PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - US regional vs. a King Air FO position?
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Old 15th Feb 2010, 15:27
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NGjockey
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Worldwide
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It is not so easy for an outsider to give you sensible advice with the information you gave us in your post. Such decisions depend on many circumstances, like do you have a family to support or to take with you? What experience do you already have? How many hours have you flown on a jet? What are the perspectives for an upgrade with the regional company? There's lots more to consider...

I've been in this business for 19 years, and the one decision that I have been regretting for most of that time was to take a job as PIC and Flight Operations Manager on a Piper Navajo instead of a right seat position on a regional jet. I managed to get stuck on propeller aircraft from then on, because every time I interviewed for a jet job I was asked how much jet time I had (NONE!), and that was pretty much it. I made captain on larger turboprops (also regional operators), and from then on the verdict was "...too much PIC time for a F/O position, but no jet time, so a direct entry command won't be possible, either..." Only during the latest economic peak, when everybody was desperately looking for pilots did I get my lucky break and a decent job on a jet.

Long story cut short: Where do you want to go? Do you want to fly the big jets eventually? Then don't get stuck on a small turboprop. Get the experience you need and build your network.

If you don't care about the type you fly, go have fun and make money! But one word of advice: It's not ALL about money! I have been flying part time for a couple of years now and even though I make a lot less than before I would NEVER go back to full time! Life has got a lot more to offer than big salaries, but that is only a personal opinion not so easily understood in places like the U.S. of A.

One more question, though: Why would a two leg commute be a problem? If you are seriously considering moving overseas, moving to your new base in order to avoid that commute should be a lot less complicated. And it would save you money, too.
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