No man's land for jobseekers between 500 and 1500 hours TT?

[Cecco]

I fly as PIC on a privately operated C525. For various reasons, I am on the outlook for a new job (Bizjet branch; C525 or other). I fly in my current job as PIC; however, I am aware that with 1300 hours TT, I am still 200 hours shy of the 1500 hours TT, which will make me eligible for applications as Commander at C525 commercial operators (apart from TT, I have 1000 hrs on type, of which are 830 as PIC and 1000+ hours IFR).

Someone recently told me that between 500 and 1500 hours TT, it's no man's land; i.e, it doesn't make really a difference. True or not??? Some companies state 1000 hours minimum TT for FOs but 1500 hours seem to remain the golden number. Does it make such a difference in terms of jobseeker market value?

Cheers
Cecco

[what next]

Hello!

From my experience, commercial operators prefer long-term staff over rapid changes. Therefore, very low hour co-pilots are welcome, because they (usually) stay three to five years until they have either unfrozen their ATPL or qualify as PIC on a part-23 aircraft and start looking for greener pastures (if the company can not offer them an upgrade in the foreseeable future).
A 1000-hour direct-entry copilot will either not stay very long until this goal is reached or create animosities among the other pilots who have been with the company for several years and will be pushed back again by him. Unless the company has strict seniority rules, which is seldom the case in smaller business outfits.

But in the present difficult climate nothing is as it used to be, so keep looking for jobs and don't worry about your flying hours too much. Rather find a good explanation why you wish to jump ship at your current level of experience, as everybody would expect you to do so only after you passed that magic 1500 number!

Happy landings
max

[tommoutrie]

what stops you being captain on a 525 for a commercial operation? You need ops1 minimums - something like 700 total, 100 night, commercial licence, can't remember exactly.

[Stick35]

To be honest, even if you have more than 1500tt, it is still no man'sland. Every day im surprised how many captains on challenger, falcon etc with >5000h are looking for a job. A friend of mine is captain on falcon 2000 classic. So far unable to get a job. I'm already looking for 2 years to change from outfit. The reason: i work for a small company and got bypassed in the upgrade proces. Apparently it seems to be standard business in smaller companies. 2nd reason: everything about sop's, checkrides it is all too easy or they lack it. If you dont have the correct rating, you stay in noman'sland regardless the amount of hours you have.
So if i were you, forget the pic thing and try to find a FO job in the airline where they take these things for serious. Im not saying that it is easy but you have to increase your marketvalue together with your pilot quality.
Good luck!!!

[First.officer]

Relevant Section from EU-OPS pertaining to command criteria;

OPS 1.960

Commanders holding a Commercial Pilot Licence

(a) An operator shall ensure that:

1. A Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) holder does not operate as a commander of an aeroplane certificated in the
Aeroplane Flight Manual for single pilot operations unless:

(i) when conducting passenger carrying operations under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) outside a radius of 50 nm
from an aerodrome of departure, the pilot has a minimum of 500 hours total flight time on aeroplanes or
holds a valid Instrument Rating; or

(ii) when operating on a multi-engine type under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), the pilot has a minimum of
700 hours total flight time on aeroplanes which includes 400 hours as pilot-in-command (in accordance with
the requirements governing Flight Crew Licenses) of which 100 hours have been under IFR including
40 hours multi-engine operation. The 400 hours as pilot-in-command may be substituted by hours operating
as co-pilot on the basis of two hours co-pilot is equivalent to one hour as pilot-in-command provided
those hours were gained within an established multi-pilot crew system prescribed in the Operations Manual;

2. in addition to subparagraph (a)1(ii) above, when operating under IFR as a single pilot, the requirements prescribed
in Appendix 2 to OPS 1.940 are satisfied; and

3. in multi-pilot crew operations, in addition to subparagraph (a)1 above, and prior to the pilot operating as commander,
the command course prescribed in OPS 1.955(a)2 is completed.

[tommoutrie]

When did you start reading the rules Paul!!

[Cecco]

EU-Ops minimum yes, but insurance requirements go way above the 700 hours TT. FAR 25 aircraft commercial operators would have to pay a hell of an insurance premium below 1500 TT for a command position and they won't do it. German or Swiss CAA increases supervision time for <1500 TT CMD from 40 legs to 100 hours plus other stuff, which makes it not attractive for a company to look for a minus-1500 TT Commander.

That having said, there are exceptions. But they are few and far between.

@stick35: C525 is the "correct" rating, at least that in the current climate!

BTW, it will take another year to get to the 1500 TT...

[First.officer]

Me ? read rules ? what are you suggesting ?? i can't read.........

And yes Cecco, the Insurance may preclude it for some operators on a cost basis, but legally you could.....:)