Not really a hookup... Started as an intern, got hired working in Operations. I now do a little of both. Its really helpful knowing what goes on behind the scenes.
I'm writing for all those out there that think a job is out of reach or they can't get into corporate flying without a couple thousand hours of flight time. Now I realize that there are a lot of qualified pilots out there and times for finding a flying job have been better but it can still be done. I graduated from a college flight program within the last year and basically went out looking for any job-everything from instructing, flying divers and banner-towing. At the same time while I wasn't having luck finding these jobs usually filled by the low-time pilot I also applied to corporate operators with the mentality that it's worth a coverletter/resume and stamp, a office visit, phone call etc. The idea of "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" would fit, I had nothing to lose.
I got my "hook-up" by sending out a lot of resumes and contacting as many people as I could with even the slightest chance of a job lead. As it turns out one of my resumes got to the right person at the right time who needed a co-pilot. He had flown with a person from the same flight school that I graduated from and liked the work he had done so that served as the reason he gave me a call back. I have really enjoyed it since, it was a good fit into their system/culture, which others on the board have noted is so important on the corporate side.
I realize that I am fortunate to be in this type of a position, and the majority of low-time pilots don't get opporunities like this but there are a some that do also. Anyway for the others out there that have the lower times don't get discouraged, don't let anyone tell you that you don't deserve something you want.
We start with the company (fractional 91/135) as flight instructors in our Cessna Pilot Center and then when our corporate department needs guys they turn to our Instructor pool and you move into the King Air for 6 months and then into our Hawkers after that.
Our company is a great place to work and lots of room for advancement!
Well said Crizz! I am finding that most of the people that are p!@#$@ off by low timers getting right seat jobs is because it didn't happen that way for them. If a 2000 hour pilot and a 250 hour pilot go to school for the same aircraft and pass the same sim rides, that makes THEM QUALIFIED!!!
You're right 7B2 Fitted (AS BY TRAINING) for a given purpose!
"Well said Crizz! I am finding that most of the people that are p!@#$@ off by low timers getting right seat jobs is because it didn't happen that way for them. If a 2000 hour pilot and a 250 hour pilot go to school for the same aircraft and pass the same sim rides, that makes THEM QUALIFIED!!!
You're right 7B2 Fitted (AS BY TRAINING) for a given purpose!"
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Hey, I have to admit that I as well as the other instructors that I am working with have found ourselves in a great situation that is hard to find anywhere else. Of course there have been instances in the past at our company where guys have been pulled up and not been able to keep up with the a/c but we ARE checked very carefully by numerous pilots including our Chief and Director of Ops.
Some people catch lucky breaks and some people dont.....it can be found in any industry and at any work place!
Where we work .....well, we just happen to be very lucky to be WORKING for one and have the oppurtunity to move into our corporate department when they need us.
(keep in mind that they dont move people up with 200 or even 700 hours....average TT at move up is around 1000)
I appreciate the replies from everyone regarding their experience in time minimums for a King Air PIC job. Now I have another question.
Anybody know typical insurance requirements for a Cessna CJ position? I seem to recall these were geared towards owner-operators, but I have seen alot of 135 operators and small businesses using them, and the CJ2 is a pretty slick looking plane.
...I've heard so much crap in the last two years of trying to get in right seat programs, Citations, King Airs...it really depends on who you know and how much insurance man wants to give. Like it or not they run the industry (sorry FAA man )
We got a A100 and at 1400 TT I barely qualify to sit in the right seat much less the left seat at 2500 TT (w/1000 hrs in King Air's). I can't even sit in the right seat of our Citation II, rumored to be easier to fly than the king air but I wouldn't know because the insurance companies are clamping down on the 135 ops.
To answer your CJ1 question it's in the same ball park of 2.5 to 3K of hours. It's also a matter of economics and how much you/owner/corp wants to pay. I am just lucky to have met the CP/Pres. of my temporary job when I did it's been a long hard push up hill. (It's only temp because everything in aviation is only a temp....Fleming Foods Flight department 27 yrs- R.I.P.)
Now if all the US operators went to Loyd's of London, UK, and got insurance policies maybe insurance man would ease a little.
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