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Twin or Single: Airline Flight Time

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doclarse

Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2002
Posts
12
I am wondering whether I should purchase a twin-engine aircraft or a single-engine aircraft to build flight time for an airline job. I attended one of the academies in FL and have over 130 hours in an Aztec, but am wondering if I would get noticed by Skywest, Horizon, etc. with low total time if I had a lot of multi time. I did get hired by Eagle, but with current situations there, I have very little to no hope of ever hearing from them (although I continue to update my file as they are currently my only option).

I am currently working on my CFI to build time that way, but was also looking at purchasing an aircraft for pleasure flying, ie visiting friends / family and vacations.

Thanks for any input.
 
In my opinion, multi time is much more valuable (and expensive) than single time. I doubt many quality regionals would look too hard at an applicant with 120 hours of multi (or 400 t.t.) these days. I think Comair will with their academy graduates, in order to support that division.

If you're planning to buy an airplane to build time, be sure you can document every hour you fly it somehow.

Best wishes.
 
At SkyWest 1 hour of PIC multi turbine Part 121/135 crew operation in the weather in the last 3 months is worth 16 hours of Part 91 VFR single pilot in a single engine piston flown more than a year ago as far as getting an interview goes.
 
I just had an instructor ride up with us to XNA last weekend- he told us we have Delta, US Air, and United pilots in training at ASA! Do you really want to commit that kind of money given the bleak outlook? And, does flying yourself around for 200.00 hamburgers make you competitive?
 
Buying time

I agree with Wil. It's just like it was eleven years ago. Just change the name of the airline from Delta, USAir and United to Eastern and Pan Am. It's hard to compete with people like that, even with good multi time built through employment.

It's not worth it to buy an airplane to build time. Maintenance alone will eat you alive. Use your money to get your CFI and build the time that way. Chances are, you might hear from Eagle. Moreover, if AE thought you were a good applicant, so will some other commuter, eventually.

Good luck with your plans.
 
...you were hired by AE with 400TT :confused:
 
Yes, I was hired by AE with 400TT. The program I was in (whether right or wrong), gave you the opportunity to interview with AE IF you knew your stuff and were a good pilot. The negative side to the whole thing is that upon completion of the program, you only have 400TT and no CFI, so are not marketable anywhere else. But I'm working on that part...:)
 
Thanks

By the way, thank you to all who have chipped in with their $.02. While I must admit that I do have the bug to buy a twin and tool around in it, I think you guys might be right that it's not the way to go at this point. Maybe sometime in the future...
 
On the other side of the coin you cant wait until the job market is right to begin your training. Start now and when things are going good you will be where you need to be. Obviously if your financials allow you to buy a twin that is the way to go- without any doubt! Is it as good as 135 or 121 time or even cfi?.. I guess not but it is a step in the right direction.
By the way as a former captain for Amer Eagle I flew with a lot of interns from the bigger schools who only had 500 hours. And at that time Amer Eagle had the highest minimums of probably anyone in the industry(commuter)
 
doclarse said:
Yes, I was hired by AE with 400TT. The program I was in (whether right or wrong), gave you the opportunity to interview with AE IF you knew your stuff and were a good pilot. The negative side to the whole thing is that upon completion of the program, you only have 400TT and no CFI, so are not marketable anywhere else. But I'm working on that part...:)

400TT and an Eagle newhire, what program was this you refer to?:confused:
 

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