Does size matter?

[Ty Webb]

The people who have responded to your question are mostly airline people, and while they are giving some standard advice, as a former 91/135 guy who is now at an airline, I would look at it a little differently.

Realistically, even if you stay in the Lear (or whatever the 21K a/c is) it may be 3-5 years before you have enough time to be considered at a major, and the industry may be in great shape, or it may be even worse than right now, no one knows.

Regardless, you will have a thousand hours in a Lear, and be competing against guys who have several thousand hours as a 121 jet Capt, so basically, it will come down to contacts, timing, persistence, and luck.

But what do you want to be doing if the airlines are not an option? Flying a Gulfstream, or flying a Lear? Historically, Lear jobs and 500 series Citation jobs pay the least.That is a common type rating that can be bought for $5K. A Gulfstream type is worth much more ($40K+), and a contract pilot flying a G makes twice as much per day as a Lear pilot. Also, you may be able to pick up some cash on the side to get through the first year of airline pay, or in the event of a furlough. Picking up $800-$1,000 a day as a G skipper were sure beat $350-600. a day for a Lear or Citation.

If I were you, and they are willing to type you, take the Gulfstream, and log every part 91 leg that you fly as PIC. If it doesn't come with a type, then stick with the smaller one and build PIC.

 

[semperfido]

Thanks for the feedback. Some of my fellow co-workers are telling me I'm crazy for passing it up. To their credit, if I wanted to stay GA, a Gulfstream type would be nice, but there is something to be said for a schedule.

The grass may always be greener somewhere else, but an airline is where I want to end up. Anyone who has done the charter thing knows what I am talking about.

Hopefully one day, I will get a chance to share a flight deck with you guys and not just a chat room.

your co-workers are probably right. go and get the gulfstream type rating. you will be more marketable. you can always get a job flying a lear after you have flown a gulfstream. try not to have "tunnel vision" when it comes to the airlines....as it is a big world out there and there are many opportunities down the road.

 

[Xfr8dog]

A Gulfstream type is worth quite alot I hear... Are you going to get typed off the bat in the G-IV, G-V? If so... there is no question in my mind. Get the juicy type!

 

[PurpleTail]

If you are looking to move on down the road (ie. the majors) I would personally stay a full time captain. Turbine PIC is what opens the doors later and gets you the interview...period!

Only you know what your situation is really like so take eveyones advise with a little grain of salt and weigh out your options. Good luck.

 

[AMRCostUnit]

I think if you want to go to the airlines T-PIC is king. Look at the list of minimum requirements at the various company websites. There is no required number of types but there IS a minimum for PIC.

I have a nice list of types; 1000 hours in the 777. Exactly ZERO of the flying time counts in the signed-for-the-aircraft PIC column. I could use some more to be competitve for SWA but have no way to fly T-PIC unless I get furloughed and flowback to RJ Captain or take a leave and try for a corporate left seat. Not much chance of either happening...at least for now...


Good luck in your decision.

Unit

The GV does look like an awesome machine...

 

[English]

The grass may always be greener somewhere else, but an airline is where I want to end up. Anyone who has done the charter thing knows what I am talking about.

Maybe you're working for the wrong charter company. Just be careful that you don't take just any old airline job. Most of them are not better than what you are doing now. A few might be, but not many.

 

[Ty Webb]

Just be careful that you don't take just any old airline job. Most of them are not better than what you are doing now. A few might be, but not many.

English, do you know much about S. FL charter or corporate operations? Because, yeah, just about any national or major airline job IS better than most S. FL 91/135 jobs.

There are a few decent jobs here and there, but there are more bandits, scalawags and cutthroats down there than a remake of "Treasure Island".

Aaaargh, Matey!

 

[English]

Nope, don't know much about Florida. All I know is that I left a charter gig to go to Aloha, and decided to go back to the charter gig because it was better. My coworker left America West for the same reason. But, it's not in Florida

 

[pooter]

you are in exactly the same situation i had years ago.go for the pic,that will enable you to apply to the numerous companies that fly big iron.almost everyone wants 1000 pic.this way you want get caught in the regionals yanking gear for 5 years in a crj.with the pic time box checked you can apply to the crappy 121 supplementals flying md-80s,727s ,747s 0r a300s.airlines don't give a crap whether its a gv or a lear 55,they just won't to make sure you have what it takes to get a type and be pic.you can work your way to a reputable airline later.