Buying a type rating

[skipro101]

I wouldn't be taking out loans I could pay cash.


Interesting about the experience of people applying for certain jobs. It says a lot about the economy. Thanks a lot everyone for your thoughts.

 

[Fly91]

This is a business decision. So, notwithstanding the philosophical debate about paying for a type rating…

Assuming the following experience….
3000 TT , 1500 Multi Turbine PIC, ATP, BE300 Type, freight and people charter experience (Be99s and KingAir350s (both as captain), and current job is doing contract work in Africa and Saudi Arabia flying King Air 200s.
I am making bank, but it is not a sustainable situation. I’m only doing this for a year as Saudi is not a long term living option.

I have heard two opinions on the feasibility of gaining employment by buying a type rating (I’m not talking about right or wrong here, just about whether it would be likely with my experience).
1.You need time in type. Without that, its near impossible to find work with a fresh type. OR,
2.Certain type ratings are in such demand that if you have them you can find work quite easily (LR60, LR45, CL300, Global, etc), even with 0 time in type.


Given my experience above, how likely is it that I could find work as a First Officer on a CL300 or Global or perhaps Gulfstream aircraft if I was willing to pay for my type?


Please, lets not let this go to a PFT war. I am only interested in hearing from people with real direct experience with this (either as someone who hires pilots or a pilot who has done this).

Thank you for your time and effort in replying. I appreciate it.

Do it. Alot of my personal friends are having nothing but success in the GV world. They all did the GV/550 types and all the flying they're doing is out of the country, but who cares, its good work and BIG dollars. My friend just got back from his first G550 trip through "International Pilot Services" for a company called Dubai World, the owners of that specific G550. 25-day trip at $1,300 a day...$32,500. It paid for his type rating. He has a little under 100 hours on the G550 and he already has job offers for full-time work. One is $18,000 per month, 30'on'/30'off', and he gets paid for the 30 day off periods too. Its out of Dubai. But he's gonna stick with the contract flying for a year or two.

Do it!

 

[AA717driver]

Fly91--I'm not trying to pi$$ in your cornflakes but your two friends have serious non-corporate resumes. (Over 10,000 hours and buckets of Int'l. experience on 747's as PIC. At least they can find you cheap beer in Almaty...)

skipro--Here's my take: I know the guys Fly91 is friends with. They did go the zero-time route. They are bringing in some serious bucks. They were also sweating their balls off a few months ago with a 'wet' type and silent phone. You never know how the market will go. Bristol-Meyers just closed, spitting out some experienced GV guys. I don't know what Lucent flys...er, I mean, flew but there's some more bodies on the street.

AND, you've got a bunch of airline captains retiring with lots of cash and big dreams--and no qualms about flying for 50% of the going rate for contract guys just to get some beer money.

It is a hard road. I'm not saying don't do it. Fly91 is pointing out how good it can be. I just want to be devil's advocate. I will say that one of the guys he talks to is advising me to hold off from taking the contract route (probably doesn't want the competition... ) to see what happens into next year. I have that luxury--for now.

If you do go for it, let us know and there's some info you could use to ease the transition. Good luck. TC

 

[jaxpilot]

AA717, in response to your avatar and the question above it... Yes, very much so.

 

[Capt1124]

From what I have seen over the years- buying a type rating will only, maybe work when the job market is very good. Then, companies are hiring inexperienced guys anyway, and hiring an inexperienced guy with a type rating saves them sending a guy to school. If the job market is weak, they can probably find a guy with a type rating, time in type, and recent experience.

I haven't been involved in screening resumes for almost a year. Then there were few good applicants. It seems it has changed quite a bit. I myself am going to be unemployed soon and it's not looking good.

 

[skipro101]

I should ad that Dubai is a short hop away from me and I could pound the pavement there fairly easily. I'm not just talking domestic work, I'm also interested in homebased 30/30 type of gigs in UAE.


Interesting thoughts everyone. Thanks for the replies so far.

 

[filejw]

Fly91--I'm not trying to pi$$ in your cornflakes but your two friends have serious non-corporate resumes. (Over 10,000 hours and buckets of Int'l. experience on 747's as PIC. At least they can find you cheap beer in Almaty...)

skipro--Here's my take: I know the guys Fly91 is friends with. They did go the zero-time route. They are bringing in some serious bucks. They were also sweating their balls off a few months ago with a 'wet' type and silent phone. You never know how the market will go. Bristol-Meyers just closed, spitting out some experienced GV guys. I don't know what Lucent flys...er, I mean, flew but there's some more bodies on the street.

AND, you've got a bunch of airline captains retiring with lots of cash and big dreams--and no qualms about flying for 50% of the going rate for contract guys just to get some beer money.

It is a hard road. I'm not saying don't do it. Fly91 is pointing out how good it can be. I just want to be devil's advocate. I will say that one of the guys he talks to is advising me to hold off from taking the contract route (probably doesn't want the competition... ) to see what happens into next year. I have that luxury--for now.

If you do go for it, let us know and there's some info you could use to ease the transition. Good luck. TC

Well all is true except the 50% rate. Most the guys I grew up with in this business aren't going to work for less than book rates so to speak..I've been looking jealously at those GV's for a long time from the window of my 747-4 and can't wait to get a shot.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Well all is true except the 50% rate. Most the guys I grew up with in this business aren't going to work for less than book rates so to speak..I've been looking jealously at those GV's for a long time from the window of my 747-4 and can't wait to get a shot.

Oh they do....look at the going contract rates for BBJ/737 pilots.

There are airline guys doing this for $400/day.

:0

 

[heywatchthis]

I'm in a similar situation. G200 PIC doing contract all over the Middle East. I have 10 type ratings and 7000 hours. Pay is good, but the phone doesn't ring as much as I expected.

Should I pay for my recurrent and give it a try for another 12 months?
Contract can be good pay, but you don't get 401K match, you don't get Medical Insurance, you don't get FAA medical, you don't get a cell phone allowance, you don't get paid while your in training, and you don't get paid when your not working. Don't forget you need to put some serious cash away for your taxes and put more away for your next recurrent. It's risky and I prefer not to do it, but I can't find a job in TX right now.

I love this career, but god I hate it!

 

[filejw]

Oh they do....look at the going contract rates for BBJ/737 pilots.

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