Paying for type rating

[Kels Hughes]

Hey guys. A friend of mine who lives overseas was offered a job flying an airbus but he had to pay for the type rating (30k) and based on the successful completion of that he would have a job. Or it was a 7 year contract or it was flying smaller turbo props. I advised him to pay for the type rating what do you guys recommend?

 

[OneNineHundy]

I paid for my type rating on the B737 downunder, it was what was happening at that time in the industry (2 years ago). Now I think they are bonding the guys for a few years. If it means the difference between getting a jet job and not then I would advise to go for it! It's very common outside America.


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[Ayork62493]

I'm so against that... I know many others here are as well. I feel that beyond your certificates it should be on the company to train you. It's just one of the costs of running a business.

 

[mikecweb]

A lot more comes into the equation, how much are they paying him if he pays for the type. Does he have the cash to do it?

 

[SeanD]

Id do some serious due diligence on a company that requires someone they hire to pay for a type rating on their aircraft. SWA may be an exception, but they have been a successful business for a long time and a desirable place to fly for.

 

[Polar742]

Overseas is a different set of rules.

 

[typhoonpilot]

Sadly this is more the norm outside of North America. Many Europeans kids seem to go pay this $30,000 for an A320 or B737 type rating just to get a job. The fact that it is $30,000 is shocking in and of itself. Once can do either rating in the States for closer to $10,000.

There are places that are doing the whole zero hours to right seat of an A320 for over $100,000. Air Arabia comes to mind. They then make crap pay for a few years in hopes of a quick upgrade.

I keep saying, "wouldn't it be great if nobody offered to pay for their type ratings, then the airlines would be forced to do pay for it". Pilots are their own worst enemies, but the mentality in Europe seems far different on this topic than it is in the USA so it's an extremely steep uphill battle.



Typhoonpilot

 

[Nick]

On the other hand, I do see a contract pilot being in a different position and I can justify that whereas I can't in the examples listed just above.

A guy I know for instance, took his skills from a large Asian pax/cargo airline to a contract job and made good money. The airline he flew for was going to retire the type he was in. Again, he was not an employee -- however they offered him a renewed contract on the new type with higher pay and a signing bonus, if he showed up with the type rating by whatever date. He would have broken even after the first month so that's not bad.

 

[Maurus]

He would have broken even after the first month so that's not bad.

If the pay is well above average (average pay + cost of type at a minimum) then buying a type really isn't necessarily bad. What I would want is a contract before paying for the type that guarantees my job. The last thing I would want is to be in the middle of training only to be told they found someone that could start immediately for less money.

 

[Nick]

If the pay is well above average (average pay + cost of type at a minimum) then buying a type really isn't necessarily bad. What I would want is a contract before paying for the type that guarantees my job. The last thing I would want is to be in the middle of training only to be told they found someone that could start immediately for less money.

Sure, I hear ya.

He was making $25K a month plus a yearly bonus so the cost of the type was justifiable in the grand scheme of things.

 

[dvtpilot]

A month?!?!?!

Doing what?

 

[Nick]

A month?!?!?!

Doing what?

747-200 PIC then 747-400 and then 777 was the new type I was referring to.

 

[Cloud Surfer]

Sadly this is more the norm outside of North America. Many Europeans kids seem to go pay this $30,000 for an A320 or B737 type rating just to get a job. The fact that it is $30,000 is shocking in and of itself. Once can do either rating in the States for closer to $10,000.

There are places that are doing the whole zero hours to right seat of an A320 for over $100,000. Air Arabia comes to mind. They then make crap pay for a few years in hopes of a quick upgrade.

I keep saying, "wouldn't it be great if nobody offered to pay for their type ratings, then the airlines would be forced to do pay for it". Pilots are their own worst enemies, but the mentality in Europe seems far different on this topic than it is in the USA so it's an extremely steep uphill battle.



Typhoonpilot

Indeed!

I know a European who dished out that kind of money for a B737 type rating. Allegedly one European airline would put him in the right seat of a 737 upon completion of it. Unfortunately he was screwed over by the company that was "supposed" to hire him, but in the end didn't when it wasn't flying enough to justify keeping him around...and so he decided to come to the good old US of A to get his CFIs instead!