Jump pilots, there's a chance to be hired by a regional

M

manny

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
May 5, 2017
Messages
8
Location
Boston
Display Name
Display name:
Manny
I wonder if a jump pilot would have a chance to be hired by a regional after completed the hours required?
 
So you could said that is a good way to built your hours?
 
manny said:
I wonder if a jump pilot would have a chance to be hired by a regional after completed the hours required?
Click to expand...
Right now, if you meet the minimum hours for the ATP and can pass a 1st class medical, it doesn't matter to the regionals what kind of flying you were doing.

They just need bodies.
 
Thanks guys, I'll definitely start looking in that direction I hope to be ready for the season..
 
Jump pilot hours are just as valid as CFI hours which is many folks' method of choice when it comes to building time. And if the jump pilot has been flying Caravans, Twin Otters, etc., rather than just single engine recip trainers, he could be considered better qualified.
 
Pulse and ATP mins will get you a job. If you haven't flown instruments in a while, I'd suggest you brush up on that. You don't want to be weak on instruments. Their job is to teach you to fly an ILS in their jet, not teach you how to fly an ILS.
 
SkyDog58 said:
Jump pilot hours are just as valid as CFI hours which is many folks' method of choice when it comes to building time. And if the jump pilot has been flying Caravans, Twin Otters, etc., rather than just single engine recip trainers, he could be considered better qualified.
Click to expand...
One could even say the jump pilot has more experience than a CFI when it comes to dealing with passengers. Of course the fact that the jump pilot kicks his/her passengers out before landing could be a negative thing.
 
Clark1961 said:
One could even say the jump pilot has more experience than a CFI when it comes to dealing with passengers. Of course the fact that the jump pilot kicks his/her passengers out before landing could be a negative thing.
Click to expand...

A fact that many airline pilots probably envy.
 
Keep in mind that the ATP requirements include some cross country time, instrument time (as @jordane93 alluded to) and maybe a few other odds and ends that are a little tough to come by in a drop zone.

Plan accordingly. :cool:
 
Do you breathe? If so yes, they will hire you, granted you meet the minimums they require. GL!
 
Is this a serious question?

Saying one type of flying is better than another is kinda silly, and flying for a high volume DZ (especially turbine) is nothing to turn your nose at.
 
Just make sure you're instrument proficient and you meet all of the requirements of the ATP.
 
Dude I wish I had all my ratings now...hopefully this regional crisis will still exist in a few years lol. Can't wait to get out of the cube life
 
The regionals will continue to hire unless the economy tanks. Too many older pilots hitting mandatory retirement.
 
Jump pilot flying is weak, but as Fearless says, anything that will fill the legality counts in today's market.

But.... it is not quality time by any stretch imo, and I've done it, and CFIing, and cancelled checks, and you name it.
Jump pilot experience is valuable for one thing. --> To get a job at a DZ as a jump pilot.
 
jordane93 said:
Pulse and ATP mins will get you a job. If you haven't flown instruments in a while, I'd suggest you brush up on that. You don't want to be weak on instruments. Their job is to teach you to fly an ILS in their jet, not teach you how to fly an ILS.
Click to expand...

You make a good point, and one that applies just as much to those building hours by being an instructor as it does to those building hours as a DZ pilot. To those building hours looking for the next job, make sure those hours are worthwhile! If the flying job you have doesn't give you the experience you need for the next one you're going to have to seek that experience out on your own.

Kritchlow said:
Jump pilot flying is weak, but as Fearless says, anything that will fill the legality counts in today's market.

But.... it is not quality time by any stretch imo, and I've done it, and CFIing, and cancelled checks, and you name it.
Jump pilot experience is valuable for one thing. --> To get a job at a DZ as a jump pilot.
Click to expand...

I think it's all in what you make of it and to a lesser degree, the drop zone you're flying for. Drop zone flying will expose a person to some operations that being solely a CFI for time building won't. Likewise, being a CFI will expose a person to things that being a drop zone pilot won't.

If I were hiring someone for a job and had the option to be picky on candidates I'd be looking for the guys with the most varied experience in the time they have to date. But the airlines don't care at the moment, if you have a pulse, ATP minimums, and can get a medical, you're in.
 
mondtster said:
You make a good point, and one that applies just as much to those building hours by being an instructor as it does to those building hours as a DZ pilot. To those building hours looking for the next job, make sure those hours are worthwhile! If the flying job you have doesn't give you the experience you need for the next one you're going to have to seek that experience out on your own.



I think it's all in what you make of it and to a lesser degree, the drop zone you're flying for. Drop zone flying will expose a person to some operations that being solely a CFI for time building won't. Likewise, being a CFI will expose a person to things that being a drop zone pilot won't.

If I were hiring someone for a job and had the option to be picky on candidates I'd be looking for the guys with the most varied experience in the time they have to date. But the airlines don't care at the moment, if you have a pulse, ATP minimums, and can get a medical, you're in.
Click to expand...
Drop zones expose you to basically nothing other than how to get up and down fast, dodge clouds, and skirt the regs.

The most useless flying on the planet.
 
Kritchlow said:
Drop zones expose you to basically nothing other than how to get up and down fast, dodge clouds, and skirt the regs.

The most useless flying on the planet.
Click to expand...

But at least you're actually flying the plane and not just sitting there watching someone else do it.










:D
 
Just know, when u fly regional passengers WILL be present when u land. Might be shocking for first few times

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
jordane93 said:
Pulse and ATP mins will get you a job. If you haven't flown instruments in a while, I'd suggest you brush up on that. You don't want to be weak on instruments. Their job is to teach you to fly an ILS in their jet, not teach you how to fly an ILS.
Click to expand...
Excellent point.

The minimum hours will get you the job, but completing the training is a separate deal. It's an entirely different kind of flying, altogether......

I knew a guy who had a ton of turbine time in a Caravan hauling boxes and he struggled initially in training at a regional. The jet was a lot more complicated than a fixed gear single engine turboprop with no pressurization.

That doesn't mean you'll fail coming to the regionals from a drop zone, just recognize that you will have a steeper learning curve than some others.
 
Fearless Tower said:
Excellent point.

The minimum hours will get you the job, but completing the training is a separate deal. It's an entirely different kind of flying, altogether......
Click to expand...
It's an entirely different kind of flying.




I did my part. Not sure others chimed in...
 
The big advantage of flying jumpers vs CFIing is that fact that you'll actually be doing the landings.
 
BrianNC said:
But at least you're actually flying the plane and not just sitting there watching someone else do it.










:D
Click to expand...
I've been a jump pilot for a few years, and a CFI for years.

Now I'm on the interview/hiring committee at a major airline.

With that said, I will bow to anyone else's superior knowledge on the subject.
 
Kritchlow said:
Jump pilot flying is weak, but as Fearless says, anything that will fill the legality counts in today's market.

But.... it is not quality time by any stretch imo, and I've done it, and CFIing, and cancelled checks, and you name it.
Jump pilot experience is valuable for one thing. --> To get a job at a DZ as a jump pilot.
Click to expand...

Ba ha ha ha ha!

Nope

How many years did you fly jumpers? Sounds like you did it wrong

Jump pilots have WAAAY better stick and rudder and do lots more of it than IFR pilot by the nature of the type of flying, especially just sitting in the FLs with George flying. I feel my stick and rudder has kinda adiposed compared to my DZ days and I'm doing more stick and rudder dynamic flying than a regional dude.
 
James331 said:
Ba ha ha ha ha!

Nope

How many years did you fly jumpers? Sounds like you did it wrong

Jump pilots have WAAAY better stick and rudder and do lots more of it than IFR pilot by the nature of the type of flying, especially just sitting in the FLs with George flying. I feel my stick and rudder has kinda adiposed compared to my DZ days and I'm doing more stick and rudder dynamic flying than a regional dude.
Click to expand...
See above. There is little skill involved in flying jumpers that translates to airlines.
 
Kritchlow said:
See above. There is little skill involved in flying jumpers that translates to airlines.
Click to expand...

Energy management and stick and rudder, yup, no use in airlines ;)
 
James331 said:
Energy management and stick and rudder, yup, no use in airlines ;)
Click to expand...
Energy management is a small, but important part in flying a big airplane.
That said, what jump plane preps you for an ATC slam dunk at 175,000 pounds and stabilized by 1000 feet?
Energy management in a light airplane is truly an entirely different ballgame. I don't fly a 747, but I still won't equate my flying to managing that energy.
 
Kritchlow said:
Energy management is a small, but important part in flying a big airplane.
That said, what jump plane preps you for an ATC slam dunk at 175,000 pounds and stabilized by 1000 feet?
Energy management in a light airplane is truly an entirely different ballgame. I don't fly a 747, but I still won't equate my flying to managing that energy.
Click to expand...

Rgr that, but if you're flying and have rock solid times at a DZ, it tells a lot, you got good stick and rudder and you're also probably a solid dude, if you can hang in the DZ culture, you're probably personality wise someone who I woundnt mind sharing a cockpit with.
 
James331 said:
Rgr that, but if you're flying and have rock solid times at a DZ, it tells a lot, you got good stick and rudder and you're also probably a solid dude, if you can hang in the DZ culture, you're probably personality wise someone who I woundnt mind sharing a cockpit with.
Click to expand...
Hard to argue with that. It's not always purely about type of flying. We hire personalities as much as, if not more than, experience. It does take a special type to fly at a DZ. That said, sometimes it's the WRONG type. Obviously not always.
 
denverpilot said:
You get to make all the scariest ones... ;)

"My airplane!"

;)
Click to expand...
My scariest landing was with a CFI. I finally pushed the throttle forward and told him that his landing just wasn't going to work out after three bounces. My second scariest was with another CFI. It was a windy night at Goodland. I thought we were going to arrive off airport and called rather firmly for power. He recovered...
 
Fearless Tower said:
Excellent point.

The minimum hours will get you the job, but completing the training is a separate deal. It's an entirely different kind of flying, altogether......

I knew a guy who had a ton of turbine time in a Caravan hauling boxes and he struggled initially in training at a regional. The jet was a lot more complicated than a fixed gear single engine turboprop with no pressurization.

That doesn't mean you'll fail coming to the regionals from a drop zone, just recognize that you will have a steeper learning curve than some others.
Click to expand...
Yea we had 6 wash out of training ranging from CFIs, PC12, King Air and former airline. My buddy's sim partner flew ag planes and really struggled to make it through the FTD because of his lack of recent IFR flying. He eventually washed out in the FTDs. Recent IFR experience is probably the most important thing because you'll be doing IFR 99.9% of the time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top