Which is the cheapest/best type rating?

[blueb0y79]

Hi all

Just wondering if anyone would like to contribute their wealth of knowledge and advise which type ratings are not only the cheapest but also those which make the qualified wannabee more attractive to potential employers.

Any advice much appreciated.

[Flying Farmer]

Do all of us a favour and wait till an employer pays for it.

Happy xmas.

[low n' slow]

I agree with all my heart. If pilots start to refuse to pay their typeratings, this nonsense that's been going on will stop. Not in any other niche does the employee pay for his internal education.
/lns

[thebeast]

any chance of someone answering this? as i'm interested aswell

ok paying for type ratings maybe detrimental to others but theres no points sitting on your high horse if someone else pays and so takes the job!!!

so paying for type rating debate aside......

'which type ratings are not only the cheapest but also those which make the qualified wannabee more attractive to potential employers.'

[BlueVikingFlyer]

I was with the same view as to not pay for a type rating. I had a job flying as a turbo-prop captain (4000 TT), when I realized that I would not get any further as all my application was returned with "don't call us, we call you".

I paid for my 737-300/900 type rating and got a job right away on the 737. I have been flying the 737 now for almost a year and it has definitly paid off. If you have some flight time, around 500 hours, then I would say that the 737 type rating is the best value for the money. The aircraft is everywhere and still in production. It is used by airlines in all catagories, so it would be my best bet. It did pay off for me.

Good luck!

BlueVikingFlyer:ok:

[Craggenmore]

BlueVikingFlyer,

I'm very surprised that you were not picked up with 4000 TT and a Captaincy...who on Earth were you previously flying for to be taken so lightly...?

So you basically saved an airline circa £7k and.....

put yourself into debt by circa 20K...

Well done...I hope you are earning more than £50k for that to make sense...

Ouch!

Craggs

[Mister Geezer]

The best type rating to buy - one that no one else is buying since you will have a better chance of being hunted down for the job.

The worst rating to get - 737... since every man and his dog is getting one so lots of people trying to grab a few vacancies. What makes Candidate A with low hours and a 737 rating any different from Candidate B with similar hours and a 737 rating?!!! In simple terms - it's not worth the cost!!!

[IRISHPILOT]

737 worked for me. got a job 3 months after the rating, more offers coming in every now and then.

if your licence is JAR, it will set you back just under GBP10000, if FAA, just under USD10000. (do a search here and on google)

If your JAA licence is not British, you could add an FAA rating to it and go for something like eaglejet, which many in my company are doing. Still cheaper than some schemes in the UK.

Craggenmore, line training is not cheap for an airline, some don t have the capacity. once you have 100 hours on type, the next airline needs to do 10 sectors of line training with you only, saving them a few grand extra.

Of course, this is not ideal, but blueb0y79 asked about what rating to go for and at what prices, not wether he should do so in our opinion...

hope this helps, IP

[Russell]

I did a 757 rating, although the A320 is looking very good at the moment. If I'm honest then really whatever rating you do you will find a job. As you're paying then think about what type of flying you would like to do or where you would like to be based. If you have set your heart on being based in the UK and flying 1-2hr multi sector days then a low cost is a good option etc....

What ever people say about the pro's and con's of paying for a rating the main thing is this. You want to be an airline pilot, and you have tried all the normal avenues like instructing and networking. Then some guys from your flight school start flying 737's / A320's because they paid for a type rating. Now they are being paid £35,000 per year and doing the job you would love and you are still doing the job that pays £10,000 and flying a C152.

You have to do whats best for you, whatever your choice just look at the facts and then decide. Best of luck whatever you choose

[assymetric]

BlueVikingFlyer.......................check your pm's