Square one?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Yorkshire-God's own country
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Square one?
Hello lads and Lasses
I've tried all the search options for this forum and still not come up with any concrete advice, so I'll chuck in a question or two and happily let myself in for a kicking if I'm being a bit dim..
1. How did any of you start in the Bizjets industry i.e getting the first job? Was it a case of canvassing operators and asking them if they'd give you work if you went off and got a type rating, or was it the usual knowing who you know? I've tried geting assisstant pilot work (offering unpaid just to get the experience) but nobody wants to know.
2. How do you decide which aircraft to go for if a self funded type rating was the option (something I disgree with but it looks like the industry as a whole is going that way). Where do you go for the tuition? Is a rating gained in the US just as valued as one gained in the Uk? How much did it cost? (lets face it, the bottom line in everything to do with aviation).
I'm just another upstart at his wits end with a JAR ATPL and a part-time instructors job wanting to claw my way into the exclusive pilots club and fly aeroplanes for a living. Having scally'd a look inside a 125 from Netjets once upon a time (and yes I talked to the pilots, they were both ex-airline) I'm giving corporate serious thought, but having only 750hrs and no type rating I'm running out of ideas. I'm trying hard not to sound like a petulant child but its geting silly now.
Any help would be much appreciated. Cheers
I've tried all the search options for this forum and still not come up with any concrete advice, so I'll chuck in a question or two and happily let myself in for a kicking if I'm being a bit dim..
1. How did any of you start in the Bizjets industry i.e getting the first job? Was it a case of canvassing operators and asking them if they'd give you work if you went off and got a type rating, or was it the usual knowing who you know? I've tried geting assisstant pilot work (offering unpaid just to get the experience) but nobody wants to know.
2. How do you decide which aircraft to go for if a self funded type rating was the option (something I disgree with but it looks like the industry as a whole is going that way). Where do you go for the tuition? Is a rating gained in the US just as valued as one gained in the Uk? How much did it cost? (lets face it, the bottom line in everything to do with aviation).
I'm just another upstart at his wits end with a JAR ATPL and a part-time instructors job wanting to claw my way into the exclusive pilots club and fly aeroplanes for a living. Having scally'd a look inside a 125 from Netjets once upon a time (and yes I talked to the pilots, they were both ex-airline) I'm giving corporate serious thought, but having only 750hrs and no type rating I'm running out of ideas. I'm trying hard not to sound like a petulant child but its geting silly now.
Any help would be much appreciated. Cheers
Aviator Extraordinaire
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA
Age: 76
Posts: 2,394
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As simple as my reply may seem there is a lot of truth in the following statement.
“Be at the right place at the right time and know the right people.”
Ok, now for some real actions you need to take to break into corporate aviation.
1. If you are not in an area with a lot of corporate aviation activity, move to such an area.
2. Keep flying in any position to increase your flying time, instructing, traffic watch, sky diving aircraft, etc.
3. Socialize with corporate pilots, but don’t make a pest out of yourself.
4. Starting applying for co-pilot (FO) positions with charter operators (charter is usually the best way to build the type of flying time that corporate operators look for).
5. Apply to all of the small feeder airlines that there are in the country, hey you could get lucky.
6. I don’t know how old you are, but if still in your 20s continue your education and receive at least a 4 years college degree (it doesn’t matter in what field, mine’s history).
7. Just remember as in real estate location is everything, being in an area of high corporate flying activity will increase your chances significantly.
Now one last word of advice, never, ever, never offer to fly for free to build up your time and experience.
Good luck to you and I wish you well.
“Be at the right place at the right time and know the right people.”
Ok, now for some real actions you need to take to break into corporate aviation.
1. If you are not in an area with a lot of corporate aviation activity, move to such an area.
2. Keep flying in any position to increase your flying time, instructing, traffic watch, sky diving aircraft, etc.
3. Socialize with corporate pilots, but don’t make a pest out of yourself.
4. Starting applying for co-pilot (FO) positions with charter operators (charter is usually the best way to build the type of flying time that corporate operators look for).
5. Apply to all of the small feeder airlines that there are in the country, hey you could get lucky.
6. I don’t know how old you are, but if still in your 20s continue your education and receive at least a 4 years college degree (it doesn’t matter in what field, mine’s history).
7. Just remember as in real estate location is everything, being in an area of high corporate flying activity will increase your chances significantly.
Now one last word of advice, never, ever, never offer to fly for free to build up your time and experience.
Good luck to you and I wish you well.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Yorkshire-God's own country
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the reply con-pilot...
I'm a couple of months away from my 30th birthday since you ask and I already have a university degree - it gathers dust as I speak!!
Don't know what the corporate scene is like here in the Uk compared to that in the US but i get the impression that the firms only take on people who are already ex-airline and not the lower forms of life such as myself?? I'm trying to get my foot on the first rung of the ladder, not swap to another one..
- am I wasting my time with corporate aviation then with so little experience and should carry on trying at the airlines?
p.s I thought the experience for free thing was a bit silly at the time, but I only wanted to have a look-see at what goes on - I've only ever had experience of my IR and instructing so far!!
I'm a couple of months away from my 30th birthday since you ask and I already have a university degree - it gathers dust as I speak!!
Don't know what the corporate scene is like here in the Uk compared to that in the US but i get the impression that the firms only take on people who are already ex-airline and not the lower forms of life such as myself?? I'm trying to get my foot on the first rung of the ladder, not swap to another one..
- am I wasting my time with corporate aviation then with so little experience and should carry on trying at the airlines?
p.s I thought the experience for free thing was a bit silly at the time, but I only wanted to have a look-see at what goes on - I've only ever had experience of my IR and instructing so far!!
