The Devil I Know
Its been a year since I've officially come "on line" and been flying for my current company. At my last logbook entry I've logged around 2250 hours total time with 1350 multi engine, 540 turbo jet and plenty of night and actual instrument time. Now I've come to a crossroads about what to do with my career.
With my current total time and experience, I'd consider myself over qualified for most regional airlines. They're are a lot of regionals hiring guys with a wet commercial ticket and 500 hours total time. On the other hand, I'm a few hundred hours short of meeting the fractionals hiring minimums. They want 2500 hour total time and an ATP of which I am missing both. My chief pilot has already pulled me into his office and told me that he was looking into upgrading me. They are looking to upgrade 2-3 of us First Officers in either June or July. The question is, do I really want the upgrade? Lets face it, I have a lot of gripes about how my company operates. I'm still bitter about the 5 and 2, 12 and 2 schedule they forced on us. Our planes seem to be falling apart at the rivets. I don't fly as much as I'd like and I spend way too much time away from home. BUT, I absolutely need 1000 hours turbojet PIC to reach my ultimate career goal of UPS or Fed Ex. Do I want to dance with the Devil that brought me, take the upgrade and sign away another 18 months of my life? Or do I search out other gainful (turbojet pic) employment when my contract runs out at the end of the year?
Switching to the left seat would mean a huge pay increase. If things stayed busy and I flew a lot, I could easily double my current salary. But even more important than the pay would be the golden turbojet PIC time I could accumulate. To me, that's worth more than the pay increase. Every 6 minutes in the cockpit is another .1 in the logbook towards my career goals. The whole reason I took this job over ExpressJet was for one simple reason, quick upgrade! Like some people say, be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.
With my current total time and experience, I'd consider myself over qualified for most regional airlines. They're are a lot of regionals hiring guys with a wet commercial ticket and 500 hours total time. On the other hand, I'm a few hundred hours short of meeting the fractionals hiring minimums. They want 2500 hour total time and an ATP of which I am missing both. My chief pilot has already pulled me into his office and told me that he was looking into upgrading me. They are looking to upgrade 2-3 of us First Officers in either June or July. The question is, do I really want the upgrade? Lets face it, I have a lot of gripes about how my company operates. I'm still bitter about the 5 and 2, 12 and 2 schedule they forced on us. Our planes seem to be falling apart at the rivets. I don't fly as much as I'd like and I spend way too much time away from home. BUT, I absolutely need 1000 hours turbojet PIC to reach my ultimate career goal of UPS or Fed Ex. Do I want to dance with the Devil that brought me, take the upgrade and sign away another 18 months of my life? Or do I search out other gainful (turbojet pic) employment when my contract runs out at the end of the year?
Switching to the left seat would mean a huge pay increase. If things stayed busy and I flew a lot, I could easily double my current salary. But even more important than the pay would be the golden turbojet PIC time I could accumulate. To me, that's worth more than the pay increase. Every 6 minutes in the cockpit is another .1 in the logbook towards my career goals. The whole reason I took this job over ExpressJet was for one simple reason, quick upgrade! Like some people say, be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.
posted by Windsor at 12:11 PM
3 Comments:
I would sign on the upgrade and for another eighteen months. Short pain now, more money to fly the squirt & wife to where you happen to have an evening off, more money to do fun things when you are home for a few days.
Then you are good for a FedEx job.
go to a regional or at least citation shares, et al. dude we all know that you are a good stick, but don't chance leaving your kid without a dad by flying pieces of shit for a p.o.s company who will just screw you in the end anyway. fed ex will also like it if you have glass time, which you can get elsewhere. i know DH would agree with me.
I couldnt afford the paycut to go to a regional. By the time my contract runs out, I'll have enough hours for the Frax, but thats not a direction I really want to go. UPS's latest hiring window was only for guys with Heavy International time. Gemini, World, Omni, ect. I see that as my next step after this place. I know how much Dan hated this place, he had good reason to. I miss flying with him, he was a great guy.
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