Single Engine Flight Time

HVYMETALDRVR

HVYMETALDRVR

Well-Known Member
Like many I'm stuck in the position of having low multi-engine time. Is there any way around this requirement besides flight instructing in a multi for awhile to get my time up? Mostly because I would have to jump to another flight school just for this and I'm pretty happy where I am at. I've finally starting flying for my MEI and hope to do my ATP later this summer but meanwhile I'm trying to attack things from a different angle and get some BETTER single engine time.

I have 280 hours in the PC-12 and was thinking of trying to get back into a single engine turbine again like a TBM or a Caravan. Does having 1500 hours of single engine turbine PIC bridge the gap if you only have like 150ME in a Seneca or Seminole?

My goal is to be well paid flying a large-jet, cargo or pax doesn't really matter in that department. So if I had like 5000TT 3500TPIC in a Caravan and 200ME in light twins is that really competitive? Or do I still have to suck it up and fly a Barbie jet for five years and to get looked at by a six figure company to fly a 737?

I'm just trying to draw the straightest line from here to my goals in this industry... I just don't want to get side tracked for five years getting flight time that won't do much for me. Granted I know there is no solid answer to this question, but where do all the Caravan and PC-12 guys move up to?

thx in advance... :o
 
My goal is to be well paid flying a large-jet, cargo or pax doesn't really matter in that department. So if I had like 5000TT 3500TPIC in a Caravan and 200ME in light twins is that really competitive? Or do I still have to suck it up and fly a Barbie jet for five years and to get looked at by a six figure company to fly a 737?
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Not saying you cant make 100k in less than 5 years. But in the current market, I would be shocked to see anyone make it into the majors with less then 7-10 years of regional flying.
 
Didn't you once work for FLX? That's the cheap way...I had 6 hours of multi when they started paying me to fly a baron. Heck, at Amflight you start in a twin!
 
HVYMETALDRVR said:
My goal is to be well paid flying a large-jet, cargo or pax doesn't really matter in that department. So if I had like 5000TT 3500TPIC in a Caravan and 200ME in light twins is that really competitive? Or do I still have to suck it up and fly a Barbie jet for five years and to get looked at by a six figure company to fly a 737?
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Join the club! I sure as heck didn't mean to get side tracked and fly the barbie jet for 7 years, but here I am doing exactly that. Not many shortcuts in this industry, you just have to play the game and play your cards right. Building lots of single time does not sound like a good play, regardless of what it burns. You need multi time, then some kind of Part 121 crew experience (Barbie jet....) to get the kind of jobs you want.
 
Hey, thanks for the advice I think I got the answer I was looking for. Even if it wasn't the one I wanted...

Yeah I used to work at FLX, I had a pretty rough schedule there for a time, it might have gotten better if I had a better run but I left after a month or so to join the Army with no hard feelings toward the company. The flying was great although tough and I've thought about going back but I hear its nearly impossible to get to the Baron these days so its still just single engine time...

Right now I'm back to CFIing in the 172 mostly, I'm picking up twin time here and there working towards my MEI and ATP but since were only a Part 61 program right now its taking awhile. I've been stuck at 60ME for the past month. OTOH I'm one of the most senior instructors here, making a lot more than I would as a first yr FO, and I'm home almost every night which is why I'm hesitant to leave.

But its draining and I miss just getting into an airplane to go somewhere, not worrying about students, teaching lessons, touch and gos, flaring etc. etc. But its okay my time will come... hopefully sooner than later.
 
HVYMETALDRVR said:
Hey, thanks for the advice I think I got the answer I was looking for. Even if it wasn't the one I wanted...

Yeah I used to work at FLX, I had a pretty rough schedule there for a time, it might have gotten better if I had a better run but I left after a month or so to join the Army with no hard feelings toward the company. The flying was great although tough and I've thought about going back but I hear its nearly impossible to get to the Baron these days so its still just single engine time...

Right now I'm back to CFIing in the 172 mostly, I'm picking up twin time here and there working towards my MEI and ATP but since were only a Part 61 program right now its taking awhile. I've been stuck at 60ME for the past month. OTOH I'm one of the most senior instructors here, making a lot more than I would as a first yr FO, and I'm home almost every night which is why I'm hesitant to leave.

But its draining and I miss just getting into an airplane to go somewhere, not worrying about students, teaching lessons, touch and gos, flaring etc. etc. But its okay my time will come... hopefully sooner than later.
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Where all have you worked?
 
I would recommend looking at cargo outfits that fly nothing but multi, and even better, nothing but multi-turbine planes. You can sit in the right seat, build time, and usually have a reasonable upgrade time. The pay can be bad, the schedule can stink, but I'd say go get as much flight time as you can, especially if you are young and single. We all have to pay our dues, and some can do it quicker than others. The benefit of some of the small cargo outfits is that you will probably come home every day, even if it's in the middle of the night. If you fly 135, you are likely to get more flight time. If you are willing to go up to Alaska, you can fly 1400hours/yr, and lots of them get pretty close to that. Otherwise, maybe a regional isn't so bad. The sooner you get in, the sooner you get out.
 
Beechdog said:
If you are willing to go up to Alaska, you can fly 1400hours/yr, and lots of them get pretty close to that.
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1400 hours a year of 206/207/Cherokee 6 time isn't gonna help him much with his low multi time.
 
HVYMETALDRVR said:
Hey, thanks for the advice I think I got the answer I was looking for. Even if it wasn't the one I wanted...

Yeah I used to work at FLX, I had a pretty rough schedule there for a time, it might have gotten better if I had a better run but I left after a month or so to join the Army with no hard feelings toward the company. The flying was great although tough and I've thought about going back but I hear its nearly impossible to get to the Baron these days so its still just single engine time...

Right now I'm back to CFIing in the 172 mostly, I'm picking up twin time here and there working towards my MEI and ATP but since were only a Part 61 program right now its taking awhile. I've been stuck at 60ME for the past month. OTOH I'm one of the most senior instructors here, making a lot more than I would as a first yr FO, and I'm home almost every night which is why I'm hesitant to leave.

But its draining and I miss just getting into an airplane to go somewhere, not worrying about students, teaching lessons, touch and gos, flaring etc. etc. But its okay my time will come... hopefully sooner than later.
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This career, especially in the early stages, involves one of two options: either getting lucky with timing, or hard-work, luck and moving jobs to build up the qualifications you need to be competitive on the "next rung". The "next rung" qualifications are always a moving target, as is the "next rung" itself.

The entire "experience" ladder on the civilian side has changed from CFI>checkhauling/pax 135>turboprop commuter>jet experience>major with each step having a very definite line between them to a much different experience of CFI (sometimes)>regional FO/135 turboprop> next step of major?, national/startup, cargo/supplemental carrier, 135 pax jet as the lines between these jobs are pretty grey and there are benefits and drawbacks. Way different than 15+ years ago where a job at the major was far and above all other jobs.
 
Well, there are several outfits in AK where you can get right into the right seat of a Beech1900, metroliner, saab, beech 99... Not a jet, but they all have 2 turbine engines. Sounds like he is well above just getting out of flight school and could have the mins to get in the right seat. You don't have to fly 207s or cherokees up here, although there aren't many multi opportunities in Southeast AK. What, a couple medevac jobs? Not too much else.

Opportunities exist if you look around for them.
 
Thanks again for all the advice. I've thought about AK numerous times, though it'd be an adjustment to go back into the cold again. I have my MEI ride next week which is a start, meanwhile I'll shotgun the resume out on airlineapps.com.
 
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