I'm interested in pursuing a life long desire to fly small jets. I hold CFII and ME ratings with 2500+ hours. No experience in the flight levels. I've been told the 525 CJ type might be one I should look into as it is one of the less expensive ratings and it covers a number of models of Cessna jets. Due to the expense of getting the rating, I'd like to know that I'd be able to use it once I get it. I'm not interested in a career, just pursuing my love of flying ( and maybe making a little back towards my investment). I've been told about contracting but how does one get experience after getting a rating in a sim?? I've got a lot of questions and any advise would be helpful.
Type rating advice needed
- Thread starter Skier22
- Start date
Stone Cold
Well-Known Member
Advice...do NOT pay for your own type rating. Find somebody who will pay for your rating and build time by being employed. You will have a hard time having a type rating but no time in type getting that first break. It will probably eventually happen, but it's better to let somebody else pay for it and have guaranteed employment afterwards. Good luck.
Autothrust Blue
"Those are your factual recollections, Captain?"
What @Stone Cold said.
(Disclaimer: I'm an airline pilot and not looking into corporate. But in my judgment, if someone wants you to work for them, they can pay for the type.)
(Disclaimer: I'm an airline pilot and not looking into corporate. But in my judgment, if someone wants you to work for them, they can pay for the type.)
chrisreedrules
Master Blaster
Are your goals full time employment with a 91 or 135 op or is this more of a "hobby" for you that you want to do on your own time? Either way don't pay for your type! It absolutely will not help you get a job without time in type.
I'm not looking for full time employment. I'm a very active 62 and realistic about job opportunities. I'd be happy sitting right seat with a private owner who flys mostly single pilot in order to build time. Don't need the money, just thought it would be nice to someday reload the account I'd be raiding to get the rating.
Pilot Fighter
Well-Known Member
You have the hours and it sounds like you have the time and resources, why don't you pursue an ATP certification?
An ATP that is short on quality time is going to be more attractive than a CFI with a zero-time type-rating.
An ATP that is short on quality time is going to be more attractive than a CFI with a zero-time type-rating.
Pilot Fighter
Well-Known Member
At 62, I'd be more interested in buying toys than ratings.
chrisreedrules
Master Blaster
A Citabria or a Super D sounds way more fun than a jet!
skypilot6
Well-Known Member
I'll second the ATP rating if you have all the requirements met.
There is no reason to go get a type rating for something you might never fly. If your working at a local flight school as a CFI or even just hanging out at the airport you need to network and meet people. Networking is about the only and the best way to find yourself sitting in the right seat of a private jet. And all it takes is meeting the right people.
There is no reason to go get a type rating for something you might never fly. If your working at a local flight school as a CFI or even just hanging out at the airport you need to network and meet people. Networking is about the only and the best way to find yourself sitting in the right seat of a private jet. And all it takes is meeting the right people.
z987k
Well-Known Member
Then ask someone to sit right seat in their single pilot citation. No type rating required. Heck, no ratings required whatsoever. If you just need to see the flight levels...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.. oh I'm sorry, fell asleep even typing about them... you can probably ride along in a small turbo props and get that done. You could even buy a ticket on about any airline and experience the same excitement that is droning at FLXXX for 4 hours with the autopilot on.
This is the best suggestion yet. If you have 30+k sitting around to slap down on a type rating, you can afford to go buy a super D or a pitts or something and have eleventy billion times more fun than any civilian jet is remotely capable of.
falconvalley
Absentee Dad of the OOTSK, Runner, Cat Frustrator
I can't understand where this fear of someone paying for a type rating comes from. It's silly to do that if you are looking for the type of job that should provide it for you. At least that's the way I've learned it. However, the OP said they are not looking for that kind of job. If they want to get the type, whatever. But they don't need to, like some of you have said. If one is freelancing, a type rating will boost you into the next orbit for pay, but only if you have time in type. If you must make it a rule to keep it non-committal, then a type rating is not needed. You'll be used as a SIC. If you want to be a non-committal PIC, the type will be necessary but will do you no good as a part-timer until you get some time in type. That's not to say you won't land a full-time job somewhere that just lost someone to, say...American, but you need to be serious about it and a little lucky.
Lucky8888
Well-Known Member
Some things to consider (assuming you're not looking for employment) after having gone through this myself.
1. It is very expensive. You might be able to do it for $30K but when you include aircraft time, it is probably closer to $40K-$45K. And, don't forget the yearly recurrent at $7K-$10K/year.
2. If you are thinking about a 510 or 525 SIC rating, you might as well go for the 510S or 525S (single-pilot) rating. It isn't that much extra work or expense.
3. Every insurance company I ever talked to requires a minimum of 40 hours, in type, before they will write the policy. YMMV.
4. I totally agree with what some of the other posters have said; there really isn't any "flying" per say in one of these things. You take off and you land. In between, everything is automated. If there were auto-throttles, there would be (almost) nothing to do. If you want to have "fun" flying, I agree a Super D or a Pitts would be much more fun.
My 2 cents worth.
1. $30K for CJ type? Where? That seems about 15-20k too much.
2. Decent advise but he already said he doesn't want to do it for a career.
3. Are we talking to fly single pilot? To sit right seat you need zero time in type with every insurance policy i've ever been involved in.
To the original poster, I'd line up who you are going to fly with before you pay for it. The chances of someone picking you up for a flight is pretty slim and you won't be able to recoup most of the expense. Now if you line up a couple of ops that sound like they need a contractor once a month or so then it wouldn't be a bad idea. Just make sure you charge fare market rate for your time and expenses. Don't harm this segment of the industry to cross something off your bucket list.
Lucky8888
Well-Known Member
1. You are correct. The type rating itself is somewhat less (assuming going to FSI). I was including the aircraft time. Do I want someone sitting right-seat actually flying with zero time in type? I don't think so. There are a lot of ways to do this depending upon time and expense.
2. Yes but he wants a type rating. Being a "career" has nothing to do with it.
3. Single pilot.
The point is that it is expensive with little or no ROI other than the enjoyment of it all.
Last edited:
Wow! Thanks for all the feedback. Great forum. As for the Citabria advise....learned in one 38 years ago, 300+ tail dragger hours, performed every basic aerobatic maneuver before I had 100 hours. As far as being bored in between t/o and landings, I've been there in singles flying 3-4 hour legs below 10K to ND, MI, FL and Freeport in the Bahamas all from metro Boston. So, while I understand that some of you guys find it perplexing, I still have the desire to learn about and fly small jets. I just need to find the best way to go about it. All the feedback is greatly appreciated.
CFI A&P
Exploring the world one toilet at a time.
A friend of mine at the airport is in a similar situation, although he doesn't want to work with the new type. He's looking at self funding a B737 type just for personal accomplishment. He's in his early 60s, has been flying all his life and understands that he'll will probably never fly the type.
Same situation indeed.....maybe we should do it together!!!
Autothrust Blue
"Those are your factual recollections, Captain?"
Considering you can pay about $6000 to get a 737 type rating, anything more than $10k for a BarbieJet rating seems ridiculous.
Size doesn't matter...
Autothrust Blue
"Those are your factual recollections, Captain?"
That's not what she said, but I know. Supply and demand has a lot MORE to do with the equation. The old man bought a Gulfstream IV type rating some years ago when Delta was in the throes of bankruptcy and flew corporate for a bit; the type rating was financed with a HELOC. It was paid off, but the cost was fairly staggering.
Other than DC-3, that's the only type rating I'd fork over for, is my point.
