C206 vs GA8 investment worth it?
 

For the operators who hire lower-hour pilots out their:
With 350+ hrs TT & a Grade 3 I'm contemplating getting some time on either a C206 or an Airvan. Probably 4 hours in the C206, or 2 hours in the GA8.
However, is this actually worth it considering to date I have Arrow, C172 & Maule M5-235c time.
Also, would it actually increase my chances for an interview?
One school of thought is that unless I do 10 hours in either, it's not worth it at all.
Really?
Thanks

Forget the airvan, 206 will cover you for most situations.

4 hours isn't much, but it's possibly 4 hours more than your competition.

Also, your taildragger time might set you out from the crowd with some CP's. Your G3 more than likely will not.

If I were considering an applicant for a position flying such a simple type like the ones mentioned I really wouldnt care if they had minor time on type or not. A check ride and ICUS time gives you the opportunity to show whether or not you have the nuts and bolts to operate competently and adapt to the aircraft in a timely fashion. The issue is getting that check ride with a CP. What will help you achieve that is good presentation, being well-spoken, desire to learn, a can do attitude and being free of the OWT cancer that flying schools love.

What's funny is that when you look at log books of people who have built time in a 200 series, instead of doing some worth while exercises in the aircraft like circuits at a short unsealed strip or glide approaches and the like you see that they have been doing ridiculous navs. Because that is really going to teach you a lot and give you the edge on a check flight right?

Finding pilots with time on type isnt hard, whats hard is finding a pilot with the right attributes these days. Any idiot can spend cash on getting time for the sake of simply having the time in a log book.

I recently witnessed a few pilots doing some long Navs in a new type, in order to rack up their '10 hours' in tailwheel, for a potential new job. Personally I'd have preferred them flying circuits...

C206 vs GA8 investment worth it?
 

..........

Thanks for the prompt responses:)
What does OWT mean sorry?
Agreed. Where I did my initial tailwheel endorsement the instructor insisted the first 10 hours solo were spent circuit bashing as that's what mattered. Sure sorted out any residual X-wind landing issues (lazy feet) I had very quickly.

OWT

Old Wives Tales...bar stories (sorry to denigrate it in this way guys, but most conversations on these topics start with beerz involved)

Some of the most common ones...

Rich or Peak or Lean of Peak
Gear up or Down for emergency landing
Don't turn back after engine failure
Turbo cool down time

(yes jabba, i have been listening :) )

Enjoy

A rating on both would help your chances considerably if you decided to head over to Botswana.
A small amount of hours in either isn't really going to help you much. One of the tricks of a GA8 is getting the bloody thing started on a hot day after its been sitting for about 10 minutes...
C206 is not turning into captain kangaroo...

What helped me is having a good read of the flight manuals and an understanding of the systems (or lack of in some cases) and differences between models ect ect, helped me in the interview stage by showing interest. Few solid differences in the C210 between common models,and similar for the C206. If you can spot the differences it sure isn't going to hurt your chances. As for time on type, I sure couldn't fly a C210 after 4hrs as a 200hr pilot, not to any sort of reasonable standard anyway.

Flood it. Seems to work well

@Pistn~ I know right?! Prime it, mixture idle, start, then keep an eye on the fuel pressure gauge. If it was 0, hit the fuel pump or boost thing.
Seemed to work a charm. Only had one backfire that caught the air filter on fire...

As mentioned on another post there is a Cessna 185 for hire in South Australia. If you want a unique resume this may be of interest to you. Search for 'Aero Advance' on facebook for the details, or phone 0427 911 557. It's a bit more expensive than some 206's you'll find, but it is located on a quiet dirt strip where you'll average at least 8 landings an hour with an experienced Ag. Pilot.

O W T
 

jas24zzk. What are your opinions/preferences regarding the OWT's you mentioned?

I, too, had to google OWT. What I got was unspeakably sexist.

Off topic: I have 20000 hours, with 20 tailwheel. Most of that was circuits, with a little spinning and aeros. Still the best 20 hours of my flying career. What it taught me was that if you don't fully understand the sonofabitch, you won't be able to land the sonofabitch.

I am not an employer and not ever likely to be. But if I was, I would give honours to tailwheel training.

As both "experiences" will involve homeopathic flying in the end it may not matter, unless you are almost on a jump for an interview involving one of the two types. So, if you are on the jump to apply for a low time position in Africa, go C206 as it is very common. If you are on an interview trail for one of the Northern Europe islands hopper, have some GA recent experience may be the razorblade 100 mikron towards a job. If neither is on your filo already, get whatever you like as it does not matter really.

Why not put the Gr3 you hold to good use? That's $15-30k already spent.

3,000 hrs in GA8 normally aspirated and Tubocharged.

Never had a problem hot starting it if the Mags are correctly maintained.

1. Put fuel in: throttle open, mixture rich, boost pump on for about 5 seconds of indicated fuel pressure, then close throttle, mixture ICO

2. Put air in: crank and progressively open throttle until engine lights off, reduce throttle, richen mixture til smooth running, put elec boost pump on if needed until hot fuel completely purged from injector lines and servo unit.

Other method below if only been sitting 5 minutes, usually worth a try.

No prime, mix to rich, throttle closed, crank and open throttle progressively and it should fire right up, but will likely need boost pump on for a minute or so after start. If it no start straight up, GOTO 1.


BTW CASA think that if the pilot has any difficulty with hot starts that they should write this up in MR as a defect and not fly until it has been rectified. Seriously. Failure to write up starting difficulty is an NCN in their tiny deluded little deformed brains.

HD

4forward8back: Simply due to the lack of instructing jobs around. I do want to instruct, but am equally keen to do non-instructive flying.

There is a lack of all types of jobs around at the moment. Pursue the one(s) you want most because you may be waiting a while.

From what I've seen over the last 12 months of job hunting there is a lot more instructing work than other flying. Aim for the big schools to get a start.

RAA instructing would be a good start, instructors seem to be needed there. That may have changed with the Jab situation though.