Professional Flight schools

[Diesel8]

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"It is not the goal that is important, it is the journey." The idea that you wouldn't "mind" flying for a regional for awhile is a bit insulting, I'm afraid, although I'm sure your didn't mean it intentionally. The fact that someone is still willing to get into this business is nice to see. Don't forget that learning to fly doesn't stop at your PPL checkride. Flying freight in the middle of the night provides plenty of opportunities to learn. A thousand hours (minimum) dual instruction provides plenty of lessons. When you are sitting in your Airbus at UAL with your feet up on the traytable and something goes wrong you might remember that. Good luck.

 

[dondk]

I agree with Jim on most of the post. The part I disagree with is menial but I think worth mentioning.

First, during my intial training (141) my classmate and good friend just retired from the Navy. For serving his country he did get the GI bill to pay most (80%) of his training. The benifit he had was two folded though, his training was paid for while I took loans out for mine. After completion I was able to get a CFI job reasonably quickly, my friend was not as fortunate, but he did "(in his words, not mine) get to play soldier" and hence made almost the same as I did busting my butt instructing. Because of his service to this country he had or has a job that would pay some of the bills. Unlike me who did not by any other reason but working.

The second point, in my recent CL-65 class we had on retired Army Helo pilot, upon our furlough he was able to sustain by doing the "guard", he too got most of his fixed wing hours because of a GI bill. With the combination of the guard and unemployment he was making more money than if he was working. Also, because of his military position he was employed within 10 days after the furlough flying helicopters again.
Me the civillian, fixed wing pilot with the loans I am still paying for does not have that luck.

I am not in any way knocking any military pilot, or person. I think they are an asset to the pilot group. I am merely trying to point out that while many of them have success stories, they have reasons for the success stories. Some of the reasons may be GI bills which seriously cut the expense of flight training, others have the ability in a bad economy to go to the reserves or guard, or in the case of the helo pilot to different equipment to keep the money rolling in. The civillian group though in most cases does not have this liberty, and since Diana, you have not mentioned that you are former military, you fit more into this group than the ex-military guys and gals.

Regardless, there are success stories, many will give you a guide to go by. The realization though is that not all are successful, this is equally sad and the truth.

 

[skydiverdriver]

to flyinBrian..

Why do you say there are no regional jobs to be had? Comair is hiring and purchasing new aircraft. I'm sure we're not the only ones. Good luck to all of you.

 

[dondk]

to: skydiverdriver

You are right, Comair will start hiring and I heard ACA or ASA will start up too. Express I will too as we are "supposedly" to get up to 70 something 44 seaters, but for sure 10 more CL-65's...

The thing is, from what I heard (again maybe rumor) Comair has a pool that is about 4 months in size. Hence, they may hire but you would be luckly to see a class by April. Express I prior to 9/11 supposedly had classes filled for 6 months in advance.

Even if these 3 or 4 airlines do start hiring (and it pretty much assured they will), question 1 is when , question 2 will be how many. Question 3 will be how many will be left from the street after each empties thier respective pools.

Regardless, you are right but these few airlines are not going to pick up all the furloughed guys and gals, I wish they would or could though...

 

[FlyinBrian]

I stand corrected. The airlines mentioned here all require 200 multi. (I'm pretty sure.) Unfortuanately, I don't have that number. I retract my statement that there are no regional jobs to be had. I think it is fair to say however that there are FAR fewer regional jobs, and the market for them is far more competitive than it was pre 9-11.

Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[skydiverdriver]

Comair is not going to hire, we are hiring. We have new hire classes in session right now. We also just took delivery of our first 44 seat CRJ. And, yes, I'm sure the qualifications have gone up. I thought you meant there were no jobs to be had, period. Good luck to all of you.