250 or point 65

i think the biggest key to youre quality of life is schedule. When it comes to schedule, i dont really feel like theres much difference between one carrier or another when it comes to regionals. the best advice i can offer is to do your research and get yourself in a position to be marketable at the BEGINNING of the hiring wave. Say you are keeping yourself up to date on regional news and hiring and you find out that Air Airways just got an award for 50 airframes from United and they dont have anyone on furlough...you need to get into the first class you can because that means a couple things:

1) you will end up sitting less reserve
2) there will be more people below you which equals better schedules and job protection

I know that people on these boards dont think much of TSA, but I got in at the beginning of a hiring wave and sat 3 days of reserve. My quality of life has historically been pretty good, but im getting shipped out to IAD now. When i was hired, there was no way to predict that.

ok...so i just rambled for a long time, but the point is: make the best decision you have with the most information you have.

BoilerUP

Unless one is flying for a VERY crappy charter operator that pays VERY badly, by the time one would get 1500 TPIC flying 91/135 (except maybe doing single-engine tprops like Vans or PC12s) I don't see much career upside for going to a regional...and a lot of earnings downside.

With that said, I personally know a few who have gone this route because they wanted to check the 121 box on any application they might fill out and were happy with their decision.

sweptback

A few reasons I can think of:

1. You'll build flight time like crazy. SIC is worthless, sure, but when you're just starting out TT is important, too. Once you upgrade, as well, you'll build PIC time faster.
2. Schedules (at the better regionals) are pretty good, much better than being on a beeper constantly. Plus the ability to swap/drop/trade trips to improve your schedule. Even on reserve, you will probably have some sort of hierarchy/bucket system and a chance to be on long-call and sit at home on reserve.
3. You'll make contacts with other pilots at the company who will someday move on and help you get your next job.
4. You don't have to worry about the boss selling the airplane, especially in this economy.

rickair7777

I was thinking more of the bottom end of things. Majors don't usually hire caravan pilots, but if you punched out the TPIC in a van and then spent a few years at a regional it might work out for you.

BoilerUP

If you have 1500 hours TPIC by the time you get hired by a regional, you're not just starting out in your career. Your total time is very likely in excess of 3000 hours, and many HR folks may question why somebody left a PIC position to become a regional airline SIC.

Very true, but this makes two very large assumptions: 1. you're on a beeper constantly flying 91/135 (I'm not, and neither are most others I know) and 2. you live or are willing to move to your airline's domicile. 91 & 135 jobs/schedules are NOT made equal and they run from 24/7 on call as you describe to hard days off and trips scheduled weeks in advance.

True you'll fly with more people at an airline, but quantity of networking doesn't necessarily constitute quality networking.

That's a valid concern..but no 'good' regionals are currently hiring anyway and there's just as much risk of getting furloughed as a newhire in a down economy as there is of a flight department folding. Additionally, within the bizav world your experience (and salary) is largely transportable to another job should the worst happen; that isn't the case if one is furloughed.

This is NOT meant to be an "airline vs. corporate" argument, as I flew two happy years at AWAC before getting my current job....but IMO there's little to be gained and much downside for somebody with 1500 TPIC in a non-121 environment (again, assuming that time isn't single-engine turboprop) going to fly an RJ.

BoilerUP

Agreed!

I know a guy who has nearly 2000 hours PIC single-engine T-props but is struggling to get a job right now because he has no jet time. In a case like that, some time in an RJ would provide them substantial upside.

Purpleanga

All of the above do not matter if you don't have a job/furloughed, as in my case. This is the best advice you're going to get; do not choose an airline based on what their status is at the time of the application. Going to Trans States was probably the biggest mistake so far in my flying career and it was all because I got suckered into the prosperity they told us were supposed to have and the 1 year upgrades of 08. As someone mentioned look for airlines that have CONFIRMED new flying and try to get on at the beginning of the wave. At TSA interview they made it seem like they were going to take over the Mesa 50 seat operation in ORD and IAD, a year later, NOTHING. Be patient and chose an airline based on their past and future not present.

higney85

Boiler,

Any regrets from leaving AWAC to go 91? Serious question.

BoilerUP

Not a one.

I do miss many of the great captains I flew with and union guys I worked with, but I'm fortunate to stay in touch with a few via phone and others via Facebook and the Air Willy Forum.

Bond

Couple of things, the first you will be under qualified when the regionals open the doors because of the 121 guys that are out of work right now, so be prepared to wait an extra 6 months to a year until those guys get hired and you become competitive (not everyone will open their doors). Second as someone mentioned before, QOL is defined slightly different by everyone. In my case it means not commuting, good working rules, good pay (for a regional anyways), and plenty of days off with a good line value. May or may not seem like a lot, but at a place like MESA, you'll only score a couple of those.

In your case if you're ok with just living in domicile and don't care much about anything else, anybody would do; anybody but gojets, stay as far away from those guys as you can (do a search if you need more info).

One last thing consider the fact that QOL is a direct byproduct of seniority, so the quicker you can acquire seniority the better your QOL in relation to all the other things besides domicile.

Hope this helps.