CE-525 Type Rating

[BradG]

Im going to college next year at K-State university in Salina, KS. Im planning to do there professional pilot degree, but will go in with my CFI, Multi, and possible CFII and MEI. They have a Citation Jet (525) that i would like to get typed in during my Sophomore or Junior year. My Question is, with the relativley low time i will have (probobly 700-800 hours by then) is it worth the $$ to get the rating? Will it enhance the chances of landing a job? I know that the ratings have to be re-validated every 12 months, but what happens to it if you dont re-validate it? Do you have an unlimited amount of time to do it in, or will i eventually have to re-do the whole rating? Well, thats about it.

Brad

 

[CitationCapt]

Citation 525

Be careful with your decision.

Insurance companies frown on aircrew that lack substantial jet experience, usually a minimum of 500 hours jet, preferably more. A typical total time minimum of 3,000 hours, and possibly 1,000 multi-engine.

Owner-pilots of the CJ go through FSI and could get a type rating without the jet experience, but possibly the same hours in a multi-engine turboprop may be needed in order for their insuror to be satisfied with turbine operations.

A Pilot Proficiency Examiner (PPE) would conduct the annual recurrency proficiency exam. There are some independents out there if an individual doesn't go through a vendor like FSI (I believe that Simulflite was bringing on a CJ sim this spring).

A type rating won't get you a job any faster without the operational experience ( time in type) that satisfies insurance requirements. If you bought a type rating in a CJ with, say 800 to 1,000 hours to fly part 91 operations, you would at most be allowed to sit in the right seat. The CJ is certified single pilot and even if the insurance company requires two pilots, your ability to log second in command (SIC) is usually dictated on the type certificate on the airplane. A possible route to logging SIC in the CJ is where the PIC is a CFI. This might not be possible where the PIC has on his certificate a C525S meaning that his type rating is single pilot. This is just my opinion as this debate has raged on for some time. I'll leave that debate to someone else here. Write Doc at www.propilot.com and ask his opinion on this.

A type rating stays on your certificate, but in order to excercise the privilege of the type rating, you will need to go through recurrent annually (PPE) through FSI, Simulfite, or a vendor with a PPE on staff authorized to conduct these in the CJ.

 

[English]

CitationCapt,

Correct me if I am wrong here, but with the 525s type, an annual proficiency check does not have to be accomplished in the eyes of the FAA (for insurance, sure, but not for the regs...). All that is needed is a BFR, and that can be done in any aircraft.

 

[md80furlough]

I found a job flying the CJ, and went through the type course in January. I'd add that it's not a walk in the park, either. The failure rate is around 50% (I did manage to squeak by). Then again, I haven't flown single pilot in 8 years. Not that you can't do it, but it's definitely a tough checkride. I think it's something like 17000 dollars, too. Good luck.

 

[CitationCapt]

C525S

English,

Maybe by the regs, but who will insure you? Take it a notch higher in your anaylsis, and look at who will insure you.

The C525 type is certainly not a cake walk. No single pilot jet operation is. Those flying Premiers single pilot are very few also. Thinking of that, let's see what happens when the Eclipse, the Swearingen SJ30-2, the Aerostar jet, and others come along. Avemco, USAIG and other insurors will have their hands full with the whole singel pilot insurability issue for sure.

 

[English]

CitationCapt,


True, oh so very true, especially these days. I was answering BradG's question about currency in the eyes of the FAA. It seems he was asking if he got the type and didn't fly it for a few years, would he have to get any recurrent training in the eyes of the FAA. But of course, the insurance will also be a consideration.