Question about work

[CX880]

What do the airlines look for in pilots since most of the applicants are overqualifed? Do airlnes care much how you got your ratings, if you were a CFI or not?

 

[AMRCostUnit]

What do the airlines look for in pilots since most of the applicants are overqualifed? Do airlnes care much how you got your ratings, if you were a CFI or not?

What really counts is turbine (jet or turboprop) PIC. Position yourself to get that as soon as you can, as much as you can. Take a left seat turboprop job over right seat Lear or even 727. Do not let the "Shiney Jet Syndrome" take your eye off the left seat. FO time doesn't matter.

I am a good example. With all the turmoil here at AA I was ready to go to SWA. I have all the types to the left, almost 10k hours but only 1200 PIC from my Air Force days. I have been an FO for 14 years. No call for two years. Now their min is 1300 so there won't be a call.

And, develop a second income stream as soon as you can. Flying is just too volitile to depend on it 100%. I'm learning that hard lesson now as I get the sideline going. Get some rental houses, learn the mortage business, where ever your interests lie. Good tax deduction when, if ever, you start to make some $$. Plus, you have choices if you decided to get out of flying or need to walk away from a job that you need to because of pay, management or safety issues.

Unit

 

[pilotyip]

AMR has given some very good advice. I will double that recommendation, get PIC as soon as possible, as much as possible. Get your 1200 hours any way you can, then start down the 135 IFR PIC route use that a building stone to then move. If you can not do in house, look for the next job, be prepared to move anywhere in the country that get you the next PIC. Go for any turbine time, then Turbo Jet. I might recommend you look into the on-demand cargo ops at places that take low timers in the right seats of the Shorts or Merlins. Even go to a turbo prop regional to build up to the 1200 hours needed for 135 IFR PIC at places like Airnet. This is a great time to be starting there is a growing pilot shortage on the entry level jobs.

 

[BRA]

Make sure you have a 4 year degree too.

 

[Whine Lover]

Or you could do it this way:

- Throw "conventional wisdom" out the window. It's for "Sheeple" who can only follow others actions.

- Go to college, smoke dope, trip on acid, bang stupid drunk girls.

- Become a primary flight instructor. Don't waste time or money with the MEII.

- Instruct (Day/VFR only) for about 900 hrs. Spend the money to get a multi- engine rating and about ten hours of multi-time.

- Apply for jobs you are in no way qualified for. Do NOT dink around with commuters, RJ's, single engine check hauling etc. Act as though you are above all that.

- Secure above job. Perhaps flying right seat in a DC-6 in Alaska, or a DC-8 in Bangladesh.

- Continue to apply for jobs you are not qualified for.

- Secure a right seat with some start up airline. Get in on the ground floor. Become a Captain in a year or two. NOW, you can get your PIC Turbine time.

- Party on and "ride the wave".


Crazy talk? Maybe.

But that's exactly how it worked for a very good friend of mine....


YKW

 

[CX880]

I have been an FO for 14 years. No call for two years. Now their min is 1300 so there won't be a call.


Unit

If are willing to sacrifice, MESA is hiring hundreds of street captains right now. Thanks for your replies, what about my question about being a CFI?

 

[AC560]

Thanks for your replies, what about my question about being a CFI?

It would factor into my hiring two identical candidates as the CFI probably has dealt with a large cross section of people/personalities and learned how to do it. The flying part of life is easy finding somebody who can work with other people though can be difficult.

The real key though is what the background of the person doing the hiring is. If he/she comes from 135 freight background they will probably give it more weight, likewise if they were CFI that would weigh more.

Given all the pilots out there every single thing you can do to seperate yourself from the other candidates will help you. Degrees, ratings, hours, flying bush, whatever the more varity of experiance you can get the better off you will be.

 

[NJA bound]

what about my question about being a CFI?

I don't think having a CFI ticket really matters, I'm at NetJets right now, hired with about 4000 TT a few months ago.

I towed banners for about 1000 hours to build time to get on with a 135 freight company before getting hired with NJA.