Part Time/Contract Retired 121
 

Taking a shot in the dark here, picked this sub-forum because of the volume…..

Recently (early, 62) retired from major 121, looking to continue flying, but not interested in FT. I keep hearing there are lot of opportunities
for part time/contract work these days, and have considerable charter, corp, and fractional experience and types, but not current in any
of the types I flew previously (Lears, King Airs) and would require refresher.

What are the best resources for finding this sort of work? Back in the day (25yrs ago) it was purely contacts, contacts, contacts, but I see now there are several
online pilot hiring resources.

What is the most effective way into this sort of flying? Unfortunately not a lot of contacts in this part of the aviation world any longer. Any suggestions welcome

I’m assuming you go the “realtor” way and get your name out there, everywhere.
Probably start with LinkedIn then a handful of pilot looking/pilots wanted websites like this one:

https://bizjetjobs.com/contract-pilot-jobs/

Although I have no idea how secure these sites are with your data.
Probably get a burner phone for those.
Not 100% sure but in the past I’ve been told as a contract pilot you’re expected to pay your own recurrent hence the $1000/day some of these guys charge.
I don’t see your employer scheduling and paying for your recurrent for a pop-up three day.

.
Thanks for the lead. I figured BYO currency would be an issue. Last time I did it was with a previous FT employer I left who then subsequently used me contract, and it worked out well enough where they picked up two recurrents for me. Not willing to plunk down $$$$ just to be eligible

I guess this leaves a PT employer with a training contract for defined amount and duration of availability. I realize it’s all supply and demand but hearing it’s getting tight for crews…….

How about the following blended option:
Apply at a 135, get recurrent and go contract once your first year is up .
Gentleman’s agreement is a year bar any training bonds.
So a recurrent on a second type on your own dime and you should be in business with two current types.
No idea how realistic this is, just a thought.
Some 135 operations have you home based and airline you to wherever the airplane is.
Since propellers belong on boats I’d focus on the jet types.

I'm in the same boat. 62 and took the early out. Thrilled to be out of the airline these days for reasons I won't go into.

I have a buddy who manages an old 501SP for a wealthy guy. So a mix of 91 and 135 flying. Business has been booming for them since Covid began and they are confident that it will continue. A lot of their pax have expressed an interest in using them again. Apparently, a fairly large group of folks are just done with the airlines and are now chartering instead. I guess if you're traveling with 3-6 people and paying FC fares this option is appealing.

I was lucky enough to find a job at the LOCAL airport so no more commuting and all the associated hassle. I'll be working part-time which is another plus. Mostly day trips.
The pay is per day so if I want to hustle a bit, it pays off. Schedules are set a month out so if I need specific days off, I'll get them. No beeper. No on-call or 'reserve'.

I am headed to Flight Safety next month for initial Citation school (at their expense). They're just that desperate for pilots, though I will have to sign some sort of contract. I have yet to see the specifics but am pretty confident that I actually have a bit of leverage. They've been looking for guys and they're not out there. Most of the young guns are Jonesing for an airline job and the commuters will take just about anyone with the pulse so there's a hell of a vacuum. One of the reasons they like me is that I'm not looking for an airline job!

I'm actually looking forward to it. A little flying, a little cash...what the hell.

Same here, took my employers early out as well. Things I miss but not near as much as the things I don’t. Your situation is exactly what I’m aiming for. I’ll need to start contacting some of the local 135’s and get a feel of what the lay of the land is for PT work. So different approaching this not as a “starving artist” aspiring pilot looking to build time for the majors :rolleyes:

Good tips. Funny, despite having flown nothing but jets for the last 30 yrs I’d be totally fine flying a King Air again if it meant being home at night

The requirement for a more “genteel” schedule is going to be problematic. Right now, 135 operators (I’ve talked to) are busting their butts with people moving up to better jobs and leaving short staffed companies really short staffed. As you probably know, contracting is a “when do you need me there? I’ll be there” deal.

I am more connected to the large cabin world (due entirely to luck during my furlough) and retirees run into the no PIC over 65 rules in foreign countries thing.

Short answer, you will probably have to buy a recurrent—a full class depending on how long you’ve been out of the seat, and hang out a shingle. There are some websites I can recommend. PM me and I’ll share—sorry, not for public dissemination.

Hope that helps.

TC

Lucky. I tried at AA but (shock!) only the WB guys and a handful of 64 year old senior NB guys got it.


TC

Now why did you ruin a perfectly good thread by wanting to be home at night?!
:D

Another early out guy here, 62 next month.
Following...lol

Did you get a buyout of just retire early?

TC

Funny how much and for how long I busted my ass to get the job, and yet how little it took to get me to depart the fix once offered the chance to leave. 30 yrs of crew desk BS, crappy management, long duty hours, embedded red eyes, idiots, stupid HR policies, commuting woes, CSR/PAX issues, knee-jerk broad brush procedural changes, mergers, seniority list screwings, union missteps, geopolitical upheaval, hotel van rides from hell, swap routes, deicing delays, bumps, check rides, crew "meals", packed terminals, Marvins, etc etc.

Life away from Mother U is good!

Call it a buyout if you like.
As to above, so there is negative stuff in a career but a lot of positive stuff too.

RE: Retirement At 62?
 

Just curious about something here. If you retired from a "major" at age 62, why didn't you just ride it out until mandatory age 65? An interesting position you're claiming here.

I left at 62.5

Reasons? Gawd, there must be 100.

1. Relatively junior FO on the triple meant a relatively lousy schedule.
2. Commuting sucks and had gotten MUCH worse. Plus, commuting sucks, oh and, commuting sucks.
3. I got bumped off the triple and would have had to go to another full school on the 787 at the height of Covid mania, pre-vaxx. Since I already did 7 full schools at mainline and a few others as a commuter puke I wasn't too interested in that, again.
4. I got bumped to Newark. So, I could commute to EWR so I could sit reserve under some of the most heinous Reserve rules in the industry. Yeah, no.
5. Coved mania was sweeping the nation and I was tired of all the bullschitt required just to do my job.
6. After bing told for 30 years that "One day YOU"LL be senior and rake in the big bucks" Super duper Covid LOA was going to limit how many pay hours I could bring home each month. LOA was going to pay me to stay home.

I could go on, but I won't. I don't miss it one whit. Sure, I took a pay hit but I was in a position to do so. Now I'm having fun flying again and staying as busy as I want to.

I have heard Wheels Up is offering something like 8 on 20 off. They're actually operating multiple certificates and even the recruitment folks don't seem to have it together - surprise! They're not making a profit either. Other 135's may work with you, especially for lighter stuff.

Part time in 135 in this environment will be difficult to find. Impossible if you expect to be typed.

Maybe look into CAE instructor job and get a type out of it. I hear they’re very liberal about flying contract on your days off.

TC

A bit surprised to hear you say that. The guys I work for paid for my two-week type course at FSI. They also typed two others as Captains and one very low-time guy as FO. All of us are part-timers, two retired airline geeks.

Admittedly this is just a single example, but it appears to me that a lot of operators and having a tough time finding pilots these days. This is good news for just about every pilot looking for work.

I too have been struggling to find something part-time. I punched out of 121 at 55 years old, 30 years in the industry. I couldn't take the repeated redeyes anymore, along with the slew of what others have mentioned. I live near Carlsbad CA which is a hot spot for 135 and Corporate, but everyone wants full time and time in types, of which I have none. I dont find too many A320 charter outfits down here. If I could work 10 days a month flying a King Air or small jet up and down the west coast, that would be perfect. If I'm going back to full time, I have a CJO to go back to my previous regional at $200k and 4 weeks vacation to start, but I'll have to commute.

Perhaps I'm FOS, but keep at it. You'll find what you want, particularly if you're in a hot spot. Just about everyone who wants to be an airline geek is getting hired right now. The vacuum at the bottom has just begun.

Plane Sense has part time positions but they are only for the PC-12. If PSM or PDK based it is 8 on 20 off. For all other bases it is 9 on 19 off, but if you fly a PC-12 on Day 0 you do get OT pay.

Wheels Up - 8 on 20 off
 

The 8 ON 20 OFF thing at Wheels Up is once you've been there FULL time. Afterwards, they'll consider offering the part time gig. I know, I talked with them about that exact thing. They seemed really nice with a pleasant demeanor. Maybe even a nicer culture there. True, they're not profitable yet and growing a lot. Good luck.

If you don't mind flying a PC-12 Plane Sense offers Part time positions of 8 on and 20 off. You have to be Full time (7on 7 off) until you get off green as a Captain, which with training and 3-4 FO rotations should be 6-7 months.