Most Valuable Flight Time?

[ch47fe]

If you were a low timer building time commerically would twin piston time make you more valuable than single turbine both PIC?

Which would be the better type of two? Why?

 

[Andy Neill]

It would at SkyWest.

The prime reason is that there is a ME minimum to be met (100 hours) and there is not a turbine minimum. Once your minimums are met, the time is equally good (if I remember the scoring points correctly) at SkyWest. Multi-turbine PIC (crew environement in Part 121/135 in weather in the last 3 months) would be ideal, but that was not your question.

 

[mckpickle]

YUP! Had a good buddy of mine get turned down at COEX. He had 2000 hours. 1000 was pc-12 Pillatus time, flying in New england, lots of IFR and lots of Cross country. And it was done for a fractional company. They said they'd love to have him however he had to get more multi,(i think he had about 50-75 hours.) That was then and things change but remember its a Hirers' market.

 

[Flightjock30]

If youre a pilot who fears that building up your multi time is going to be a problem because you sense you won't be able to land a job as an MEI then purchase block multi time. ALL ATPs has a new program that gives you something like 35 hours of multi time for $3500, which equates to $100/hr. This is in a Seneca. Pretty good deal wouldnt ya say? Look into it.

 

[bobbysamd]

Multi PIC

Multi PIC is the name of the game. Building Multi PIC should be your first priority. When companies advertise their time requirements, after total time comes multi time. Total time can be built through the normal course of events. Multi time doesn't grow on trees.

Build your time through legitimate employment, if at all possible. Anyone can buy and share block time, and recruiters know it. Time built through employment is far more valuable.

Hope that helps.

 

[Vik]

Is that All ATPs time 35hrs PIC *at the controls* or half of it at the controls and half as safety?


I'd get the piston twin time. If you are buying it fly it cross country, in actual, at night, PIC at the controls not safety. Thats as quality as you can get with a piston twin (I think).

 

[flight-crew]

Disagree

I disagree about the PIC multi/piston vs. single PIC Turbine.

For SWA requirements, they accept all forms of PIC fixed wing turbine. This is a quote directly from their website.... "Additionally, a minimum of 1000 hours in Turbine aircraft as the **Pilot in command, as defined by FAR PART I is required." ....... they go on to say "Southwest considers only Pilot time in fixed wing aircraft."

When all is said and done, you'll have plenty of multi time, but the PIC Turbine is what you'll have to fight for. I'm sure it would be hard to get hired from SWA with just 1000 hrs. of Caravan time. But lets say you racked up some good Caravan time early on in your career (approx. 700 - 800 hrs.). Now you have flown 300 - 400 hrs. at a regional as Captain in a multi turboprop or jet, well you can apply.

But I will agree that multi time is more important in the beginning when you are trying to get that initial flying job. But long term, I would say PIC Turbine - whether it be single or multi.