Get an FAA MD-11 type rating or not?
 

Would having an MD-11 type rating on my FAA Airman Certificate help at all in getting me an interview at FedEx or UPS?

If so...
I have a foreign, non-ICAO type rating on the MD-11. Does anyone know if FedEx or UPS sell sim time and have examiners available? Or who might I contact to find out?

Where do World and Gemini send their pilots for MD-11 training?

Any info or thoughts on the topic appreciated!:rolleyes:

I don't think it would do you any good unless you have experience in the airplane, and you HAPPEN to be in the hiring pool at this very moment. I get the impression that the answer to both of those conditions is no.


By the time you might get a type rating, find a sponsor, schedule a meet & greet, and finally interview, this current wave of training will be ancient history. Even if we were in the same situation, I doubt that a type rating without the hours to back it up would be very meaninful.


Of course, I don't make those decisions, and I disagree on other points of the process with those that do, so I might be all wrong.






.

Alteon in Long Beach has an MD-11 sim.

TP

Waste of money... invest it elsewhere.

This from the PPrune North America forum:

"Please refer to FAR 61.55(d) for the regulatory requirements for issuance of an "SIC type rating". Bottom line: If you have completed the required training, It's just a paperwork exersise. As stated previously, there is no practical exam for the SIC type. Your training records and a signed 8710 may be presented to a FSDO inspector. He should be able to issue a new temporary on the spot. This is the quickest and easiest way to go. FSDOs in the boonies may be less familiar with this procedure than those located in a major city. "

Definitely get the SIC type, it's free. If you want a full unrestricted type then you'll need to talk to Alteon. If they can do it for less than a few thousand bucks then I think it is money well spent. The beauty of FAA type ratings is that they are permanent. If that type can open a door for you later in your career then it could easily repay the cost.


Typhoonpilot

GreenDOG... what are your totals as far as flying goes? What is your current career experience?

With the copetition being so keen, if you are in the 1500 to 2000 band, you would have a better success with a regional carrier.

Before investing in any type rating be it on the B737, Airbus, or MD11, try to contact current FED EX and UPS employees. Don't rely on here say from others or second hand information, for the price can be very expensive and all you'll have is a type rating and no where to go.

If you do have previous 121 experience without an ATP then an initial type rating on let's say a B737 or Airbus may be worth your while if you meet the major carriers' average minimums. Carriers state what their minimums are... but the average minumums are greater than the company minimums.

Good luck and stay in the game... you'll be happier that you did.:)

GreenDog,

Consider applying for an FAA certificate based on your foreign certificate. Don't know if it will work, but that way you don't have to pay for the US type, and can still claim it on your resume/US certificate.

Hello guys

Green Dog is an MD11 FO with EVA and I am sure he has more experience in terms of flying hour. And it's all Heavy MD11

As recommended in an earlier post, GreenDOG should take his training records to the nearest FSDO and talk to an FAA inspector. They should be able to point him in the right direction and give him the best guidance regarding the MD11 rating being added to his certificate in accordance with FAR Part 61.55(d). Better yet if EVA gave him an actual PIC type rating in the MD11, he may be able to have it added to his ATP certificate.

Good luck

As opposed to ... not-heavy? :)



Seriously, the experience in the airplane is what seems to count this week. (Who knows what the rules will be next week.) I would be more concerned about the requirements for US residency for the FedEx job. If he is selected and goes to the MD-11 at FedEx, he will go through the same course of instruction as any other FedEx MD-11 FO or Capt, and he will take a check-ride that will give him a Type Rating (not an SIC rating).





.

Thanks for your responses.

I'm going to check with Alteon for info on getting an MD-11 PIC type. I wasn't aware that there are SIC type ratings. I talked to an inspector at a FSDO yesterday and he said a check ride was all that is required for a type rating but good luck with the logistics of finding a sim and an examiner to give me the checkride. I'll ask about doing the paper work for a SIC type.

My previous question was specifically about applying to FedEx/UPS, and I understand that simply meeting the minimums and having friends/sponsors (at FedEx anyway) is what really counts. Thanks for the reminder that networking is the key to getting those jobs. However, I'm still interested in getting the type if it might open a door to future employment, as TP mentions, even if there aren't a great number of MD-11 jobs out there. I figure that since I'm flying the MD-11 now, it wouldn't be too much more work (and hopefully not more than a little money and hassle) to go get a permanent type on my FAA certificate.

I already have the ATP with a regional jet type rating and PIC time. I started flying the MD-11 in asia last year.
Thanks to all for the info!

Lots of good luck to you GreenDOG... Go get em!!!

As far as i know (and might be well off) most sim provider will not allow you to just rent the sim for the checkride, as the all work under part141, which requires full training. You could try renting the sim in Europe and contact a DPE in private.

If you do not have an FAA ATP, you could have it issued at competition of the checkride, as long as you meet all the requirementspelled on part 91 regarding ATP.
The only European company that i Know of the flies the MD 11 is Alitalia, and they do have sims in Rome

Good Luck!

SK3

DL in ATL has an MD11 sim.

Just a little curious why you don't like the EVA contract you are on? I fly EVA cargo with a US based MD-11 operator and love how well the flights are catered. The EVA staff all seem very professional. Taipei is one of my favorite cities. The girls over here are beautiful. So why have you been so unhappy for so long? I have read many of your posts, but never read any details of why you are being wronged. Please share.

To add to the post. I have a type in the MD-11 and assure you it will not make a difference to Fedex or UPS until you get the interview. It will not even determine if you get assigned to the Maddog once hired. If you are willing to work abroad, I am sure your international heavy jet time will land you an interview at some of the Japanese contract jobs or in the middle east. Otherwise, if you really want back home, I can only recommend applying to any US medium jet operator and stay current until you land that Fedex interview.

Stay positive,

BBB

Just curious, how do you guys handle augmented crews ? Always have 2 Captains ?

Most long haul flights at EVA run with 3 pilots; 1 Captain/4 bars, 1 Senior FO/3.5 bars (relief Captain), and 1 FO/3 bars. Pilot flying duties are split up according to who has gone the longest with no TO's or Lndgs.

Airlines will deduct cruise pilot duties from total time too.

Is the 3.5 bar F/O type rated ?

At FedEx we usually run 1 Captain, 1 F/O and 1 RFO 8-12 hours, 2 RFO's over 12 hours. All are typed on the MD11.

Thanks for the reply.

All pilots at EVA are type rated. The 3.5 bar epaulet Senior FO's are trained in both the left and right hand seat, though they must operate all their line TO and LNDGS from the the right hand seat. They only act as relief PIC in cruise while the PIC sleeps.

The MD 11 sched. at EVA is Horrible, this probably being the main reason GreenDog hates life at EVA. The sched. changes continuously, thus creating a permanent reserve sched.

I feel greenDog's pain. I flew the MD-11 for EVA in the mid to late 90s. The schedule really stinks. No stability, everytime you return back to TPE they hand you a schedule change. BigBeerBelly probably flies for World Airways. Laying over in TPE is different than being based there.

a few details
 

BBB,

Thanks for the advice. I received interview offers from a few airlines and even heard from World, all before I left my regional jet job to work for EVA. Since I've been at EVA and applying to only US airlines, I haven't heard from anyone. Due to the sinlence, I'm considering taking a small B1900 turboprop job just to get out of EVA quickly. Does that sound like a career killer? :confused:

Here's a copy of an email I recently sent to a friend with hopes of persuading him to not work at EVA. You're right about Taipei being a fun city, but EVA is not located there. I don't like to be Mr. Negativity but around EVA I actually feel like I am one of the more positive ones. :( The corporate culture here is bad beyond my imagination.
_______________________________

Everyone's situation is different but for most poeple, I have to recommend not coming to work here. However, if you do decide to work here, you're lucky to be in the 747 where the schedules are better than in the MD11 where I am. However, the 747 fleet is being converted to freighters and the schedules are gradually worsening.

The pay system here is not simple. Once every three months you get a bigger pay check if you're not flying a minimum number of hours each month. So, my average pay for the first 3 months of 2006 is $4500/month with two small checks in January and February, then a double sized check in March. I think this 3 month pattern holds true for the entire year. Then there is an extra months pay once per year. There is a new deal where you get a some housing and childrens education support if they all live in Taiwan.

You should average 8 days off per month and expatriate pilots usually get their days off in a block so that they can go home. I never know when my days off are coming and it is impossible to plan anything. My schedule changes several times each day on average, so working here is like being on permanent reserve and is sucks. It sucks and it sucks alot. Again, this is the MD11 and the 747 is better, for now. Sometimes you'll work 22 days and get 8 off. Sometimes you'll work 40 days and then get 2 weeks off. Or maybe you'll work 40 days straight and then they'll onlly give you only 9 days off -that's what they're trying to give me right now. Maybe they think I should be happy with that because many of the local pilots get only a few days off each month and some of them take no vacation time. You get 22 days of vacation (after finishing 4 months of training and 3 months of line flying) and you don't get to choose when you take it your first year. They just put it on your schedule when they want to if they give it to you at all. Also They are very good at scheduling you to finish your work late on the last day of your work days and very early on your first day back. For example, tomorrow I finish work at 23:59pm before starting my days off the following day. So if you have 8 days off, you can't leave town until your first day off. After subracting travel and recovery time, it feels like you get 4 days off for the month if you're commuting to the USA.

Upgrades to PIC are somwhere between 7 and 8 years right now. The rumor is that the time will increase, but many expatriate pilots are leaving because of the horrid conditions here and maybe that will affect the upgrade time. Something to consider is that alot of local pilots are starting abinitio training and it takes them 2 years to complete training. So when you see a local guy doing his initial 747 training at the same time you are, he will already be 2 years senior to you.

But don't worry about how long upgrade is, most guys don't last that long here. Many of the guys I met in training did not finish training. They got fed up and quit or were fired. EVA demanded a letter from my previous employer saying that I had quit and then it seemed like they wanted to terminate me. If you can keep your position in your current job (if you have one) as a backup, by all means do it. I almost walked out before I finished my training but decided to stay and suffer since I had no other job waiting for me and because I had hopes that things would be better later while online, which they are not. I've been online for less than a year and can't wait to find another job. If I don't get one by the end of the year I believe I'll quit anyway. Also, there is a series of interviews with management before you're allowed to upgrade. Failure and punishment are common. If they don't like you here, you're out of luck as far as upgrades go. There is no "real" union to protect you. Haha, what do you need a union for? There are almost no work rules for the union to enforce, or any kind of rules for that matter that can't be changes by the company on a whim.

Let me know if you have any other specific questions. If you come here, I'll buy you the beer, you'll need it. If you go elsewhere abroad, let me know how it goes.

Also, you've seen this ****hole called Nankan and the EVA dorm building when you came for the interview, right? You'll be staying here at least to start and probably for the length of your employment whenever you're in Taiwan. It's by far the worst place I have ever spent so much time.

Thanks for sharing your point of view. I now have a much clearer picture of why so many leave EVA. I am not sure if it will help or not, and many may disagree, but I received four interviews from attending an AIR Inc conference. You might consider attending one of them if you have a chance. PM me if there is anything I can do for you.

Cheers,

BBB