DHC 6 to Jet

[pacemakerpratik]

I hold a SA CAA & CAAN CPL(A) and am flying the DHC6 Twin Otters since over an year now. I'm looking forward to pursue an Jet rating and of course looking for a better job placement..
Please someone suggest me, Is it worth it to get a Airbus A320 rating on my own and seek for a better job placement.. I'm employed right now and have more than 500 hrs and still counting....

Thanks in advance!!

Regards--

[IrishJetdriver]

Don't even think about it. If you've got a job then hold on to it, get some experience and have some fun. I note you are only 20 so I reckon you've got 45yrs left to fly a jet.

Have some fun, save some money.

[hamilton]

irishjetdriver gave you wise suggestion....if you are really 20 you are really lucky to fly a TOtter....build time,experience and have fun...you ll need remember all those experiences once flying a boring 320 for 20 years
after you ll find a job as airline pilot will be almost impossible go back to some prop/bush/vfr/ flight and time to time you'll regret those days.
good luck
h

[pacemakerpratik]

Thanks millions! I hope you guys can imagine how much of these suggestions values to me right now..
so, seems like I gotta hold on with myself right now.. I'm doing it!
Now, would you please suggest me, how long should I hold on.. I mean I admit that I'm learning with my every take-off and landings. Statically suggest me how much must my logbook count before thinking about those Jets! Currently my average block time is approximately 35-40 mins per take-off and like 60 hrs per months..
and of course about saving, how much do u think must I save.. these days I hardly save 20% of my earnings !!

Have a Nice Day!!

[kenparry]

Now, would you please suggest me, how long should I hold on..

There can be no definitive answer. Mostly, I suggest it will depend on the state of the economy and its effect on the jobs market.

One other thing to consider: in the 80s & 90s I was involved in selecting & training pilots for an airline that then flew the B737-200, and one group we recruited were around mid-30s in age and had 3000+ hours on light turboprops such as KingAir. We thought they would be ideal for jet conversion, but found them difficult to get up to speed (more or less literally) - they had been good 200kt pilots, but took a long time to become good 400kt operators. They all succeeded, but some needed extra line training. We concluded (after maybe 300+ type conversions over a few years) that pilots reaching their first jet over the age of 30 were an increased training risk, so tried to avoid them. Others may disagree, but this was the conclusion of a highly respected training department.

So, my advice would be to watch the market, and jump when it looks good. Meanwhile, enjoy your Twotter - you will learn a lot. Good luck!

[grrowler]

Check out the job websites and pretend you have a bare A320/ B737/ whatever rating and 500 hours total. Did you meet the requirements for any jobs? Did having a rating make a difference to the number of jobs you qualified for? Also look at the recency requirements - if you got a rating and didn't find a job in the next 3/6/12 months would you still qualify or would you need to spend more money to keep current?

As suggested, save your 20% at least until the market picks up, then if you really want to pay for a rating, look at companies that get you to pay for it with the job rather than doing it off your own bat.

[pacemakerpratik]

Thanks kenparry and grrowler!!
I somehow think that I'm holding on with my Totter.. The thing is I just don't wanna get stuck with this forever.. Actually I have seen people bonded with the Totters and other turboprops half of their life as if for them there aren't unseen gauges in an aircraft. I don't wanna be one of them.. I can give anything to reach my limits... and looks like "patience" is only the key for me..

like kenparry mentioned "my advice would be to watch the market, and jump when it looks good"..... Actually I'm yet not convinced that online job search is the only way to reach an airline recruitment team.. Are there other procedure as well to keep my eyes open for the opportunity and be watchful.. Actually the thing is I don't qualify or meet any of the minimum requirements of job search via internet...
Currency on the rating is also going to be an issue as grrowler said... So, I think I'm erasing my ideas about getting a rating on my own..
Please folks, suggest me! when should I understand the iron is hot and ready to mold..

Regards--

[FlyTCI]

Kenperry, I don't doubt the experience you guys had converting TP guys into fast flying "mighty" jet guys. I myself am actually a 34 yr old TP guy with 2200+ hours in the very Twotter (5200 TT). I too was wondering how the transition into a jet would be and now I know. I recently joined a program at SimuFlite in Dallas where I'm helping out in the simulators as PNF, but I have also done some time as PF. I fly with different pilots literally every day that come in for recurrent, and without bragging, I can do a better job than many of them despite very limited jet experince. Many of them have spent most of their career in jets.

In my opinion it all comes done to the individual. Granted I have an advantage since things are slightly different in a sim and it can be a bit tricky to adapt to the actual flying of a sim supposed to the real thing. What does not differ between the real airplane and the sim are procedures. If you can just get the procedures down and don't have to think about every step before doing it, then a TP guy can be just as quick/good as a jet guy. As I'm sure you know it's all about preparation and being ahead of the game.

To the OP I suggest, if it's possible, hold out until you can get some TP PIC time. I know it's just a twotter, but it's actually more the thought process as a captain than the actual flight time per se that matters in my mind. It's easy to be a FO that "tags along" for the ride, but once you are the one making the decisions it's a different thing. You are very young, I hadn't started flying at your age, so you have plenty of years getting into that jet. Your time in GA type of flying will give you experience in a way a jet job might not, and vice versa of course. If you can combine those two down the road you will be more of a complete pilot, IMHO.

Getting a jet rating (A320 or B737) probably won't do much more than deplete your bank account at the moment. Why hire a low time pilot with no experience when there are literally thousands of guys with good experience looking for that same job? As previously mentioned, once you do your TR you only have so long before your currency will expire if you don't get a job and you have to get into the sim and fork up more money. I know of several people that has had this happen to them

What ever you decide , best of luck, it's really tough out there..

[pacemakerpratik]

glad to hear from FlyTCI.. felt like I was seeing a sort of future me!
so, seems like it's a tradition to gain PIC in TP or like 5000 TT and then look for the Jets...
??
:decided: I'm not doing any TR on jets on my own, but seriously can't wait to live my dreams!!

Have a Good Time!!

[FlyTCI]

Not really saying you need 5000TT before moving on to jets. I would have preferred being in a jet long before that, but it's aviation and usually things don't go as planned. If you keep that in mind your career will go so much smoother.

The TP pic will help you though, once you are in a jet since it will probably qualify you for the left seat in that jet sooner.

[pacemakerpratik]

Thanks "FlyTCI" really appreciate your loyal advice. I'll definitely keep all these in mind. currently I'm sticking with my present ratings and scenario until i get the command on these TP.
will let you know if anything positive happens and please help me decide for my future challenges and do kindly suggest me with ur opinions too..

Thanks All

Regards``_``