Fly for free

[saviboy]

Has somebody ever offered to fly for free in a 135 company?

 

[slickmagneto]

There have been a few but they are either buried under the taxiway or behind the hangar.

 

[Spot]

It's not really a good idea to offer to fly for free.

 

[LJDRVR]

Saviboy,

I would recommend against it for several reasons. The operations that would actually allow you to do such a thing are not usually desireable places to work. An operator willing to take advantage of someone just starting out is also willing to take maintenance shortcuts, and has probably hired some not quite "mainstream" PIC's. If the PIC are normal, good guys, then the working environment for you the minimun-experience "volunteer" (You'll be shortly hearing other less affectionate adjectives in subsequent posts) is not very desireable. The type of folks willing to take advantage of you are also much more likely to put you in a position where you and the FAA become "friends" (Certificate action.) Keeping your nose clean is a lot more important than multi time in your logbook.

Most importantly is this: you're a commercial pilot, you should be paid for your flight time.With 250 hours, you'll find it just as difficult to get paid to fly right seat as it is to convince someone to let you sit there for nothing. So, why not find a job? It's been done. Find somebody who operates an aircraft that interests you, then start doing your research. Go on e-bay and buy manuals. Find out everything you can about the operation. Introduce yourself. You'll get politely brushed off, but the lines of communication will be open. Continue to pester them in a polite way that lets them know you're slightly different from the 8 million other pilots that just drop their resumes off. Learn their airplane cold. Once they know you a little bit, maybe proposition them with something like: "I'd really like a shot at it, how's about you give me an oral on the King Air, I'll buy the lunch, and if I pass, then you use me on a part 91 leg once. Let me prove to you I have what it takes! If you like the way I handle myself, then maybe you could allow me to help out around the office and wash the plane until I build up enough sweat equity to pay for a training flight or two and an 8410 checkride. Then I could work for you." (For money!)

If you're willing to do the legwork and take your chances, give it a try! There are people on the board here who would be happy to help keep you on the right path. (Definitely get some counseling/mentoring before you offer to be subject to any oral exams)

While you're doing all this, you really should get your CFI and start building your hours. If you don't want to teach, then powerline/pipeline patrol, trafficwatch, etc...start working!

PM me if I can help point you in the right direction. There are folks on this board who wil help you out, but you're going to to have to disincline yourself of your work for free notions.

Anybody else have any constructive help? Before y'all flame him, look at his profile, he doesn't know yet. Be constructive!

Safe Flying!

 

[WrightAvia]

There's 135 companies and 121 companies, where you can PAY to work there. Free isn't good enough, as quite a few 135 and 121 pilots are working for peanuts anyway and they could always find some joker to do it for free.

To get the pilot to PAY for being there, now that's some big ROI for the 135 or 121 operator.

I think Superior, a 121 freight operaton (UPS contractor), has FO's that buy time in the planes. Airnet has some set up where they will let you buy time in the pistons, so you can get up to 135 mins. There was also some airline that would let you build time as an FO in their airliners...it was like 100 hours of Beech 1900 for 19,000 bucks. They had a few other deals available also. You'll see their ads in the back of most flying magazines.

If you have 25,000 to 80,000 tied up in your initial training and ratings, what's another 10,000 to 20,000 invested in buying your multi time at some 135 operator. You can then make a beeline for a 121 airline like Colgan, drop another 20,000 into your education, building qualtiy 121 time flying a Beech 1900 or Saab 340.

You'll then be in a very good position to put 7,000 to 10,000 into your 737 type rating. At this point, Pay For Training takes a strange turn however. For some reason, if you PFT at some point below the Nationals, IE: SWA, you are considered some kind of lowlife...so don't let it get you down, the best is yet to come.

Soon, you'll be buying that 737 type and you'll be able to join the elite. You will be well respected by your peers and an envy to all of those that shunned you, when you "put your money where your mouth is" by using your financial horespower to cut to the chase.

Money, it's just a tool, use it to get what YOU want. Forget about everybody else and what they'll say, because you'll soon be wearing navy blue slacks, white shirts with epaulets and shoulder boards and the coveted roper boots, while pulling your purdy neat bag through the terminal, showing them sheeples, "you da man!".

Time's a wasting!

 

[Flywrite]

If you want to work for free go help feed homeless folks or collect winter coats for poor kids.

If you want to be a pilot hang in there and get paid for it. You wont get paid much to start, but we've all dont it. And consider this; you would get paid more to start if the history of aviation wasnt full of pilots who flew for free just to fill their logbooks. Many of those same pilots now gripe about low pay and poor QOL. Go figure.

Don't do it for free, and it WILL get better.

 

[Otter]

I want to echo Flywrite. It has always amazed me that pilots who PFT'd for a regional or 135, or flew for free and then immediately bashed the same operator for the pay and QOL. Those same people set the stage, and have charged what they believe they are worth!

Dont go down that road, there is no easy way in aviation. Maintain your dignity and pay your dues (not meant as a pun for PFT)! As you look back, you will find that you are proud of what you did.

 

[saviboy]

Thank you very much to all of you for your constructive comments.
take care

 

[Flywrite]

I think the most valid point on this subject comes from LRDRVR. Operating an aircraft Pt135 is not an inexpensive undertaking. If a company is unwilling to pay a crewmember what else are they cutting costs on? Do you really want to fly for such an operator?

Remember, it doesnt matter if it's multi, turbine, jet, or super-turbo-mega-rocket-hyperdrive, it doesnt do you a bit of good if you are either deprived of your certificate by the good 'ol FAA, or worse, at the bottom of a smoking hole.

 

[uscpilot]

Airnet has some set up where they will let you buy time in the pistons, so you can get up to 135 mins.

I want to quickly squelch any rumor that Airnet is PFT or pay for flight time. Last I checked we are not hiring prop "SIC's", but when/if we do again they are paid $14000 a year. Not great but considering you only have to do it to make 135 IFR mins, which doesnt take all that long flying +-100 hrs a month.
usc
PS this is not flame bait for a discussion as to whether or not it is legit to log time as an SIC while in a single pilot cert a/c.