I am currently working as a flight instructor and I'm interested in getting a Citation type rating. I know which planes are covered by each type rating, what I would like to find out is which type rating would make me most marketable. I know the 525 covers a newer generation of the CJ models but I don't know if thats a good thing or not since there might not be very many of them in service. Any information or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

This topic has been discussed around here a bit.

The first question is, how are you paying for this type rating? Are you simply paying out of your pocket?

The next question is, do you have a job lined up for either model Citation?

Buying a type rating without time in type will get you nowhere but in debt. There are hundreds if not thousands of guys on the streets with either or both type ratings already and thousands of hours in type who cant get a job right now so your prospects would be bleak.

 

If you're trying to make yourself marketable by having a type rating, but you don't have any connections, trying to get on the "right seater" list at Flight Safety or CAE Simuflite might be an idea. I know Simuflite will give you a type rating after you've done a certain amount of time, but you won't get paid. So you'll have to have a side job. I don't know what the perks of FSI are. But besides the type, you're meeting people and forming connections. I heard about a guy recently that had done this at FSI for a while and just got offered a seat in a Lear 60...

 

Thousands of both types have been manufactured and are in service around the world. Its important to note that 500-series aircraft ceased production with the end of the Encore+, while 525-series have been in production since the early 90s and there are four 525-series models currently in production.

As a low-time pilot with little or no turbine time, the costs involved with buying your own type rating GREATLY exceeds the increase to your marketability; additionally, unless you go to simulator training you likely won't be insurable ESPECIALLY as a low-time pilot.

 

Having a type without any time in type is just throwing your money down the toliet. Make some connections with flight departments. It will be time well spent rather than getting a type.

 

To answer the man's question, I think the best thing to do would be visit the pilot job websites... climbto350, findapilot, avcrew, etc. There you will learn which type-rating is in higher demand.

 

What will a type rating do for you as a low time pilot? Likely nothing. You won't be insurable as a PIC for sure for some time anyway, so you have absolutley no need for a type rating. Even then a SIC type rating is only required when flying outside of the US.

Don't waste your money. Find someone else who will pay for it. You can't buy your way up the ladder...usually...

 

I used my GI Bill to get a CE-500 type rating after I finished all my CFI ratings. The owner made me a deal and I got the CE-525 type as well. I had about 350 hours at the time and I thought the types would make me more marketable. I found plenty of places that needed type rated co-pilots but NONE would touch me until I had at least 1500TT. I got hired on at skywest before I got to 1500TT.
Like everyone else has said, it's a waste of money unless you have a decent amount of Total time and won't do much good unless you have time in type as well. There are lots of pilots with tons of time in type that are unemployed right now, so you'd be competing against them for the very few jobs available.
IF you decided to get one, I'd recommend the CE-500. It seems like there are more job openings for that type. I'd also recommend getting your ATP at the same time as the type rating, since it's the same checkride.
I made some good connections at an AOPA flight instructor refresher course. It might be worth going to one of those just for the networking.

 

I'd add it to the ATP....but rather the C525 type as who knows how long it'll be before you get to 1500 hours...and I'd rather stay with the in-production model.

Just my .02

 

A pilot holding a CE525 type will be at a disadvantage, IMO, to a pilot who holds a CE525S (single pilot) type and can fly SP or crewed.