Looking for turbine experience

Shane Cassell

Shane Cassell

Well-Known Member
I'm looking for a job where I can start to get some turbine experience. I have over 800 TT and it is increasing fairly rapidly. Does anyone work for or know of any companies that would hire someone with my time? Any response is appreciated!
 
Shane Cassell said:
Good to know! What is it? Pay? Scheduling? Maintenance?
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Mx seems to be pretty good, pay is crap, QOL is crap and you will have some days that you have been awake for 24+ hours and your still flying. The experience you gain is good if you don't mind dealing with that BS but I don't recommend it.
 
Box hauler said:
Mx seems to be pretty good, pay is crap, QOL is crap and you will have some days that you have been awake for 24+ hours and your still flying. The experience you gain is good if you don't mind dealing with that BS but I don't recommend it.
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Which is illegal.
 
z987k said:
Which is illegal.
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Yup. The fact that a company can pull this crap and get away with it is mind blowing. I came back from a trip after being awake well over 24 hours and the DO goes " it's not a big deal because now you have at least 10 hours to sleep" Duhfuq?
 
Box hauler said:
Mx seems to be pretty good, pay is crap, QOL is crap and you will have some days that you have been awake for 24+ hours and your still flying. The experience you gain is good if you don't mind dealing with that BS but I don't recommend it.
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Wow. That kind of schedule, you are really taking a risk of screwing something up or worse. That isn't worth it, even when you're low time.
 
Keep checking with Berry Aviation, they have two more Bro's coming I believe and maybe there will be a metroliner SIC open later this year :rolleyes:

+1 for avoiding Sierra West... scary stuff happening there.
 
Shane Cassell said:
I'm looking for a job where I can start to get some turbine experience. I have over 800 TT and it is increasing fairly rapidly. Does anyone work for or know of any companies that would hire someone with my time? Any response is appreciated!
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Any reason it has to be turbine equipment? I hope you aren't coming down with any turbine related diseases ;)

If you are just wanted to change up what you are doing Cape Air isn't a bad place to hang your hat for a little while once you hit 1000TT. They will get you to ATP mins and then upgrade you to captain. Yes it is on a Cessna 402 but you will make some decent money and could save some money up for a regional when you want to make the jump. You will also build some good skills while at Cape Air.

If you research Cape Air realize that pay is based on Duty hours rather than Flight hours. That causes their pay to look low when in reality Captains can make upwards of $40k in their first year.
 
Maurus said:
Any reason it has to be turbine equipment? I hope you aren't coming down with any turbine related diseases ;)

If you are just wanted to change up what you are doing Cape Air isn't a bad place to hang your hat for a little while once you hit 1000TT. They will get you to ATP mins and then upgrade you to captain. Yes it is on a Cessna 402 but you will make some decent money and could save some money up for a regional when you want to make the jump. You will also build some good skills while at Cape Air.

If you research Cape Air realize that pay is based on Duty hours rather than Flight hours. That causes their pay to look low when in reality Captains can make upwards of $40k in their first year.
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I personally think that this is how all companies should pay their pilots (at least on the low level jobs like I've flown my whole career) - if I'm at work or on call to work, I should be getting paid. If I'm working more than 40 hours in a week, I should be getting overtime, etc. etc. Why we pay "hourly" is beyond me - it incentivizes pilots to "be in the air" if there's no cancellation pay or anything like that.
 
Maurus said:
Any reason it has to be turbine equipment? I hope you aren't coming down with any turbine related diseases ;)
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The main reason I'm looking for turbine time is because most of the jobs I'm looking at are asking for some amount of turbine time whether it be 100 or 1000. I've never been interested in working for the airlines so that's never really been an option for me to build turbine or multi-engine time. I've been more interested in a corporate or charter position. I understand it takes experience to get to those positions and I'm just trying to find the best way to get that experience.
 
Shane Cassell said:
The main reason I'm looking for turbine time is because most of the jobs I'm looking at are asking for some amount of turbine time whether it be 100 or 1000. I've never been interested in working for the airlines so that's never really been an option for me to build turbine or multi-engine time. I've been more interested in a corporate or charter position. I understand it takes experience to get to those positions and I'm just trying to find the best way to get that experience.
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Go to Cape Air @ 1000TT. They are part 135 for most of their operations so you won't have that "121 stink" on you. After upgrading to a captain for a while you can try cargo if you don't get any offers out of anyone while there.

The cargo company I would recommend is Encore Air Cargo. Pay is well above most other cargo operations. If you can stick it out for 135 PIC mins you could try and grab a positron with them in a 402 and later upgrade into the metro. All PIC time.

Many charter companies have been hiring out of AMF recently so I would say cargo is not a bad route to go to help get you to your final destination.

Networking is key in corporate land. Taking a position with CAE or FSI as one of their right seat people will net you a free type rating and loads of networking with operators of that type.
 
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Ameriflight is hiring guys with 900 hrs to sit right seat until hitting 135 mins then upgrading into the Chieftain but you would get to a BE99 real quick. Or if you don't want to wait you could probably get a job dropping sky jumpers in some kind of turbine machinery.
 
PropSettin' said:
Keep checking with Berry Aviation, they have two more Bro's coming I believe and maybe there will be a metroliner SIC open later this year :rolleyes:
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The Metros only operate on the DoD contract now and are all based out of North Island.
 
Erik10 said:
The Metros only operate on the DoD contract now and are all based out of North Island.
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Yep, I am out of the North Island base. And I believe they still have them running on that DOD contract out in the Atolls (Kwajalen? I forgot how to spell it)

But I was referring more to the Brazilias coming, they may be in need of pilots down the road. Either way I have enjoyed working here tremendously and would recommend them to anyone.
 
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