Type Ratings After CPL

[benjaavpilot]

Hello Guys, anyone has any idea about doing type ratings (on smaller aircrafts) ?
Do you advise it? will it be an advantage for a fresh CPL (250hrs) looking for a job?
Thanks to any replies! Happy Landings ;)

[cefey]

No. You have no idea what kind of job you will get. There is 1000 different ratings out there. You gonna take all of them?
Or take only, let say 737-classic and limit your self to search jobs only for that one?

[portos8]

If you are going to look in Africa you might want a 206 rating before you go to Botswana or a 210 if you are going to Namibia. You can get both at flightschools in Joburg, just ring a few to get the right address.
You will find much more info on the Maun forum (search function;))

[benjaavpilot]

thanks for replying :ok:

do you have any idea about hiring season in botswana or zambia/namibia?
and if you think they hire fresh cpls??
how much do the ratings costs? thanks

[benjaavpilot]

@Cefey! well obviously i agree, but due to the lack of experience, i have to struggle to get that 1st job! thanks ..have a nice day!

[JekiJock]

Bots is december through february. Zambia is march. Not sure about Namibia.

[truckflyer]

Pay for a TR without a proper job offer, you are wasting your money.

Unless you can enter training with a company straight after TR is completed, it is a very bad idea. Example, what do you think you can know about a B737, A320, Citation or Kingair, after few hours in the simulator, and huge FCOM's about them?

Close to nothing, it is a step to learn, however unless you have somewhere to allow you to learn about the AC, you are in a dead end, and loss of lots of money!

Having a TR will put you at disadvantage with some companies, as some have their own programs for this.

I seen many go this way, spending £15.000 - £30.000, on TR, and it was like throwing money out of the window!
Small aircraft like King Air, are not easier, as you need loads of hours PIC, to be able to fly the aircraft, and most of them are Single pilots ops, so very hard to get experience enough on it.

[portos8]

Hi benjaavpilot,

http://www.pprune.org/african-aviation/433420-maun-botswana-essential-guide.html

Read the thread, the whole thread and...well you get it, before posting any questions about how to get there, minimum hours or most popular of all, if any jobs are waiting for you. You will be instantly, and fiercly shot down with a rusty Ruger-hunting rifle if you dont.

[benjaavpilot]

hey truckflyer! thanks for this useful piece of advice , im aware like you said its a waste of time and money! i think you are right! thanks, happy landings and happy christmas :cool::cool::cool:;););)

[truckflyer]

Only consider paying for TR if you have contract in hand, and it is from a reliable company, even than you are taking a gamble, even if you pass your TR, it does not mean that you will automaticily qualify for company standards!

[B200Drvr]

Guys, He is talking about small aeroplanes, I sometimes wonder how some of you read a TAF if you can't read a post properly.
You will not get a job in Bots, Namibia or any other Southern African country if you are a low time guy and not rated on the equipment they fly. Paying for these ratings is completely acceptable and is the only way you will get in there. They will not give you a signed contract before you are rated, in fact they will not give you one unless you are there in person and rated.
Benjaavpilot, I applaud you if you are going the African route, it is the best experience you will ever have, and you will certainly never forget it when you are sitting in your shinny Boeing one day!!

[truckflyer]

Acceptable rating, ok... so which rating shall he take than?

Let's just put all the smaller AC ratings in a hat, and draw! Uppssss...., but they need ah oh, got a get a new rating, after 3 months returning, no, no more jobs, get another rating, and so the story goes on and on!

Sure just do it in the blind, guessing is the best you can do, if you have more money than sense!

Sure a great experience if you survive their dodgy maintenance and demanding weather and runways, the perfect place/environment for a low hour pilot to get killed! :D

[truckflyer]

A Kingair, is a "small aircraft", however TR is expensive, and without experience on type you are on a hiding to nothing! Most ops are single pilot, most insurance companies require at least 700 hours on type, before you can be PIC, so must be with a company that ha approved multi - pilot ops on the King Air, let me guess in Africa, might not be to many who cares about that!

A Kingair, is probably a more demanding aircraft to fly than a Boeing, so how can that be an ideal aircraft to learn for a low hour, 250 hour pilot!

Still there are to many types to guess what to do!

[benjaavpilot]

hey guys i appreciate the replies :ok:!

however it is harder than i thought to get this first job! :{
and even i have to convert to Botswana license and because of that single ops, the chances of employment are meagre!
sometimes you just want to hang yourself!