ppt,
Your wisdom is duly noted and understood with thanks, however I'm not sure if you read right through my post before posting: it's the instructor route for me as I am not at all sure that even currently the type rating method would work. It seems like one hell of a big gamble for me. I understand that you may have been developing the theme for the benefit of others.
Notwithstanding your comments, it seems to me that the number of turboprop/regional jet/freight compan[ies] is diminishing these days, especially the passenger turboprops, in favour of 737 operators, with the death of Gill, BritWorld, Platinum, the possible effective closure of KLMuk to new pilots, CFE disappearing into BA, the merger of Brymon and BRAL into BACE which might be becoming a BA cadet training airline, etc. etc.
I wonder if this will be a factor in future hiring? Is it not possible that the job market has changed significantly since the last recession, providing more openings for (say) lowish hours 737 rated people and less for the old self-improver instruct -> turboprop -> jet route, who might spend years instructing on a low wage just to have to fund a type rating later on? On top of this all the TP freight operators I have talked to are currently asking for a type rating on an obsolescent type that you can pay them for, with no guarantee of a job at the end of it, and have done this for a few years. Even with the potential hazards of a shiny 737 type rating in a regional interview it could tip the balance in favour of doing one.
This is not me writing off the voice of experience, this is just an observation, the questions above are genuine not rhetorical, highlighting the thoughts going through my head at the moment. I would genuinely appreciate input from yourself and others.
cheers!
foggy.
Last edited by foghorn; 28th Aug 2002 at 14:21.