BeardedFlyer

USMCFLYR,

I just threw the .3 out there. Including taxi and time in the pattern each leg is probably a little longer than that. Also, they're flying these PA32's back and forth 25 times per day. The chief over there stated that pilot's fly an average of 80 hrs a month which would be 1440, so I was rounding up a little bit.

Also, you are correct, my reasoning for going to AMflight would be to get that ATP X-C time that i will be missing out on spending 18 months flying under a 50 mile radius on a tiny island. As far as extra opportunities to fly go, there are some flight schools on the islands so I should be able to do some CFII work on my days off to keep current on instruments and MAYBE even some MEI time in a Aztec.

Thanks so much for the input.

And to smuggler, don't worry, no Rota routes.

bcpilot

@ the Original Poster

I am in no way more qualified to give advise more than USMCFLYER & RICKAIR7777, but I will try to add a few things, maybe they help. Pls don't mind if some words are too direct.

The more flying hours are good, but the effort must be focussed on your Destination & what you need to reach your destination. Don't go blanket flying with no aim, whether it is 135 or instructing...

Break your ULTIMATE BIG GOAL into small achievable targets & start putting an approximate Date on the things. Write your goals along with dates & post it on the FRIDGE or on your desk.....

If your AIM is airlines PART 121, then you need to prepare for that.

U already have 450 TT now, next you need to reach is 500 TT with 50 hrs MULTI, that will put you at the minimums reqd for Eagle & maybe Peidmont etc etc.
Next target, reach 700 TT & 100 Multi, which is minmums for ASA, next reach 800/100 which is Eagle 2nd level quals, next target 1000/100 for Skywest ....
Next target 1200/200 for the next level of airlines.

Somewhere along this time, you need the ATP 121 written knocked off with a decent score.

If U are still not hired, then U can continue with 135 VFR flights to reach 1200 TT for 135 operations & get picked up by a 135 gig. After 1200 TT, you should focus mainly on getting Multi time, not Giving joyrides in a single....
But U can give Joyrides in a Twin if U like... That will help.....

1500 TT is a threshold for a reason, you need to have X-C times, PIC requirements, IFR flying & Proficiency in flying in & out of Class B & C airspaces & shooting approaches like an PRO Airline PILOT, atleast 200 to 300 hrs on a twin, That is what having an ATP with 1500 TT means......

I am not putting this 135 VFR job down, get it NOW by all means, this will show you are employed in aviation full time. Infact, you will have something which even I don't have, a current flying job. But don't make it your HOME, always remember you are here only for a short time, KEEP MOVING to you next goal.

You can spend the next 18 months flying 135 giving joyrides & earning peanuts or prepare your self correctly & get hired in the next 6 months... If you do it right, it is possible that you will get hired before I do.....

Best of Luck.....

BeardedFlyer

bcpilot,

hey, thanks a lot for the time you took to give me your thoughts but I need some clarification. First you say:

"I am not putting this 135 VFR job down get it NOW by all means"

But they you say:

"You can spend the next 18 months flying 135 giving joyrides & earning peanuts or prepare your self correctly & get hired in the next 6 months"

So what would you say "preparing myself correctly" would be, instructing for 50 to 100 more hrs (which could take 6 to 7 more months) and try to get on with American Eagle at the bare mins or go ram the hours in quick through this Saipan thing? Preparing for the ATP and becoming a real PRO is why I mention the year at Ameriflight (a 135 IFR single pilot cargo job) when my 18 month "time building" contract is up.

It seems to me like crawling towards another 100 or 200 hrs through instructing to reach bare minimums is a 50/50 gamble and if I lose, than I'm stuck in no mans land trying to get on a regional as a low timer competing with more qualified pilots; at this point in this hypothetical scenario, I'd be too far along to want to do this 18 month Saipan thing but any 135 IFR job will also seem pretty distant. On the other hand, if I get the 1500 in a year and a half (it's an 18 month contract by the way) come back to the states, fly a year of 135 single pilot IFR than I should be a shoe in for any regional.

If this were a couple years earlier I would say I'd go ahead and apply for my regional when I got back from Saipan but by then the ATP rule will be in effect.

So my basic quandary here is this: instruct to scratch my way to the bare mins HOPING to get a call and a hire from a regional I don't even really want to work at (ALSO, AE has a 2 year new hire contract so getting on with them would put me at Skywest or Horizon no earlier than 3 years from now anyway) OR, with plan B, have an almost a guaranteed (I use this word loosely) 2200 TT, 600 ME with an ATP (and plenty of quality IFR experience) by 2016. At that point I would be 26 years old.

Ewfflyer

There is no such thing as "preparing yourself correctly." That's just my opinion.

My life story is about somehow finding random opportunities, and making the most out of them. My CFI, Freight, and last job, I had every single one of them by just going for it. The later two I literally just walked in, talked, and walked out with a job. If it feels good, and you can't find a reason against it, GO FOR IT!

You're getting paid, you're building time......and it's something you can talk about in an interview. My only concerns are you won't really be getting much Instrument time/skills. Find a way to maintain that skillset!!!!!

Depending on the hours/month you get at this job, you might be able to squeeze in some CFI work depending on if they allow it or not. Why not work both sides of the street?

Best of luck to you

jcrews

Definitely do both if you can. I'm around the same time as you and am currently instructing and flying VFR 135, and I'm having a lot of fun. I can see the benefit in both.

SenecaII

Just like anything else in aviation be careful what you overly quantify. I was hired at lo time to fly 135 VFR in a turbo twin, and it was a very safe well maintained aircraft. I built some good multi PIC along with the ability to sell the charters and work with the FAA face to face whenever they checked in on us. All in all it was one of the best experiances I have had in aviation, and I learned a ton about 135 ops. I'll admit I was in the right place at the right time, but all 135 VFR outfits are not fly by night. Like anything else do your homework when looking at an operation.

Cyborgmudhen

Right place , right time.
Gotta learn how to do that magic !