flyinghedgehog
Well-Known Member
Hi folks,
Here is a dilemma that has been on my mind for quite some time. When I was really low hour it was not much of a dilemma because I did not have much choice anyways. (Most people won't hire anybody who has less than 500TT for a jet gig)
So I was a jump pilot and flew survey and had a blast, living in the moment. I enjoyed the scenery, became best buddies with the planes I flew, looked forward to a nice dinner and a few beers and that was it. I did not even care much about tallying the hours because I knew it would be a while yet till 1500.....
Well now I have about 1400 hours and a lot more options open up. I decided to accept a job offer with a part 135 shop and am scheduled for my first type rating in the Citation next month.
To tell you the truth---I want to buzz around the country for at least another season in an Aztec or Navajo flying survey, then I want to go fly a floatplane for another year, then maybe get on with a Charter operation in the Caribbean for another year flying turbo prop, then maybe spend a year in Alaska, then I will think about part 121 stuff like regional. Will tell you the truth, my endgame is either major, hauling cargo in 747, or getting a corporate job flying the G550. I am leaning more towards major .
But I'm afraid that moving around laterally just for fun for 3-4 years could potentially put me behind on the "power curve". The industry works in its own timing and if you don't attempt to make it in when there are opportunities, you may not make it in at all. I graduated in 2008 and knew what the industry was like then, and know it will happen again, just a matter of when.
I wish I started flying back in high school or something like that. That would have bought myself like 10 extra years to go have fun. Unfortunately that was not how things happened for me.
So what are your thoughts? Go for whatever you want and let the chips fall where they may? Sprint to the finish line? How does your career path look like?
Here is a dilemma that has been on my mind for quite some time. When I was really low hour it was not much of a dilemma because I did not have much choice anyways. (Most people won't hire anybody who has less than 500TT for a jet gig)
So I was a jump pilot and flew survey and had a blast, living in the moment. I enjoyed the scenery, became best buddies with the planes I flew, looked forward to a nice dinner and a few beers and that was it. I did not even care much about tallying the hours because I knew it would be a while yet till 1500.....
Well now I have about 1400 hours and a lot more options open up. I decided to accept a job offer with a part 135 shop and am scheduled for my first type rating in the Citation next month.
To tell you the truth---I want to buzz around the country for at least another season in an Aztec or Navajo flying survey, then I want to go fly a floatplane for another year, then maybe get on with a Charter operation in the Caribbean for another year flying turbo prop, then maybe spend a year in Alaska, then I will think about part 121 stuff like regional. Will tell you the truth, my endgame is either major, hauling cargo in 747, or getting a corporate job flying the G550. I am leaning more towards major .
But I'm afraid that moving around laterally just for fun for 3-4 years could potentially put me behind on the "power curve". The industry works in its own timing and if you don't attempt to make it in when there are opportunities, you may not make it in at all. I graduated in 2008 and knew what the industry was like then, and know it will happen again, just a matter of when.
I wish I started flying back in high school or something like that. That would have bought myself like 10 extra years to go have fun. Unfortunately that was not how things happened for me.
So what are your thoughts? Go for whatever you want and let the chips fall where they may? Sprint to the finish line? How does your career path look like?