How useful are Single Engine Turbine hours?
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How useful are Single Engine Turbine hours?
As far as hours go and the stepping stone progression through GA, how important are Single Engine Turbine hours?
Basically do the smaller regionals flying two pilot operations, metro's, 1900's etc look at Single Engine Turbine time favourably for FO positions? Or are they still just interested in the twin piston time.
Hypothetically speaking when a company advertises for FO's with 1200 hours total, MECIR and 250 twin, and yes, I understand these are the bare minimums and often they are looking for people who are more advanced but for arguments sake, would they consider a pilot with 1200 total, MECIR and 500 hours SE Turbine?
I've always wondered how useful turbine time is when it's all still going in the single engine column of the logbook.
-MB
Basically do the smaller regionals flying two pilot operations, metro's, 1900's etc look at Single Engine Turbine time favourably for FO positions? Or are they still just interested in the twin piston time.
Hypothetically speaking when a company advertises for FO's with 1200 hours total, MECIR and 250 twin, and yes, I understand these are the bare minimums and often they are looking for people who are more advanced but for arguments sake, would they consider a pilot with 1200 total, MECIR and 500 hours SE Turbine?
I've always wondered how useful turbine time is when it's all still going in the single engine column of the logbook.
-MB
Unfortunately it seems that a lot of operators do consider something like Chieftain time more valuable than, for example, PC12 time, despite the latter being a hell of a lot more relevant in an airline environment.
At one point I had 480 piston twin and over 1000hrs aeromedical PC12 and a certain airlines HOFO told me directly that I needed to go out and find 20hrs on a twin to qualify.
At one point I had 480 piston twin and over 1000hrs aeromedical PC12 and a certain airlines HOFO told me directly that I needed to go out and find 20hrs on a twin to qualify.
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I think most airlines would look favorably at say, 100hours turbine as evidence that you have gained the technical knowledge and experience on how to operate such an engine, but any more than that probably just accounts for total time in the logbook and not necessarily any more 'valuable' than hours flown in a piston single. At the end of the day, airlines love multi hours.
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At one point I had 480 piston twin and over 1000hrs aeromedical PC12 and a certain airlines HOFO told me directly that I needed to go out and find 20hrs on a twin to qualify.
as someone who very much falls into this category, I know the unfortunate reality all too well that nothing substitutes for twin hours.
I can only hope that once I do get a decent amount of multi, the 1000 odd I have on single engine turbine may give me an advantage over someone who has none at all.
I can only hope that once I do get a decent amount of multi, the 1000 odd I have on single engine turbine may give me an advantage over someone who has none at all.
The problem is you need 2000 hours aeronautical experience and 500 hours multi engine command for a regional captains seat in a low capacity operation.
The high capacity operators want 500 multi command or copilot time in a multi crew aeroplane. You won't get 500 multi crew without 500 command in most cases. Catch 22. It's getting harder and harder to get multi piston command too these days, as contractual minimas increase or >5700 ops are required.
GAs T&Cs are increasing as a result, while cadetships are eroding airline conditions the way of Europe to keep up the supply. Maybe one day you'll fly in an airline to get experience to fly in GA and earn the big bucks :P
Single engine turbine time is great once you have 500 piston multi command
The high capacity operators want 500 multi command or copilot time in a multi crew aeroplane. You won't get 500 multi crew without 500 command in most cases. Catch 22. It's getting harder and harder to get multi piston command too these days, as contractual minimas increase or >5700 ops are required.
GAs T&Cs are increasing as a result, while cadetships are eroding airline conditions the way of Europe to keep up the supply. Maybe one day you'll fly in an airline to get experience to fly in GA and earn the big bucks :P
Single engine turbine time is great once you have 500 piston multi command
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The economics of a SE Turbine are great for the smaller GA operators.
For pilots in general they are a killer to career progression.
Airlines, and ignorant HR types, want multi, even if its VFR multi, it will be taken over and above IFR ATO SE Turbine. For the simple reason they don't look at it to that depth for interview selection!
In about another 5yrs the sleepy NZ aviation industry will wake up and realise there are next to no multi operators for pilots to gain experience on as every Tom Dick and Harry is getting Caravans and Airvans.
For pilots in general they are a killer to career progression.
Airlines, and ignorant HR types, want multi, even if its VFR multi, it will be taken over and above IFR ATO SE Turbine. For the simple reason they don't look at it to that depth for interview selection!
In about another 5yrs the sleepy NZ aviation industry will wake up and realise there are next to no multi operators for pilots to gain experience on as every Tom Dick and Harry is getting Caravans and Airvans.
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In about another 5yrs the sleepy NZ aviation industry will wake up and realise there are next to no multi operators for pilots to gain experience on as every Tom Dick and Harry is getting Caravans and Airvans.
Something will have to change in recruitment at some point as more and more GA companies get rid of their piston twins and get in SE turbines. Even most of the ME Turbine GA operators require twin time to get a job. There will at some point (I would imagine soon) of guys with the experience but not the hours to do the job. This will either drive conditions up or force a change to minimums. I am guessing it won't change wages as this is aviation 
find a place that has SE turbine and twins, ie Hinterland, later on make the move across to twins and you are laughing. Is what I did and worked well. I know of many others that have done the same. Multi will get airline gigs later down the track, don't rush to get there though, the grass is always greener etc etc
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Really? Which airline? They maybe should advertise as I know several pilots with a lot more than an IR and no multi who would be rather keen. But maybe they are over qualified already.
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People I know have been picked up by Air NZ with a bare multi IFR and lots of SE VFR. Bugger all twin jobs in NZ, although I also know turbine multi captains who can't get an interview. I suspect tea leaf reading may be popular with HR.
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I suspect the interview process in Air NZ has an added HR spin on it. Just because you have the hours doesn't mean you automatically get the job.
Good thing it has gone to HR. I hear there are no more "50 hours recent NZ IFR" requirements etc.
Good thing it has gone to HR. I hear there are no more "50 hours recent NZ IFR" requirements etc.
Most job applications I've seen want the magic 500hrs multi time. It's possibly an insurance requirement and has been entrenched in operators minds for so long it will take a couple of generations for it to change.
Handling qualities are different with twins, such as power having a big effect on lift. Hopefully you won't get to do any asymmetric other than in training or testing.
Turbines aren't that hard to master, just a different skill set. Temperatures are of the utmost importance and the propellors do more things, but a skilled piston engine operator who can start a hot fuel injected engine, descend without cracking cylinder heads and knows how to cool a turbo charger properly won't have any problems.
Modern jets are even easier with the computers doing all the settings and calculations for you.
Get the 500hrs multi first so that box is ticked, and move on from there.
Handling qualities are different with twins, such as power having a big effect on lift. Hopefully you won't get to do any asymmetric other than in training or testing.
Turbines aren't that hard to master, just a different skill set. Temperatures are of the utmost importance and the propellors do more things, but a skilled piston engine operator who can start a hot fuel injected engine, descend without cracking cylinder heads and knows how to cool a turbo charger properly won't have any problems.
Modern jets are even easier with the computers doing all the settings and calculations for you.
Get the 500hrs multi first so that box is ticked, and move on from there.
Hey ElZilcho, out of curiosity who was your last GA employer who liked ATO time?
