Contract Flying...how to get out there?
 

Retired Airline Geek currently flying a Citation part-time and I'd like to have the option to ***** myself out a bit, outside of my current gig. Test the waters elsewhere, if you will.

How does one go about getting their name out there? Any recs?

Get on Facebook and join PJP…
 

Hey Bat,

Get on Facebook and join PJP…. There is someone on there every day looking for a Citation pilot of some kind.. Bizjet jobs.com is another one. Also, look here in the Corporate forums..

If it is an XL that you are typed in, PM me and I can steer you to a place that is nice and is often looking for a day contract pilot.

Good luck and whatever you do, don’t offer to pay for your own type in this market!

Take care…

It won't be 135, suggest another string for contract work. However, many 135s are now willing to hire part-time or short-term which was a very rare bird in years past.

Which citation are you typed in? Where are you located?

Pilot4000,
I am typed in the Bravo. I got it at Flight Safety MCO this past Feb. The guy who owns the jet paid for all of it. Hotel, rental car, per diem. Sweet. We use it for his private travel needs and 135 work. Most of it so far has been 135.

I live in Virginia Beach. I am five mins from KORF.

Regarding my Type, what's required to get the next one? Is there a differences course or are you starting from scratch?

B727DRVR,
Is PJP Professional Jet Pilot or Private Jet Pilot? I am not on FB, but my wife is and she's poking around and found two.

I looked at one of the fractionals that offered PT work but at $500/day I didn't look too long. It seems as though pay at this end of the industry is trending up due to the explosion of (Covid) travel into the 135 arena.

Just fishing at this point since I am very happy with my current gig. But, perhaps some months I can push a bit. Like Nov through March. ;)

Each new type is an entire new course. Differences are for different models of the same type.

Are there any options for networking contract flying that don’t involve selling my soul to the lizard inhabiting a human body known as zuckerberg?

‘squatch

and his adamantium underpants

Well yeah, of course the owner is going to pay for it, that is how it works in the 91/135 world. I would hope you got a salary while you were there as well.

You have a CE500 type rating, which covers a lot of airplanes. If you want to get typed in a different airplane, you have to go to training for that, and get a new type rating. I guess it depends on what the "next one" is. If you want to fly a Gulfstream 4, you need to get a GLF4 type rating, etc. As a previous poster said, don't pay for your type ratings. It lowers the bar for everyone else. Don't work for free or for well below market rates either.

You have to network to get more work. Talk to some of the other operators based at your airport. See if there is a local business aviation association. If there is, a lot of times they have events. Put on a nice shirt and go to them and get to know the local operators.

Good luck.

I should have written more clearly. Most of my time is airline and my brain has turned to mush after staring at clouds for 35 yrs.

I've got 8 types, so I understand that a different type requires training. My question was more about which airframes are covered by a Citation Bravo Type Rating? Where along the Citation line does it stop? ie, Does a Citation Encore fly under a "Bravo Type"? I have heard conflicting information from guys, so I am looking for clarification. And since I don't know a Citation Soverign from a Citation Mustang....I ask stupid questions.

I was initially told that my boss would not pay for training unless I agreed to FT work. FT work was not an option I was interested in. Yet, later on, they sent me anyway even though I had only agreed to PT work. So, this is why I was grateful. I'll never buy a type.

Definitely get yourself on facebook and join CAJL Contract Pilots Group. There are a few different contract pilot groups that will work though. Also look up writing a contract template that you use for your gigs. Outline how/when you want to be paid and expenses for the client to cover. I would probably put a clause in for arriving to a gig and encountering an unairworthy aircraft, so you can still get paid. Make sure all travel days still get added to your daily rate. This list is obviously not all inclusive, but it’s a start.


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