I'm sure it's on here somewhere but hours of searching gave me nothing. So here's my situation: I'm currently 19 with a CFII/MEI working at a flight school with 500TT and 110 multi. I do about 60-80 hours a month and about half of that is multi time while instructing. The question is: would it be more valuable to stick with instructing and wait for a Jet job, or go to surf air or boutique air as an SIC and get SIC turbine single time. A third (but not very enthused about) option would be sitting right seat at ameriflight in the EMB-120 and log turbine multi SIC time.

I'm most interested in the pros and cons of flying right seat in a turbine single. All assuming the SpecOps for the single required a first officer.

 

in the present regional airline hiring environment, log total time as fast as humanly possible to get to 1500 and make sure you get the other requirements for ATP covered in that time. They don't care which seat or how many engines. If you wish to avoid airlines, the 135 SIC in a multi crew and multi engine turbine will look much better on your resume. Stick around at AMF and upgrade to captain and get 1000 TPIC and your resume will look even better.

My $.02

 

Since you're looking specifically for the pros and cons of turbine single SIC time, I'll offer what I experienced (I flew for a turbine single operator and sat right seat until I met 135 minimums, all per their Ops Specs):

Pros: flying in all conditions (day, night, icing, thunderstorms, blizzards, etc) to all sorts of different airports, all in the system and all before having to do it on your own. CRM, turbine, 135 (read: commercial) experience. Overall fantastic experience and confidence builder, much more so than flying the same hour 500x instructing.

Cons: some employers will be skeptical, as many operators fly aircraft with a right seater (mostly for insurance reasons) that don't require a right seater (Caravans, PC-12s, Navajos, Twin Cessnas, King Airs, some Citations, etc). So do your homework and MAKE SURE (as in read for yourself, not take their word for it) there are provisions for SICs in their Ops Specs. Turbine single operations which require an SIC include no/inop autopilot and flying more than 8 hours on a trip. Another con is many operators who offer turbine single SIC positions also have a contract. Avoid contracts if at all possible. Oh, and the pay typically is about poverty level.

 

Well, technically even if the plane only requires one pilot under the type certificate, 2 pilots are required for part 135 ifr carrying pax. The opsspec may contain a provision to reduce it back to one with an functioning autopilot but I believe it is up to the certificate holder whether or not to exercise that option.

Where you might get into trouble is single pilot airplanes operated under part 91 or part 135 under VFR . In those cases make sure the logging is in fact legal.

 

What's your ultimate goal? A regional or corporate gig? How long is the upgrade from SIC to PIC?

 

My ultimate goal is obviously getting to the majors. My problem is I'm 19 (today) so I have quite a while until I'm eligible for the restricted ATP. Between now and then I want to build as much time as possible and make sure it's actually valuable. Not pic in a piston single. I have plenty of that already. If I can skip the regionals by flying 135 I would gladly do that.

 

With that being your goal, bite the bullet while you are young and single. Be mobile and willing to work your butt off. Ameriflight is the best option if the ones you listed at giving you the better looking resume as quickly as possible. Get 1000 hours TPIC at AMF as soon as you can. Getting to a major without doing time at a regional us not impossible, but the chances are greatly reduced. And the o my way to get there skipping the regionals is Multi-Turbine PIC time... Preferably under part 135.

So there is my recommendation. Find the first multi-turbine 135 op that will hire you and put your head down and push through the pain. And again, donut while you are young and single.

 

It wasn't obvious from your original post that your goal was the majors. And you have plenty of time in a piston single with only 500 TT and minus the multi...? I would virtually guarantee that you have no idea what you can do with a piston single, and are even good enough to take one to the edges of its envelope, maximize its utility, Etc. I would also guarantee there are piston singles that would eat you for lunch, especially with your minimal experience. Slow down partner, you're off to a good start and have plenty of time on your side. A piston single is where you will really learn how to fly! Anyone can learn to fly the jet and push buttons... Not all learn to fly!

 

Skip the regionals? Why? You're 19 w/500 hrs. When will you have 1,500 hrs? At the current rate you'll be there in 15 months. That's 20? 21? Regional Captain by 23, 25, 27 if you're not hired by a major by then. You're saying you'd rather be a SIC on a Pilatus vs. an FO on an EMB-120?

The typical recommendation is get 1500 hrs and get on with a regional. At your age you've got a good chance of being a regional CA in your early to mid 20's.

There's no mention of a college degree. Right now, with the current hiring requirements, you could get all the flying experience you want and the big players won't hire you without a four year degree. So make sure you meet ALL the requirements and don't think you'll be the one in 500 guy hired without the basic requirements.

 

Go to a AA wholly owned regional with a flow agreement, and the instructor pipeline bonus or whatever it's called. That way you get career progression that's fostered by large turn over yearly as individuals flow up. You can always apply to other majors while you're there but you could potentially be at a legacy by the time you're 30-33 on that path.