Originally Posted by
pilotlyfe
First, I KNOW that twin turbine PIC time is better than twin piston PIC time. My question really is, is starting out in a multi engine piston airplane as PIC the normal when starting at a 135 operator in lieu of a multi engine turbine airplane such as the 99? I've gotten an offer from a company that operates both types of equipment but they'd rather have me start in their twin piston aircraft instead of their twin turbine aircraft (BE99). I already have a lot of twin turbine time as SIC and they acknowledged that and think it's great but they'd still rather have me start in the piston. Is this the normal right now for the current industry for pilots at 135 IFR PIC mins to start in a multi engine piston or is a multi engine turbine airplane more than possible?
Thank you in advance to anyone who replies.
If you don’t want to fly their twin piston don’t accept the job offer. Look for another job where you can start in a twin turbine.
If you do want to work for them take what they offer, get some experience and then flow to the twin turbine. At the rate guys are leaving for the airlines you’ll probably be in the turbine in 6 months.
As far as what’s normal. Whatever the employer wants is the norm. That’s new guys starting at the bottom and work their way up. You decide if that’s acceptable to you.
Twin pistons, in general, are cheaper than twin turbines. Despite the pilot shortage operators like to observe a newhire in a piston for a while before letting them loose on the expensive equipment. Most screwups managing a piston engine cost about 10% of one good screwup with a turbine. I know a guy that accidentally added fuel to two turbines as they were spooling down. Expensive. He was a 500 hour pilot that had bought 500 hundred hours of SIC time with Ameriflight in the early nineties. Your future employer wants to figure out if you’re that guy before it’s going to cost him a small fortune.