Lots to consider....

[B1900FO]

Hey all...I just finished training as a B1900 FO, getting ready to start I.O.E., expcept I had a somewhat negative training experience (asshole instructors) and it has put a bad taste into my mouth about the commuter gig, especially at this airline. I have 900 hours and close to 100 multi. I am 20 years old and have not finished my degree. I have strongly considered going back to school and finishing my degree and building up some more time during school. I really don't want to go back to start IOE even. If I were to quit, would it look bad to the next employer? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[HughBeamont]

What company? Colgan? Mesa?

 

[labbats]

It's another week of your life. You've made it this far, just push on through.

Best of luck to you.

 

[81Horse]

If I were to quit, would it look bad to the next employer? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I think it might look bad. I would counsel sucking it up, getting some mentoring advice from someone on the line to get you through IOE, and flying the line for a while before you quit.

It probably is a good idea to finish school, and position yourself for your ultimate flying goal, and/or a career Plan B (other than flying); but you want it to look like you quit on your own terms for a positive reason.

It sucks that you've had such a negative experience -- but, OMG, 900-hr. F/Os? Are the captains at your airline getting instructor override pay? I'm not saying you personally are a problem child, and I recognize your training department may be lousy -- it's just that, well ... at your total time, you should be building your hours and your confidence in a non-airline environment. IMHO.

 

[B1900FO]

It sucks that you've had such a negative experience -- but, OMG, 900-hr. F/Os? Are the captains at your airline getting instructor override pay? I'm not saying you personally are a problem child, and I recognize your training department may be lousy -- it's just that, well ... at your total time, you should be building your hours and your confidence in a non-airline environment. IMHO.

Even more the reason the training department shouldnt be lousy. I would agree that 900 hours is low, but I had much much more experience then the other guys in my class. Out of the new hires, I had the most hours. Thanks for the reply!

 

[SEVEN]

Don't let some moron "supercaptain" who think he's actually something special because he's an instructor on an oversized King Air let you down. If you've made it through training, I assume you want to fly and get paid for it. Fortunately my instructor was really cool and down to earth. My advice would be to keep moving along and forget about yesterday and focus on doing your job as best as you can. You'll be fine.

 

[Blucher]

Welcome

I've got to agree with 81Horse on this. You've come this far, just suck it up for a bit. Worst thing that will happen is it will build character. Make no mistake about it, eating feces builds character and yes, we ALL have to do it sometimes. Will you be doing IOE with this same prick or will it be a different instructor? If it's a different guy, just show up with a smile on your face and hope for the best. You might be surprised. If it's the same guy, perhaps take some time to talk to him and figure out what you can do to make things go a little more smoothly (don't blame him...even if it is all his fault, a true prick never sees the problem may be him). Also, don't have this conversation on short final, do it when you've got some down time (preferably not in the cockpit and in private). I know it may be tough to see it from where you're sitting right now, but those IP's really do have a LOT on their plates sometimes, and some guys just aren't up to challenge. Unfortunately it sometimes takes the bad ones a while to realize it. A good IP is probably the most underpaid pilot on property (I know I'll get flamed for that one!), they are worth their weight in gold and there are never enough of 'em.
As for finishing school: Absolutely with out a doubt find the time to do that at some point, and major in something totally unrelated to flying. Medicals don't last forever and you can't return a child once you have one. Good luck and fly safe.

-Blucher:beer:

 

[B1900FO]

Will you be doing IOE with this same prick or will it be a different instructor?

Fortunately it is a different guy. Its one of those things though, once you've been hit once, you afraid to be hit again, if you see what I am saying. You're right though, I'll just show up with a good attitude.

I have found though, that it will be extremely tough to finish my degree online with my schedule, so I do still plan on returning to school full time. Fortunately I've met enough people along the way that flying while I am in school won't be very difficult. Thank you for the advice!

 

[Blucher]

B1900FO,

81Horse is right though, leave on your own terms and don't burn any bridges on the way out the door (when the time comes). The CP's you'll have now will likely be happy to write you a rec down the road if you keep your head up and do good work. I know the feeling though. When I was on probation I flew back to back with first the worst Cpt at the company, then the best. I too was on the verge of quitting and feeling like I might have made a huge mistake, but that good Cpt pretty much saved the day for me. That same thing might just happen to you too. I hope it does. Also, chances are you're not the only one who's butted heads with this guy. Quietly ask around from some other FO's and I'll bet you'll find similar experiences. This is one of those silver lining things that comes along with having a few real jerks where you work. Everyone else immediately has something in common (they all hate the guy) and it helps to build a sense of being on the same team (minus the jerk, or course). Please report back and tell us how it went after you're done.

-Blucher:beer:

 

[WhiteCloud]

Show up to IOE. Study your trips and learn as much as you can. Fly the line for a few months until you get good at the job. Then make a decision. It gets easier, just hang in there.

 

[B1900FO]

Thanks Blucher!

 

[Borat Sagdiyev]

Good advice I must say. But I'll add another thing you might want to consider. Think about staying beyond twelve months so you can be off of probation. It can raise questions with future employers if you leave prior to completing probation. Also, when you do go back to school, you'll have a chunk of multiengine turbine experience under your belt, so maybe part-time flying jobs will be easier to get, maybe an IFR part 135 PIC job would work out. I'm doing the online degree thing right now myself. It's not bad if you give yourself deadlines to get things done and stay enrolled in courses. But you know yourself better than anyone. Good luck, and let me know if you need anymore of my twisted Kazakhstani advice.

 

[81Horse]

... I had much much more experience then the other guys in my class. Out of the new hires, I had the most hours.

At 900 hours, you have almost three times as much experience as my dad did when he was hired by a MAJOR airline. Back in the day. The operating environment is a lot more complex now, and we all expect F/Os to be part of a true two-pilot crew (as opposed to "Gear up, flaps up, shut up"). So geezers like me complain about low-time newhires.

Sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders. Tough it out for a while, and don't let yourself get too rattled by the bad training experience. You will have much more fun, and better training, on the line.

The gypsy catcher is probably right -- you might want to consider staying until you're off probation.

 

[General Lee]

Fly the line and get an idea of the job before you go back to school. If you really like it, then maybe you will WANT to return after you finish school, and you will have some extra time in the logbook to look more competitive when you do return. I would stay flying and eventually get senior on the plane and go back to school part time. Maybe you could fly Weekends and try to take classes a couple or three times during the work week. Maybe you could drop a couple trips per month and help out your schedule. But ultimately, fly the IOE, show up prepared and know the ramp frequencies etc for each out station you go to beforehand, and have a good attitude. There are jerks at every airline, but not all of them are jerks.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[70-SS]

Beech, #1 Is there a contract. #2 You got this far go fly the beech by hand for a while. You will gain invaluble exp. #3 Go to college on-line when you are sitting in your crashpad while sitting rsv and use there time as your college time. By the way the 1900 is a blast.

 

[Bringupthebird]

It would only look bad if you put it on your resume as having worked there. Why would you put a place you spent 3 weeks at on your resume?

If you really want to begin your flying career without the degree do it with the knowledge that it may be the place you stay for whatever reason. If you can finish school you have a whole new world of options out there and the places that browbeat 900 hour guys in training will still be there 3 years from now.

 

[pgcfii2002]

Thanks Blucher!

Fly long enough to get some hot chicks...and then quit.

 

[be-400xpdriver]

Hey all...I just finished training as a B1900 FO, getting ready to start I.O.E., expcept I had a somewhat negative training experience (asshole instructors) and it has put a bad taste into my mouth about the commuter gig, especially at this airline. I have 900 hours and close to 100 multi. I am 20 years old and have not finished my degree. I have strongly considered going back to school and finishing my degree and building up some more time during school. I really don't want to go back to start IOE even. If I were to quit, would it look bad to the next employer? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

QUITTER!!!!!! Suck it up and be a man/women. Are you going to quit every job that they dont treat you like gods gift to aviation? Maybe it was not the instructor maybe you just suck. If that it is the case please quit it just might save the lives of 19 people. Well 21 if you count the capt. and a lap child.

 

[logolight]

There's at least one axe grinding instructor at EVERY airline. You just happen to get the one at your's. A few years back at ACA about half the instructors were axe grinders. My experience has been that usually the abusive instructors are the ones that are bitter because they never made it to a major and they take it out on their co-workers in the sim.



No one likes it but just jump through the hoops, nod your head while they talk their crap and get out of the sim and go home.

 

[pgcfii2002]

I knew of a few grumpy old instructors at my A+P school, they were just out to weed out those who were not serious about getting the cert.