The toughest gig
 

A question for those that have made it through to the airlines via the GA route.

What was the hardest step along the way?

I have heard many times that piston twin IFR charter is the most difficult type of flying. Is this the case?

What about the first multi-crew turbine job, getting your head around SOP's CRM etc?


Or is it the Jet Job with all the associated sim training?

I'm sure others with heaps more experience will have some great advice but here's my spin on it all...

(1) I think the "hardest step" can vary from person to person. For some its the first job, others the first Multi/IFR job, not discounting the effort put in to eventually getting the airline job which is obviously bloody hard work as well.

Personally, I found the step towards getting a Multi IFR job the most difficult, simply because I had got myself bogged down in a lot of single VFR flying and my logbook was starting to look very lopsided. My advice is if there looks like even a sniff of multi flying will become available at your current gig, hang around, even if it only means 50 or 100hrs. It will make a difference.

Getting an airline gig is a little different. Obviously lots of hoops to jump through but you aren't ringing the chief pilot every 2 weeks reminding him you're still alive, or sending resumes all over the country. The target is a lot more defined in most cases, with specific requirements and phases of selection processes (once again, this varies from airline to airline.)

(2) Multi IFR is definitely the most difficult type of flying I've done, but I reckon ab-initio instructing isn't that far behind. Once again it's all relative. If you have come from beating around the bush in a VFR 210 and suddenly find yourself in and out of primary airports in an IFR piston twin with weather around you will be behind the eight ball. 50-100hrs or so down the track and you start to get a bit more comfortable, the same way you were in your VFR job but you'll find the challenges will pop up all the time.

(3) Can't comment on this sort of flying unfortunately.

(4) Can't comment on that either at this stage, but will let you know in about 2-3 months!!!

Cheers,
TL

Trying to convince the Australian airlines that flying in PNG is propper RPT, professional and pro-safety.

QL even suggested that PNG operators didn't use operations manuals or even have Chief Pilots!!!