Originally Posted by
FlyTheArrow
Any news on if IFL will be looking for flight engineers on the 727 in the near future? It sounds like a few of you on this thread work(ed) for IFL, but those posts are a bit old at this point.
I'm currently trying to chart my path from newly-minuted commercial pilot to being paid to fly. When I talked to the person from IFL at Oshkosh this last year, being a flight engineer on the 727 sounded like a really compelling alternative to going the CFI route. I've looked at where/when the 727 flies, so I'm pursuing this eyes-wide-open that the schedule will be lots of nights, but I'm up for it.
I have the chief pilot's email and phone, and I sent an email a while back expressing interest, but I'm waiting to reach out again until I've got my commercial checkride done.
How about Mokulale, Berry, Denver Air Connect, Cape Air, Great Lakes.... You'll probably need to CFI for a little bit, but there are jobs that you can do if you are willing to take on an adventure.
Right now you need Total time, Night, Cross Country, and PIC hours. CFI will do that for you. FE on a clapped out 727 will not.
Then you need Turbine, and especially ME Turbine hours. Any of the above will help with that.
Then you need ME Turbine PIC hours. FE in a clapped out 727 will not help.
If you can work both as an FE and CFI, that will help pay the bills in the near term and show your ability to train and succeed in complex jet operations. It is not, however, a long or mid term strategy.