Take the Jet. !!!!!!!
If you want to get into a big, mainline carrier, then F/O experience on any jet is worth more than any command on turboprop.
Those who say that command of a turboprop will stand you in good stead for your future command on a jet, are living in a dreamworld. When the time comes for your jet command, your performance as an F/O, sim reports..etc. are what will count.
They won't give a toss about your Q400 command experience 5 years back. Unless they are upgrading guys out of seniority, or are working for some outfit with a dysfunctional upgrade system. Neither of which are the kind of companies you want to be working for.
There are plenty of guys in the industry who got stuck in turboprops, but then couldn't make the move to jets.
For whatever reason, the airlines seem to think that if you have 5000+ hours on turboprops, you are so used to going slow, that you couldn't handle going fast.
Take the jet !
Last edited by bartholomewrose; 7th Aug 2010 at 05:14.