Type ratings, and little total time.

[UnAnswerd]

Just about any aspiring pilot, with enough money, can purchase a type rating. Lets say that in this case, it's for a B-737. After simply completing the required training, you too can legally pilot this beast. But I do have to ask something here. Aren't employers looking for actual time spent in the aircraft??? With nothing more than a rating, you're not exactly going to have very much experience with this aircraft. How do you get employed? I haven't checked lately, but I believe the hourly rental charges on a 737 are about as affordable as building a small apartment complex. How could ANYONE afford to build hours in this machine, unless they're actually getting paid to do it???????? In another perspective, who's going to hire you with only a handful of total hours, and how do people overcome this???

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[User546]

Quick, simple answer... type ratings without actual time in type, especially the BOEING kind, are absolutely worthless! (Leaving Southwest Airlines out of this)

Furthermore, there are no Boeings out there for "rent" for you to build time in.

I'll let the others take over from here in more detail....

 

[Lead Sled]

Quick, simple answer... type ratings without actual time in type, especially the BOEING kind, are absolutely worthless! I'll let the others take over from here in more detail....

There is nothing more to say. Well almost nothing, you need at least 100 hours in type. Oh and one more thing, for all intents and purposes, a type rating goes away without an annual PIC check. After that, it's just something to talk about in the FBO lobby. It takes a lot of money to get them and a lot of money to keep them current.

Lead Sled

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

Just about any aspiring pilot, with enough money, can purchase a type rating. Lets say that in this case, it's for a B-737. After simply completing the required training, you too can legally pilot this beast. But I do have to ask something here. Aren't employers looking for actual time spent in the aircraft??? With nothing more than a rating, you're not exactly going to have very much experience with this aircraft. How do you get employed? I haven't checked lately, but I believe the hourly rental charges on a 737 are about as affordable as building a small apartment complex. How could ANYONE afford to build hours in this machine, unless they're actually getting paid to do it???????? In another perspective, who's going to hire you with only a handful of total hours, and how do people overcome this???

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

I take it you are looking to be a big time airline pilot by ohhhhhhh.....say next month?

Most new hire pilots with an airline that operates 737's have at least 10 years experience as a professional pilot. This means either 6 to 8 years as a military pilot, or 7 to 10 years as an underpaid and over worked Flight Instructor, Freight Pilot (No, not Fedex!) the kind of freight in a beat up light twin in weather that a Fed ex airplane would never take off in, Then most likely a stint with a regional airline at welfare wages........then if you are really really really lucky, you may be hired as a First officer on that 737. In which case after flying as F/O for 2 to 10 years you will be up for Captain on it. Then you can actually use that nice fancy 737 type rating.

Ratings with no time is useless, time with no ratings is useless, money to burn with no sense is useless.

 

[Big Duke Six]

OK, I'll bite. It sounds like you're new.

Just to answer your last question "In another perspective, who's going to hire you with only a handful of total hours, and how do people overcome this???".

People don't overcome it. Things don't happen the way you described them in real life. Sure, you can "buy" a type rating. But as has already been stated, only one airline requires it (off and on) so people who know better don't bother for the reasons described above. The normal career progression of the average pilot doesn't require that said pilot go out and buy type ratings to move ahead in his/her career. A pilot starts at the bottom, usually instructing, towing banners, hauling skydivers, flying the traffic reporter etc. Then with any luck he finds a job where he flies freight or people in a charter or scheduled 135 operation or maybe in small 121 carrier. After he/she proves himself there, he/she will be attractive to larger regional 121 carriers who will train them in their equipment, and type ratings are EARNED when said pilot upgrades to the left seat in the aircraft. That is how people get type ratings with experience to go with them. Then after all that, a pilot may get hired by a major airline and get then type rated in THEIR aircraft (737's etc as you were asking about)when they upgrade to Captain.

 

[UnAnswerd]

I take it you are looking to be a big time airline pilot by ohhhhhhh.....say next month?

Of course not. I'm just trying to gain a better perspective of what reality is, within the aviation industry. It's kind of bewildering when considering the large volume of flight-schools advertising in the mags, and the fantasy-like expectations they induce into potential students. Most all of these schools literally tell you that they have a list of airlines that are just begging to hire their graduates, of what is nothing more than perhaps 4-years of training. Can anyone shed some light on this?????

Most new hire pilots with an airline that operates 737's have at least 10 years experience as a professional pilot. This means either 6 to 8 years as a military pilot, or 7 to 10 years as an underpaid and over worked Flight Instructor, Freight Pilot (No, not Fedex!) the kind of freight in a beat up light twin in weather that a Fed ex airplane would never take off in, Then most likely a stint with a regional airline at welfare wages........then if you are really really really lucky, you may be hired as a First officer on that 737.

No that does sound more like it!!!!

 

[UnAnswerd]

Then with any luck he finds a job where he flies freight or people in a charter or scheduled 135 operation or maybe in small 121 carrier.

Please excuse my lack of knowledge, but what exactly is a 135 operation, or a 121 carrier?

After he/she proves himself there, he/she will be attractive to larger regional 121 carriers who will train them in their equipment, and type ratings are EARNED when said pilot upgrades to the left seat in the aircraft. That is how people get type ratings with experience to go with them. Then after all that, a pilot may get hired by a major airline and get then type rated in THEIR aircraft (737's etc as you were asking about)when they upgrade to Captain.

So what you are saying is that after you've paid your dues to other areas of the industry, airlines will actually provide you with training and give you your rating to fly the big stuff???

 

[banned username 2]

Please excuse my lack of knowledge, but what exactly is a 135 operation, or a 121 carrier?

FAR 135 Operation is smaller Charter operators, basically air-taxi operators. FAR 121 Operations are basically scheduled airlines (AA, UAL, Jet Blue, SWA, etc...)


So what you are saying is that after you've paid your dues to other areas of the industry, airlines will actually provide you with training and give you your rating to fly the big stuff???
[/QUOTE] Yes...