Recommendations / Help for a pilot trying to get into the Regionals / 135
Posted by Intelligent_Day9770@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 29 comments
I know this gets posted dozens of times a day but I have to do it myself and see if someone else's opinion could help me.
Aerial Survey pilot. 1,820 TT, 33 IMC, 144 simulated, 1,000 XC, 900 AMEL of which 655 is Multi-Turbine PIC. ATP-CTP and Written complete. I have a bachelors in a science degree. I messed up and am not a cadet anywhere. Zero checkride or training failures. I've applied to regionals, Netjets and a few other 135 operations. This includes internal letters of recommendations for most of them. I've been applying since I had 1350 hours back in May of 2025.
The only response I've gotten besides rejections was a phone interview to go over hours with Endeavor back in July of 2025 where it ended with a response of,"I don't see any issues here. I am confident you will get an interview." They relayed about 3 weeks later they've moved on with other candidates and to continue updating my time.
My next step is to get my ATP, continue grinding and bettering myself as a pilot everyday waiting for my opportunity. Just confused and wondering if there's anything wrong with my application as I've seen several posts of OTS hires with less time as I have. I've been applying through AirlineApps. The 135s through their own portals.
Should I do a professional review of my application? Anyone have a pointer on that? I've redone my resume several times.
I believe I included everything.
Thanks for reading my spiel and safe flying.
anonymous4071@reddit
Out of curiosity, what’s your multi turbine PIC in?
But yeah, sounds like you should have hired a resume review/interview prep company yesterday.
Intelligent_Day9770@reddit (OP)
In the C-441 Conquest. Yeah, I’ve redone resume about 4 times. Paid for a few templates from professional pilot I was recommended.
Do you happen to have any recommendations for a prep company? Do they do entire application reviews for AirlineApps?
Sorry don’t mean to bombard. Maybe someone else could answer the above.
JumpyProfessional523@reddit
I highly recommend Raven Career Development for overall pilot career strategy, interview prep, and application review.
I have personally used their resume writing service and had a free 30 min career consult with them. I also have a friend who used their application review and interview prep who was hired by Envoy without being a cadet.
Mrs_Fagina@reddit
It's one word: Cadet.
That's literally it. There's enough cadets in the pool that regionals can kick people out for having 2+ failures and completely staff classes with cadets.
Hiring OTS requires incremental investment from them, believe it or not. They've got enough people on paper already.
irv0211@reddit
You have a major leg up in todays hiring climate with no Failures and a college degree. Keep building time and updating your apps.
Biker1124@reddit
Unfortunately I think his biggest downfall is not being a CFI. Dual Given is a very important figure to most airlines.
Flavor_Nukes@reddit
At least at my regional, this is it. We're handing out slots to almost exclusively CFIs
NeutralArt12@reddit
That’s not because they like CFI time. It’s because the CFIs happen to be taking all the slots from their cadet programs. I had a full career as a CFI and 1.5 years with high time from a 135 and approaching 3000 hours and hounding recruiters had finally gotten me some attention
Flavor_Nukes@reddit
The FO on my current sequence is a part of the hiring department. They strongly prefer current CFIs over pretty much anyone else.
They like CFI time
NeutralArt12@reddit
I’m just not buying that. I’ve talked to every recruiter at every regional training department over the last three years and I’ve been told unlimited times that my (then) 1700 hours of dual given was better than time building but to get more competitive time. What they DONT like is PIC turbine time like OP has because they are afraid he is going to jump in 6 months. They prefer turboprop and multiengine time if you can get it.
Flavor_Nukes@reddit
Yes you're correct that they don't like large amounts of 121 qualifying time. Or really any 121 qualifying time
MEI/multi time is preferred in a dual given environment.
NeutralArt12@reddit
That’s also not true. That’s what got me hired. They don’t want turbine PIC time
Flavor_Nukes@reddit
That's also not true. That's what got me hired.
Mrs_Fagina@reddit
That's also not true. That's what got me hired.
Intelligent_Day9770@reddit (OP)
How would PIC turbine time in a Part 91 be a negative thing? I’ve seen others say it but just confused.
I fly the C441. I shouldn’t be listing it as Turbine time and instead Turboprop?
NeutralArt12@reddit
That’s a good question. I have been told that those people once they get into a 121 environment can much quicker move to a legacy already having a bunch of jet PIC time. At my company all the guys with a ton of jet time can’t get anything from the regionals and the middle people (JetBlue, southwest, Fronteir, breeze, ect) are very competitive right now
RealisticIndustry157@reddit
This isnt true. He isnt the only person with a degree and zero failures. His experience isnt meaningful. Im part of a team for my regional (im a pilot there as well) who weighs in on applicants. I interview several hopeful candidates. We dont want someone who is flying ~500agl in VMC. Those are the last pilots we are lookin at. We want instructors or 135, etc. He/she might as well have paid for all their hours instead of gettin a job.
JumpyProfessional523@reddit
If you believe someone is operating a C-441 Conquest at 500 ft AGL for survey you are horribly mistaken.
This candidate is collecting high altitude data for wide area mapping while operating single pilot in Class A airspace and likely has more time and experience filing IFR in the NAS than any CFI who shoots the same 6 approaches into bullshit untowered airports day in and day out - also VFR.
The misconceptions and prejudices surrounding "meaningful time" are unfortunately causing recruiters to miss out on valuable, diversified experience like OP's.
Ok_Big_3300@reddit
Im a WN pilot now, but used to work in recruiting at another airline. The quality of the time matters. Not that we never hired survey pilots, but they were def at the bottom of the list
zkoolie@reddit
Bro sounds like the ideal candidate!
MenRest@reddit
You didn’t hear back from NJA?
Intelligent_Day9770@reddit (OP)
Applied about a month ago. Had two internal LORs, got a TBNT 4 days later.
MenRest@reddit
If you never do an interview you can reapply immediately. Our recruitment team likes to see people apply again.
RealisticIndustry157@reddit
Your flight time isn’t meaningful. We hire people with meaningful experience first, like an instructor or someone who spends their time talking to tower. Not people who are 500agl and farting around.
Intelligent_Day9770@reddit (OP)
I am sorry but that’s a bad take on what survey flying is. I spend most of my time flying in Class A or in Class B. Yes, some of the time I’ve flown projects at 1,000 AGL. But majority of my time is at 22,000 AGL. Requiring constant coordination and having to fly each of our lines like an instrument approach regardless of a high or low ALT.
I’ve had real cross country flights where I’ve had to deal with icing/storms. I believe survey pilots have a different story to tell than CFI. Not saying it’s better but I have valuable time.
Flavor_Nukes@reddit
You're not a CFI. At least our regional hiring department strongly prefers CFIs over literally anybody else since apparently CFIs do better in training.
(Source: Directly asked someone in our hiring department)
Additional_Bug_2823@reddit
Don't forget the airfreight companies. Kalitta. Polar Air Cargo and smaller.
But without an ATP and IFR time you aren't competitive with other candidates.
BigC208@reddit
Mountain Air Cargo would look at you as an SIC for the ATR or PIC for the C408 SkyCourier. They’ll pay for your ATP.
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
I know this gets posted dozens of times a day but I have to do it myself and see if someone else's opinion could help me.
Aerial Survey pilot. 1,820 TT, 33 IMC, 144 simulated, 1,000 XC, 900 AMEL of which 655 is Multi-Turbine PIC. ATP-CTP and Written complete. I have a bachelors in a science degree. I messed up and am not a cadet anywhere. Zero checkride or training failures. I've applied to regionals, Netjets and a few other 135 operations. This includes internal letters of recommendations for most of them. I've been applying since I had 1350 hours back in May of 2025.
The only response I've gotten besides rejections was a phone interview to go over hours with Endeavor back in July of 2025 where it ended with a response of,"I don't see any issues here. I am confident you will get an interview." They relayed about 3 weeks later they've moved on with other candidates and to continue updating my time.
My next step is to get my ATP, continue grinding and bettering myself as a pilot everyday waiting for my opportunity. Just confused and wondering if there's anything wrong with my application as I've seen several posts of OTS hires with less time as I have. I've been applying through AirlineApps. The 135s through their own portals.
Should I do a professional review of my application? Anyone have a pointer on that? I've redone my resume several times.
I believe I included everything.
Thanks for reading my spiel and safe flying.
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