Multi SIC or SET PIC?

BravoHotel

Well-Known Member
As I slowly creep up in hours and inch towards hiring minimums for regionals,(currently who is hiring) I could apply maybe get accepted, or I have a pretty good shot at flying for a larger DZ maybe a Caravan C-208 or PAC-750XL...That might be the first fork in the road so to speak for my pilot career...this probably isn't going to happen for 3-4 months just...just that gleam in my eye...

Yes I know jumpers up down up down up down...

Regional, well not a career, but a good experience builder.

Any .02?
 
I would say that if you want to go to the regionals then apply. Like you said, you may get hired or you may not even get an interview at this point in the game. In the meantime, if you can move up in equipment and do some different kinds of flying, DEFINITELY DO THAT!

I have found that in aviation, great opportunities in areas that you never dreamed of (skydiving, freight, aerial survey, etc....) can be around any corner and it is best to check into anything that pops up. It may be a great experience even though you had never thought about doing it before.
 
The regionals are just starting hireing, and they will have a LOT of applicants for the next year or so. The regional hireing "boom days" are still a ways out.

Turbine PIC is Turbine PIC. I have yet to see "turbine PIC except C208" on any job application. The ability to check that box will help down the road.

That 208 time will help you get on at a freight company if you take that route.
 
Always take the turbine time.

I wouldn't say always. I passed up a Caravan PIC job to go fly piston twins, and that was the best decision I've ever made (Pacific Wings was the company I turned down *shudder*).

To the OP: What do you know about either company? That's a huge part of this decision. Pay? QOL?
 
The regionals are just starting hireing, and they will have a LOT of applicants for the next year or so. The regional hireing "boom days" are still a ways out.

Turbine PIC is Turbine PIC. I have yet to see "turbine PIC except C208" on any job application. The ability to check that box will help down the road.

That 208 time will help you get on at a freight company if you take that route.

Oddly enough, I'm vaguely remembering one application I saw once that made some stipulation about single-engine turbine PIC time, but I'm trying to remember where that was; this was about 14 years ago, mind you. Lemme dig around a bit....
 
I am not usually a bett'n man, but I'll take the dropzone with a PAC or C-208 for 1000 hours Bill.

I already have some PAC time, those are a cool aircraft to fly

And I do other DZ functions as well.
 
Do you already have the regional multi mins met? If so go with whatever one lets you build time the fastest. If not go with the multi time. A year of seniority can make a crazy difference.
 
Anybody ever heard of anyone with nothing but Caravan time getting hired at a major? I haven't.

No.

But we've had a few guys come through Martinaire because they needed some more TPIC.

KC-135 SIC 2000 hours
KC-135 PIC 700 hours
C208 PIC 350 Hours
737 type
SWA here I come.
 
Anybody ever heard of anyone with nothing but Caravan time getting hired at a major? I haven't.
I jumpseated on southwest (albeit not a major, but just as good) who went there from a Caravan gig. I'm not sure what the mins were for Multi at the time, but he had that prior to the Caravan job.
 
I have nothing against the 208 (except when it gets in my way), but I have filled out a couple of applications which specified "multi-turbine PIC". Not claiming it's a rational distinction (eh, a DHC-6 doesn't strike me as much more complex, for example, and I can verify that a BE99 is pretty simple, too), but the delineation does exist. Hopefully not too many places.
 
Going from a C-206 to a PAC750XL or a Caravan just seems like the next logical step, provided the sun moon and stars are aligned correctly. The guy who used to have my job flying the 206, now flies a Caravan.

I have 130 PIC 138TT in the Seminole thanks to ATP.

edit: I sound like a bloody broken record, record, record...................................record?
 
If I were in your spot and didn't want to hang out at a regional and cross my fingers (a legitimate choice...depends on your tolerance for small paychecks and industry uncertainty), I'd look in to flying 135 freight. Certainly to some degree I say that because it's what I did, but there is value in flying point to point in weather rather than the ole nylon elevator.
 
If I were in your spot and didn't want to hang out at a regional and cross my fingers (a legitimate choice...depends on your tolerance for small paychecks and industry uncertainty), I'd look in to flying 135 freight. Certainly to some degree I say that because it's what I did, but there is value in flying point to point in weather rather than the ole nylon elevator.

I agree totally. Making that transition from recip to turbine at DZ makes sense in my shoes, a couple hundred hours of elevating, keeping doing that until a 135 job that I could apply for opens up. There are other jobs I can do around the DZ I can do to make extra $$$...In fact my collateral jobs make more than flying.

record record....record.....


Anyone know what kind of tabacco General McArthur had in his pipe? Corojo, Virginia, Aromatic fire cured?
 
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