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Should I buy my own Type rating to get a job?

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TurbineMan

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2005
Posts
16
I've been flying a King Air part 91 for two years now. I have over 1,000 hours in the King Air and over 2300 hours total. I got into aviation late in my life and I am married with children and can't afford to take a regional job. Everytime I talk to a company that's looking for Citation or Lear F.O's I get the same response, you don't have enough time or we need someone who is alraedy typed. Is it worth it to buy my own type rating and spend that kind of money to be more marketable? I see ad's for Citation 500 series type rating $6,000. I don't have that kind of money laying around but is it something to consider or am I crazy? Insurance companies are killing us. I remember, before 9/11, when my time was great for an F.O. corporate position.
 
TurbineMan said:
I've been flying a King Air part 91 for two years now. I have over 1,000 hours in the King Air and over 2300 hours total. I got into aviation late in my life and I am married with children and can't afford to take a regional job. Everytime I talk to a company that's looking for Citation or Lear F.O's I get the same response, you don't have enough time or we need someone who is alraedy typed. Is it worth it to buy my own type rating and spend that kind of money to be more marketable? I see ad's for Citation 500 series type rating $6,000. I don't have that kind of money laying around but is it something to consider or am I crazy? Insurance companies are killing us. I remember, before 9/11, when my time was great for an F.O. corporate position.

Easy answer....NO!!!!!!

A type does you no good without time in type (and that means more than the type rating.) You drop $6K on a Citation type (we'll get into that in a minute) and a Lear job comes along, now what? Are you going to limit yourself to applying to only jobs to which you have a type?

A $6000 type, while it technically gives you the certificate, is a true waste of money IMHO.

I've known of several companies that will hire without a type rating. Also, any company worth their salt will pay for your rating anyhow. Again, IMO. I honestly feel you'll not only limit your search area, but you'll do so lighter in the wallet!

2000Flyer
 
Yes!

I mean, why not? I've got sooo much extra $$$ laying around, why not blow it on type ratings?

Hehe, I said blow...
 
I already knew the answer I guess but I'm getting frustrated. I have been sending resumes and calling people for six months or more and it seems everybody wants time in type. Corporate aviation is all about knowing people and I just don't know anybody. I'll just keep trying and hope my persistence pays off.
 
TurbineMan said:
I've been flying a King Air part 91 for two years now. I have over 1,000 hours in the King Air and over 2300 hours total. I got into aviation late in my life and I am married with children and can't afford to take a regional job. Everytime I talk to a company that's looking for Citation or Lear F.O's I get the same response, you don't have enough time or we need someone who is alraedy typed. Is it worth it to buy my own type rating and spend that kind of money to be more marketable? I see ad's for Citation 500 series type rating $6,000. I don't have that kind of money laying around but is it something to consider or am I crazy? Insurance companies are killing us. I remember, before 9/11, when my time was great for an F.O. corporate position.

If you are getting PIC time in King Air then that is a good thing. I know guys that have gone straight from a King Air to a G4. You may want to concentrate your efforts on making connections in the industry.
 
6K would sure buy lots of cold beer, pizza, hooters hotwings and Pay-Per-View prize fights to watch on that new 52" big screen LCD HDTV (I bet you might even find a few fellas from the corporate world that fly neat jets to come over and watch said TV and eat/drink said consumables).


Just a thought. :D


Its not what you know, it is who you know, as you well know.
 
I am with semperfido....why leave the King Air job? The grass is not always greener so make sure yours isn't as bad as you think before you bail! I would personally trade with you at this point....five year FO. Keep racking up the PIC turbine and your options will be come HUGE.
 
Maybe cut a payroll deduct deal or 50 50 just to make sure your employer wont change his mind
 
semperfido said:
If you are getting PIC time in King Air then that is a good thing. I know guys that have gone straight from a King Air to a G4. You may want to concentrate your efforts on making connections in the industry.

The Marine has offerred you good advice. I've seen the same King Air to Gulfstream phenomena. One of the guys now at Gulfstream went from ab initio training to a King Air, to a Falcon job at Sony, to Gulfstream Flight Ops, became the Chief Pilot for Demonstration, then became a Gulfstream sales executive, all before his 35th birthday.

An Army C-12 pilot I met at recurrent went from the King Air to a G-IV job at Figgi International and is now a senior GV captain at Morgan Stanley.

Yet another pilot I know went from FSI ab initio training to right seat in a G-IV for TWO Air, to a GV at Wotan, and is now a GV captain in south Florida.

GV
 

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