TurboProp vs. Turbojet? Who comes out ahead?

[smartelephant]

I'm sure this issue has been debated before, but because I don't frequent this board that often I'm going to bring it up again.(for inteligent use only please) Question is: Does there seem to a biasis against TP pliots by the majors if they have an ample supply of TJ pilots to chose from? This question is not asked out of self-inferority, rather on the observation that the majority of major new hires are coming from RJ operators. I admit not all. Our company has lost several to the group in question. However, as a yardstick, it seems that TJ guys get the call and the job before TP guys even though their resumes are indentical. I'm really begining to wonder if all the time I've amassed in the left seat of this ****box is getting me nowhere.
p.s. I realize that there are more TJ pilots than TP ones, thus inflating the hiring numbers.

 

[landlover]

i guess its a matter of being more familiar with procedures in a jet. i guess companies like to see jet time. in reality if you can fly a turbo prop you can fly a jet. the difference is the wing, it has very different characteristics and flying a swept wing is different, not more difficult just different. i wouldnt say you are wasting time flying a TP. you are gaining expereince.

 

[CF34-3B1]

In my newhire class at SWA, 2 of the 10 civilians were turboprop only guys. I don't think there's a bias against them, I think it's simply a matter of numbers. Since most regional pilots these days are flying RJs, the odds are most regional pilots hired at majors will be from the RJ fleet. Personally, I think the EMB120 was a lot more demanding to fly than the CRJ or the 737.

 

[Tejas-Jet]

Once one gets called in for an interview....that person is now being considered for employment....regardless if his time is in a Turbo-prop or jet.

Turbine is turbine is turbine is turbine.....

 

[Captain Morgan]

Let's take this further... Let's say a person has over 1000 hours of jet time with FMS/EFIS/Glass/etc. as SIC but has a few thousand hours of single engine turboprop PIC. Is turbine just turbine? I know some minimum requirements with some carriers are MEL Turbine PIC but some don't specify.

CM

 

[dillfer]

Once one gets called in for an interview....that person is now being considered for employment....regardless if his time is in a Turbo-prop or jet.

The problem is getting the interview.

 

[Roger Roger]

I'm a turbo prop guy and was finally given a start date with a major.

I interviewed with two other companies before and didn't get on. Both of them really hit the area of not having jet time. Also they kept bringing up the fact that I didn't have glass time and FMS experience.

The one that did hire me also brought this up and when it seemed that I finally convinced them I could pass training they seemed content with my answer. They told me that they needed me to convince them that I am trainable and able to learn quickly.

I gave them every example of when I used GPS and the autopilots I had used. Also there was a class at Boeing Field in Seattle that I had taken. They basically give you an intro class to FMS and glass. They also give you a certificate saying you completed the class. I showed the certificate at the interview that I was hired at and they told me that this is the type of thing they liked. He said it shows that i'm teachable. The class cost between 200-400 bucks.

They really seemed to be content with seeing that I had taken the class.

One of the companies I had interviewed at claimed that people without; jet, glass, FMS, will struggle more through training than someone who already has it. There is a fine line between being confident and arrogant. You have to come across as being confident in your ability to make it through training but not arrogant.

I don't think you wont get hired because you fly a turbo prop but I think you need to really sell yourself as someone who is able to be taught and learn quickly. It's one extra hoop we have to jump through at the interview to convince them that we wont wash out during training. I don't even think you need to take a class like I did but again be able to sell yourself.

 

[Windsor]

In your next interview all you have to tell them is that today's high bypass turbofan's are basically fixed pitch turbo props. They are easier to fly.

 

[DashTrash400]

I don't fly a turboprop, I fly an unshrouded turbofan with a 13' diameter and 6 blades :laugh:

 

[cpierse]

I find it very surprising that the Majors consider you a "wash out risk" if you don't have jet time. The 737 was my first jet, and I thought it was a very manageable transition from a turboprop.

Look how many pilots easily make the transition from Seminole to CRJ; this seems like a much bigger deal than going from a Beech 1900 to a 737.

 

[SoCentralRain]

Props vs. jets, it's all doable (trainable). I'd say it's the attitude of the individual along with some innate aptitude for flying and a bunch of effort. Jets are easier to fly in many ways.

As one of the others mentioned, it's getting the interview that matters. Once you get the interview, they think you're qualified. You essentially need to give them no reason not to hire you. The job is yours to lose.

Good luck.

SCR

 

[igneousy2]

I think it's more in terms of "all things being equal" kind of thing. Everybody knows most of the majors would RATHER hire military pilots and I submit that they would RATHER hire Jet Captains then t/p Captains.

I've been to two major airline interviews and each asked about being able to transition from flying a DHC-8 to a Jet. It wasn't as big a stretch for me as I also have a few hundred hours in an ERJ, however, I can see how someone with no jet time could throw up yellow flags during the selection process. I won't say that jets are harder - but they are different - and coming back to the jet after flying a t/p for so long was a bit of a challenge.

My advice would depend on individual circumstance. If you are flying at an airline with only t/p's then I would not leave - stay put and build that PIC time, however, if you are at an airline where you do have a choice I would bid the Jet as soon as I could hold a line to get that box shaded to.

Good luck

 

[Captzaahlie]

It's a known but unadvertised fact that the director of training at JB (some guy called Bargher (sp?) will not look at turboprop only guys now.They did in the past but now call them unqualified....... I'm not bitter just glad his racism helped me move on to better things.

 

[wingit]

It really doesn't matter. I got two job offers at majors with turboprop only time. Interviews were not a problem. No bias against turboprops. Most people realize that it really doesn't matter. It's turbine. To be honest, my turboprop days involved much more challenging flying than anything I've done in the jet. There were some diffences flying the md80, but nothing a couple hours in the simulator didn't take care of. Don't worry about it. There may be some operators that care, but most don't. They just want to hire good people. My two cents.

 

[FlyByNight1]

considering the regionals are taking 300 hr pilots into their FMS,Glass,jets. I dont know why anyone would have a problem with a turboprop pilot with thousands of hours learning to fly the new equiptment.

 

[rickair7777]

While there is a natural reluctance to speak ill of turbo-prop pilots since they are OG regional drivers, there are some realities to face in the modern world...

Analog props is different from glass jets..mainly because of the menu-driven information displays and the higher speeds.

There are prop pilots who have difficulty transitioning to jets (there are doubtless jet pilots who would have a hard time going to props, but that doesn't come up very often).

Majors like glass/jet time because if you did it once, you're something of a known quantity as far as training risk. Props-only pilots are not high training risks, they are just somewhat unknown.

SWA and CAL seem to have no problem hiring prop-only pilots. Other majors seem to prefer some jet time (I know, I know, your cousin's girlfriend' brother got hired at FDX with 1001 hours of part 91 king air time but that ain't the reality for most of us).

As far as PIC goes, it doesn't matter what type aircraft...they want to see judgement and command ability. But it would be helpful to have at least a little RJ time, even as an FO...the computers work just the same from either seat.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm a turbo prop guy and was finally given a start date with a major.

I interviewed with two other companies before and didn't get on. Both of them really hit the area of not having jet time. Also they kept bringing up the fact that I didn't have glass time and FMS experience.

BS. They just didn't like you. They knew your qualifications before you came in the door, and if they chose to NOT hire you because of those qualifications, they wasted everyone's time.

It's been my experience that HR and hiring depts. have better things to do than waste their time.

 

[30West]

Two guys trying to get an interview. One TP Captain and one RJ Captain.
Both have the same amount of incident free 121 PIC time.

1. Which one's got connections at that company.
2. See #1
3. See #1
4. See #1
5. See #1

 

[Captzaahlie]

Two guys trying to get an interview. One TP Captain and one RJ Captain.
Both have the same amount of incident free 121 PIC time.


1. Which one's got connections at that company.
2. See #1
3. See #1
4. See #1
5. See #1

That was one of the most eloquent things I've read on this board in awhile, not to mention true!
I owe you a beer dude for summing things up all too well.......:beer:

 

[jetpig32]

The majors should prefer t-prop rig drivers because they bitch less and don't seem to be less arrogant.