Shooting Myself in the Foot: Corporate Q's

[Goose Egg]

Hey All,

I need some advice. I have an interview with an outfit that flies PC-12s.

I'm actually thrilled about the opportunity--flying all around the east coast, good pay, good equipment, stable company, etc. And a chance to do something other than instruct. (After around 500 hours of dual given, I can feel myself starting to burn out a little bit.)

Now, here's the dilema: I only have about 30 hours of multi-engine time total. My question is that if I take this job with the PC-12, In the end I would have bucket-loads of turbine PIC time, but only 30 hours of multi time.

So, the way that I see it, I have 3 options:

1) Take the job, risk not having the multi.

2) Take the job, buy the multi time

3) Stick it out, get another 70 hours in the mighty PA44, apply to a regional, and then go from there.

Oh, and I suppose I have an option 4) Stick it out, and go back to the PC-12 outfit and then go from there.

How marketable to corporate operators would I be with several thousand hours of PC-12 time, but only 30 hours in a multi? Would I be shooting myself in the foot by taking this job? I appreciate any advice that anyone could offer. I think I know which option I'm leaning towards, but it never hurts to have a second (or third, or fourth, etc.) pair of eyes have a look at the situation, especially if those eyes are experienced.

Thanks all,
-Goose

 

[BushwickBill]

Do you get training?

If not 2 pilot time in the Pilati is a joke. Unless it is dual received.

Might be boring. Not much going on with that airplane. Plus you'll be low and in the crappy weather a lot. So you'll learn about that but if the PIC is a dick wad he could kill you.

However, may lead into good paying PIC work in the future if you play your cards right. Hell if you can afford to buy multi time with the pay then you are already doing all right.

I have 2 right seat single pilot jobs. The only reason I'm doing it is to network for the future and get a good paying part 91 job. 121 just does not fit my personality and my friends who fly for the regionals have to live in ******************** holes. I go mountain biking on sick single track on my days off and I'm sill wearing shorts and a jersey in November. Gotta do what works for you.

I can hardly afford to pay my rent and car payment - not to mention running up the side of some muddy ass hill with a space age carbon fiber bike with 190 dollar sew up cross tires. I think it's cool you like cross though.

Best of luck to you.

 

[G21Agoose]

Hey All,

I need some advice. I have an interview with an outfit that flies PC-12s.

I'm actually thrilled about the opportunity--flying all around the east coast, good pay, good equipment, stable company, etc. And a chance to do something other than instruct. (After around 500 hours of dual given, I can feel myself starting to burn out a little bit.)

Now, here's the dilema: I only have about 30 hours of multi-engine time total. My question is that if I take this job with the PC-12, In the end I would have bucket-loads of turbine PIC time, but only 30 hours of multi time.

So, the way that I see it, I have 3 options:

1) Take the job, risk not having the multi.

2) Take the job, buy the multi time

3) Stick it out, get another 70 hours in the mighty PA44, apply to a regional, and then go from there.

Oh, and I suppose I have an option 4) Stick it out, and go back to the PC-12 outfit and then go from there.

How marketable to corporate operators would I be with several thousand hours of PC-12 time, but only 30 hours in a multi? Would I be shooting myself in the foot by taking this job? I appreciate any advice that anyone could offer. I think I know which option I'm leaning towards, but it never hurts to have a second (or third, or fourth, etc.) pair of eyes have a look at the situation, especially if those eyes are experienced.

Thanks all,
-Goose

It really depends on your future goals- if you wish to go the airline route I think waiting and going to a regional is a better bet. However, if you might go the 135 or 91 career route IMO the Pilatus job will put you into a great position and you can build multi time slowly. The Pilatus is a great plane with EFIS, pressurization, 30,000 ft ceiling, TCAS, EGPWS etc (in other words a complex turbine aircraft- even though it's only a single) and will give you good experience in airway operations etc. in a professional environment. It is fun to fly and I think a great step from instructing. Also you will meet more people who might help in the future. I would take the Pilatus job- whatever you decide, good luck.

 

[Goose Egg]

Thanks so far for the input, guys.

I go mountain biking on sick single track on my days off and I'm sill wearing shorts and a jersey in November. Gotta do what works for you. I can hardly afford to pay my rent and car payment - not to mention running up the side of some muddy ass hill with a space age carbon fiber bike with 190 dollar sew up cross tires. I think it's cool you like cross though.

To be fair, the cross bike I'm building has an aluminum frame, and will most likely have clinchers (at least for the time being). I am a CFI, after all. But yeah, cross guys are weird. I'll admit it.

But I do ride an MTB too (Specialized Stumpjumper Hardtail - XT/LX w/mechanical discs... pretty sweet ride). And around here it's been shorts and jersey weather lately, although, that's destined to change!

Looking forward to any more advice!

-Goose

 

[g4800xp]

The PC12 is a tank, built like a brick and has a nice glass panel. If you are going to fly out of MHT you are getting in to a very good operation and they seem to do things right. I think that turbine time in the soup, busy in and out of both JFK,TEB,BOS as well as podunk, in fact I think they can reach PBI nonstop, will go farther career wise than single engine with a occasional milti time. You are flying 135/91 in a state of the art plane in the real world. Come to me with 3000 hours instructing and you are another resume from a instructor, but come in with 1500tt and 500 of it in the real world on a turbine and you are far ahead. I would be looking for a guy who can order catering, preflight, flight plan, set up handling and make life easier for me and you only get that in the real world. Just my thoughts. pm me if you get a minute.

 

[sleepy]

Where do you want to be in 5 years?

 

[Rollo Tomasi]

I'd assume you're talking about Alpha Flying in MHT correct?? If so, ask yourself not only where you want to be in one-two years but where you want to be in the long-term. Unless you want to settle down in New Hampshire then this is not a long-term company. For a year or two, maybe.

I'll give you the good and the bad:

The Good

• Good health care coverage, you'll pay very little for this benefit.
• You'll fly plenty of various places, maybe 200 different airports in a year
• As mentioned, it's a turbine and the opportunity to learn and become familiar with those systems.
• Per-Diem is good, $2.00 an hour however it was recently increased for the first time in 4-5 years. This is not considered pay however.
• As a low-time CFI, you'll build up flight time, cross-country time, actual, night time.
• Some nice destinations, mostly in the winter. You'll see FL and the Bahamas quite often.
• Pilot group is solid other than a few tattle-tails and slam clickers. The company you keep on overnights is usually enjoyable.

The Bad

• You may not know it yet, but they'll require you to sign a 1.5 year contract to fly in the right seat of that PC-12. What do you think that tells you about the company? Maybe that it's not too good of a job if they need people in the right seat to be signing 1.5 year deals.
• Pay is Horrible. 25K to start. The same as it has been for 5 plus years.
• Captain pay is horrible as well. 36k to start and there is a two year contract that management requires you to sign. This a single-engine Pilatus for lousy money, not a Falcon 900.
• No multi-time.
• No Union and the pilots will probably need one. A couple of pilots were accused of putting a plane into a 90 degree bank last summer. By someone on the ground that told the company. Most pilots found it unlikely to be true and the pilots in question were given letters in their company file about the alleged incident. A Union would have tossed this BS aside right away.
• Management. Give you an example, there used to be a website http://www.afdrivers.com that a pilot set up for the pilots to converse anonymously. Company found out who started it and had it shut down. They could use some training in relationship management with the pilots although there is one management pilot most of the pilots feel comfortable speaking to. When 91k was first published, management told the pilots for recordkeeping purposes that flight time would be tracked using wheels up to wheels down time. Of course the FAR says as soon as you run the aircraft by it's own power. This is no secret. It was an oily move to push the flight time limits by the company. Thankfully, the pilots shot that one down right away. I could give you numerous other examples.

Quite a few pilots have left the company in the last few months. I'd guess 10 or so out of 75 total. One or two left for regional jet jobs. If you have a chance to continue building multi-time at a clip that will get you 100 multi relatively soon, I'd go with doing that and not sign a ridiculous contract. That 121 turbojet time will open up far more doors for you down the road than will some right seat or left seat PC-12 time. You won't find much on the company on this website simply because the management team would look to find out who wrote anything that wasn't glowingly kind about the company. There is one pilot on here that will probably run to management as soon as they see this post. If you want more information, send me a pm.

 

[g4800xp]

Great questions guys, I have to ask, can you get a 121 job with 100 multi and will it pay 25k? I hate contracts but they can be also show a future employer you are a man of your word. Can work both ways. It may beat flying a wscod hauling cargo for nothing for a year or two. I would think a year and a half of it would make you a good candidate for commuter job if that is the direction you are going. You may think about saving up( I know, nearly impossible) or taking out a loan to buy a block of multi to get you in range, look at it as a investment in your future. but what do I know!

 

[Charlie Brown]

If it is a right seat job, I would not waste my time. The airplane only requires one pilot. Go to a regional or 135 TP/jet where you at least would be a required crewmember.

 

[NotFurloughed]

Required..

Flights under 91 K would require a second cremember - even in the lowly Pilatus. Welcome to the Fractional world...

The Pilatus gig isn't bad, it opened up MANY doors for me, but was a different company back then. It's good flying, good equipment and good maintenance. You get a variety of flying, a set schedule and very reasonable benefits. Pay's not great but neither is FO pay at a regional. You dont have to commute to CVG or EWR and have crash pad while you spend 5 years in the right seat of an RJ. As far as the altitude - the CRJ tops out in the high 20's when its heavy. So the whole "you'l' be doggin in the weather" is a moot point. Although I'd rather be doggin with 2 engines.

Do you want to be underpaid as an FO in a single turboprop or severely underpaid as an FO on a 50 Pax jet?

Do you love NH? It seems that most people that have been there a while have roots in the state - and since there are sooooo many flying jobs in NH.....well, you get the picture.