Desire to be new Mesaba FO

[dpneedham]

I have already read most of the posts about Mesaba and Pinnacle on this website and a few others. I am considering a mid-life career change, and want to pursue my childhood dream of being an airline pilot. I am a private/instrument pilot with 340 hours. I am very near commercial. I have an "in" at Mesaba, and just need to pass the interview process. I am too old (45) to put up with people's crap, or immature or youthful comments. Please just give it to me strait, without the crap I see on this board and others.

I am open to comments about what to expect, and any and all advice as far as what I need to do to get there, and stay happy once I am there.

Thanks in advance . . .

Oh, one other thing. I live in MSP. Is there any chance of being domiciled there right off the bat?

 

[CA1900]

I ... want to pursue my childhood dream of being an airline pilot. ... I am too old (45) to put up with people's crap...

I say this with all sincerity: If you don't have a thick skin for other people's crap, you're going to have a tough time as a regional airline pilot. You'll be dished crap all day long, from the company, from customers, from TSA, and so forth. Just be ready for it, and let most of it roll off.

That said, regional flying is generally a good job. The flying's fun, and the travel benefits are a great perk when you can use them. The money is the hardest part. If you're not starting out with a heap of debt and you can live within your means, you'll do fine.

Financially, surviving as a first officer is going to mean living with a spouse that works and earns decent money, or roommates to help pay the rent. A single guy on a salary of $20,529 is going to have around $1300 a month to live on after tax. I'm not sure what their health insurance costs, but you'll need to factor that in if you need it.

Commuting to a different base is tiring and sometimes expensive. Living in base, as it sounds like you'll be doing once you get MSP (maybe straight away? not sure on that) will make a huge difference in your quality of life.


I'll have to defer to others about the specifics about Mesaba.

Good luck!

 

[Amish RakeFight]

The regionals are starving for applicants. If you've got a connection all the better.

Find a school that will knock out the commerical, multi and all three CFI ratings. This along with 50-100 multi time will get you into most regionals.

As far as age, don't sweat it. Makes you look more attractive as a longterm employee snce your age will problably preclude you from making it to a major. I say this as it takes a lot of time to build competitive turbine PIC hours.

Finishing up your career at a regional is very respectable and becoming more common place these days. You could also make a transition from the regionals to the frac side of things too.

Here's a website with the current hiring minimums for the various regionals. Some only require a Multi-Comm-Instr.

Regional Airline Hiring Minimums Link


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[GRAAB HIRBOUBI]

Mid Life Career Change

I came to Mesaba late. 40. But I had a lot of time before I arrived.

Misadventure caused me to change from a flying job to a non-flying job, which I really hated. I was persuaded to try Mesaba because a friend knew I had a chip on my shoulder about Mesaba from way back in my aviation career.

I think that if you want it, you should do it. However you should know that while the training is good, it is intense like nothing that I have ever experienced in my life. And as a new hire, everything is a jeopardy event. Even IOE. There is massive amounts of stuff to learn and a lot of frustration.

I think getting online in the AVRO was one of my personal best achievements. I sure earned it.

I would NOT spend money to get your CFI's, you don't need them in this hiring environment. I would figure out how much money you would have spent on those ratings and use that amount to do multi-engine work until you get the job offer.

Have an instructor pound you on holding, se approaches, approaches (including NDB's), and just get your flying skills up to par. Also have that instructor get you into some clouds. You already meet the minimum flight time that we are hiring. You just have to get the ratings.

You can certainly do the interview and get through the training. I know it would have been easier had I been younger. You will have to work harder, I certainly did and I had a lot of help from my classmates. Many times I didn't think I could make it.

The pay is an issue. But dreams are priceless. If you can afford to accept the consequences I encourage you to get on board. Not even in the 1970's hiring boom was it this good to get an airline job. You just have to go get it.

As far as the age with your co-workers: My age has never been an issue. The pilots that work here are some of the nicest people and skilled pilots I have ever met.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

I agree that the CFI certificates may not be as important in todays hiring environment as much as in the past where one traditionally built TT.

Although I have heard of applicants being passed over for not having them. Whether you actually instruct or not, you will become a better pilot and certainly more knowledgeable too.

 

[norskman2]

I am too old (45) to put up with people's crap, or immature or youthful comments. Please just give it to me STRAIT, without the crap I see on this board and others.

Enough said about that already. Develop a strong tolerance for crap. You may be taking orders from a 20-something gel-haired, back-pack wearing, iPod listening Captain who posts some of those immature comments you see on this board. Get used to it.

I am in an almost identical boat -- mid-40's, career change, mid-300 hours. Also had an "in" with Mesaba.

Get your Commercial-Instrument-Multi and your ATP written.

I had multiple, extensive conversations with Mesaba Pilot Recruiting. Their mins are 600/100. They will do below that, but only with the recommendation of the Chief Pilot.

Further, Mesaba has a STRONG preference for CFIs with lots of recent experience. Not saying you can't get in if you're not, but anything less than 600/100 with a current CFI job will be difficult.

Hate to say it, but if you really need MSP, think about Pinnacle too.

 

[QuasarZ]

About the post saying getting your written done, Mesaba does not ask any questions pertaining to the ATP. Spend the time you would use studying for the ATP on pt 91 and instrument stuff. Good luck, I interview with Mesaba the 29th!

 

[Metro752]

Why would he get any CFI ratings if he wants to go to MESABA, is close to a commercial at 340 hours?

 

[woutlaw]

Having done the mid-life career change thing I gotta say I highly recommend it.

I left a nice but stressful six-figure job at age 40 to flight instruct full time and haven't had a second's regret. I work harder, longer and with even more responsibility than before for a fraction of the pay and with virtually zero time off but I have a smile on my face every day.

After 500+ hours of dual given and closing in on 1,000tt I'm getting more and more serious about flying for an airline.

It's probably Mesaba or nothing for me, airline-wise, since I live in MSP, don't want to move and they have a rep for outstanding training and a great pilot group.

A buddy who just retired as an NWA 747-400 captain put it best when he said: "Hey, treat it as an adventure. You might hate it or you might find out you like airline pilot life. Either way, you'll get great experience and if it doesn't work out you have skills to fall back on. Those of us who only know how to do one thing, fly airplanes, don't have nearly the options you do."

Training is the only bit I'm really worried about, since at 41 I don't pick things up as quickly as I used to. I know I'll make my share of mistakes but one of the great things about teaching is how used to learning you become.

To compensate I've been studying my butt off, working on the ATP written, reading "Fly the Wing", the Turbine Pilots Manual and just about anything else I can get my hands on.

Let's face is, we old guys are just going to have to work harder to keep up with the kids in class but we could also have nice second careers and retire as captains long after they've moved on.

Sorry if I don't have any specific insights, all I can offer is my encouragement to follow your dream and tell you you're not alone.

Spend your money on multi time and knock out that ME commercial.

Who knows, maybe we'll wind up in the same class and bring the average age up to, oh, 24 or something.

Good luck!

 

[norskman2]

Let's hear it for the over-40s!

When I interviewed with Pinnacle, the line captain said he once hired a guy who was 59! The guy wanted to get in one year on the line before he retired, and he did!