[PurduePilot]

The Cape Air FO position is essentially a time-building position. Even though Cape Air's Op Specs states that the FO is only needed when the captain has less than 100 hours in type and the autopilot is broken, they try to fly them as much as possible.

The flying is done mainly on the BOS-ACK runs, but with the new routes coming on line I don't know if they're putting FOs on those runs. Mainly they put them on the long runs because it gets them to that magic 1500 hour number quicker. Remember they want Captains ASAP.

You don't get to fly the mail plane until you have like 1200 hours, so until then you're tagging along with a Captain.

As an FO, you don't get a seniority number because you're technically not a crewmember. Although, there is something in the works for that to change.

It's not a bad gig... you get to ease into the airline world and learn the ropes in what is essentially a paid internship program. Cape Air is a great airline... summers in NE and winters in the Caribbean, who can argue with that? With the instability in the world, I believe Cape Air is perfectly situated to ride out the uncertainty. Since their clientèle is mostly people with money to burn, they can charge anything and their customers will continue to pay it. If you've got money to burn why take the ferry when Cape Air can get you to ACK in 20 minutes?