Self funded Type Ratings

[ben747]

I have got to a stage where I have completed all training required for the airlines but have the disadvantage of not having any Type Rating. I am therefore keen to get this done and I am prepared to self fund to achieve this.

One I am unsure who offers the best training and not sure which Type Rating to opt for??

Thirdly many on this forum are very against self funding as they believe airline recruiters frown upon this? WHY???

I have got so far and dont really want to make the wrong choice at the last hurdle.

Your help will be really appreciated!!

[acuba 290]

if you have a lots of money and don't know how to spend, do it! I think, self financing TR-no way! Only one exception: if you have signed contract with airline and they pay good if you bring your own TR, so maybe in that case...

[johnnyDB]

Subject has been done to death, a little resaerch first would help you a long way.

[ben747]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the replies, being new to the forum I was unsure on the search features. I have found a couple of links so will look at these... However, views are so different on this subject we some great successes from self funding. Still cannot get my head around why airlines would frown upon this??

[OneIn60rule]

You have low hours?

Do you have a job guarantee if you get the rating? (NO)

Will the companies pick you because of the rating (maybe). What about the 50 hours line training?

You will have to RENEW your rating every 6 months on some types. So if you can't find a job within that timeframe, then you'd have to renew the type rating. Does NOT come cheap.

If you can throw the money away like that, do so. Just don't be too schocked that you can't find a job with it.

Other side of this, very little experience flying and even much less flying a 737.

In my view it's like giving a baby a BMW and hoping the best.

1/60

[flaps 15 3 green]

I agree with the latter; why don't you do some instructing? I'm sorry but i, like many others in this industry, have a complete lack of respect for people who just pay their way to the top. It's becoming a mugs game unfortunately.

[MIKECR]

ben,

The industry is in a downturn just now. Employment prospects for the next year or 2 look pretty grim. A TR with no experience isnt going to get you very far. Once the lay off's start this winter, theres going to be pilots already with TR's, and 100's of hours on type, flooding the job market. With the best will in the world, who's more employable? If you still want to self fund a rating, then how about trying ryanair? I believe they may still be taking cadets just now, although there are grumblings of that stopping by the end of the year.

[ben747]

Thanks for the replys. To be honest I do agree totally with comments made. I think everybody at the moment seems to be in panic stage and feel the only way of securing employment is by throwing more money at it...

I think the best option is most probably to concentrate on hour buiding and look at this being the obvious choice over the next couple of years...

Thanks again!

[ben747]

Hi, just to let you know that three of the six guys I stay in touch with have opted for an Eaglejet program.... I will be interested in the outcome of the paid training they receive!! I think I will stick with hour building and possibly do some flight instructing.

Thanks for the help and as I now have the hang of the searching it really does open your eyes!:ok:

[potkettleblack]

Be very wary of Eaglejet. I seem to remember reading something dodgy about guys not getting all the hours promised.

I agree with the above. It would be foolish to pay for a type rating at the moment with no promise of a job. When the winter layoffs start there will be guys with thousands of hours hunting for work. Wizz Air, Sky Europe, Air Berlin have all been big recruiters of low houred peeps and are all in trouble. Rumour is that Aer Arran (another big recruiter) are on a knife edge and losing money.

If you really see a need to handover 30k to someone then you might as well jump at ryanair. For all the strife it will give you at least you will get your hours.

[Re-Heat]

I agree with the latter; why don't you do some instructing? I'm sorry but i, like many others in this industry, have a complete lack of respect for people who just pay their way to the top. It's becoming a mugs game unfortunately.
Not at all envious then...I don't know of anyone these days who doesn't have to pay in some shape or form unless they are ex-mil.

The real point is that it is a very risky way to get into airlines, and typically a waste of money.

Deferring the cost by instructing may be sensible for a few years, but unless you are a type trainer or senior line pilot who operates with people coming from different routes, and can comment authoritatively on which may or may not be better for an airline, a comment such as this is little more then jealousy.

[Conan The Barber]

Self funded. It has a nice ring to it, much like sanitation engineer sounds better than garbage collector.

Being jealous is preferable to being a bitter failure.

[CAT3C AUTOLAND]

Firstly, 1 in 60, when you do your LST it is vaild for 12 months not 6.

It has already been mentioned, but with the market the way it is at the moment, it maybe a little risky doing a type rating now due to the lack of demand for pilots. With the winter approaching and airlines talking about grounding aircraft, there will be plenty of experienced pilots sitting tight and hoping they do not lose their jobs.

On saying that, having a rating up your sleeve isnt a bad thing, as long as you can keep it current. Some organisations help their past students keep their ratings current at minimal cost.

All the best with it.

[ben747]

Thanks guys; some good worthwhile comments....:ok:

[Dreamshiner]

Best option for you ....... look at the market:

Thomas Cook were talking about/let go, approx 50 pilots
Silverjet went bust, approx 60 pilots
Iceland Air, redundancies and furlough, approx 90 pilots

If you are mad keen on paying for a TR then I'd suggest the following route:

CTC first (if its resurrected) then,
Ryanair only for the guarantee of employment and even then nothing is guaranteed from those gyppos.

If no joy with either, then I'd only use one UK (and I stress the only) TR provider which is GE.

At the moment there are 200 pilots out there with more hours than you and with mortgages.

[CABUS]

In the nicest possibly way, I am afraid you are wrong about Thomas Cook, they are promoting 20 F/O's to command and looking at recruiting more in March as they are happy with next years ticket sales. Other than that I do agree that certain sectors of the industry is struggling however, I believe with the summer wx that we have had charter companies will have a steady stream of bookings for next year as people will be wanting to get away to the sun more than ever. Thomas Cook seem to be very hopeful.

I would agree though that starting a TR is not the best idea unless you have a high chance of getting a job at the end. From experience I also feel that Alteon are a good company for training with but I am not too sure if they just offer TR's.

CABUS:ok:

[Dreamshiner]

I apologise, I was only going on what was written on the terms and endearment forum a few months back with respect to TC. If that turned out to be the case then 50 less to worry about.

Still 150 out there looking for the slightest sniff of a job.

I don't think Alteon offer SSTR's but again I may be wrong. I would echo they are a good provider and sims are in excellent condition. However I think they just host airlines/companies rather than instruct themselves.

[INNflight]

Again it seems to be for you is had to be the case of flying with some UK airline.

LOOK ABROAD mate....there's a whole lot of jobs off your grumpy island :hmm:

Not getting a job with Easy or Ryan and you'd jump on a TR? How about jumping onto continental Europe (or even Africa) and save yourself 30k? :ok:

[RSFTO]

windjet in italy gives you A320 TR and 500 hours of line training for 50.000 euro (34.000 gbp) .

I will never pay for a tr and I will never pay to work. We should be in this business to make monies not to give them away.

[lastdon]

Hi Ben747,

My 2 cents worth of suggestion.

Going the instructing way is much better as you log hours and maintain your recency.

Buying a TR, will only make you more choosy of the airlines you may want to apply.

Good Luck :)

[p0815]

Well, guys there is a way getting a job with a SSTR, I was lucky enough getting a solid job after getting Boeing rated. You just have to make sure you got the wright TRTO and you yourself got some connections into the business...

In the rougher times comming up now having a TR may be even more important, companies want to be flexible, and if you already got your rating you can start working right away.

As a newcomer you are not in competition with layed off FOs, as they will look a different jobs as you!

My advice: its OK and may help a lot to do a SSTR, but be carefull where to do it!!!

[ben747]

The advice keeps flooding in, I am sure it will be useful to alot of us out there, thanks again!!:ok:

[dontpressthat]

Ben747...

Im in exactly the same position as you and this thread is making interesting reading.

Just one thing though, the word your looking for is 'advice' with a c not advise with an s. May save you some embarrassment on a covering letter.:ok:

Hope all goes well for you mate, I have a similar choice to make in the nxt few weeks.

DPT

[Toasty]

My advice is in times like this you need to invest not hold back! A TR is an investment which puts you a step ahead of everyone else from ab-initio schools.
The alternative is get a company to pay for it but you always get stung one way or another if you work out the figures. Its just the risk you have to wieght up, but theres risk whatever you do.
Go for it!!!!

[ben747]

Hi DPT, thanks for that, let us know which way you decide to go... Still unsure myself but may opt for the instructing side of things for the time being.

[winto22]

Hey

Im in the middle of doing my training in canada and will grad the program with 250 hours , CPL , Multi and Multi IFR , i have been offered an instructors job with the school im trainining in ,

My goal is to become a airline pilot asap or at least get a regional job here in canada ,

I had thought about funding my own type rating in order to help me get employed ?

Would it be the best option to instruct for a while first or what ?
All opinions and suggestions welcome

would also like to hear a response from someone who has been in a similiar position to me ?

cheers
:ok::cool:

[IrishJetdriver]

Approaching winter, bad prospects for airline employment with your experience level I would say grab the FI job in Canada and don't let go. At worst you'll come out of it with considerably more experience, a reasonably regular pay cheque and maybe after a Canadian winter, frostbite.

It doesn't stop you looking !!!!!!!!

[Paul777]

Putting all the views to one side(all worth serious consideration), one question that I would also like to know is what type rating if you did self fund would give you a better chance of getting a job i.e. A320, 737 etc?

I can imagine there would be nothing worse if you spent a further £30K on a rating that lacks a demand?

[littco]

Paul777

Why limited it to A320 or 737. How about a citation, hawker, lear etc?

Find the right company and no reason with one of those type ratings you couldn't/wouldn't find a job.. Just a thought.

[Brainstorm]

I think a TR with no hours on type is probably useless at the moment.

I am not sure who is offering a TR with some line hours at the moment, but I would make sure to get either line hours or a proper job offer before committing to paying anything.

Don't believe anyone telling you that you 'might' get line hours or a job!