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Jet or Tprop?

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CaptO'Brien

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 12, 2005
Posts
125
Im a CFI looking to get into a regional pretty soon. I am just wondering what the best way to go would be. How quick are the upgrade times on a Tprop compared to an RJ these days with all the attrition? If i have 600-700PIC and 100Multi would i be able to upgrade no problem? Is it a good idea to go Tprop get a quick upgrade to get turbine PIC and then move to an RJ?

I have an "in" at Air Whiskey through my buddy who works there...but he was on reserve for almost a year whne he first started and he wasent putting in many hours...so im a little conflicted on what to do. Any "serious" advice??...ill pass on the comments that don't really help. Thanks.

Capt O'B
 
Before giving any advice, it would be helpful to know what your ultimate goal is. By mentioning the need to get turbine PIC, I am guessing the regionals are not a final step for you. Where do you want to go in the end?
 
turbine is turbine is turbine...

they all burn jetA


my final step is net/flex jets and they dont specify t-jet/t-prop...i know people who work at both and they both flew t-props before hand
 
Go to colgan. Fly a lot NOW. And as I'm sure many will, "PIC is king", only some corporate and few 121's care about "Jet time". Reserve duty at "reputable" jet regionals still sounds like crap regardless of how "good" they are. Oh and since Colgan is not ALPA (for now) I was told that they can bypass crap pilots senior to you when the upgrade comes around. Do not take that for the gospel...

OR you could roll the dice with good ole PDT!!!
 
Yeah, how soon we forget that post not to long ago about the mom who was pissed because her daughter got pleasured on a Dash 8. That's all the convincing I need!!!
 
With 700 TT you have at least 2 years of flying a full schedule before you are even legal to upgrade (ATP mins).

Upgrade times change daily in this industry, go with somewhere you will be happy and can be happy with in case you get stuck there for many years.
 
KeroseneSnorter said:
With 700 TT you have at least 2 years of flying a full schedule before you are even legal to upgrade (ATP mins).

Upgrade times change daily in this industry, go with somewhere you will be happy and can be happy with in case you get stuck there for many years.
Click to expand...

I got hired at less than 700 TT and am looking at about a 13-14 month upgrade, if they're still upgrading then, and that's in spite of sitting 5 months of reserve to start.
 
My ultimate goal like most people i suppose is to go to a major. I am actually looking into going overseas to somewhere like Cathay and im wondering if more PIC T-prop or more right seat RJ time would be looked at better. I am assuming the upgrade times are quicker on the T-props?!? I guess with movement like the industry is in right now the jet upgrade probably wouldnt be that long either. Do all of the RJ guys go reserve with little flying in their first year like my buddy at AWAC? or are there some regionals that get you flying alot...maybe even on reserve so you can start meeting the ATP times?....I'm just trying to figure out when i should leave my job as a CFI where im building time quick to move on...

Kansas would you mind telling me what regional you are at?

Thanks for the advice!
 
Having started my career in Tprops and moving up to jets. Tprop is the best way to start out. You really learn the fundamentals, then move up to the ladder to the jets. Some of the best times I had were handflying those props into crappy weather.
 
CaptO'Brien said:
My ultimate goal like most people i suppose is to go to a major. .... Do all of the RJ guys go reserve with little flying in their first year like my buddy at AWAC? or are there some regionals that get you flying alot...maybe even on reserve so you can start meeting the ATP times?....I'm just trying to figure out when i should leave my job as a CFI where im building time quick to move on...

Kansas would you mind telling me what regional you are at?

Thanks for the advice!
Click to expand...

That helps fill in the picture somewhat.

The regional with which I am most familiar USUALLY had shorter upograde times in the turboprop but there was a period of a few months when the opposite was true. There, you could upgrade in props in about 12-18 months and upgrade in the jet in 2-3 yrs. The more willing you are to go to less desirable domiciles, the faster the upgrade. At that airline, it was often the case that even on reserve, you flew a LOT. I often encourage new pilots to be happy with the prop because the ground school was shorter, the reserve shorter, the hours greater, and the hourly pay the same so the total pay was more the first year. The second year, I strongly encouraged them to go jet.

The bad news (for you) is that it will be a while before you have the hours to get an interview. My hope is that you will have the maturity, judgement, and depth of experience to handle the situations you face at whatever level you may be at the time.
 
bigboeings said:
Having started my career in Tprops and moving up to jets. Tprop is the best way to start out. You really learn the fundamentals, then move up to the ladder to the jets. Some of the best times I had were handflying those props into crappy weather.
Click to expand...

That is all true, and I agree 100%, however, this guys has 700 hours and is ready to upgrade now!
 
I fly metros and its a great plane to learn how to really fly. Flying to Haiti from Miami single pilot, bad weather, not autopilot will make a man/woman out of any pilot! The experience was the best and I have no regrets. Fly props then jets!! (IMHO)
 
try and get hired at a place with a base close to home, so even when you are on reserve your life wont suck sitting in a crashpad in some random city....who cares about equipment....upgrade should be the last thing on your mind with 700 hours....i realize it gets redundant hearing people say this on here but they are words to live by....Quality of Life and seniority are everything....not what type of airplane your flying
 
Come fly the props, man. I got my current job with less time than you have now, and I'll be ready for upgrade within a year of starting at my airline. With substantial turbine time of almost any kind, you're marketable to most of the majors, as well as in most corporate gigs and at fractionals like Netjets. If you have a certain goal airline in mind, you should know that CAL in particular seems to have a problem with high-time TP guys. I don't expect to impress more people with my time handflying 1900s around the Rockies than Joe Blow from Regional X will with his time on ERJs, but I know it's made me a better pilot than I would have been otherwise. I've been genuinely frightened by the skills of some FOs I know who started flying RJs at low time, but guys who fly TPs to start are generally better off for it, both in terms of experience and quick upgrades. At least that's what I tell myself whenever I get the junior man call...

If you're chasing the quick upgrade, then Air Whiskey certainly isn't for you. There are a number of companies where the stated goal for pilots is to get in quick, get your time, and move on to something better. You'll have a rough few years ahead of you, and you'll take some crap for "bringing down the industry" (especially here on flightinfo), but you'll get where you want to go. If you work hard enough, you may even be genuinely ready for that upgrade in one or two years. Even guys at the "good" regionals like Skywest, Horizon and Whiskey complain on a regular basis, not to mention some of the world-class whiners you'll encounter in even the most successful majors. Just remember what you're trying to do, and evaluate whether or not you're willing to spend almost a decade at a regional in order to do it. If you're not, there's plenty of room here at the bottom of the industry for you.
 
CaptO'Brien said:
Im a CFI looking to get into a regional pretty soon. I am just wondering what the best way to go would be. How quick are the upgrade times on a Tprop compared to an RJ these days with all the attrition? If i have 600-700PIC and 100Multi would i be able to upgrade no problem? Is it a good idea to go Tprop get a quick upgrade to get turbine PIC and then move to an RJ?

I have an "in" at Air Whiskey through my buddy who works there...but he was on reserve for almost a year whne he first started and he wasent putting in many hours...so im a little conflicted on what to do. Any "serious" advice??...ill pass on the comments that don't really help. Thanks.

Capt O'B
Click to expand...

Prop/Jet, it doesn't matter, what matters is TPIC and who you know. However, some majors officially and unofficially don't accept B1900 PIC time as your sole PIC experience, be careful with that. Foreign airlines don't accept props. I'd go with the jet, if you're constantly thinking about the upgrade and are willing to have a lower qol, you probably will forget to enjoy the present.
 
Thanks for all the responses. I am not just thinking about the upgrade and moving on to a major, but i like to plan ahead and try to give myself the benifit of the doubt. I am considering every option there is and will take the one that best suits my needs, and thats why i am asking everyone on here to give me their opinion of their current situation in order to make the right choice. Thanks again!

Capt O'B
 
Whataburger said:
whichever gets you in the left seat quicker.
Click to expand...

BINGO! Turbine PIC time is what gets you hired. 1+ year on RJ reserve at AWAC or elsewhere (no offense to them) doesn't do much for you when you could have your name in the hat at Colgan or get the Brasilia at Skywest. You'll fly a bunch at either place and upgrade quickly. Don't waste your time listening to guys talking about which equipment gets you laid more often.
 
CaptO'Brien said:
My ultimate goal like most people i suppose is to go to a major. I am actually looking into going overseas to somewhere like Cathay and im wondering if more PIC T-prop or more right seat RJ time would be looked at better. I am assuming the upgrade times are quicker on the T-props?!? I guess with movement like the industry is in right now the jet upgrade probably wouldnt be that long either. Do all of the RJ guys go reserve with little flying in their first year like my buddy at AWAC? or are there some regionals that get you flying alot...maybe even on reserve so you can start meeting the ATP times?....I'm just trying to figure out when i should leave my job as a CFI where im building time quick to move on...

Kansas would you mind telling me what regional you are at?

Thanks for the advice!
Click to expand...

If it's of any value to you I know of a couple of people who got into Cathay, with I think, just T-prop PIC time. One of which was my old MEI instructor, who used to fly Saab 340's. The other guy just had time in the Be'och 1900. Another guy I know got into Royal Brunei, a few years ago, as an F/O on the 767 with just left seat time in the Bandit-P110 and in the B-1900. However, he also went and got a 76 type rating beforehand, which might have helped a bit. Another guy that I used to know got the ultimate upgrade from desk job at Air New Zealand (where he worked in the sim dept co-ordinating foreign contract training) to right seat 737 mainline with just multi time in a Beech; and no, not in the 1900, but in a Duchess!
 

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