Becoming a Regional Airline Pilot

[TEXAN AVIATOR]

how about this...get all your ratings..then be a flight instructor..then maybe be a multi-flight instructor...then get a job flying checks in a baron...then upgrade to an MU-2 or a LRjet..and get a type in the LRjet...build your time and then you will have some quality experience to operate an RJ and carry my family members...do that for a few years and then come sit next to me....or go into our armed forces..protect our asses for 10 years and then you can apply anywhere...it's that easy...

I'm in an RJ and I'm still considering this option. I feel like it's something I should have done to begin with. Maybe full time, maybe reserves.

 

[Comin-In-Hot]

Those big flight schools are there for one reason and one reason only......to dick you out of money. :uzi: They have no interest in you as a student, seeing you move on, getting you to an airline, or whatever else they love to print in those shiny happy dancing leprechaun f-ing gumdrop house magazine ads. Truth is, most of 'em suck. Only thing they give a crap about is getting as far into your pocketbook as they can. Learn at your local FBO. It's cheaper and better.

Excellent words of wisdom to you 2000. I'm serious this guy hit the mark. Why would you want to pack up and move to a hell hole like PHX or southern FLA anyway? Unless you already suffer in such a place. Good luck:beer:

 

[FN FAL]

or go into our armed forces..protect our asses for 10 years and then you can apply anywhere...it's that easy...

Or go spend 19.5 years flying Orions or EMBs for American Eagle and you can come fly Caravans opposite me on a split schedule.

 

[Hootie9750]

I hate these schools. They appeal to the type of person who is willing to fly a jet for $18,000 a year. NOBODY would be taking these paycuts if the only way to get hired at a regional was to finance training without mommy and daddy and then somehow not starve while you work your way to at least what should be 135 mins for the 121 world. Unreal.

 

[HughBeamont]

Find a good flight school a good flight instructor. Study a lot on your own and enjoy the experience. Then get a job instructing, scrounge up some multi time and you are on your way (if you so choose).

By going this route, you will know whether flying is the right career for you. If you just get through the instrument rating and decide to go to engineering school, you'll only be down $12K and you'll have a great hobby.

 

[schoolio]

I'm at one of the big academies. I came here because if I had decided to stay at my FBO, based on planes available, cash available, and instructor proficiency, I would probably still be working on my commercial add-on at this point in time. By going to a big academy, I was 1) able to get financing, and 2) am moving at a relatively fast pace (see ratings on the left - SE CFI add-on this week). I thought about maybe going to another FBO, but I decided I needed a very structured program where I was flying almost every day and didn't have to worry about maintenance downtime. In my 5 1/2 months here, I've gotten cancelled for maintenance once. Not too bad.

Based on my military time, I won't have to instruct here to build time, but the guys that do learn a lot and most of them are very professional when it comes to flying. Their experiences don't really take them out of the pattern except for the occasional cross country, but they do get to work in busy airspace (PHX and SoCal) quite a bit, and they're proficient at it.

Some of the academies still have reduced minimum hiring agreements. The one I attend has agreements with several regionals for 500/100; there are guys getting hired with those times from this place.

If you're seriously considering one of the academies, I would urge you to get at least your PPL (recommend instrument rating too) at an FBO first. There's no sense in getting everything you need to go to an academy (i.e. financing, housing, etc.) only to find out you don't like it.

If you decide to go to one of the academies, money goes quickly. Make sure you have enough. Luckily for me, my wife and I can live very comfortably on her salary while I use up the financed money solely for flying.

As far as instructing goes, this academy just went completely Part 141, and their program has guys finishing the commercial rating in the twin at 211 hours. Each student now gets 85 hours ME in the program. That's great for building multi-time, both for the students and instructors. My current instructor has three students that all just started in the twin, which equates to 255 hours multi in the next 6 weeks for him. Must be nice.

If you want more info on my school, drop me a PM and I'll tell you anything and everything you want to know (good and bad).

 

[CaptainMark]

I'm in an RJ and I'm still considering this option. I feel like it's something I should have done to begin with. Maybe full time, maybe reserves.

i have total respect for you if you elect that option..but if your career aspirations are to be with a major..you are oh so close..stick with the RJ and keep plugging away..

 

[COOPERVANE]

Local FBO

Do NOT go to an acadamy or "accelerated" flight school. There is NO hurry right now to work for a regional!!

Save your money and do it the old fashioned way at a local flight school. The quality of your education will be up to you and your instructor, not glossy magazine ads and promises of "Garmin 530's in every plane" Be picky about the instructor, there are alot out there that SUCK! both at an academy and at ma & pa's local FBO. Work as a CFI, then Freight. You WILL be a better pilot for it.

The guys who took the short route are very defensive and love to tell you about how awesome a pilot they were at 300 hours but they have to justify spending 80-100K somehow. Here was MY experience

Several "students" where I got my multi-commercial laughed about passing their instrument and Commercial checkrides without taking the shrink-wrapping off of the Jepp books. They really thought it was sooooo cool to tell people that. One student passed his CFI while still drunk from the night before!! Hr bragged about it to everyone he knew. Now THATS something to be proud of! That attitude has a lot to do with what is wrong with this industry. These guys will fly an RJ for hundreds maybe thousands of hours incident-free. Then the $hit hits the fan and its "Dude we're gonna hit houses!!! Dude!"

Theres your "quality" accelerated flight school experience

 

[no1pilot2000]

Thanks for the advice

I do appreciate everyone's advice on my interest in becoming a regional airline pilot. In addition to your helpful comments, I also have talked to several people who are currently working as pilots the regional airlines and they are not happy with their career choice. These pilots need a second job as a CFI just to suppliment their regional pilot job. I can cross this "particular career" in aviation off my career list.

Thanks again all!!

 

[xjhawk]

These schools are a waste of time. Get you licenses, flight instruct, then get hired to make well under 20,000 dollars your first year. Don't expect to make over 40,000 for at least 2-3 years of working for a regional.

which regional do you work for that you are making that kind of money after 2 years? i know its not Mesaba i am going past three and my W-2 says 29000. So all of you newbies to this industry, it looks like ALPA is allowing MEsaba to either go away or set a new and even lower bar than MESA, so do not expect 40 grand til you are a 6 year captain. yes, i am bitter.....now my only decision is when i quit flying, which industry do i want to doom next?