Flight time

Pilot86

Well-Known Member
There has always been people talking about flight time on here... complaining about not having enough and low time minimums etc, and than you have others that flight time was MUCH higher to be able to fly.

Could you tell what the flight minimum use to be like and put it into perspective today's standards and the such?

Thanks!
 
There has always been people talking about flight time on here... complaining about not having enough and low time minimums etc, and than you have others that flight time was MUCH higher to be able to fly.

Could you tell what the flight minimum use to be like and put it into perspective today's standards and the such?

Thanks!

In the 90s and early 2000s you wouldn't be touching a commuter aircraft (and they weren't jets then) with less than 3000 total time.

Back in the early 60s (I think) there was a time when United and other places were taking 200 hour pilots and training them to get their commercial ratings. Of course they became FEs then and not flying pilots, but they had numbers on the list.
 
It varies like BDD said.

I got a job flying right seat in a Beech 1900 at almost 2000 hours in the 1990's whereas in the mid-2000's, people were expecting (and some getting) jobs flying what were technically DC-9s at 500 hrs and immediately expecting to upgrade before their epaulets were still shiny.

It's a big pendulum and it always swings.


Sent from my TRS-80
 
I assume you're talking about 121.

Several of my friends were able to land 121 jobs with 250/20 in 2007 at a couple carriers. Pinnacle/Mesaba(UND grad school, they LOVE UND!), and Piedmont in particular. After what, September this year, that will never ever happen again.

If you want perspective about 135. Where I work now, they switch back and forth between taking guys without 135 mins(1200TT, don't remember the rest at the moment :p) and demanding it. We have such an issue with turnover, that they will take low time guys again I'm sure. Go figure right. I don't know anyone that would love flying 210s/Barons for much after the 6 month contract... The 250/20 guy will probably have no problem getting on somewhere like FLX during most times. I wouldn't recommend it. Might die with so little experience... :confused: Where I HOPEFULLY will be working in a month will throw you in a beech 99(turbine) with my times of 2700 and 300 multi and previous 135 experience.

Are you looking for advice on where to get a bunch of total time in a short time OP? I'll give you my 2 cents. Aerial survey is your answer. Particularly a company that operates nationwide. You'll get lots of time AND experience. I'd recommend CFIing too to get your people skills developed. Though IMO, working retail in HS/college is much better for this. HR peeps love a candidate with many many many boxes checked though... :rolleyes:
 
I'm pretty sure flx and any other 135 operator cannot put you on the line below the 135 mins, unless it's right seat, but unless there's a opspec or something you cannot log right seat 210/barron time.
 
I'm pretty sure flx and any other 135 operator cannot put you on the line below the 135 mins, unless it's right seat, but unless there's a opspec or something you cannot log right seat 210/barron time.

They do it VFR.
 
Amflight got desperate enough at one point to very seriously consider it in Arizona.
You could do it. Hell you could do it a lot of places for the summer. They used to do it in the lances all over the place I think.
 
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