319 vs 320 hours

[Merlyn]

My airline may be going belly up soon. Currently flying a mix of 319, 320, and 321 aircraft. A recruiter wants me to break out my mix of time. Only interested in my 320 time. I don't understand, it's the same type certificate, all my sim checks have been in a 320 even though all my line flying has been 319 and 321. We didn't even get out first 320 until a few months ago. Can anyone enlighten me as to if this distinction is normal?

[Artificial Horizon]

Not normal at all, they are a common type and I have always shown my A319/20/21 time as one figure. I have never been asked to break it down any further than that.

[one day soon]

Not normal and no valid reason for it, however I have heard of some Eastern airlines only counting 320 hours as they dont consider 319 hours valid???
Is it Vietnam youre looking at per chance?

[Norman Stanley Fletcher]

The only people who could want to know this are non-pilots who have zero grasp of what it means to have a common type-rating. I have flown all 3 variants (A319, A320 & A321) and would comfortably switch between all of them day to day. Other than the tail strike consideration on the A321 the real differences lie in the different engine types, hydraulic configurations, FMGCs etc. That really is not variant-related but more associated with date of purchase and lease company. Therefore, whoever puts stock on these things are showing themselves up for their woeful ignorance, and by definition are probably best avoided.

[Merlyn]

Thanks for the replies. Think I got it sorted out. Was confusion by the secretary. Yes we have all three models and we switch from one to the other all the time. Vietnam is one of the contracts I am looking at but am not sure if this nonsense arose over this as the position requirements clearly state time in A319,320,321 aircraft which I quoted to the nice lady in my reply. We'll see if I made myself clear. Best outcome of all will be we settle this upcoming strike, get a fair contract and I can continue living and flying in paradise...

[ICING AOA]

I heard that the same things apply for the ATR jobs, some agencies want ATR72 hours and the ATR42 hours count like zero.

[bear11]

Seen it before, it's usually a local CAA thing rather than airline or agency. Concur with ICING AOA, I have seen the ATR thing in India, you can get it sometimes on the F100 or F70 and Airbus too. It happens with engineers also and can even work from the other side - local CAAs refusing to put types on your license at the request of the airline so it's difficult to leave, for example. One Thai Captain friend had "B737-400" only on his license rather than the normal range (don't mind including the -NGs!), it caused him huge problems. It's more common than you think outside of JAA/EASA-land.

[B767PL]

Merlyn, assume you're at Spirit.

Best of luck to ya guys. Good on ya for not bending over.

[Merlyn]

Yes, I'm at Spirit and thanks for the good wishes, wish I wasn't in this position but no way will I ever scab. Feel like the Woody Allan character in "Love and Death". He's a Russian soldier watching the slaughter on the battlefield below. "God is testing us" says the soldier next to him. "Couldn't he just give us a written?" says Woody...

[CarltonBrowne the FO]

If you just guesstimate figures for 319,320 and 321 and make up a split that looks convincing (hint- don't make the split too even), are they likely to check?
That was what I was going to do, although in the end I was spared...
Good luck anyway.

[Metro man]

I have heard that Vietnam won't accept A319 hours, they fly A320/A321 and that's the time they want. A319 hours would obviously count for total and jet hours but not towards type requirements.

I know they won't accept ATR 42 time for the ATR 72.

Check with PARC, Direct Personnel, or Rishworth (best avoided)

[747JJ]

Hoursplitting seems to be something that has surfaced with all these new contract agencies. They are CV-hunting and collecting a database or when a company is looking for pilots say for 747-200 they simply ask for experience on the type not knowing that -300 is the same from pilot's point of view and in many cases it's the same type rating ie 747. I've been asked to separate hours using different engine types on the 747 and also how many hours do I have on a 767 with GE engines versus P&W.

I used to fly VVIP aircraft, 727's and 737's. So when a position surfaced, I promptly applied. I was told that they wanted "Recent VVIP experience" and as I am flying for an airline thus did not qualify It gave me a good laughter.

Is it just me or does anyone else feel that most of these agencies have no clue as to what they are doing. Talking with recruiter is like pulling teeth. You say one thing and the response you get is like the person on the other end read it straight from a form?


However the whole thing is getting out of hand. Contract agencies are popping up like mushrooms after rain, but l only so many mushrooms are eatable rest being garbage. This applies to all these new contract agencies as well.

[B767PL]

Shame it has come to this, and surely isnt fun to be in such a position. Hope, and believe you guys will pull out of this alright, and with better terms. Sure deserve it.

Sure hope so, anyways. After watching the whole industry states side getting battered it's relieving and awesome to see a pilot group finally stand up, bash through the obstacles of the RLA, with their middle finger held up high.

Best of luck with Vietnam in worst case scenario. Talked to some guys with some mates over there and they are loving it.