Turbo Time?

[HappyBandit]

Hey

Need assistance. I am a low time pilot, some 240 odd hours and and wanting to ultimately get into the Airlines (Regionals) like most pilots and have been offered the chance (I have to pay of course), to do a turbo prop endorsement. Should I take this offer up or should I try and get some twin time up and try for a charter job?

Cheers

[aircabbie]

Who is the endo through ?

[HappyBandit]

Does it matter?

[morno]

Yes. It could be an absolutely useless endorsement to you at this point in time, or it could be perhaps useful in the near future. Put it this way, with 240hrs, typically you wouldn't expect to touch a turbine aircraft until at least 1,000hrs. Just the way things are in Australia unfourtanately.

You asked for advice, so why ask "does it matter?" when someone asks what the endorsement is.

morno

[HappyBandit]

No sorry didn't mean it as a derogitary comment. So I take it then that turboprop experience in a caravan for example is a big plus as compared to 182 time and then getting some multi time to hopefully get a step towards airlines?

[HappyBandit]

Yeah that's what I've heard too but just wanted to confirm it. What are say regional airlines like sunstate looking at the moment in terms of multi any one know?

And to add onto this why is it that you can apply for Qantas on the 400's as a SO with just 500 hours PIC (single or twin) and regioanls require at least 500 twin?

And finally how realistic is it for me to get a look in with a bare 500 hours PIC with say 20 hours twin PIC?

Cheers

[Swanie]

u won't, simple

[Dookie on Drums]

Yeah as ga_trojan said,

I recently knocked back a job on a Caravan as I currently am flying a Navajo and the bloke couldn't understand why I didn't want the job.

Multi command time is what airlines etc want. Doesn't matter if you got 3000hrs single engine turbine if you haven't got at least 500 ME command then forget it. Shame it's that way as I would have liked to fly a turbine but I aint leaving a twin job to fly a single.

[Chimbu chuckles]

You need to differentiate between the minimums in the add and what the average successful applicant has in the logbooks.

The average airline interviewee probably has more like 2500 hrs with 1500+ ME command...at a guess....many would have double that.

As far as the worth of putting down your money for a Turbine endorsement?

If it is a ME turbine for a reputable operator where you can progress to the LHS in the fullness of time, assuming required standards met/exceeded, then maybe. I struggle to think of an operation in Australian GA that would/could do that without you having 500 ME command first so you probably are being used...suckered into parting with hard earned money to subsidise the operator.

You must realise that, within the Australian context, there are few if any realistic shortcuts. At 240TT you are barely employable period let alone in a turbine sense.

Rejoice though as you have become licenced at a very excellent time...if you can fly as well as you think you can there ARE jobs out there on singles where you can progress onto a piston twin within 12 mths or so. I know of more than one newly minted CPL who has scored a job flying 210s/Bonanzas with the ink still drying on the licence and finding themselves gracing the LHS of a Baron 6 mths/300-400 hrs later.

My advice is to hang on to your dough, take a deep breath and find a job in keeping with your experience level. When you have a job and are clocking up the hours VFR and nearing a twin spend the money you would have wasted on this turbine endo on a MECIR. As soon as you are flying twins consistantly start applying to every reputable airline in Australia.

[tinpis]

Bugger in my day you didnt get near a twin until you had about 2000hrs in singles in PNG


I know, I know silly old cnut talkin about the old PNG days again.....

[CX RAY]

Another exceedingly helpful post from Tinnedfish! Good onya mate!:ugh:

[tinpis]

I try:hmm:

[R555C]

Hang on to your $$$ untill you realy need the turbine endorsment. I was furtunate enough with low hours ,similar to you for my employer to pay for mine. However i wasnt allowed anywhere near the left hand seat!

You are better off getting some single time, and 500hrs + on a piston twin.

[PropDuster]

Mate
Don't pay for any endorsement!!! :=
The only endo's I paid for myself are the only one's I've never used.
If the company likes you they will endorse you on their machinery as you progress.
How many young players (self included :{ ) have forked out for that Duchess or Part Bananna ticket to wind up flying a C310 or Barron as their first Multi job??
On the turbine front, Don't bother until you have the afore mentioned 500 ME Command (that's if you are planning to stay in Auz). Progression to the left of the burner is not possible without
I made the mistake of swapping a C206 for a Dash 6 (didn't have to pay for that one) and 2 years later I'm flying a Bongo to try and get the log book looking right. On the bright side I did get a Command Endorsement and some ICUS plus the multi crew experience which does count overseas.
Good luck with it
Prop :ok:

[JimAir]

HB,

Caravans are great aircraft to fly and if you are on the award wage it's almost 5000k/pa for turbine allowance. I can't think of any operators that will let you out by yourself tho without a thousand hours or so... And the single turbine time (as everyone else has said) probably wont help too much getting into the airlines.

Having said that, i fly piston twins and caravans and if it wasn't for the fact the van time is in the wrong column of the log book, i'd be flying it every day!!!

Good luck, and don't rush your career - there's lots of good times to be had.

[j3pipercub]

HB,

Sir it depends on exactly the sort of operation you will be conducting. I was on a C208with 300hrs, however it was dropping meat bombs. I did pay for my endorsement, and the experience that i gained in the 9 months I was with the operator was absoloutely fantastic! I am no longer jump flying but the turbine time I had got me a job with another operator of C208's. I have just under 800 hrs and have moved onto the company's twins. So the c208 was useful, an absolute dream to fly as has been mentioned earlier and in my opinion, is much more valuable than flying a piston for the same amount of time. Have a look at how many C208's are coming into the country and replacing 30yr old twins. However, sitting RHS with 300hrs in the van probably isnt the best career move:)