envoy haters" unsolicited.

I expect to see more threads like this, that being faux infomercials of supposedly "new guys" asking general career questions which are then hijacked by the team to become Envoy flow-thru threads complete with more of the same, including unsolicited H & I fire toward anyone questioning such. We're almost to the point the regional forum should simply be renamed "Envoy Infomercials". My guess is the next guy will be from the DFW area.

But, another opinion says get a Bachelors in something marketable as any number of things could require a temporary or permanent career diversion. This is a very cyclical industry and will stay that way. If you lose your medical, this career is over, so build a back-up ready to go. Chasing flow-thru's has proven to be a marginal payoff so far, so I'd put that at the bottom of the list, although still on the list. Advancement and marketability will offer the best ROI. Perhaps you'll get bored with airline flying and want to go Corporate ? A flow thru is worthless there. Acquire TANGIBLE qualifications while you can.

Eaglepilot84

Ahhhh there's eaglefly, I was wondering when you would join the party. Welcome!

Eaglefly is right, we're all envoy recruiters who conspired to create this infomercial thread!

eaglefly

Thank You.

But this statement just proves my point. Is it just a thread about a "22 year old seeking advice" (a NON Envoy thread open to anyone to give advice) or is it a "party"..........or more accurately an ENVOY party THROWN by.............you guessed it, certain Envoy pilots ?

Sure, this could be some innocent kid truly seeking advice, but.....

.........considering all the other tactics used, especially here and the "no holds barred" approach now under way by a core of you guys, such a tactic would be WELL within what is expected, especially since it has now essentially turned into an Envoy flow thread, I have serious doubt. Hey, sounds as if after just a few posts of bliss about Envoy, he's ready to roll, so chalk up a win then and enjoy ! If he hits the jackpot, great, but if he turns out to be just another Charlie Bucket, hopefully he'll accept the results of the risk he took. That is the goal...........to ensure a pilot is INFORMED about the pro's and cons and NOT JUST the pro's, which is your teams agenda.

Good luck, 22................hope it works out for you !

Eaglepilot84

Well in all fairness he began his post talking about envoy, so being that I'm a current pilot there, I felt it would be ok to chime in.

My honest opinion is that anybody who is choosing to come here is making a wise career decision, but again, that's just my opinion.

Jordan93

Get your 4 year degree and the rest of your ratings as cheaply as possible. I'm 22 also and starting class with Endeavor in a few weeks. Good luck!

Sliceback

Since college isn't required for a flow job I'd get my ratings and try to get a flow regional job at 19 or 20.

Even if it takes the dreaded 8-10 years you'd be 27-30 when, and if, the flow occurred.

Get a degree so that you can apply to all the airlines by 25-27. At that point you'd meet all the education and experience requirements.