Recently, there is one instagramer constantly catching peoples’ attention. His willing to help attitude and his ability to give outstanding advice to aspiring pilots is what makes him so popular. So, I sat down with @from_the_flightdeck, who is a first officer for a United States regional airline to do a little interviewing. Here is the interview:
When did you realize that you wanted to persue a career in the aviation industry?
When I was about 13 years old, I got a Microsoft flight sim for my birthday. It was then that I became very interested in flying. On my 16th birthday, I did a discovery flight at my local airport and knew it was what I wanted to do with my life.
How did you get into the fiercely competitive regional game? Do you have any advice for aspiring pilots?
Right now is a great time to be a pilot. The regional airlines are actually fighting over you as a pilot. Everyone at the regional level wants to hire pilots, and they’re willing to give signing bonuses and other incentives to get you to fly for them. My advice would be: First, do your initial training at a Part 141 flight school. It’ll make initial training at an airline much easier. Second, network as much as possible. Get to know other pilots. Go flying with them. You’d be amazed at what kind of career opportunities pop up.
Ok cool. Now that we have some advice for the newbies, I’m interested in your views. How long are you planning to stay at the regional? Are you trying to get out ASAP?
Right now my main focus is upgrading to captain and building a year or two worth of 121 PIC turbine time. After that, I’d love to go to American or United, but I also have my sights set on a couple large scale corporate aviation departments.
Oh alright, so you’re looking into corporate? That’s awesome I don’t hear that much. However, if you don’t end up there, do you have any mainline airlines that you would like to fly for?
If I had my choice, I’d go to American Airlines in hopes of being DFW based one day.
Ok cool! Any particular dream aircraft you would like to fly?
This is going to sound really funny because it’s probably the opposite of what you’d hear from any other pilot but I would be totally happy flying a 737 or A320 domestically. I’m not a big fan of long haul flying or being away from home for days on end. This is another reason that corporate flying really interests me- its usually short day trips and you’re home most of the time
Yeah that does sound like a good set up you have in mind. Alright the last question I have comes back to where you are now. What would you like to captain at the regional level, and would you be fine with a turboprop?
I’m excited to be a CRJ-700/-900 captain and I don’t think I would want to fly anything else. I have flown the E145 and it was okay, but the CRJ is just about the perfect regional jet in my opinion. Turboprops are fun, to fly but the regionals are phasing them out. I would avoid going to fly anywhere they have 50 seat jets and turboprops because those airplanes are going to be retired soon, meaning the company will be shrinking. This is the main reason I left ExpressJet.
Alright thanks for your time!
No problem!
So, there you have it! Just to prove that this actually happened, here are some screenshots of the interview.
When did you realize that you wanted to persue a career in the aviation industry?
When I was about 13 years old, I got a Microsoft flight sim for my birthday. It was then that I became very interested in flying. On my 16th birthday, I did a discovery flight at my local airport and knew it was what I wanted to do with my life.
How did you get into the fiercely competitive regional game? Do you have any advice for aspiring pilots?
Right now is a great time to be a pilot. The regional airlines are actually fighting over you as a pilot. Everyone at the regional level wants to hire pilots, and they’re willing to give signing bonuses and other incentives to get you to fly for them. My advice would be: First, do your initial training at a Part 141 flight school. It’ll make initial training at an airline much easier. Second, network as much as possible. Get to know other pilots. Go flying with them. You’d be amazed at what kind of career opportunities pop up.
Ok cool. Now that we have some advice for the newbies, I’m interested in your views. How long are you planning to stay at the regional? Are you trying to get out ASAP?
Right now my main focus is upgrading to captain and building a year or two worth of 121 PIC turbine time. After that, I’d love to go to American or United, but I also have my sights set on a couple large scale corporate aviation departments.
Oh alright, so you’re looking into corporate? That’s awesome I don’t hear that much. However, if you don’t end up there, do you have any mainline airlines that you would like to fly for?
If I had my choice, I’d go to American Airlines in hopes of being DFW based one day.
Ok cool! Any particular dream aircraft you would like to fly?
This is going to sound really funny because it’s probably the opposite of what you’d hear from any other pilot but I would be totally happy flying a 737 or A320 domestically. I’m not a big fan of long haul flying or being away from home for days on end. This is another reason that corporate flying really interests me- its usually short day trips and you’re home most of the time
Yeah that does sound like a good set up you have in mind. Alright the last question I have comes back to where you are now. What would you like to captain at the regional level, and would you be fine with a turboprop?
I’m excited to be a CRJ-700/-900 captain and I don’t think I would want to fly anything else. I have flown the E145 and it was okay, but the CRJ is just about the perfect regional jet in my opinion. Turboprops are fun, to fly but the regionals are phasing them out. I would avoid going to fly anywhere they have 50 seat jets and turboprops because those airplanes are going to be retired soon, meaning the company will be shrinking. This is the main reason I left ExpressJet.
Alright thanks for your time!
No problem!
So, there you have it! Just to prove that this actually happened, here are some screenshots of the interview.