NWA or CAL or UAL or 1000jet PIC

[pookie]

I wanted to list all the positives of each airline and could not come up with an easy answer. Which major would you go to. I know that the easy answer is the first one that hires you.

Here are my positives for each legacy carrier.

NWA: many upcoming retirements and at the beginning of the hiring phase. They also have many aircraft orders as well as flying in the Pacific (west coast guy).

UAL: no aircraft orders but just starting to hire. Seems like Tilton is more interested in selling them than trying to find new routes or aircraft orders. West coast base (sfo or lax).

CAL: i will be getting in the middle or end of their hiring boom. Solid management as well as solid group of employees. Looks like a bright future but i just cant see myself commuting to the east coast.

Regional trying to get 1000PIC: I am around 600 hours of pic and am thinking about staying for the insurance incase things go south. I will be eligible to apply at southwest and thats a big plus.

The reason i am asking is that should i jump ship in the early stages of hiring or wait and lose some seniority numbers in order to get 1000pic.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[ATRCA]

I'm not so sure 3K w/ 600 PIC is all that competative at the moment (unless you have really good cxtns). I have more than double that and have applied to CAL and UAL and.....................nothing yet. Put your stuff out, update and keep flying.

 

[amt]

Eventhough seniority means everything, I would certainly wait until you have at least 1,000 turbine/jet PIC. Like you mentioned, if things go south you'll be right back to the right seat of a regional again.
Good luck!

 

[skid]

GET THE PIC TIME FIRST!!!!

That is from my experience. I left Horizon in 05 with no TPIC. I have since flown A-300, A-320, and MD-80, AKA the job I left to go to did not last and I got furloughed. Since this time I have been in a never ending up hill battle to get back to where I was. I have several friends that stayed at QX and now have offers at Alaska ( the 2000 sic deal for QX guys). As for me I have more time, better flight experience (all the jets vs a DHC-8) Yet I cant even Apply, really sux since I live in SEA and commute half way across the country for pennies.

As you can see from my experience the PIC turbine time can only help. My goal is a min of 1000 but prefer 2000 before I make that glorious jump to the majors. I think the time can only be used as a security blanket should the industry faulter again ( and it will!) It really opens more options later.

 

[Flopgut]

Get the PIC!

 

[thor2j]

I know I am slightly prejudice, but CAL vs the other two isn't really a comaprison. In five years this could all flip, but right now not really close.

I would get all your stuff in right now to all of them. Even if you get called soon, you will still most likely have time to get your 1000pic. Take the first one to offer you a job. If you have really good conections you should be ok, if not don't get frustrated. You have less then 1/2 of the average new hire total time at CAL. But once again it is all who you know.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

Apply, and put your availability date down the road so that you'll have 1000 PIC by then.

Get the PIC.

cliff
ILN