Bonding for a type rating
 

Hi.

I'm a twin turboprop pilot and have been working for a company on contract around africa for a little over a year.They now feel that I am underutilised on the twin and want to rate me on a C208 (a step backwards).

Is it fair that they propose to impose a training bond on me and the other crew they want to do conversions?

Thanks,
Bob SS

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT???
 

No way !!!
Name and shame this company!!!

Absolutely not Bob! However, go back and carefully look through your contract. Hopefully you read it thoroughly before you signed it. Some of the clauses and fine print could get you in trouble and you don't want to breach the terms. Good luck.

Word of advise Bob. A company that even thinks about an absurd idea like that will surely screw you in the future. When your contract is up, take your hours and run somewhere else. :ooh:

Hay Bob,easy for the guys (gals) to say no way, but actually you're caught between a cockroach and a hard place! Don't have the facts so difficult to comment.Consider the following-
The bond ammount-is it value for money
The time frame-most important
Most training bonds sort of guarentee a job
Have you got another job or is there much out there for you
Sometimes as they say you lose the battle but win thie war
Just be carefull, once you sign something and there are hassles, nine times out of ten the judge says you are a big boy and know what you're doing
Have a plan and a dream, hopefully they will end up one and the same
Aviation is too small- don't burn your bridges
What's another year in Africa any way
I know it's a 'matter of principal' thing, but don't cut your nose to spite your face,
Good luck

Are you turbo prop first officer now going to single pilot on C208?
Are the engines on both aircraft PT6?
If twins are under used, when will they be redundent made?
C208 single crew may not be backwards.
It may be fun also.

But no-for a lighter category/smaller aircraft/ a bond is not fair but this is one very not normal situation is it not? Fly smaller or loose job?

Let me guess. It starts with a 'S' and ends in 'A'?
Am I hot or cold?

A good mate of mine with a 206 rating and about 50 hours PIC, signed an $8000 dollar training bond with a certain operator in bots and zambia!! I freaked when I heard this... 8000 us d's for some line training! Surely this is illegal, he's bonded for 18months! Would love to find out how they justify those costs...

a pisscat bond, that must be a first. Is there no end to the depths people will sink to to abuse the pilots. Dont sign it

Get your CV out in the market, yes you will probably need to sign a bond with a new opertor but atleast it will be on a better aircraft, one always needs to move up the ladder, never down.
Good Luck

I agree with mainbearing, just think it through, I used to fly medium turboprop twins and then had to go and fly Van's(only job around) for a few years too, also thought a step back, buy got PIC time, plenty, cause the thing is so slow, but grt fun, the best flying I have ever done,its a leka aerie,the only Q is the bond, if you got a bond they will keep you for the whole period, job security, then maybe you can fork out the cash and do it somewhere else cheaper maybe, but think it through, aviation is small, don't burn a bridge, the fall is long and the climb back to society is very long and lonesome, good luck and enjoy the Van.:ok:

Burning Bridges
 

It is a Great aerie,it is great fun, p1 time is a plus for you if its a little low and the wise and decent pilot is very weary of burning bridges... However a select few operators hear us and smile all the way to the bank because flying is our passion... A frustrating but hard pill to swallow.

"These bars may keep us locked in here but it does not stop the clock"

I wonder when this big wheel shall turn? As it will for sure... However I believe ET are recruiting for the 1900 so Bob-Soap Smith if u have similar type rating I believe always try move to the same category plane and or up ...

putt for dough
 

"Let me guess. It starts with a 'S' and ends in 'A'?
Am I hot or cold? "

Putt for dough - very cold, if it's Solenta you refer to.

Sure, if there is a quiet patch between starting new contracts, and the pilot is already rated on the other aircraft type, we offer him/her the choice to fly on it, to avoid sitting at home.

Solenta are, in fact, busy recruiting more pilots, and gearing up for planned expansion - and as I'm sure you'll agree, a great position to be in, when others, industrywide, are scaling down and retrenchments are taking place worldwide....
Our guys and girls jobs are safe, and there are new opportunities for pilots wanting to join.
Not going to spend much more time on this answer..

Solenta

Starts with an S and ends in an A.
 

Solenta

Me thinks you have been drinking toooo much coffee lately.

Just because your company starts with an S and ends in an A, you think you can take all the credit...:E

Nah.........SACAA......they also bond for the Citation...:)

So it is not only in the private sector that bonding is rife.

Personal opinion, if bonding is done properly, and gets you to where you want to go...then why not.

Up to the individual to negotiate the bonding to suite both parties.

Oh and by the way, nothing wrong in a Van if at the end you get a 1900 command.

Goffel...:E

Don't listen to all the negative feedback.:= If you owned the flippen Airie what would you want a pilot to commit to? The actual cost at least perhaps? to be worked off over a period of time? be real, pilots still need aircraft owners don't they? :ok:A lot of aircraft owners get screwed and are still getting screwed by pilots. Some certainly desreve it, but its mostly the history of pilots that is still rubbing through.:E

Bonding can be a fair practise
 

With certain small/medium twin type ratings, nowadays costing in the region of R60K and even more, it makes business sense to apply a training bond. Imagine if a pilot just completes his/her training, just to take another offer soon afterwards? The company's investment and expectations (return on investment) is for naught, and as such constitutes a straight loss. Not many companies can afford such charity. In my book fairness is simple: a bond can apply for a new type rating, but should never apply for line/recurrent training.

Of course, the terms of fairness in the actual bond itself can be a minefield...:suspect: