The SHOW: Airlines still a "good gig"??

[wink]

Cool, now that the pissing match is over, someone explain to me how a helo guy gets to the airlines. I am assuming my hours are mostly worthless?

Not mostly worthless. I got a bit more than a head nod for my NFO time. Not sure what HALs experience was. When you write your resume give yourself credit for flying a complex turbine aircraft in a very demanding environment. IMC time is IMC time if not more challenging in a helo. Highlight it. Make note of the hours in command. Makes no difference if the wings are flopping over head or welded. You signed for the aircraft and the buck stops with you. Aeronautical decision making is not respective of rotary wing or fixed, or for that matter, a NFO in a required crew position like WSO, ECMO, COTAC, etc. You have mastered the systems of several turbine aircraft. Not much of a chance you will be overwhelmed by the systems ground school for a B737. Every airline handles helo time differently. Not sure now days, but in the past AA was pretty generous to helo bubbas. Don't sell yourself short.

 

[DanMa1156]

Not mostly worthless. I got a bit more than a head nod for my NFO time. Not sure what HALs experience was. When you write your resume give yourself credit for flying a complex turbine aircraft in a very demanding environment. IMC time is IMC time if not more challenging in a helo. Highlight it. Make note of the hours in command. Makes no difference if the wings are flopping over head or welded. You signed for the aircraft and the buck stops with you. Aeronautical decision making is not respective of rotary wing or fixed, or for that matter, a NFO in a required crew position like WSO, ECMO, COTAC, etc. You have mastered the systems of several turbine aircraft. Not much of a chance you will be overwhelmed by the systems ground school for a B737. Every airline handles helo time differently. Not sure now days, but in the past AA was pretty generous to helo bubbas. Don't sell yourself short.

Thanks. This give me hope!

 

[Randy Daytona]

Thanks. This give me hope!

There were 3 reserve HT IP's at Whiting flying for mainline Delta and 2 more flying for FEDEX. They all did some time in the regionals before moving up but it can be done. Be prepared for regional airline pay - it is horrible - but if you are a reservist or retired you will manage ok.

 

[mad dog]

Thanks. This give me hope!

Former Navy rotorhead here...I did 6+ years at a Delta Connection regional (1994-2001) to build fixed wing multi turbine time prior to getting picked up by mainline Delta in 2001. I don't believe that you'd have to be at a regional that long now.

 

[mad dog]

Get a station job and log as many C-12 hours as you can. Or VT's. Then regionals and/or reserve C-40/C-130/etc

This.

@DanMa1156...if you can swing it...do it. I tried but was not successful...BUT...many of my rotorhead peers were able to get C-12 or T-34 slots at the end of their first sea tour...which enabled them to go directly to the majors in the mid to late 1990's.

 

[Brett327]

Not many C-12 gigs around these days. I think most of them are OCONUS. There are some King Air type opportunities in the contracting world (L3, etc) OCONUS as well. Websan may be able to shed some light on that option.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

Not many C-12 gigs around these days. I think most of them are OCONUS. There are some King Air type opportunities in the contracting world (L3, etc) OCONUS as well. Websan may be able to shed some light on that option.

Yes, I believe all the Navy C-12 gigs are overseas. They have a couple at Pax, but that may be different. I've heard that most of the king air ISR jobs require multi engine fixed wing time.

 

[wink]

Former Navy rotorhead here...I did 6+ years at a Delta Connection regional (1994-2001) to build fixed wing multi turbine time prior to getting picked up by mainline Delta in 2001. I don't believe that you'd have to be at a regional that long now.

Yeah, Your timing was not so good. There wasn't a lot of hiring going on then. I'd say if a guy check out as a capt pretty quickly he wouldn't have to spend much more than 2 years. You fly quite a bit and the hours come fast. Even though a helo guy would have plenty of PIC time, once in the airline world they usually like to see a guy check out as capt before hiring him away. I have seen guys make capt at a regional and get hired within months. Didn't seem to matter how long the guy flew as a capt. Just that he got the check in the box.

 

[SynixMan]

I believe Jet Blue counts helo time towards total time, but you still need FW Turbine mins to play. Might be some others. There's some interesting info on Airline Pilots Centeal forum on the topic.

C-12s Pax is the only CONUS gig I know of, and they're tied to the Station SAR guys if I'm not mistaken. Otherwise you're talking Bahrain and Japan, with C-26s in Sig and Hawaii. VTs *should* keep you with a foot in the door of both sides; if you're hedging or unsure.

For folks that have, I was wondering about what balancing a flying SELRES and regional gig is like.

 

[zippy]

Dudes at the VTs would drop mil leave in the middle of trips to cancel the whole trip and fly.

I saw one of the ISR King Air recruiters advertising the need for 500hrs multi time on another site but that could have been company specific.

 

[jollygreen07]

Thanks. This give me hope!

Don't despair. I have almost 1300 hours of heavy jet time (around 600 PIC) and I will be going to a regional as well. Do a VT tour to get a shitload of TPIC. By the time you punch from the Navy a quick trip through the regionals will get you in much better shape.

 

[HAL Pilot]

Former Navy rotorhead here...I did 6+ years at a Delta Connection regional (1994-2001) to build fixed wing multi turbine time prior to getting picked up by mainline Delta in 2001. I don't believe that you'd have to be at a regional that long now.

I hope you were one of those PFT types Delta Connection regionals were famous for in the mid to late 1990s.

 

[mad dog]

I hope you were one of those PFT types Delta Connection regionals were famous for in the mid to late 1990s.

@HAL Pilot...I was...I paid $9,000 for my Metroliner FO position at Comair Airlines in 1994...couldn't even use any of my MGIB to help pay for it...oh well. The way I understand it now is that regionals are offering signing bonuses for new hires.

 

[HAL Pilot]

Actually, I meant to say "I hope your WEREN'T" one of those".... I wasn't trying to trick you or anything.

PFTing was a controversial choice. I chose not to PFT multiple times for both regionals and corporate jets when I was starting out in 1998. But I also know PFTing was a lot more prevalent in 1994 than 1998.

 

[mad dog]

Yeah, your timing was not so good. There wasn't a lot of hiring going on then. I'd say if a guy check out as a capt pretty quickly he wouldn't have to spend much more than 2 years. You fly quite a bit and the hours come fast. Even though a helo guy would have plenty of PIC time, once in the airline world they usually like to see a guy check out as capt before hiring him away. I have seen guys make capt at a regional and get hired within months. Didn't seem to matter how long the guy flew as a capt. Just that he got the check in the box.

Yeah, it took me 4 years to make Captain at Comair...and I upgraded as soon as possible. After 2 years and 1,200 hours PIC jet part 121 time in the left seat of the CRJ...the phone started ringing (American and Delta).