All valid points and I appreciate all the feedback. The knowledge and experience on this site continues to amaze me. I agree with the "what kind of employer wouldn't pay for your training" statement. But, it's hard to even get to the bargaining table when your resume is tossed aside because you lack the required type. I grew up in a corporate aviation household, my father is a highly experienced GIV Captain and my mother is his contract flight attendant, so I'm well versed in Corporate Aviation politics. My father also, expressed huge concern for the industry when I mentioned this idea to get my foot in the door. I realize that there are other solutions, but my unbiased opinion and basic economic theory tells me something else. The aviation industry, pilot demand curve has changed to an extremely unfavorable condition (pilot perspective). Do any of us pilots, (putting ego's aside) really have any bargaining chips in this game? I'd venture to say, during these times, that we don't. There are simply too many qualified pilots out of work. Although it appears that you're paying for the job, I think it can also be argued that you're showing commitment and strong desire to work for the company. Having said that, I realize that going against the grain of most pilots in this industry would basically be committing professional suicide, so I'm encouraging and soliciting more responses to this question. Thanks for all the advice!

 

If you are willing to move and are flexible there are plenty of places that will hire you corporate without a type rating. If you have a military background there is much less resentment out there in corporate than if you are coming from a regional. Unless it is like SWA that hires you then you get the type and they reimburse it, you are just shy of throwing your money away. Get any corporate job that will treat you half descent and type you than you are on your way! Did your Dad buy his type in the G4 or did he work his way up to it? I have 5 type ratings from GREAT corporate gigs after I did my time in a King Air 200. Are you looking for the easy career or the right career because you will have proven what YOU think you are worth(-$35,000)! This is one step worse than the guy that will fly right seat for free to build time.

 

Do not pay for the type! The previous threads are correct. Any company that nickle and dimes up front will only get worse as time goes on. Pretty soon you are buying your own uniform, paying for your medicals, staying in crappy hotels, no rental cars, etc...

 

"it's hard to even get to the bargaining table when your resume is tossed aside because you lack the required type."



Having the type rating isn't always necessary but its a way to weed down the applicants. Having the personality to fit in well with the other guys is most important. I was a token interview at my department because of an internal connection. My boss was told to look at me. But I was in the right place at the right time with the right attitude. Because of this I went from a C402 with zero turbo prop or jet time to a Citation 7 type rating immediately and a Citation 10 type rating 7 months later.

 

Well, we're not talking about airlines, are we? I don't comment on airlines because it's outside of my area. But I stand behind what I said for owner/operators and corporate. They can't afford the airplane if they even WORRY about training costs.

 

I've never been typed in an airplane I've been hired to fly. Then again, I know it must be hard to hear these words in a horrible economy with hundreds of corporate pilots out of work, not to even mention the airline guys.

Think about paying 30 Grand for a type, and then 6 months later the airplane goes away. What does your new type do for you now? 90 days later you can't keep it current, have trouble getting contract work, and then it's just sitting in your pocket waiting for you to spend money to go to recurrent...

 

I know you are trying to further your career. Just think about what you are doing to those of us who have never payed for a type. You will be destoying everything we have worked for as pilots. This is why the airlines have unions. To protect pilots from pilots willing to sell there first born to keep flying. GOOD LUCK or are you going to buy some luck as well.

 

Hey guys I could use your opinions over in 'King Air contract work?" thread, its almost the same.

 

C7700- "This is one step worse than the guy that will fly right seat for free to build time" You actually quoted my father exactly. Kind've scary. Thanks for the good advice

MAXSPEED- Congrats on your success! The 10 is an exceptional aircraft. Let me know if your company is excepting any more "token" interviews

CLIMBTO450- I appreciate the advice, not the sarcasm. Perhaps you should review my posts on this thread that cautiously ask a legitimate question with valid points.


All- Thanks for all the inputs. I truly appreciate the feedback. This is a hard sell to any military aviator trying to break into this market. I have personally experienced the ups and downs of corporate aviation my entire life, so I understand these responses. Most military aviators will not. No type=No Job=No problem I'll just pay for the type to help me get the job that I desire. This is the general military mentality. The reason this is difficult for most military aviators to comprehend, is that our benefits will pay for the type rating of our choice. I agree and understand all of your viewpoints and I certainly don't want to be blacklisted.

I'll try to sell this to my piers, but I'll get the exact opposite answer. Perhaps you can help me????

How do I sell this philosophy to someone who's a qualified candidate, who's endured multiple deployments for months away from their family, taken fire, and constantly moved his family from place to place disrupting his children’s education? Who can also increase the chances of getting the desired lifestyle/qol at his dream job with very little expense of his own? Or he can start at the lesser desired location/job, move his family around and switch jobs to "pay his dues" and properly "earn" the job that he really desires 5-10 years later?

This is the mentality; these are not my opinions, food for thought!

 

Please DO NOT PAY FOR YOUR INITIAL TYPE.

Having GI Bill or similar money puts you in a different position than Joe Sixpack, but I still would advise against it, especially considering that many companies want time in type to go along with a type rating. Of course having a type will open you up to more opportunities, but the downside of which is the company will be saving money at your expense and you're unlikely to see a penny of those savings unless you specifically negotiate it. Additionally, your actions will put inadvertently put pressure on your colleagues to do the same thing, possibly making you receive scorn or worse from your coworkers as the proverbial bar will have been lowered by employees accepting personal financial risk that should be borne by the operator.

Training pilots is simply a cost of doing business with a multi-million dollar company airplane, much like insurance and fuel. A company that offers good QOL and compensation shouldn't worry about having pilots come, get a type, then leave.

Beyond paying for your own type, there are training contracts. My owner asked an innocent question about the possibility of training contracts and I told him it would cost us the quality employees HE wants to attract and keep; it was never asked again.

I would not necessarily be opposed to signing a training contract if I otherwise enjoyed my employment, but no other profession has to agree to pay back the cost of their training if the leave - WHY IS AVIATION ANY DIFFERENT?