Am I ready for a regional?

[Thedude]

it seems like flight instructing is lacking as an experience builder--more like a time builder.

-Goose

--Short version--

I thought the same thing back when I was faced with that decision. I really didn't have a choice as the mins for Eagle (as an example) were 2000TT 500ME and part 135 time. I actually learned quite a bit from being a CFI and learned all the new ways a student can try to kill you. You don't really know how to do something until you have taught it.

 

[spacecadet1]

Breathing and a pulse.; you are golden. Just go out and get yourself one of them big fat pilot watches with all those dials to impress the chicks.

 

[Flybet3]

Regional checklist.

Low Time:

IPOD:

Backpack:

Oakleys:

Lots of Hairgel:

Parents basement:

Riddle Education:

Gulfstream Academy graduate:

Say dude alot:


If you can check six of the nine boxes, then the answer would be yes, you are ready for a regional.

DUDE that post makes you look like such a ******************************e but God all mighty was that FUNNY!!!! especially the basement thing. HA! No lie though, that's a pretty good list.

 

[Limeyflyer]

Regional checklist.

Low Time:

IPOD:

Backpack:

Oakleys:

Lots of Hairgel:

Parents basement:

Riddle Education:

Gulfstream Academy graduate:

Say dude alot:


If you can check six of the nine boxes, then the answer would be yes, you are ready for a regional.

That is fantastic, they need to hand this to all the potential applicants as walk into the career fairs at ERAU and UND ect.

 

[Limeyflyer]

Regional checklist.

Low Time: No

IPOD: Wife Stole Mine

Backpack: Not used for Work

Oakleys: Some Rampie in MEM Signature restaurant stole them off my table

Lots of Hairgel: I have no Hair

Parents basement: They are in a Different Country
Riddle Education: Daytona uke:

Gulfstream Academy graduate: Nope

Say dude alot: No


If you can check six of the nine boxes, then the answer would be yes, you are ready for a regional.

I made the wrong career move I guess

 

[thepotato232]

My opinion is if you ask this question on three different forums you're probably not ready.

Seconded. I only attempted to do what I did because I was training like a Bhuddist monk. By the time I moved up, I had five emergencies under my belt (cue Han Solo: "It's not my fault!"), and blessings from three CFIs and a couple of retired mainline captains who seemed to agree I could stumble around in a Beech without giving my captain an ulcer or killing the other 20 people on board. I just barely proved them right. As desperate as the lower-tier regionals are right now, they will boot your ass if you screw up bad enough, and you will have begun your career with a Hell of a black mark on your record. If you have enough doubt in your skills that you're counting on all of us to chime in and say "go for it," then you may want to get back in the cockpit and try breaking something. And go get that CFI - I never used mine, but it will at least get you in the right mindset.

 

[Flybet3]

Low Time: far from it

IPOD: I still can't afford that sh**t

Backpack: Yes, but not for work.

Oakleys: Wal-mart doesnt sell those

Lots of Hairgel: The last thing I need is more hair grease!

Parents basement: Does a room in their house count as a basement?

Riddle Education: I can't afford SH***

Gulfstream Academy graduate: Nope

Say dude alot: Only on flight info to piss off some of the DUDES here LOL

In all seriousness, what some of these guys are saying is true my friend. Are you really ready for a regional job YES/NO. Why yes? Well b/c most captains now a days are pretty much babysitters anyways, so they wont let you get them in trouble. Why NO? Well b/c if your babysitter has a heart attack then you might be in trouble. Will some regionals hire you? Yes they will, why? b/c even though every company has SAFETY as their number one priority all they really care about is making money. It's like McDonalds, their number one thing is Customer service, do they really provide the best customer service? NOOOOO, at the end of the day they still jer* off on your burger and give it to you all smashed!!!
I'm not going to lie, when I had your time i dreamed that an airline would even look at my resume (even if it was to get a cheap laugh) but no one even considered me until I had almost 1600 TT.
At the time I didnt understand, but my lack of understanding was due to my lack of experience.
My recent SIM partner had almost 400 hours, did he pass training? Yes, but honestly only b/c the instructors and MY SELF helped him out a lot. Was he a nice guy? YES. Has he humble about his experience leve? HELL YES! But would I really trust the guy whe the s*** hits the fan. And I mean when it REALLY hits the fan (Engine failure, in hard IMC and me passed out b/c of the Big Mac with "special sauce I got") NO. He still passed, and even though for the Next 6 months to a year he's going to be baby sat by captains I think at the end he'll be OK as long as he remains humble and the SH*** doesnt hit the fan.
Good luck chief and if you do get on with an airlines, really dont wear the back pack, or go to Wal-mart in a full uniform and I mean full! With the hat and everything! I'll laugh at first, but I might trip ya afterwards.
Good luck!

 

[thepotato232]

Good luck chief and if you do get on with an airlines, really dont wear the back pack, or go to Wal-mart in a full uniform and I mean full! With the hat and everything! I'll laugh at first, but I might trip ya afterwards.
Good luck!

So the wings and epaulettes are okay? What if I pin them to an old t-shirt?

 

[Flybet3]

So the wings and epaulettes are okay? What if I pin them to an old t-shirt?

Hey man, if you realized you didnt have deodorant on the way to the airport and had to stop real quick to Wal-mart then so be it. I'm talking about getting up early in the morning, taking a shower, running upstairs from the basement and telling mom and dad that you're going to go to Wal-Mart to buy some more hair gel and you decide to get EVERYTHING on and go shopping while listening to your IPOD. Not to mention if you're wearing your OAKLEYS INSIDE the dammn STORE!!!!!!

 

[thepotato232]

Heh, calm down dude. If I'm in a pinch, any incriminating evidence of my profession stays in the car. The sight of a pilot in full uniform at Wal-Mart turns my stomach at least as much as it does yours. Thus the . This sarcasm crap is a lot harder with a keyboard.


...oh ********************, I just said "dude," didn't I?

 

[GuppyWN]

If you meet the minimums you're ready. You'll learn more in the first month on line than you've learned up till now.

They publish minimum requirements for a reason.

Go for it.

Gup

 

[pipejockey]

The real question is...

I'm at 390 tt and 20 me. Am I ready to fly a plane on a 30 minute ETE into thunderstorms, a caution message on the EICAS, a captain running the QRH while I fly and work the radios into the busiest airport in the world, brief and execute a CAT II approach, and have dinner with the family the same night?

-Brett

I disagree. The real question is are you ready to spend 18 plus days a month on the road, with constant 12-16 hour duty days while being paid for as few as 5 due to the unconscionable sit times the screw planners put into the schedules, 5 legs a day with as many as 4 plane changes, never operating on time, always late to depart, late to arrive, working weekends, holidays and missing just about every important event at home for a company that will pay you like an uneducated, highschool dropout living in a van down by the river getting high every night, getting put up in crappy hotels with no other consideration but cost to the company, getting pay cuts every year because your contractual pay raises do not come close to keeping up with inflation AKA the cost of living, all the while dealing with a management team that thinks you should devote your life to their crappy little airline and crappy little job, and be as happy as a clam doing because you get to fly a barbie jet around the sky...whoopie!!!

I can continue but I think the point has been made. Son, get a REAL job that pays you a REAL living and use your dedication and devotion you obviously have to pursue this racket, and do something where you are considered part of a valued team that treats you accordingly, such as with some respect. In other words a real career.

 

[TEXAN AVIATOR]

Airlines are hiring at those times? Holy ********************! I'm outta the loop! And I do interviews! I know we don't even go that low for interns.

If they will hire you, go for it!

 

[Max Q]

pipejockey: It seems as though you might have missed my point so I'll keep it simple. Quality of life aside, being "prepared" (for any flying job) means being ready for when junk hits the fan. Time in your logbook isn't sufficient enough evidence to prove whether or not you are truly "prepared".

In other words, QOL means d*ck when you're a smoking hole in the ground.

-Brett

 

[time builder]

Unfortunately, flight instructors only teach what they have been taught. And for the most part that's General Aviation.

I can see some frustration coming from folks who logged over 2000 hours before they even smelled JETA, but really, everyone has to learn somewhere at some time how to transition from GA to an airline, and really, most of you would have taken a jet job at 400 hours if you had the opportunity.

If you want to blame the airlines for creating this mess (for not paying more to attract more experienced pilots), I can see your point. But I don't agree with dogging on low time pilots for taking advantage of opportunities, and calling it "babysitting." If they have a bad attitude, that's a different subject, but otherwise, a little mentoring will go a lot futher than all this belittling of the guy in the right seat.

 

[Flybet3]

Unfortunately, flight instructors only teach what they have been taught. And for the most part that's General Aviation.

I can see some frustration coming from folks who logged over 2000 hours before they even smelled JETA, but really, everyone has to learn somewhere at some time how to transition from GA to an airline, and really, most of you would have taken a jet job at 400 hours if you had the opportunity.

If you want to blame the airlines for creating this mess (for not paying more to attract more experienced pilots), I can see your point. But I don't agree with dogging on low time pilots for taking advantage of opportunities, and calling it "babysitting." If they have a bad attitude, that's a different subject, but otherwise, a little mentoring will go a lot futher than all this belittling of the guy in the right seat.

That's a good point too.

 

[Talian]

I disagree. The real question is are you ready to spend 18 plus days a month on the road, with constant 12-16 hour duty days while being paid for as few as 5 due to the unconscionable sit times the screw planners put into the schedules, 5 legs a day with as many as 4 plane changes, never operating on time, always late to depart, late to arrive, working weekends, holidays and missing just about every important event at home for a company that will pay you like an uneducated, highschool dropout living in a van down by the river getting high every night, getting put up in crappy hotels with no other consideration but cost to the company, getting pay cuts every year because your contractual pay raises do not come close to keeping up with inflation AKA the cost of living, all the while dealing with a management team that thinks you should devote your life to their crappy little airline and crappy little job, and be as happy as a clam doing because you get to fly a barbie jet around the sky...whoopie!!!

I can continue but I think the point has been made. Son, get a REAL job that pays you a REAL living and use your dedication and devotion you obviously have to pursue this racket, and do something where you are considered part of a valued team that treats you accordingly, such as with some respect. In other words a real career.

Don't listen to pipejockey,he probably is just a disgruntled failure and doesn;t want to see you take his old job. Go For it...

 

[RP170]

Riddle Education:

Always a Riddle issue with you isn't it? Riddle wasn't my first choice. I was medically discharged from the Air Force Academy after suffering nerve damage in my shoulder (suprascapular neuropathy) and then finished my education at Riddle. I guess I'm a tool as well huh?

It appears that you are the real tool for always making such rash statements and generalizations about Riddle grads all the time.

If it makes you feel better about yourself to justify that Riddle grads fit a certain persona constantly on this board, well then more power to you I guess.

I personally find it degrading and I'm sure a large majority of other successful Riddle grads that have worked hard throughout their education, training, and careers do as well.

All of us have different backgrounds as far as education and training go. Who cares where you went? I don't understand how you can categorize a group of pilots from a certain school as different from another group from where you attended school. I'm sure you have your share of dorks, tools, super pilots from SIU as well. Riddle has a much bigger flight program, thus it's logical that you'll run into more of them that fit the persona you always describe which, overall, is a very small percentage.

I do agree with Gulfstream in your list though. That's a whole different league than any 4 year college program.

 

[pipejockey]

Don't listen to pipejockey,he probably is just a disgruntled failure and doesn;t want to see you take his old job. Go For it...

Before you start throwing personal insults around to someone you don't know, why don't you at least tell me what part of my statements were not true? And you are right about me not wanting the original poster to take my old job. Why you ask? Because it sucked!!! I wish I had the resources available to me that people have today when considering getting into this racket. I had to go it alone not knowing anyone in the industry and before internet and message boards.

The least you can do after disparaging me by calling me a failure is to tell me what part of my statements were untrue? Is it the 18 days on the road? 12-16 hour duty days? Or could it be getting paid like the highschool dropout living in a van down by the river getting high every night? I don't think you can refute any of that unless you work for maybe 1 of the 5 half way decent airlines that exist out there. And the chances for most of us to make it to those airlines is little to none. These youngsters need to be realistic and realize the regionals will most likely be it for them.

 

[Exskydiverdrivr]

I flew corporate for a few yrs. before skw. The owner ran a construction company - but had grown up in southern California surfing his whole life. He was 50 yrs. old back in the mid 90's. He called everyone Dude (if he liked you). If he didn't you then became a "peice of sh#t" . Both of these terms are now a big part of my vocabulary.

I laugh because I still call my FO's "Dude". Does this qualify me ? I still have enough hair to put gel in- but choose not to at 43.

Good luck with your job search ...... Dude.

 

[MMO 0.705]

I'm sure you have your share of dorks, tools, super pilots from SIU as well. Riddle has a much bigger flight program, thus it's logical that you'll run into more of them that fit the persona you always describe which, overall, is a very small percentage.

Umm....an SIU guy wouldn't cry on this message board like a little girl .

 

[Amish RakeFight]

I flew corporate for a few yrs. before skw. The owner ran a construction company - but had grown up in southern California surfing his whole life. He was 50 yrs. old back in the mid 90's. He called everyone Dude (if he liked you). If he didn't you then became a "peice of sh#t" . Both of these terms are now a big part of my vocabulary.

I laugh because I still call my FO's "Dude". Does this qualify me ? I still have enough hair to put gel in- but choose not to at 43.

Good luck with your job search ...... Dude.

34 and I say "dude" plenty of times a day. No wife or kids either if that makes any difference.

 

[siucavflight]

Always a Riddle issue with you isn't it? Riddle wasn't my first choice. I was medically discharged from the Air Force Academy after suffering nerve damage in my shoulder (suprascapular neuropathy) and then finished my education at Riddle. I guess I'm a tool as well huh?

It appears that you are the real tool for always making such rash statements and generalizations about Riddle grads all the time.

If it makes you feel better about yourself to justify that Riddle grads fit a certain persona constantly on this board, well then more power to you I guess.

I personally find it degrading and I'm sure a large majority of other successful Riddle grads that have worked hard throughout their education, training, and careers do as well.

All of us have different backgrounds as far as education and training go. Who cares where you went? I don't understand how you can categorize a group of pilots from a certain school as different from another group from where you attended school. I'm sure you have your share of dorks, tools, super pilots from SIU as well. Riddle has a much bigger flight program, thus it's logical that you'll run into more of them that fit the persona you always describe which, overall, is a very small percentage.

I do agree with Gulfstream in your list though. That's a whole different league than any 4 year college program.

So you can check the Riddle dork on the list, but unless you can check five others then you are alright.

 

[Flybet3]

I flew corporate for a few yrs. before skw. The owner ran a construction company - but had grown up in southern California surfing his whole life. He was 50 yrs. old back in the mid 90's. He called everyone Dude (if he liked you). If he didn't you then became a "peice of sh#t" . Both of these terms are now a big part of my vocabulary.

I laugh because I still call my FO's "Dude". Does this qualify me ? I still have enough hair to put gel in- but choose not to at 43.

Good luck with your job search ...... Dude.

Here's the thing. Saying dude has nothing to do with being professional or not. It depends who you say it to. You say it to some FOs b/c they're fun to fly with and you feel comfortable. But of course if a customer approaches you you're not going to say "Hey dude! What can I help you with?"
Some people here are just full of s*** and say anything to seem more professional than others.
Rock On.

 

[siucavflight]

You guys are missing it, saying dude was only one box to check, you must combine saying dude with five other things to be ready for a regional.

 

[Flybet3]

You guys are missing it, saying dude was only one box to check, you must combine saying dude with five other things to be ready for a regional.

The funny thing about all of this is that everyone here is a regional pilot. Regional pilots talking s*** about regional pilots. Just priceless.

 

[siucavflight]

The funny thing about all of this is that everyone here is a regional pilot. Regional pilots talking s*** about regional pilots. Just priceless.

Yes, we are all regional pilots because we can check six of the nine boxes.

For me

Ipod, Lots of hairgel, I do say dude, live with my parents, have oakleys, and a backpack(for food). So I do qualify.

Although now that I am leaving for NetJets I am not sure what boxes I will need to check for them.

 

[RP170]

Ipod, Lots of hairgel, I do say dude, live with my parents, have oakleys, and a backpack(for food). So I do qualify.

And you say the Riddle guys are dorks? Sounds like you aren't ready for NetJets yet. You must have really fooled them in the interview.

 

[siucavflight]

Ha, I guess I pulled one over.

In all seriousness though, if you get angry with someone poking fun at your school you have issues. If you cant laugh at yourself you must have real issues.

And I was exagerating, I dont even have any hair left to use gel in. And my parents passed away a few years ago in a crash. But I guess I do say dude a lot.

 

[Flybet3]

Yes, we are all regional pilots because we can check six of the nine boxes.

For me

Ipod, Lots of hairgel, I do say dude, live with my parents, have oakleys, and a backpack(for food). So I do qualify.

Although now that I am leaving for NetJets I am not sure what boxes I will need to check for them.

They'll be the same boxes dude. Once a regional pilot, always a regional pilot. Like my dad use to say "A monkey in a suit is still a monkey."
So even now that you'll have a much bigger pay check, and a nicer uniform, you'll now be able to afford more expensive hair gel, sun glasses, say dude, and once you realize how much money you can keep putting in the bank while living with your parents, you'll never move out! LOL. Congrats on the new job.