Is being Relief Pilot detrimental to career

[tom1]

Hello all,

I recently started with Air Canada as a relief pilot on the 777. As I will have the chance to move south of the border to start working there pretty soon, I was wondering if being relief pilot, as opposed to regular FO, is detrimental when it comes to applying for jobs. I have a ton of experience as FO on various aircraft, just won't have any recent landings or TOs except for the sim.
Anyone has any experience when it comes to that?

Cheers

Tom

[Man_in_the_sky]

If you have the chance to go work in the states... do it!

i don't see a single reason not to.. and if you made it to 777 at mainline.. what more experience do you think you would need..

[Dias]

Absolutely it is detrimental. The type rating is useless and you aren't flying anymore and building your piloting skill set. As you mentioned it makes you much less marketable to other airlines too.

[Protonpilot]

As I will have the chance to move south of the border to start working there pretty soon

Lucky you.

Have you married an American? Or does one of your parents have US citizenship?

[ZBBYLW]

Depends what the other experience is?

Were you flying around at AT or WS before or on a B1900?

[sofar]

Absolutely it is detrimental. The type rating is useless and you aren't flying anymore and building your piloting skill set. As you mentioned it makes you much less marketable to other airlines too.

Wow…really?!
I guess if Air Canada is only a stepping stone for another job (which is usually pretty rare), you still get great experience. I was RP for 5 years..loved it…as long as you get involved with the crew in decision making..the skills for take off and landing will never be lost..come on. I’m now captain on Narrow body…not a second was the process harder because of my “detrimental” Relief job..

When you flying for 30 years at AC…who freaking care about not taking off and landing for few years…i personally don’t need that to feel like a real pilot

[Blueontop]

Absolutely it is detrimental. The type rating is useless and you aren't flying anymore and building your piloting skill set. As you mentioned it makes you much less marketable to other airlines too.

Wow…really?!
I guess if Air Canada is only a stepping stone for another job (which is usually pretty rare), you still get great experience. I was RP for 5 years..loved it…as long as you get involved with the crew in decision making..the skills for take off and landing will never be lost..come on. I’m now captain on Narrow body…not a second was the process harder because of my “detrimental” Relief job..

When you flying for 30 years at AC…who freaking care about not taking off and landing for few years…i personally don’t need that to feel like a real pilot

I think that if the new contract is anything less then a home run AC will actually see a lot of its fresh new talent updating their logbooks for overseas employment. I doubt a large percentage are signing up with the expectation of 4 years of poverty pay.

If this happens I would love to be in the board room as they are shocked to see all the new people hired are leaving and seeing their expansion plans go up in smoke. Then they have to face the shareholders

[Zanzibar]

What’s the most junior YVR captain hire date approximately?

[AirCandida]

if one were to start at ac as relief with 2000 hours. Could they stay rp until captain upgrade, with 2000 hrs?

[FL030]

if one were to start at ac as relief with 2000 hours. Could they stay rp until captain upgrade, with 2000 hrs?

Yes, but I don't think you'll pass your command course tbh.

[Foo Fighter]

It would be difficult to pass the upgrade if you never had any command time. RP can be a great job, but a lazy one at times.

[Latitude]

You just have to be a good pilot and stay in the loop and review your stuff on a regular basis.

Of course if you don't pay attention and don't care to any of the pre flight, approach and landing stuff, never open a book, etc. and just start focusing in cruise, then it might be harder once you bid left (or even right) seat. They make it very clear that, as an RP, your job is also to monitor the CA & FO actions at any stage of flight and speak out if you see something. Thats the point.

I know a few captains that were RP for many years and it wasn't detrimental at all to them.

[Latitude]

Absolutely it is detrimental. The type rating is useless and you aren't flying anymore and building your piloting skill set. As you mentioned it makes you much less marketable to other airlines too.

Wow…really?!
I guess if Air Canada is only a stepping stone for another job (which is usually pretty rare), you still get great experience. I was RP for 5 years..loved it…as long as you get involved with the crew in decision making..the skills for take off and landing will never be lost..come on. I’m now captain on Narrow body…not a second was the process harder because of my “detrimental” Relief job..

When you flying for 30 years at AC…who freaking care about not taking off and landing for few years…i personally don’t need that to feel like a real pilot

Amen.

[alkaseltzer]

Absolutely it is detrimental. The type rating is useless and you aren't flying anymore and building your piloting skill set. As you mentioned it makes you much less marketable to other airlines too.

Wow…really?!
I guess if Air Canada is only a stepping stone for another job (which is usually pretty rare), you still get great experience. I was RP for 5 years..loved it…as long as you get involved with the crew in decision making..the skills for take off and landing will never be lost..come on. I’m now captain on Narrow body…not a second was the process harder because of my “detrimental” Relief job..

When you flying for 30 years at AC…who freaking care about not taking off and landing for few years…i personally don’t need that to feel like a real pilot

I think that if the new contract is anything less then a home run AC will actually see a lot of its fresh new talent updating their logbooks for overseas employment. I doubt a large percentage are signing up with the expectation of 4 years of poverty pay.

If this happens I would love to be in the board room as they are shocked to see all the new people hired are leaving and seeing their expansion plans go up in smoke. Then they have to face the shareholders

Tbh, they'd fill the warm seats up with manufactured pilot applicants from India and elsewhere in the world before they face the shareholders.

[Blueontop]

Wow…really?!
I guess if Air Canada is only a stepping stone for another job (which is usually pretty rare), you still get great experience. I was RP for 5 years..loved it…as long as you get involved with the crew in decision making..the skills for take off and landing will never be lost..come on. I’m now captain on Narrow body…not a second was the process harder because of my “detrimental” Relief job..

When you flying for 30 years at AC…who freaking care about not taking off and landing for few years…i personally don’t need that to feel like a real pilot

I think that if the new contract is anything less then a home run AC will actually see a lot of its fresh new talent updating their logbooks for overseas employment. I doubt a large percentage are signing up with the expectation of 4 years of poverty pay.

If this happens I would love to be in the board room as they are shocked to see all the new people hired are leaving and seeing their expansion plans go up in smoke. Then they have to face the shareholders

Tbh, they'd fill the warm seats up with manufactured pilot applicants from India and elsewhere in the world before they face the shareholders.

Ummm like Sunwing was planning before they were denied..

[tom1]

Depends what the other experience is?

Were you flying around at AT or WS before or on a B1900?

I was overseas flying heavies as a an actual FO

Thanks for all the replies. What bothers me, is that you're not really going to be current as such - unless you count warming the seat in cruise... You wont have any TOs and landings for a long time.
I know that AC is not to be considered a stepping stone, and I still consider it the next best thing to the US - but that's about as far as it goes. Especially when you consider that the lowest paid regional FO makes about 100% more than me flying for the pinnacle of Canadian aviation. I pray that they not only make colossal improvements on the contract, but also abolish this ridiculous RP position.

[lownslow]

Most pilots I talk to who were laid off prior to this last round think that anyone who is willingly a RP is an idiot.

[flyingcanuck]

Most pilots I talk to who were laid off prior to this last round think that anyone who is willingly a RP is an idiot.

If you're gonna stay at AC and want a better schedule, it's not stupid. Won't affect your career in the slightest. Unless you want options in your back pocket

[smooth]

+1
People who are not even work for AC or never had RP position can talk shit all they want. The true is, many RP I talked to love their schedule, the European, Asian layover, day off etc. And had no issue transition back to FO or CA.

However, I do agree we should get rid of RP position for the next contract, everyone should be a FO to start with just like every other airlines in the world.

Absolutely it is detrimental. The type rating is useless and you aren't flying anymore and building your piloting skill set. As you mentioned it makes you much less marketable to other airlines too.

Wow…really?!
I guess if Air Canada is only a stepping stone for another job (which is usually pretty rare), you still get great experience. I was RP for 5 years..loved it…as long as you get involved with the crew in decision making..the skills for take off and landing will never be lost..come on. I’m now captain on Narrow body…not a second was the process harder because of my “detrimental” Relief job..

When you flying for 30 years at AC…who freaking care about not taking off and landing for few years…i personally don’t need that to feel like a real pilot

[Admiral Benson]

Most pilots I talk to who were laid off prior to this last round think that anyone who is willingly a RP is an idiot.

See and I think anyone working more than 9 days a month is an idiot. To each their own! RP is a fantastic way to spend time at home while the kids are young and the wife needs help. Most RPs have been 705 jet captains, but bid RP for family and lifestyle.

[‘Bob’]

Absolutely it is detrimental. The type rating is useless and you aren't flying anymore and building your piloting skill set. As you mentioned it makes you much less marketable to other airlines too.

Isn’t all Air Canada flying just on autopilot anyways?

Airline pilots are their own worst enemies. Why would AC pay more with those attitudes?

[Art Vandelay]

Most pilots I talk to who were laid off prior to this last round think that anyone who is willingly a RP is an idiot.

Working less with more schedule control sounds really stupid.

[DanWEC]

No sarcasm here, but why wouldn't you take RP if you can? If you have to accept the lowest non-regional 705 pay out there, why not have a decent schedule if everything is seniority based anyhow? Would have a much better lifestyle than working as a NB FO for the same pay, no?

[lownslow]

No sarcasm here, but why wouldn't you take RP if you can? If you have to accept the lowest non-regional 705 pay in the country, why not have a decent schedule if everything is seniority based anyhow? Would have a much better lifestyle than working as a NB FO for the same pay, no?

Some people believe that if everything goes to shit and you have to go fly in south america or asia for a couple years that you’ll want FO time or better in your log to get hired. I have no horse in this race or any experience with it so anyone can make their own choice on what they bid.

[DanWEC]

Along those lines, are people generally successful taking the junior upgrade going from RP to NB captain? I guess if you have minimal experience or time, you might want to consider that route carefully, just like what sort of experience would serve you best in case of the next economic shart.