Fixed wing twin turbine time any use ?

[goaround7]

Hopefully going to get into off shore twin flying some day soon but no opportunities for scoring any twin heli time in sight.

Could do B105 rating but no chance to fly it.

However, I've got the chance to do some King Air flying.

Will multi engine fixed wing IF time impress anybody or will employers only consider heli time ?

[Thomas coupling]

If you're going into helo territory, your FW time will be recognised but not accredited.

[goaround7]

Thanks Thomas C. I've got a couple of thousand hours helicopter, ATP and IR but no twin. When you say 'recognised' I suppose I am asking will some twin turbine fixed wing IF time increase my chances of being considered for a twin engine helicopter position (insurance issue ?) ? Or will it be irrelevant to employers ?

[Thomas coupling]

Considered as 'additional experience' which may sway it in your favour if you are neck and neck with another applicant.
But the hours are not transferable as you are probably aware.
It's not an insurance issue, I would suggest.

[goaround7]

Thanks, probably worth having as an ace up the sleeve then, but I won't turn down a 222 flight for it.

Interesting though that the insurers here in South Africa seem to have some reverence for turbine helicopter time and have no problem putting me on without a loading against more experienced fixed wing pilots whom they do load.

From what I've learned from the PC12 and King Air technical courses is that something horrible mechanical has to happen or you really have to be ham fisted with a fuel control lever to screw it up and cook a PT6 whereas NOT having hot over temp'd an EC120 or a Long Ranger seems to impress...

Anyone else experienced this or is it just about total time and an ATP ?

[IHL]

goaround7:
I fly a KingAir with a PT6-21A engine and on a 30 degree day you have to watch the start carefully, with any carelessness it could be easily overtemped on start up.

What the kingair time will do for you is give you a solid IFR background which is transferable(skill-wise) to helicopters.

Once in the terminal area, IFR in a Helicopter or in an Aeroplane is quite similar.

[goaround7]

Thanks IHL. That's the sort of encouragement I needed. My Heli IF rating is a bit irrelevant as it is, as I've never used it in real IF conditions. Never been in a heli certified for IF so always been under the hood.

My real IF has been on PC12 and only as 'copilot' (aka P2 ride along and ask loads of question about the EFIS) plus time on fixed wing simulator. Will get my head down then and pursue this.