Jet or Tprop?

[CaptO'Brien]

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

 

[Andy Neill]

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?

 

[Kream926]

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

 

[GEORGE DUBYA]

T PROP young loser 22 yr old

 

[zasca]

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!!!

 

[landlover]

props are for boats!

 

[Kream926]

props are for boats!

jets are for jacuzzi's


plus i would much rather "screw" my way across the country than "blow"

 

[Mr Wu]

Chicks dig beta

 

[Captain Morgan]

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!!!

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

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.

 

[airplane wizard]

Flying jets will get you laid more.

 

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

Jets are much safer!

 

[Visceral]

Upgrading requires having the hours, and you won't get those hours sitting on reserve.

 

[kansas]

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.

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.

 

[CaptO'Brien]

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!

 

[bigboeings]

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.

 

[Whataburger]

whichever gets you in the left seat quicker.

 

[Andy Neill]

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!

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]

whichever gets you in the left seat quicker.

True, but having had both types of people in my right seat, I prefer the ones with Tprop time over the ones with only jet. There is no substitute for experience.

 

[greyskyracer]

I know emirates requires 1000hours of jet.