time to apply?

[illiniavi8r]

Is it advisable to send out applications and/or resumes to regionals even if you still fall short of their hour requirements by a couple hundred hours? I am currently a dispatcher for a regional carrier, which I would think helps me out a little bit. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[WhiteCloud]

In today's hiring market you can't really have too much paper out there to be looked at. With low hours though you might want to either be sure they will consider you or have someone you know at the company check or walk it in. You could be wasting a lot of time, effort and money sending one in cold. Unfortunately, unless there is something unusually interesting about your resume (a friend of the person reviewing it walks it in) it will just get a glance at the total time column and then find it's way to a round file. The reviewer will probably use your self addressed and stamped envelope to pay their personal bills. Sorry to be so dismal.

 

[Be200pilot]

First off, I beleive Whitecloud is correct.
im starting class next month at a regional where I am just shy of their TT requirements. However I do exceed their multi requirments 3 times over with turbine-multi, and that may have helped. Also, I think a degree helps out too.
I really didnt send out resumes until I had a 4-digit total time number, after that it took over 50 resumes (sent to various companies) with 5 walk-ins to get a call for an interview (within a 8 month time frame). It took alot of work and it obviously was not a waste of time even though I did not meet some people requirements.
If you really have only 650 hrs like your profile says, I'd suggest waiting for a few hundred more hours in that Ce-500 your flying to build good time and improve your resume.
Take a look at Midwest Express Connect. They are out of MKE and had a couple newhire classes recently and have been known to hire lower time guys. Also when Great Lakes allows applicants to apply on-line, do it because they have been known to hire lower time guys as well.
Dont get discouraged, you are competing against thousands of highly qualified pilots, so dont take it personally when they dont call.

Good Luck

 

[Jeepman]

I would focus my energy on researching all the regionals you may want to work for instead of sending them your resume now. When you do meet all the requirements, fire off the resumes and for the airlines you really want to work for, send another resume every 3 months with a different cover letter.

Good Luck

P.S. Kit Darby's Jetjobs (I think) has a really good monthly newsletter that publishes all the airlines with info on who's hiring and who's not and addresses

 

[Stifler's Mom]

im starting class next month at a regional where I am just shy of their TT requirements. However I do exceed their multi requirments 3 times over with turbine-multi, and that may have helped. Also, I think a degree helps out too.

I'm raising the BS Flag here. We all know the reason why they waived their mins for you was probably because that chick in your avitar walked in your resume. Wearing that same outift too.

 

[illiniavi8r]

Thanks for the advice. Actually I made it up to about 750 hours now. My original plan was to transfer over to an FO position with the regional I work for because I'm a dispatcher. Because its sort of hard to find dispatchers now, I hear that now I have to stick around another 18-24 months til I can move over to an FO class, and that is still not guaranteed.

My current situation is that its been about 2-3 months since I've flown and I can't find a place to part-time instruct within a 150 mile radius to build those ever-important hours.

Any more thoughts?

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Any more thoughts?

What about some spare time in a simulator? Maybe the training dept could use somebody to sit in the right seat while they do whatever it is they do in there?

 

[WhiteCloud]

What about some spare time in a simulator? Maybe the training dept could use somebody to sit in the right seat while they do whatever it is they do in there?

I think that's a great idea. If you're doing a good job with the company and they know you want to be a pilot with them down the road you'll be a known quantity and easy to hire when the time comes. Why not check with your Chief Pilot or the Director of Training to see if there are any opportunities within the company that will help you qualify down the road as a pilot with them. Maybe they know someone with a flight school nearby and a phone call from them to the Chief Instructor (who may want to get on with a regional too) can help get you on part time. If you don't ask them for help they wont know you need it or want it. Real critical.....do a great job in the position you now hold and have a good attitude towards it.