Originally Posted by
razorseal
after I had made this post, I ran into a person while having lunch with my crew at work. he overheard me talking about piloting and came and introduced himself. He is a training captain / check airmen for a 135 charter company that flies hawker jets. he gave me his info and we became friends. He told me to get to 1000 hours and he will get me a FO job as a hawker pilot. He also told me once I get my CPL/MEL at around 500 hours, on part 91 flights (he said when on a contract) he can bring me along as a FO/SIC and get me trained on the jet and get me my SIC type rating. I trust this works out for me because it will be an amazing opportunity. He is also CFII and said he will gladly get me current and train me for IFR without charging me.
This "amazing opportunity" would be a poor choice unless they fly 700-800 hrs, or more, a year *IF* your goal is to get to a a major airline. It's not what "amazing opportunity" you get offered it's about which choice gets you to match up with the candidates getting hired at the airlines (assuming that's your goal as it's the best paying and also offers the most time off. Not flying but on standby isn't completely 'time off'. Buddy's son was dragging his feet about getting his CFI. Pursued his MEL because he had several offers to fly bigger/nicer jets than a Hawker, as well as a King Air 350, once he had 500 TT. Cost him 1-1.5 (?) years of CFI time that would have had him at a regional already?? Instead it looks like he'll be at a regional next spring. Maybe a net loss of 6 months to get to a regional? If it ultimately costs him 6 months of longevity at his final job Hell be out $175,000+ for the 6 month delay. Which jet offer to he take once he got 500 TT? Flying a job that gets him to the regionals ASAP - a Cessna getting 1200+ hrs a year. Looks like he'll go from 500 hrs to 1450 in about 8 months. I think he realized the 'cool' job that does fly his brains out isn't worth it. The highest flying job, even if it's in a Piper Cub, is the path to achieving his goal of getting to a major airline career. If the Piper Cub gets him there 6 months sooner it's the same as being paid $30,000 a month (paid off at the end of his career) vis taking the 'cool' job now. Every job offer that slows your advancement towards your ultimate goal, be it by not flying much OR via a training contract that delays your departure, isn't being offered in your best interest. It's being done in their best interest at your expense.