Finding the Right Path

Aviator123

New Member
I'm trying to get on with a regional or a 135 charter department. I've been instructing and averaging 60-80 hours a month. I enjoy teaching but its getting to the point where it is no longer enjoyable. I'm currently sitting at 1200 hours and 36 multi. I just got offered an opportunity to fly weather modification in a Cessna 340 as an SIC. This would eventually lead to a PIC position in the summer months.

Since I'm qualified in the airplane - Can I log the time as PIC when I'm sole manipulator of the controls? Could I have my logbook signed as dual received if the official PIC is an MEI? Would the airlines consider this acceptable time to meet their multi requirements?

I feel like this gig would give me a good foundation down the road for dealing with weather and might separate my resume from other pilots. However, it would only be about 40-50 hours of flying over 5 months - only when the weather is bad. If I were teaching I'd probably gain 300 more hours over this time frame. Is it worth leaving to pursue this for the time and experience??
 
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I'm trying to get on with a regional or a 135 charter department. I've been instructing and averaging 60-80 hours a month. I enjoy teaching but its getting to the point where it is no longer enjoyable. I'm currently sitting at 1200 hours and 36 multi. I just got offered an opportunity to fly weather modification in a Cessna 340 as an SIC. This would eventually lead to a PIC position in the summer months.

Since I'm qualified in the airplane - Can I log the time as PIC when I'm sole manipulator of the controls? Could I have my logbook signed as dual received if the official PIC is an MEI? Would the airlines consider this acceptable time to meet their multi requirements?

I feel like this gig would give me a good foundation down the road for dealing with weather and might separate my resume from other pilots. However, it would only be about 40-50 hours of flying over 5 months - only when the weather is bad. If I were teaching I'd probably gain 300 more hours over this time frame. Is it worth leaving to pursue this for the time and experience??

If you have your MEL and the other pilot is an MEI, then you can log every hour you sit in the airplane as PIC...provided the MEI is willing to sign you off.
As for the hours, can't both fly and teach?
 
61.51 (f) Logging second-in-command flight time. A person may log second-in-command time only for that flight time during which that person:
(1) Is qualified in accordance with the second-in-command requirements of §61.55 of this part, and occupies a crewmember station in an aircraft that requires more than one pilot by the aircraft's type certificate; or
(2) Holds the appropriate category, class, and instrument rating (if an instrument rating is required for the flight) for the aircraft being flown, and more than one pilot is required under the type certification of the aircraft or the regulations under which the flight is being conducted.

For what it's worth.
 
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You don't log the SIC. Depending on the rules under which the aircraft is flown you may or may not be able to log some of it as PIC. If it's 91, I can't think of any reason you can't log the time you're flying as PIC time, but it's been a while since I've flown anything under 91.
 
Go fly freight and get yourself some REAL flight time to move your resume closer to the top of the stack!
 
Thanks for the responses. Is it possible to go fly freight without much multi time? In your opinions, would it be better to stay teaching for now or pursue this?
 
You can't log SIC unless a second pilot is required by the companies operating manual. You can log dual received if the PIC is an MEI. In my opinion I would keep instructing to 1500 and look elsewhere.
 
I guess you could have the PIC MEI sign your log book and you could log the time as dual received multi. But how much of that looks good? It will help you check the multi square on some apps. The other side of it is quality of the time. There is multi time where you sign for the plane and multi time where you are legally able to log the time. Some interviewers will make an issue of it while it might not be an issue for others. Be sure to have a great story line thought up in advance about how much you learned from the experience and what great CRM is was...yada yada. The more competitive the hiring environment is the greater chance it will be an issue.
 
I was hired at my company flying freight with 8 hours multi, but I did have 2000 total and previous 135 experience, so I'd say it's possible. My company is hiring so pm me if you want info.
 
Why can't you keep instructing, since you're flying the 340 on crappy days anyway?

If it's 91 and you have an MEL certificate, then you sure as heck can log when you're doing the flying. If the other guy is MEI and will endorse it as dual, I'd sure as heck do that too. Also get your high alt while you're at it.

Even if the only gain was 40 hours of dual in a 340, that's still multi time and could help with insurance requirements for your next gig. Sure if you've got 500+ multi then this arrangement might be less useful as logbook filler... but not for someone sitting with 30 multi to begin with.

I sure wouldn't make this your primary/sole position, but definitely pick it up if possible.
 
I guess you could have the PIC MEI sign your log book and you could log the time as dual received multi. But how much of that looks good? It will help you check the multi square on some apps. The other side of it is quality of the time. There is multi time where you sign for the plane and multi time where you are legally able to log the time. Some interviewers will make an issue of it while it might not be an issue for others. Be sure to have a great story line thought up in advance about how much you learned from the experience and what great CRM is was...yada yada. The more competitive the hiring environment is the greater chance it will be an issue.

The 121 regionals are not going to care how he got his multi time as long as he gets it. 90% of mine is dual received and I just got hired for 121 last week. His advantage (as was mine) is that the hiring environment is currently not competitive at all.
 
Soku39 said:
The 121 regionals are not going to care how he got his multi time as long as he gets it. 90% of mine is dual received and I just got hired for 121 last week. His advantage (as was mine) is that the hiring environment is currently not competitive at all.
Congrats! Where you end up?
 
The 121 regionals are not going to care how he got his multi time as long as he gets it. 90% of mine is dual received and I just got hired for 121 last week. His advantage (as was mine) is that the hiring environment is currently not competitive at all.
And on a similar note, "total time is total time."

Although if I were in charge, I'd look at what multiengine/complex/etc. airplanes you flew, versus that you can check off the 1,500-in-a-172 box.
 
And on a similar note, "total time is total time."

Although if I were in charge, I'd look at what multiengine/complex/etc. airplanes you flew, versus that you can check off the 1,500-in-a-172 box.

y'know, thus is the problem with the new 1500 law, it's very arbitrary, but somehow sitting in a jet behind a kid with 250 hours and a wet commercial multi didn't quite feel right either. It would seem that finding a good indicator of initial experience is still a metric that's hard to find. All my multi dual received is in the BeechJet and a C-130, all his may be from a Cessna 340, but neither of us have flown a jet 121, so what's the difference? And as far as sitting in a 172 for 1500. I hate to say it, but once the NAS is opened up to drones for things like pipeline patrol, aerial surveying, search and rescue and dozens of other applications, flight instructing will be one of the few things left for young guys to do. All those entry level 91/135 non pax carrying jobs in old hair on your chest kinda airplanes, different weather and geography will be dronified. Also funny is seeing these airlines scramble to find people that qualify for ATPs under the new rules. Right now the airlines aren't in a position to point any of your time under scrutiny no matter what you did. it isn't as bad as the aforementioned hiring kids with literally 250 hours like they were in '04, '05, and '06, but they are getting short staffed, and with the new rest rules coming in January they will continue to be so if they can't attract other people sitting on their time into the airline thing.

@ComplexHiAv8r, check your PM.
 
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y'know, thus is the problem with the new 1500 law, it's very arbitrary, but somehow sitting in a jet behind a kid with 250 hours and a wet commercial multi didn't quite feel right either. It would seem that finding a good indicator of initial experience is still a metric that's hard to find. All my multi dual received is in the BeechJet and a C-130, all his may be from a Cessna 340, but neither of us have flown a jet 121, so what's the difference? And as far as sitting in a 172 for 1500. I hate to say it, but once the NAS is opened up to drones for things like pipeline patrol, aerial surveying, search and rescue and dozens of other applications, flight instructing will be one of the few things left for young guys to do. All those entry level 91/135 non pax carrying jobs in old hair on your chest kinda airplanes, different weather and geography will be dronified. Also funny is seeing these airlines scramble to find people that qualify for ATPs under the new rules. Right now the airlines aren't in a position to point any of your time under scrutiny no matter what you did. it isn't as bad as the aforementioned hiring kids with literally 250 hours like they were in '04, '05, and '06, but they are getting short staffed, and with the new rest rules coming in January they will continue to be so if they can't attract other people sitting on their time into the airline thing.
The right man in the right place at the right time can make all the difference in the world, along with a willingness to roll the hard six.
 
True, but something tells me 250 hour, 20 year old Soku39 with a wet commercial, would not have been the right guy, willingness or not.
 
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AirNet used to hire pilots with wet comm multi. If you meet 135 IFR, they might take you right into training. Just make sure the application is filled out correctly.
 
And on a similar note, "total time is total time."

Although if I were in charge, I'd look at what multiengine/complex/etc. airplanes you flew, versus that you can check off the 1,500-in-a-172 box.

About 40 percent of my total time to date is in airships (blimps). My current employer didn't care. Neither did several regionals I applied at.
 
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