Corporate flying

[FL350]

Hi all,

I currently have about 1200 TT and 500 ME with about 450 in a C 550/500. I am flying for a charter outfit making very little $$. I would really like to get into a corporate job but have had little luck.

Is anybody going to consider me with times as low as mine.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Dep676]

NO!!!!!!!!! Good Luck

 

[JetPilot500]

Hate to say it, but probally not. You may get lucky and find another Citation operator out there that needs an SIC, but other than that, I wouldn't expect much. That doesn't mean don't keep trying.

Just keep on building as much Total Flight Time as you can for now. Maybe instruct in addition to the Citation flying. You need to fatten up the Total Time column. Your ME time looks like its on the right track, but without the total time you're a little stuck.

Good Luck,
Jetpilot500

 

[banned username 2]

I have to agree with JetPilot500.... It is pretty unlikely that any good Corporate operator will consider you with times that low.... On the other hand having 450 hours of Citation time is a big plus...

I would keep flying the Citation as much as possible and try to do some other flying on the side (preferably twin time) but really anything to get your total time up to a better number... I would say a realistic number would be around 2500 TT with as much twin and Citation time as possible.

Most of the larger Corporate operators won't consider someone with less than about 2500-3000 hours (my company won't consider anyone with less than about 4,000 TT) Corporate Operators typically don't want to be a training organization, so they tend to find people with high time who can get the job done with very little supervision or guidance.... Plus having high time pilots keeps the insurance costs down....

Don't give up.... I didn't even get to fly a turbine airplane until I had 2450 TT and 850 Multi.... Just stick with it, get as much time as you can and keep applying to the places you want to work.... eventually something will come up...

Good Luck and fly safe!

 

[h25b]

I'll be the lone source of inspiration...

The above posts are accurate, but leave little hope. I was hired at 1200 tt / 700 me. I work for a VERY NICE Fortune 500 flight dept. and have no intentions of leaving until they kick me out.

You have one really good thing going for you, turbine time...
Find a good operator that's close to home flying the Citation and bug the hell out of 'em. It's called persistance and it DOES pay off. Corporate operators place a high value on someone from the local area because it reduces the likelyhood you'll bolt. Chief Pilots look at the quality of flight time along with the total. Bottom line, figure out where you want to be and make yourself as qualified as possible when the opportunity arises. Market yourself well, it will eventually pay off. Good operators hire good personalities, not thick logbooks. It been my experience that reviewing a persective candidate's logbook is the worst measure to hire by. Keep pluggin away and your eye on the ball.

Good luck!

 

[h25b]

By the way... Don't believe the insurance minimum nonsense. Sure higher times keep the premiums lower, but it's really a non-issue.

Bottom line, we can EASILY insure anyone who successfully completes FlightSafety initial with over 1000 hrs/ 250 multi.

 

[jp4inthemornin]

I'll piggyback w/ FL350 if he doesn't mind.

How's 2000TT / 1200 turbine/ 1100 multi with alot of it in a 70K lb. fighter stack up? Granted TT is on the low side for many jobs posted, but are considerations given for quality time in demanding environments? Corporate missions are vastly different, but at end of the day, both drivers still have to get the job done in dynamic situations. I would think the training/babysitting issue would be a non-factor.

Thanks,
JP4

P.S. You guys do a good job on these threads!

 

[FL350]

Thanks everyone for your insight. As any pilot knows bad news can be just as helpful as good news. I am going to keep plugging away. I really want a corporate job where I can stay put for a while. Thanks again for your insight.

 

[maverick_fp00]

FL350:

Are you working for CSI out of Mobile Regional?

 

[FL350]

No, why? Are they hiring? Do you have a web address?

 

[banned username 2]

By the way... Don't believe the insurance minimum nonsense. Sure higher times keep the premiums lower, but it's really a non-issue.

Bottom line, we can EASILY insure anyone who successfully completes FlightSafety initial with over 1000 hrs/ 250 multi.

Hey h25b....

Read the first post in this thread and see what all the insurance talk is about...

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5388

 

[flyboy62]

FL350,
Allow me, if I may, encourage you, also. Look for a job at an FBO at an airport that handles corporate customers. Two things will happen: #1 You will develope contacts at coporate customers, #2 You will make contacts with the customers that are based at the airport.
Trust me on this one. I have 1100TT with only 25 multi. No turbine. I was hired by an FBO at the local International Airport and for the past 8 months, been working the tarmac. I have met several potential prospects, but, with only 1100TT I didn't push it. One of our home base fellas, whom I have become friends with, hired me this past week, with no probing at all, to fly FO in his Lear 35. No joke. So, although working at the FBO was tough along with instructing full time, but it has paid off.

Just my two cents.


Good Luck!!

 

[h25b]

That's very interesting reading...

But, I still stand by my statement. We can, and would hire someone with 1000 tt, if it were the right individual and to my knowledge we haven't been severely penalized premiums-wise.

I'm living proof that is possible to have luck out there in his/her situation... We do however send everyone through initial, and go to recurrent once per year, per aircraft, and we are all type rated.

While some companies may have difficulty, there ARE those, like us that can, and have hired with as low as 1000 tt.

My apologies, I heard insurance used as an excuse to wave me away quite a bit. I guess I'm a little sensative to the topic. I didn't mean to offend... My advice for this individual is to keep trying, and hopefully he/she will be as fortunate as I was.

 

[OviedoBob]

FL350:

Don't forget, get that ATP when you have the times!!!!!!

 

[banned username 2]

h25b,

I understand completely.... it is used as an excuse sometimes (probably too often) but it is a valid point...

My company typically won't touch anyone with less than about 4,000 total time and about 1,000 hours turbine. We operate worldwide and want very experienced people. We go to Flight Safety every 6 months plus do International training, CRM Training, Med-Aire and other training annually... We enjoy a reasonable discount on our insurance to to our stringent training schedule and highly experienced crews (everyone has an ATP and is Typed)

Insurance can be a valid point... and the larger companies typically have a large pool of applicants to choose from so they will generally pick from the more experienced (all the while looking at the persons personality and attitude)

Good Luck and Fly Safe!

 

[FL350]

Wow! What an education. The insurance thing is starting to make a little more sense now. I too have been given the insurance mins excuse before (some probably justified, some probebly not). With that being said...

Is anyone looking for a co-pilot for their corporate flight department? As I said before I have a little under 1200TT 500ME and 470 JET. I am currently flying the C-500/550 under 135 and 91. I have plenty of references available. I can transport myself to an interview and I am very mobile. I would like a job I can stick with. The life of a nomad stinks!

You are welcome to say "no". Just dont mention anything about insurance mins.

 

[CL60]

Most of us did it too...

Don't lose hope. Most of us had to pay our dues and suck it up when we first started.

I didn't get a jet job until about 2,500 hours TT and it sucked. My first really good fortune job came along at around 4,500 hours. Admittedly, I was unfortunate enough to get into the business at a very bad time but I stuck with it and it payed off when things turned around.

Don't get impatient just because you're not making 6 figures right out of the chocks. It will all come together if you do it right.

 

[kl7741]

I completely agree with h25b. Althought trite to say, in this business it's not what you know it's who you know.

I got my first corporate jet co-pilot job with 1200 TT and 25 Multi. because the chief pilot knew me and thought well of me. Furthermore, when he was looking to fill the slot he was looking first at the people/pilots that he knew, then at the stack of resumes.

A lot a companies (at least the smaller ones) who are looking to fill a FO slot, are more concerned with the personality of the applicant, and then the flight experience. I think most people who hire, at least for this type of position, (different for a captain) do so under the premise that it is easier to teach someone to fly than it is to teach good personality traits.

 

[FL350]

Paing dues...

I have no problem paying dues. My experience has been that paying dues allows me to learn more and will also help me appreciate a "real job" when I get it. However, I think that hard work and effective networking will help me shorten the amount of time I have to pay dues. I am not trying to avoid paying dues only lessen the dues I have to pay.

 

[Snakum]

Just my .02 ...

There are at least two 135 charter outfits near me that can, and have, put people in the right seat of King Airs and Citations (Ops spec requires two) at 500+ hours. Also there is a 91 op (NASCAR) that hired at 400/200 for the right seat in a King Air for the season. It's hard to be at the right place and time for these gigs but they are out there.

Working part time at a local FBO was the smartest thing I ever did networking-wise. If I could afford to do it, I'd jump on a deal like this.

Keep your head up and be nice/professional to everyone you meet ... you just never know.

Minh