JustAMushroom

Do yourself a favor and skip the CRJ type rating. Save yourself A LOT of money. Your better off studying the Jepps and AIM in and out.

I do fly for SKYW and can tell you from experience that they (hiring) care about instrument skills and knowledge as well as stick and rudder skills way more than equipment. A guy who can describe the prop on a Dutchess in and out will get hired over a right seat Citation guy who cant describe the engines EVERY TIME!

Yes, you'll probably never do the "turn time twist talk etc" of C172 instrument flying but it is important to everyone you fly with that you know that stuff. You WILL be a$$-n-elbows and the right seat is not on the job training. When you go to training in SLC no one will teach you instruments...your expected to have a basic skill set and I think most who wash out knew some book stuff to get thru the interview but did not have the instrument skill SET.

And finally..I didn't mean to imply the above mentioned schools were bad. It's just very frustrating to see and fly with people who did not bust their hides to get this job because it shows in everything they do. Poor radio technique, preflight prep, look and act sloppy and are willing to work for peanuts because they don't understand or appreciate their "worth". It drags them and us down.

MikeB525

Yes, I'm working on the instrument rating right now and am doing well. My instructor said I've picked it up very quickly and I can do IFR basics pretty much by second nature now. Approaches, holds, etc require attention but I can hold an ILS and find an intersection without much stress. Studying for the written is some of the most boring reading I've ever done. I practice all the time on flight sim too. Sometimes flying is all I can think about

MikeB525

Mushroom, speaking or Jepp charts, you know where I could find some to study? Naturally, I use the much cheaper NACA books. I have the Jepp IFR/Comm manual and I think it have explanations for the Jepps, but do you know of anymore resources?? Thanks!

Utah

As a Captain I've flown with probably at least 100 different FOs over the last several years and only two of them bought hours via Gulfstream or a similiar program. Both of these guys were older/career changers. I would not recommend buying time like that if SkyWest is a goal cause it doesn't seem to open the door here. Additionally, they absolutely will not budge on any of the minimums.

Buying a CRJ type rating would be a serious waste of money. Even if you had Bill Gates money I'd still tell you not to do it.

As far as Jepps go, start using them now. Thats all we use, and during the interview you'll be asked multiple questions concerning all the different charts. I probably spent a good 10 minutes on the Jepps alone during my interview.

This is an excellant time in your career to get the basics down really good. Don't take any shortcuts, and try to learn as much as you can. We actually had a guy several years ago get fired during EMB upgrade training because he didn't know how to turn the lights on at an uncontrolled airport.

rickair7777

Overall: 4 (poor climb hot, high, or heavy) (700 = 8)
HOWEVER: When you get to fly the 200 empty or nearly so, it's a freakin rocket...
Handling: 7 (10 = military tactical) (700 =7)
Displays/Systems: 8 (700 =9)
Ergo: 4 (Getting in and out of the seat's a *****, the lumbar sucks, but actually really good other than that) (700 = 7)
Fun: 7 (10 = military tactical) (700 = 8)

I use a TELEX 750 ($$$). Some folks keep their David Clarks so they don't have to spend the money I guess. Some older 200's had big fat windshield wipers which made a lot of slipstream noise, but you still don't need to cover your ears in my opinion.

rickair7777

Start using them NOW. Read the info package at the beginning..about 50 times (ignore the international stuff). Jepps are complicated enough that you need to live them, probably not something you can cram for an airline interview.

MikeB525

How expensive is it to subsribe to Jepp anyway? I hear it's like thousands per year for a nation-wide set. Can you get them by individual states?

rickair7777

You can subscibe, or buy a regional pack for approx $30. The regional pack gets thrown away and you buy a new one every 60 days. I think the regional subsciption is $300+ per year and you get bi-monthy updates in the mail that you have to insert into your binder (just like the airlines).

More $$$ than NOS, but it's something you need for the airlines. I don't know of any airlines that use NOS, though I heard some turbo-prop commuter does. Or maybe it was a 135 op.

SkyWestPilot

He's right. I've personally interviewed pilots who had their CRJ type ratings without a single hour in the actual airplane and they're clueless on the systems. Most say something to the effect "well, I got it over a year ago and don't remember much anymore..."

Know the systems of the airplane you're currently flying. If a procedure has you flip a switch, feather a prop, do something a certain way, know why you're doing it- not just because the checklist says so. Know Jepps, FARs, and IFR procedures.

freezingflyboy

What I tell all of my instrument students is start using Jepps NOW if you plan to go to the airlines. About the only places I know of that use NOS is the military, some 135s or part 91 corporate where you might might be responsible for your own charts. Yes, they're a little pricey but how much would you pay to keep from being shown the door at an interview at your number one airline because you don't know why there is an arrow pointing at a number on the planview?

PS To those who think instructing is wasted time: since students are always concerned about money, you'll have to learn both in and out regardless of what you use so all your bases are covered