SIMCOM/PANAM Vs Flight Safety or SimuFli

[501261]

Without time in type getting the type rating is absolutley worthless!

I believe Lawndart said it best about getting a type without time in type "it's a lot like playing with yourself in the bathroom: It feels great at the time, but a couple hours later you're embarrassed that you did it. "

The only type rating I would even consider buying is a 737, if you are inclided to work at a certain airline.

Some other things to consider is that you cannot recieve your first type in the sim (25/35 hour supervised PIC limitations, etc. apply), also if its not a level C sim (I believe Simcom's is level B), you can not recieve a type rating in it!

For an Intitial Lear Type prices vary, from a Fullservice Contract at FS for $16,300, to some guy giving Lear Types in Van Nuys around for $5,000 and everything inbetween. You get what you pay for.

Again as a manager when I see a resume with a type and no time in it, I question it big time, often roundfiling it. Did s/he leave the company right after they gave him the type, is s/he a rick kid playing around with daddy's money? Just adds more questions than they are worth.

 

[DC8Driver]

501261, I do not agree with you on a type being worthless. I had WIA money available and got a Citation type. I have been picking up trips ad/hoc regularly since. I also interviewed and was offered a job on a Citation. A very good paying job. I was interviewed because I had a type. I flew the first trip with the captain and declined the job because of fear/safety questions. I really needed a full time job so you can imagine

Part 91 operators are getting hit hard by the insurance companies over training. If you get FS, Simuflite or Simcom current it opens up opertunities. It saves them from having to send you.

If you have prior jet time and over 2000 hours, you can get your type in the sim if it is a level C or D.

I would pay for another type out of my pocket if I was offered the right job.....In a heartbeat. Let the flaming begin!!!!!!

 

[501261]

Good point DC8Driver! There are companies out there that will hire people with only a type rating. The problem is that they are flying the kind of equipment (read old beat up Lear 25's, etc) that you really need to have some experiece in type with to keep from killing yourself.

You can argue that that kind of scenario contibuted to Sunjet/Payne Steward disaster. If I remember correctly the Captain had less than 250 in type and got his type via VA benefits. No one knows what happened up there, but bottomline is they did not respond to a loss of pressurization scenario properly.

"I would pay for another type out of my pocket if I was offered the right job.....In a heartbeat. " I really disagree with that statement! It can't be that good of a job if they haven't factored in training costs. Look, FS fullservice deals account for only 3% of my department's annual budget. If they can't afford that, the insurance companies really ought to keep them from flying, get rid of all those &^%(* cheap operators!

Paying for a type to get a job, is simply a PFT and that lowers the bar for every pilot. If we continue to lower the standard, pretty soon there will no longer be airline capts making $200K or corporate guys making over $100K if people continue to PFT or accept a lower wage so "they can build time for a major." Show some pride in your chosen profession!

 

[DC8Driver]

I do have alot of pride. That's why I have interviewed at two regionals and turned them both down. I won't work for $1500 a month. Why not offer to pay for my type to get a 40 or 50k job?

Makes sense to me. Investing in my future. Is it a perfect world? No. Supply and demand. A year ago I wouldn't have even considered it. Now, it seems smart. Remember you are looking at my situation from an employed perspective

I can't afford to think about lowering the industry pay, I must only think about getting employed at a safe place with a livable wage.

I normally agree with most of your posts I've read. Not this time.

Good luck and fly safe

 

[wildbill]

I have done training at both Simuflight andFlightsafety on Citations. Simuflight is layed back and more responsive to the needs of pilots. Flightsafety seems more concerned about the employers and what they think. FSI is "packing" training so as not to take to many days to train a pilot and offend the employer when in fact they need to slow down a bit. Most part 91 operators allow training only once a year so the pilot needs to get the most out of it. Not to be rushed. As to cost, I recently got my Excel type at FSI, ICT. The cost was $ 19,200.00 plus expenses. Not cheap at all. Type was done in level D Sim.
Training was very professional, but pushed.
I did Pan Am for DC-9 training. They seemed very disorganized and did not really have a plan from day to day.
I know nothing of Simcom.
I have done at Flightsafety, CE0- 500's, CE-560XL, Cheyenne II,
BE-58P, CE-421. Only had one bad experience. Got the Bucks to blow, do FSI. Good quality a little cheaper SimuFlight.
Good Luck