Need Advice

[Hutch]

Hello everyone, I was looking to get a bit of advice. I am a relatively new reserve copilot. With about 900 hours of total time and almost all of that - 80 or so piston hours is multi engine turbine. Currently I am reserve troughing and it is paying the bills, but I am looking to get something closer to a real job that includes benefits, particularly health insurance, vacation, retirement, etc. The question is should I try to get on with a regional or continue troughing. Would like to hear some pros and cons, and if so, which regional would be best suited for a guy living in Indiana, and which one might consider a guy with this low of hours. Thanks in advance.

 

[dudemize]

Hi Hutch,

I have wrestled with the same issues as you. I posted a similar question as you not too long ago. Here is the link:
http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=35273

I'm assuming from your post that you cannot get long term orders. If you can I would definitely just do that, you will make tons more money and you will upgrade much faster than you would at the regional. The flying experience at the regional would be great, however. So if you do decide to go the regional route, take advantage of military leave and fly as many reserve trips as you can. It will certainly help out with the bills! Maximize the mil leave until you can a hold a decent schedule at the regional.

But I think for you the key is to build PIC as quick as possible and I think you will do that much faster in the reserves than at the regional. I just upgraded to AC so I'm just planning to fly my ass off in the reserves! Longer term, I am looking more at the corporate side of things.

That's my take. Hopefully you'll get some other viewpoints as well. See ya downrange!

 

[Hutch]

Thanks for the reply dudemize. No long range orders, mostly local flying, trips, and alert tours. None with the magic 30 day trigger for insurance. I am not scheduled to go back to Altus for another year, so the PIC time won't start until then for me. If Tricare would get off their butts and open the Tricare for Reservists the answer would be a lot clearer. Thanks again for pointing me to your thread and most of the answers match what I was thinking as well.

 

[dudemize]

I think Tricare has some new plan where a reservist can pay for health coverage without being on orders. I think it is $1200 a year which WAY cheaper than you could get through a private company. Call your local tricare office and I'm sure they can give you details.

In your situation, a regional may not be a bad way to go, but like I said before, you should still try and get on as many reserve trips as you can. Use the mil leave to your advantage. I think most employers don't mind at all as long as you give adequate notice. A guy I know in my sister squadron got hired at a regional like 3 years ago and he has been on mil leave the whole time. He is making tons more money, getting PIC in the reserves, and when he finally comes off mil leave he'll probably be able to hold captain at the regional so he'll be able to build 121 PIC. Something to think about. Let us know how it goes.