Advice on Lear Type

[EX_CV580FR8Dawg]

Just looking for some solid advice from some salty or crusty veterans in the Lear, or anyone for that matter

I currently fly for a on- demand 135 charter operation in which we fly mostly freight and the occasional pax. We operate a few Lear 24s and on- demand ops are rather or more to the point, frustratingly slow as most of you are aware of.

Our Company isn't in the best of financial straights, and cannot afford to up- grade anyone at this point, much less pay anyone captain's salary.

My questions to anyone are: If I were to get a type, would I be able to log PIC time on the legs I fly that I amthe sole manipulator of the controls (even though I am not a company PIC? ) As far as I am aware of, one can log the time as PIC if they are rated in the aircraft and at the controls( please correct me if I am wrong on this matter).

In addition, after earning your type in the 20 series, that provides you the flexibility of operating as PIC in every Lear except the 45 and 60, correct? Also, having the type would afford me some options with other Lear operators, providing our company doesn't fair well in the future

Lastly, our company works through Simuflite down in Dallas, are there any other companies that offer type rating in the 20 series.

Current times: ~2,400 hrs; 1,100+ ME; 1,000+ turbine.

Any and all suggestions, comments and advice are greatly appreciated and welcomed.


Oh yeah, really liked the BBQ thread you guys got going here......... B's BBQ in Pitt- Greenville, NC (PGV) is pretty darned good.

 

[BigFlyr]

Here's a cheaper place to get your type and recurrent than Simuflite or Flight Safety...

As far as the quality of training is concerned, I wouldn't sweat it. A type is a type is a type...http://www.panamacademy.com/business.asp?ID=103

As far as which Lear Type to get... get the one that gets you a job! A straight LR-Jet rating can be accomplished in a 20 series, 31, 35 or 55... I wouldn't get a straight 45 or 60 type unless you were already flying one as SIC..

As far as logging PIC on the legs that you fly in an aircraft that you're typed and current in... go for it, but keep track of it and make it clear to a potential employer (if they ask) that you were not acting as the captain (signing for the aircraft) but were sole manipulator of the controls in an aircraft in which you held a type Blah...Blah...Blah...

Whatever you do good luck and be happy you have a job!

 

[Rick1128]

There are several routes to go.

1. If you are coming due for recurrent, work a deal with your CP to use it as an ungrade class and get typed. There should be little or no cost difference. But offer to pay the difference. That would be the cheapest route. It should get you a PIC 8410.

2. Since you have time in the aircraft, get with one of the training companies that do it in the aircraft. There are several. Cost will be less than Pan Am. Since you have sim based training, all you are really looking for is the type.

Since you are current and qualified in the LR-Jet, I suggest that you get your type in that aircraft. It covers the 23 though the 55, except the 45 and 60. There are still a lot of them out there.

Logging time can be an interesting question. The PIC may log all time he is assigned as PIC. The SIC if typed may log the time he flys the aircraft as PIC. The basis for that is that he is appropriately rated and meets the requirements of FAR 61. This answer is based on Legal Interpratation from FAA Legal.

If you are typed, I do not see any interview problems with you logging PIC when you are the Pilot Flying.

 

[EX_CV580FR8Dawg]

Thanks for the insight and the advice. I probably won't be actually "looking" until this fall and just wanted to do some research and get as many points of view and as much advice as possible.

Even though I dont have the ideal job at the moment, I am grateful to be flying and earning a paycheck. Hopefully we can all get through this and things start picking up in the near future.

Rick, where did you fly the 580? I flew the 580 and the stretch, miss those things a lot!

 

[Rick1128]

580

Dawg, Miss them also. Grand old lady. It would still teach all these new plastic airliners more than a few tricks.

Flew them for Metro AL, Gulf Air Transport and Sierra Pacific.

 

[EX_CV580FR8Dawg]

Rick,

I hear ya, sure do miss them! IMO, there isn't another twin turbine that can hold a candle to the 580. Sure miss the sound of the Allisons and seeing that trail of black smoke following them!

What was the other operator out in cali that had a lot of Convairs? It's on the tip of my tongue, but is not one that you flew for.

thanks bud!

 

[English]

Are you thinking of Renown Aviation?

 

[EX_CV580FR8Dawg]

English,

Yes....Renown is the one Im thinking of. My former company's Director of MX was from there and had a friend whose brother-in-law flew the 580s there. They aren't back flying anymore are they?

 

[English]

Don't think so...I heard they crashed an Electra in England doing a go-around, and they lost their military contract because of it..my old flight instructor used to work there, just what I heard...

 

[EX_CV580FR8Dawg]

Now that you mention that, I remember hearing that too. Tahks for your comments.

What frax are ya currently with? I would love to get on with NJA or Flexjet when i get over 2500hrs. Im debating whether I should just go and get my ATP now or if I do infact go to get a type in the Lear, just do the ATP deal with that.

Any comments?

Thanks!

 

[avbug]

Since you are current and qualified in the LR-Jet, I suggest that you get your type in that aircraft. It covers the 23 though the 55, except the 45 and 60. There are still a lot of them out there.

The Learjet type doesn't cover the 31. That's a separate type.

 

[Rick1128]

31

Thats interesting. As of a month ago they were the same type rating. Are you sure?

Now they did change the MEL Master and separate the 31 out into its own master. However, that was due to the major differences in the avionics.

 

[501261]

The Learjet type doesn't cover the 31. That's a separate type.

Nope, the 31 is covered by the LRJET type. I actually took my LRJET typeride on the 31 sim in TUS, because the 35 sims were broken that day. It was either take the ride in the 31 sim and an hour of differences or spend another 3 days in sunny Tucson waiting to finish.

Wasn't until another 3 years till I actually got to fly a 31- as PIC with an LRJET type.

Again this was all in the 1990's, the regs may have changed and Avbug might be right.

 

[EX_CV580FR8Dawg]

I was thinking that everything was covered excluding the 45 and 60. It must have been hot when you were down in TUS, I would have opted for the 3 extra days if it were in the "cool" months

Anyway guys, thanks for the help. Im just wondering if I were to go and get my type, If it would really be worth it at this point in time. As mentioned before, there are, Im sure, a lot of people out there with the lr type and I dont know if it would give me a clear cut advantage. I know that I dont want to be flying on- demand 135 freight in the old lears for any length of time( but happy to have a job currently). Maybe I should just wait and look in to something else? Kinda at a cross roads here and thinking of going back to being a cop. Any more suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[avbug]

I believe after reviewing the AC, that I was mistaken. The 31 is shown as pertaining to the Lrjet type. I could have sworn it was a different type. One more value of a board such as this. I stand corrected.