Jet or Tprop?

[Whataburger]

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.

Agree.

 

[FR8mastr]

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.

That is all true, and I agree 100%, however, this guys has 700 hours and is ready to upgrade now!

 

[RightTraffic]

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)

 

[snap145]

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

 

[thepotato232]

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.

 

[CX880]

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

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.

 

[CaptO'Brien]

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

 

[JohnnyP]

.........

Foreign airlines don't accept props.

Im going to have to disagree with you on that one. I know guys from the states with only prop PIC time go overseas and fly.

 

[Snaab]

whichever gets you in the left seat quicker.

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.

 

[pacific 77]

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!

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!

 

[pacific 77]

Foreign airlines don't accept props.

That's not true, at least not in the South Pacific and Oceania regions. Air New Zealand, Qantas, Air Pacific, and Pacific Blue - to name more than a few jet carriers based there -primarily fill their flight crew vacancies with pilots sourced from the local regional’s; of which the vast majority have fleets that consist predominantly of turboprops. E.g. Be’och 1900, Saab, Dash, EMB.

The above listed foreign airlines certainly do accept T-prop time. A far more pertinent issue, however, for a US pilot seeking to get hired by a foreign carrier would be obtaining the legal right to work status in the country where that foreign carrier is based. Just my $0.02.

 

[thepotato232]

Most foreign carriers will accept pilots with turboprop time - to a point. Unlike in the U.S., most foreign carriers don't have to be shy about playing favorites with age when they do their hiring. Cathay is a good example, since they've already been mentioned here. Their recruitment website makes repeated references to "experience commensurate with age". Translation: If you're in your thirties and want a job at CX, you'd damn well better have some jet time. If your tastes run more local, then you really needn't worry about most U.S. carriers turning up their noses at prop time. Southwest, Delta, UPS, FedEx, and Alaska are all in the habit of taking on TP guys, to name just a few from which I know recently-hired pilots.

Oh O'Brien, in my earlier post when I said I had less time than you when I got hired, what I meant was that I had less time than you plan on having when I got hired. I was a fair margin past 250 when I got picked up.

 

[acpilot]

Tpic Asap

 

[landlover]

Capt O'brian, forget the regionals all together and come fly freight in a turbo jet. Upgrafe is based on performance, not some silly number given out during groundschool. Get paid more then all regionals first year to boot.

 

[Flex81]

If you got hired at Great Lakes right now, you would probably only sit a little while on reserve. My guess is that you would upgrade at about one year. I have been here a little over two years and have logged ~600 turbine PIC and am now holding a line with 85 hours per month. In about 5 months, when I have my 1000PIC, I can get another type in the E120 if I want. (in case you think BE-1900 time is not that valuable, this is another option). With your time, I think they would give you an interview. Do some research on them and shoot them a resume. Make sure you can sacrifice QOL while you are an FO cause they don't pay 1st year FOs very much. Good luck on your decision.

Flex

 

[snap145]

hey flex..havent talked to you in forever...when you making the Brasilia transition???

 

[acarpe3448]

Jets are much safer!

Unless they are being flown by Comair or Pinnacle!

 

[jellynuts]

hand-propping the dash sucks!! go fly the lawn dart!