Pilots Who Have NO Turboprop Time

[BenderGonzales]

Over the last 10 years our profession has changed. We have all read threads that talk about the early to mid-90s when pilots needed 2500 hours TT to be competitive for a job flying a Jetstream or Saab 340. Even then, many of those jobs required a $10,000 "investment".

Today, we face a different paradigm. Pilots with only a few hundred hours can go directly from light piston twins, or even singles directly to a high-performance jet. Many of them came directly from a flight-instruction background, having never flown freight, charter, towed banners, followed pipelines, etc.

I'm curious. How many pilots here have never flown a Turboprop? Do you feel any regret for skipping that segment? Do you feel that you might have learned something flying a 19 seat turboprop (no a/p, no f/a) for 6-8 legs a day?

PS - If you are one of the frosted-hair, backpack, ipod, no-hat, I'm entitled to a quick upgrade crowd, this post is not intended for you. I am well aware that you're flying a jet because you're just THAT good. :smash:

 

[TNHillbilly]

I love my ipod

 

[TNPILOT]

Did not fly a turboprop. Whish I had the opportunity but at the same time the opportunity/pay at XJT was hard to pass up and they called first...before the tprop airlines I applied to. I do believe that I would have learned quite a bit from having flown one especially in regards to weather and refining hand flying. Of course then again you can learn something from flying any new type. I do not think that flying a tprop is some sort of prerequisite for flying a jet. However, I do believe that we'd all be better off if the regionals flew tprops and all the jets went to mainline. Oh well.

 

[RJP]

SJS rules. Props are for boats.:beer:

 

[rjacobs]

Never flew T-props, I would have though, it just didnt work out that way. At my last airline everybody went to the jet, if they had said everybody has to fly the t-prop, great, sounds good to me. If I had gone to eagle instead of XJT I would have requested the ATR down in SJU, I think that would have been fun. I tried to get on with Island Air flying -8's, Horizon for the Q400, but didnt get an interview, oh well.

 

[flyf15]

I've also never flown a turboprop. Had quite a few interviews for turboprops but one for the CRJ came along and I took it. Would I have liked to? Yes. Do I feel like I've missed out? Possibly.

Oh well, I'll try to make up for it by flying airplanes around with no engines at all...

 

[B-J-J Fighter]

Good thread. Well I have flown 2 different T-Props. I'm developing SJS, they get paid more and do less work than we do.

 

[Northern Lights]

I'll tell you what was really easy in the T-prop: Navigation. We were "slant alpha", so it was almost always vectors to the destination. No box to program.

 

[ERfly]

Pilots with only a few hundred hours can go directly from light piston twins, or even singles directly to a high-performance jet.

With all due respect, I fly a low-performance jet. I have also done my time in a turbo-prop, with no apu and sometimes no flight attendant (felt that way with a few of them). I flew it for a crappy airline with low pay. I'm thankful for the time I spent in the turoprop, but I don't miss it.

By the way, I, too, own and love my iPod.

 

[wmuflyguy]

I love my PSP....no TurboProp for me, but maybe in the future.

 

[filejw]

Segment? 30 yrs ago I skipped TP's.

 

[viper548]

No hat, love the iPod

 

[Quimby]

no ipod, no hat, loved the Dash...........:beer:

likey beer a lot.

 

[landlover]

Over the last 10 years our profession has changed. We have all read threads that talk about the early to mid-90s when pilots needed 2500 hours TT to be competitive for a job flying a Jetstream or Saab 340. Even then, many of those jobs required a $10,000 "investment".

Today, we face a different paradigm. Pilots with only a few hundred hours can go directly from light piston twins, or even singles directly to a high-performance jet. Many of them came directly from a flight-instruction background, having never flown freight, charter, towed banners, followed pipelines, etc.

I'm curious. How many pilots here have never flown a Turboprop? Do you feel any regret for skipping that segment? Do you feel that you might have learned something flying a 19 seat turboprop (no a/p, no f/a) for 6-8 legs a day?

PS - If you are one of the frosted-hair, backpack, ipod, no-hat, I'm entitled to a quick upgrade crowd, this post is not intended for you. I am well aware that you're flying a jet because you're just THAT good. :smash:

i fly a jet 6-8 legs a day sometimes, no auto-pilot, no flight director no flight attendent no help loading the freight. never flew turboprops. and no i do not wish i had flown a turbo-prop. its bad enough i'm stuck at 280 cause we aint got no RVSM.

props are for boats!!

 

[John Pennekamp]

Turboprops were fun. You could do things you can't do with a jet. You know what they say... "I'd rather screw my way through life than blow my way...".

 

[rattler]

Turboprops were fun. You could do things you can't do with a jet. You know what they say... "I'd rather screw my way through life than blow my way...".

Ya, turbo props are alot of fun, I definately miss my times flying them.

 

[BoilerUP]

The RJ *is* the 19 seat turboprop of this decade. Everybody hates them because they are "small and loud". Hell, after the Comair accident, the media kept referring to them as "commuter jets"!

The problem is this...there ain't nothin' "regional" about an RJ, especially when you are flying them IAH-YYZ or PHL-MCI.

And for the record...I wear the hat, I iron my uniform shirt, I like to have the iPod for running and would love to have a Pt. 91 King Air job.

 

[Frozen Ronin]

I'm learning to love the Dash. I wish I could afford an Ipod, use my hat to catch the hand outs, because I have to buy more uniforms.... LOL.

Fun was driving the ditch. Work was carting eskimos around the tundra. Not quite sure what this Dash job is, just yet!

 

[JohnnyP]

...

I quit my turboprop job to go to another turboprop job(part.91). I guess I just like 'em.

And ive got an ipod, it does a great job at drowning out the suicide bombs around the corner. AND i use a backpack as a flight bag. Incoming!!!
I can see some of the sphinkters puckering at that one. Backpack???? Oh my goodness, i should be drawn and quartered.

To the original poster, what made you start this thread? Did you see someone in the terminal that had an opportunity you didnt get a chance at? Let it go, let it go......I dont think thats the first or last time your going to see someone get a job with less experience than yourself....Let it go.....

 

[mainiac]

Went from the Piston-Twin 402 to the CRJ, no TProp in between, came back (back?!?) to TProp.
Big step up! Better climb performance, much better hotels!!
Cabo beats Fort Wayne overnights...

 

[gnx99]

I was glad I started out in a turborop. I figured once I hit the airlines, there'd be a good chance I'd never get the chance to fly one.

 

[instructordude]

Little T-prop time here. Jets are way better. And yes too, I am proud to wear my hat!

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I started flying in 1975, and have 0 turboprop time. That is, unless you count the aircraft with the huge prop with a turbine engine that spins above your head (a helo). I also have only about 150 recip, and 100 FWSE recip. I have about 8 hrs MEFW Recip.

cliff
YIP

 

[It will roll]

I am very thankful for my t-prop time. I didn't want to go from a Seminole to an RJ. It would have been hard to keep up and there would be alot lost in the transition. So far I'm very happy with my transition to jets. Single to Seminole to Aztec to Grand Caravan to Saab 340 to CRJ-2/7/9 (Not Mesa). I loved the t-prop and if it had rnav and an apu it would have been even better. It was a great introduction to the busy airspace, icing, t-storms, flight levels (lower ones) higher speeds, mental math crossing restrictions, etc. I think ill be able to keep up alot more with whats going on in the RJ now because of my past experience. If I was comming from a 140 knot Seminole, then I would be afraid to click george off 40 miles out and hand fly an ILS now and then. But, I gotta say, I am looking foward to climbing and accelerating at the same time......

 

[JohnnyP]

It was a great introduction to the busy airspace, icing, t-storms, flight levels (lower ones) higher speeds, mental math crossing restrictions, etc. ......

Thats what I thought was so great about T-props, you dont need the mental math as much, just eye-ball that crossing restriction. It'll work out.

 

[Aerosurfer]

I miss flying the ATR.... that fat pig would go anywhere you told her to. and around the caribbean it was perfect, if you could get the door closed, you could take off ANYWHERE! The jet causes a lot less ring around the collar, but I had a lot more fun wih the loud and dirty flying... Vote 1 more for the Ipod

Jets are for Hot Tubs!!

 

[NEDude]

Spent five years on the mighty Beech 1900 in the northeast and upper midwest. VERY proud of the experience. I do think many folks do miss out by not having that experience. However, if I had the opportunity to go fly a jet at 1000 hours or less, I would have jumped at the chance as well. Just a changing industry.

The sad thing is that in this day and age, it is becoming harder to go right from a 1900 to a major/large jet operator. I was offered a 737 job, only to have it resinded when Independence Air went under because the operator wanted a chance to get guys with jet time. Needless to say, I am on the CRJ now to get some of that swept wing/glass/fms time.

As for the IPOD, can't afford it. As I said, I spent five years on the 1900. Hats do look better than frosted hair.

 

[Blade Runner]

No hat, flew both metro and Saab, love my IPOD !!

 

[Ratherbsurfing]

Flew Caravans in the Northwest for 4 years - loved it. The experience was a great preparation for jets and made for an easy transition.

 

[The_Russian]

Spent five years on the mighty Beech 1900 in the northeast and upper midwest. VERY proud of the experience.

Awesome. I feel the same way.

Bad ass airplane. Overpowered. Nimble. 300 foot landing roll. Lands on dirt, mud, sand, grass, and it floats.

As an FO, you can look up the skirt of the girl in 1A. Nice panties!