Buying Turboprop endo?

[THE IRON MAIDEN]

I'm not a fan of the idea of buying endorsements as a general rule. However the thought has occurred

As I'm ready to move on from piston to turbine, is it worth buying a turboprop endo? If so which? C208, PC12, B200, SA227... ?

Just after some thoughts, ideas and stories ...

[manymak]

There really is no point buying one. Wait till your in a job that promote you to a turbine and work things out then. Nothing worse than buying an endorsement on an aircraft then never flying it again after that day.

[VH-XXX]

I don't agree, what if you are applying for a job that you need a particular endorsement for or turbine time? We recently advertised for a role on a PT6, we required an endorsement for immediate start. The early bird gets the worm and the early bird has an endorsement!

[The Green Goblin]

An endorsement is useless without any time FLYING IT!

A turbine is not like a piston twin, i.e a couple of laps around a circuit with a touch of airwork and a couple of hour chat prior. Most are up to two weeks of intensive ground school study, rigid examinations and long periods with a checkie until you are signed off to fly the line.

Companies that I have flown with will spend 50-100 hours with you before you do fly the line so a 'bare' endorsement is not going to save them much money unless they require a skipper with time on type. Even if you are a skipper with lots of command on type, you will still go a refresher ground school and 50 hours line flying with another checkie before you are signed off!

The only endorsement that may help you is a C208 and even then most companies worth their salt will upgrade and train you to fly it.

I suggest if you want to fly a Turbine start looking into companies that fly in areas that are not popular that have them. Mount Isa is a good example!

If you wait until March next year and get as much multi command as you can I will bet that you will get a FO gig somewhere as there will be a trickle of movement again provided the GFC does not go into the W shaped recovery or there is another scare!!!

[senshi]

GG,

Do you boys do any flying at Toll, or just sit on Prune all day! Agreed though, I wouldn't waste money buying an endo on anything of size (eg a Metro), as you will also require line training. Not sure if you would be able to even do one with anyone...? Maybe at Ansett down in Melbourne.. Does anyone know if Steeley is still down there?

I know there are a couple of operators who will give you a "sniff" of employment if you buy an endo on a C208, but I wouldn't jump at that. As previously said, any decent operator will upgrade you in due course provided your performance meets expectations.

S

[Steve Zissou]

Companies that I have flown with will spend 50-100 hours with you before you do fly the line

Did you do an endorsement on the Space Shuttle?

A turbine is not like a piston twin, i.e a couple of laps around a circuit with a touch of airwork and a couple of hour chat prior. Most are up to two weeks of intensive ground school study, rigid examinations and long periods with a checkie until you are signed off to fly the line.

From my very limited experience in this area ... I don't think so. IRON MAIDEN don't be put off by these comments. If you're talking about a Dash 8 or an ATR where there's a simulator available for a type rating then sure you're going to have the luxury to spend a bit more time. In the smaller turbo props (B1900, Metro, J32 etc) I'd suggest on the line is where all your learning is going to happen. :ouch:

[The Green Goblin]

Companies that I have flown with will spend 50-100 hours with you before you do fly the line

Did you do an endorsement on the Space Shuttle?

From my very limited experience in this area ...

I suggest it is 'very limited' experience.

If you don't know what the difference between an endorsement, line training and flying the line is, and you think 50-100 hours is space shuttle stuff I'd hate to see you go work for REX :}

[j3pipercub]

Hi IRON MAIDEN,

As others have said, unless you have work in the machine, really not worth the expenditure. I would also be a bit shaky about paying for a job with only a sniff of work. If guaranteed a job after the paid endo, sure.

j3

[Steve Zissou]

Green Goblin - after re-reading your thread (and I hate to do this) I have to apologise. I misunderstood your comments to be that 50-100 hours were spent on a type rating and preparing to start line training. :uhoh:

So for a 180 degree turnaround .. your comments are quite correct.

[The Green Goblin]

Apology accepted (I'm usually wrong anyway) :ok:

[startingout]

Steely was still around in July, did my ground school. Fun time with great stories :ok:

[HTFU]

If you were going to buy a turbine endo make it a PAC 750XL

[Chimbu chuckles]

As I'm ready to move on from piston to turbine,

Well then glad that is settled - hope a prospective employer agrees.

[THE IRON MAIDEN]

Hey Chimbu

Yeah I have 400hrs TT and 50hrs on a BE58 hahaha :ugh::ugh:

No, I do have a bit of experinece now and going by what my peers have had when they moved up, I am around that area now. :ok:

I'm not expecting to just walk onto a turbine tomorrow, but I am able to atleast apply for them with a realistic chance I think. Hence the thought process on getting an endo - Although as I said im not a fan of the idea of paying for them.. but thought I'd just hear some opinions on the matter.

thanks everyone for the comments..

Just to throw another question out there, are CRM courses a good thing to have? or do most employers what to train new pilots in CRM their way? :confused: