Should I buy multi or single to build time?

[kloe]

Hi folks, I am trying to get some suggestions from other pilots and what they would do in my shoes. I currently work the ramp for a major canadian carrier and have been doing so for the last 16 years. I am also 39 years of age trying to jump start my flying career. I might have an opportunity in my home town airport to get a first officer position flying a beech 1900 freighter. With another 200 to 300 hours on top of my 500 that I have now this company has hired low timers. Without distrupting my present job where mind you I can give away half of my working shifts to other guys that I work with, I was seriously debating whether to buy a twin engine airplane such as a piper apache geronimo which is probably the most affordable and I have flown quite a bit or a single engine airplane where I can fly this airplane with other pilots like me that want to build time as well. They would have to fly with me and pay for the gas as well some sort of dry rate that I would accept.
Or, I already have 130 hours on twins which about 100 are on this piper apache that my two friends own together and are presently looking for a third partner, should I buy into their partnerhsip or go on my own?
What would you guys do?

thanks

kloe

[Piltdown Man]

Neither - you have a licence and are qualified for the job. Don't spent another penny. Suggest to the other victims who are in the same position as you that they spend nothing as well. Eventually, when the operators who have spent nothing training find life a bit tough, maybe things may change for the better, especially for people like yourself (and eventually for people like me)!

PM

[kloe]

Thanks Piltdown man for the remarks. I totally agree with you but here in
Canada we seem to have quite a few guys that want to work for nothing that is why the wages here are so low. It seems incredible to note that somebody flying a beech 1900 gets paid like 25 to 30 thousand as a first officer!

thanks

[Boy_phantom]

Originally Posted by Piltdown Man

Neither - you have a licence and are qualified for the job. Don't spent another penny. Suggest to the other victims who are in the same position as you that they spend nothing as well. Eventually, when the operators who have spent nothing training find life a bit tough, maybe things may change for the better, especially for people like yourself (and eventually for people like me)!
PM

That really depends on whether you want to wait for the opportunity to arise or grab the bull by the horns. For your comment to work would require a lot of people in the same position as you to stop building hours and create some kind of revolution. To be honest, I can't see that happening (even though it would be wonderful). We have all worked hard to get to where we are today, so why stop now.

My advice would be to build as many multi hrs as possible.

[low n' slow]

I agree, It's a nice thought but it would never work in real life. Mainly because it's impossible to unite everyone in such unorganised chaos. It's been debated before so why bother again.

Don't bother building single engine piston. On my side of the pond it does nothing careerwise and is just costly. Spend your money on building multi/IFR time. That's what they want, preferrably in some form of professional organisation (commercial operation).

Best of luck!
/LnS

[B2N2]

It seems that you are already very close to your goal.
I would get a share in the Apache... an get the required total time.
Good luck....