Charter Times

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Just wondering if anybody knew off hand what the min. for charter jobs is? Also compared to airlines besides money what is the downfall to doing charter work?

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Well, since most folks chose the post to make their soapbox venue for their 'issue du jour', I'll answer it.

The minimums for a charter job are going to reflect what the part-135 unscheduled IFR PIC requirements under the FARS. Something in the ball park of 1200 hours, so much cross country, etc.

Even if the weather is VMC, please correct me if I'm wrong, you've got certain distance limits from the base airport unless you meet the IFR PIC part-135 requirements.

Charter flying, from what I've seen is more of an 'addendum' to CFI work. Some FBO's train pilots in one department and conduct 'on demand' charters in another. The CFI at the FBO where I took my private instruction at both instructed and did very occasional charter flights from Tulare up to UC Davis.

Most of the charter work nowadays is probably on-demand freight forwarding or shuttling people from oddball airport to oddball airports (like my CFI). But the creme de la creme of that side of the charter world is probably on demand shuttling biz execs, celebs and VIPs from point a to point b.

Downfalls? Perhaps a lower availability of jobs? Harder to find those jobs unless you're well networked and potentially long periods of time getting little flight time and/or compensation depending on your working conditions.

I've never done any charter work, so that's my best approximation of what the answer might be.
 
Another downfall is the fact that when you do meet pt 135 ifr mins you probably have enough to get on at a regional or at least send apps out. (AE is 1000/100 now?)

Also it's on demand which means weird schedules and potential dry spells.
 
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Also it's on demand which means weird schedules and potential dry spells.

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Depending on what the job is, most likely it's still a hell of a lot better than working for slave wages flying for a crumby regional like AE. It really depends on where you fly charter. In Southern Ca., there are many many options. New York, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago etc. I thank God everyday, I turned down the interview at SkyWest. But, that's just me. I certainly don't criticize those who go to the regionals, it just wasn't what I wanted to do.
 
It's all about choices.

A guy I know who lives in the San Joaquin absolutely loves crop dusting. Works a partial season, flies around a PT-6 Turbine Air Tractor and has the time of his life.

Discover what you love to do, marry your best friend and enjoy life. And when you don't love doing what you do, do something else.
 
Pretty much says it all. Nicely put Doug and very good advice. Flyover said it good as well. Something to the effect of, who cares what others think, do what you want to do. You only live once! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
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Also it's on demand which means weird schedules and potential dry spells.

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Depending on what the job is, most likely it's still a hell of a lot better than working for slave wages flying for a crumby regional like AE. It really depends on where you fly charter. In Southern Ca., there are many many options. New York, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago etc. I thank God everyday, I turned down the interview at SkyWest. But, that's just me. I certainly don't criticize those who go to the regionals, it just wasn't what I wanted to do.

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You contradict yourself in your own paragraph. I still like flying what I do a hell of a lot better then working for some crap operator and BEING their slave.
 
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Have any of you guys had any regrets about entering this industry?? (aviation) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif

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I would have. No changes. I'm enjoying every bit of it.

I've seen much worse....

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And what airline are you flying for Lloyd? I thought you were a CFI right now.

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Hopefully, that was a sour attempt at humor, JT....

Yes, I am a CFI right now. The last time I checked, that was a part of the aviation industry. Am I flying for an airline? No. Do I have a dog in this fight? Well, yes! It's my industry, just as much as it is yours. He didn't ask if anyone had regrets about joining the airlines, he asked about the industry as a whole.

Have I seen worse in my life? Yes. I've busted my but in more than just aviation, and I've been in some pretty competitive fields. I'm having the time of my life and wouldn't go back and change a thing. Alot of folks are bitter - I'm definately not. It's all a part of who I am.

I have a great support system, I have a couple of really neat skills, and I still choose to be a pilot. Maybe I'll retire at an airline. Maybe I'll retire flying 172's. Maybe I'll change fields again in a year and sell washers and driers. Either way, I have no regrets.

I was a kid in the projects once, and alot of people around me were doing some pretty crazy things. I've done my own fair share of hustling to make money, and I've had to watch my own back more than a few times. I didn't have a whole lot of role models and definately haven't had anyone that I could borrow one dime from to pay for school or flight training. I've had alot of friends killed in drive-by shootings and police shootings. I have even more friends than that in prison. I know folks that sell drugs to this very day just to eat.

When I wake up in the morning and think to myself "Damn, I have to go fly 172's in the pattern all day in the heat", I'm pretty happy about it.
 
Kingairer, are you slow?? I doubt it, you just don't listen and read things how you want to hear them. The first statement was Ed's statement. I was responding to that. That's why his post was the quote in my post. And you're right, I would rather have a ridiculously low paying job flying for a regional than working for a "crap" 135 operator. We all know there are plenty of crumby charter operators out there, however, there are some very good ones as well. I know from experience. That's why I mentioned the big cities. When many exist in one place, through word of mouth, one is bound to find a good company.
 
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Kingairer, are you slow??

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My response to you had nothing to do with Ed's post, or your quote of his post.
 
Thanks to everyone for their posts.. I didnt mean to stir a pot or anything... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif
 
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Thanks to everyone for their posts.. I didnt mean to stir a pot or anything... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/spin2.gif

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Can't help it on this website. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/insane.gif
 
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