Question for the 121 guys.

[Hollywood82]

Put you're application in at SkyWest and you'll probably get a call soon after the new year.

SKW looks like a great airline, one of my first choices to work for. Again, as you know, I am unfamiliar with 121 ops, so pardon all the questions. If you are Capt. on the EMB120 and you wish to transition to the CRJ will you have to start all over as an F/O on the RJ? Also, is it true that SKW cans you if you fail the upgrade ride? Is this true at all airlines?

Thanks again
Hollywood

 

[80for80]

I had zero prior 121 experience when I was hired.

Who do you work for?

 

[IslandDriver]

I have a friend at FedEx.....he went from ACE in Alaska flying Single Pilot PIC on the 1900 - Fed Ex.

It can happen. Just depends on how you market yourself and if you have anyone to walk your file in.

You might be able to skip the regionals and go to a place like Gemini, Champion or something like that instead. It would be better than the regionals.

Any regional will hire you so look at the next step from there.


good Luck.

 

[MarineGrunt]

SKW looks like a great airline, one of my first choices to work for. Again, as you know, I am unfamiliar with 121 ops, so pardon all the questions. If you are Capt. on the EMB120 and you wish to transition to the CRJ will you have to start all over as an F/O on the RJ? Also, is it true that SKW cans you if you fail the upgrade ride? Is this true at all airlines?

Thanks again
Hollywood

If you want to go to SkyWest - the quickest way to an interview is to go to a group interview. You can transition to CRJ CA from the Bro if you're seniority can hold it. SkyWest does has an "up-or-out" policy - if you fail upgrade - yer canned, so no pressure....

 

[surfnfly]

I personally know 8 people that went from Metros straight to FedEx and several others that went to UPS. I went to USAIR from the Metro and got furloughed. I chose poorly. Turbine time is turbine time, the more the better.Flying around a CRJ is a piece of cake compared to flying the old SA227 around single pilot without autopilot.

 

[rickair7777]

This may seem like a stupid question, but how competitive is the hiring at Skywest? I don't have a college degree. Will this be a problem with Skywest, or any other airlines? I noticed on the SWA website a 4 year degree was prefered.

Again, thankyou, all of you, for the great advice and info.

Hollywood

I suspect SKW will snap you up without the degree right now, if you do well on the interview. At the regional level, the degree becomes a major factor when hiring is very slow, which is not the case right now.

I know as fact SWA will hire folks with an AA, and I suspect they might hire you with no degree. However, at any other major your chances are very slim without a 4-year degree unless you really know someone...

 

[rickair7777]

SKW looks like a great airline, one of my first choices to work for. Again, as you know, I am unfamiliar with 121 ops, so pardon all the questions. If you are Capt. on the EMB120 and you wish to transition to the CRJ will you have to start all over as an F/O on the RJ? Also, is it true that SKW cans you if you fail the upgrade ride? Is this true at all airlines?

Thanks again
Hollywood

As was mentioned, SKW will terminate you if you fail upgrade training. However you will have reasonable opportunities to retrain and try again if you fail the first ride.

Union carriers generally allow you to go back to your previous FO position if you fail upgrade.

 

[belchfire]

Current mins at SWA require 1300 tpic. I would hang out untill you get at least that. It can be tough to transition to working as a crew for some people-if you get in the right seat somewhere remember CA's are like FO's-some are better than others.

I know that there are alot of choices for you right now. I would say to get some more PIC time and get any debts paid off. Figure on taking home about $1500/month as a regional fo for the first year so figure out how to live on that...get some more PIC time (300-500 hrs at least) and then make a move.

Majors seem to be doing some recalling-though I suspect that is for attrition from guys hired in the 70's and 80's-but some of them flowed back to regionals and some of them took any flying job they could get when they got furloughed from their airline. Where ever they went, they may or may not go back at recall. Regardless there will be some seats opening up over the next couple of years at regionals so my best guess is that you have some time.

I would stay away from turboprop only carriers for the most part. The quick upgrade (if avalible) speaks volumes about their attrition. If the attrition is that bad in this market it probably means that they are an abysmal and abusive pit of slavery to work for...in this I speak from experience...though there may be exceptions.

Get the rest of your PIC time, get some jet time and then you can make the jump up a little easier...my opinion for what that is worth.

Good luck.

 

[Hollywood82]

Thanks guys. I have decided that I will try for SKW EMB120, due to the hopefully quick upgrade, and SKW good quality. If anything at all within 2 years I should have some PIC turbin 121 time. I am scheduled to take the ATP written next week (now that I am finally old enough), and updating my resume. I have only gone through an interview once, and it was for a small freight company. Any advice on the SKW interview?

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Any advice on the SKW interview?

Try this site.

www.aviationinterviews.com

Good site with all you need to know about the interview at SKW including most of the interview questions.

Good luck.