mcartier713

so is the right-seat time kinda worthless? kinda like sitting in the right seat of a baron during freight ops?

i guess my question is, do people look down upon logging time in the right seat in a 402?

Ewfflyer

I don't think anyone looks down upon it as an experience building venture, but as far as qualified time, most likely not.

I've sat right seat in C421's and BE20's when I was less than 1000 hours, and it was a great learning experience. I couldn't log the time, but it was more than that to me. Kept me in multi-engine, and in the system. If the right-seat jobs lead to full-time left seat jobs, then it doesn't matter what people think about it, because once you're left seat it all goes away anyways.

DiputadoVolador

I asked about this on my interview. They explained that per their ops specs they can use the auto pilot or a first officer. Also they have a mail operation, once you have a certain amount of time you start flying PIC in the mail plane which does not require an ATP. Then you get your ATP and start flying PIC with passengers. Everything I was told about the program seemed to indicate that they knew what they're doing and that it has all been worked out with the FAA/FSDO.

KiloAlphaPapa

PER THE REGS GUYS, You need two crew to fly part 135 passenger carrying operations. You may waive the second in command and use the auto pilot if you are approved for the auto pilot. To use the auto pilot in place of the second in command you need to have 100 hrs in type.

Its not some hairbraind scheme that they have worked out with the New England FSDO, its in the regs, you are a required crewmember, so log it.

Even if the PIC has more that 100 hrs in type? Its still loggable since you would be every bit required if that auto pilot is inop.

As far as actual experice goes, your better of sitting right seat there and with your eyes open than you are at most jet jobs

But like someone said it doesnt matter once your in the left seat anyhow.

Gchamp3

About Cape Air:

How hard is it to get the Guam-based ATR as an F/O?

I'd love to do that.

robthree

Not too hard, but since there's not much turnover it doesn't happen everyday. There are only 2 planes, just a handful of FO's. When a slot comes available it goes fairly junior.

clearandcold

PER THE REGS GUYS, You need two crew to fly part 135 passenger carrying operations. You may waive the second in command and use the auto pilot if you are approved for the auto pilot. To use the auto pilot in place of the second in command you need to have 100 hrs in type.

Just want to add a little here. Two pilots or an autopilot are required for 135 pax carrying under IFR. Under VFR one pilot is fine. Most companies that have single pilot IFR ops will use a sic in place of the autopilot if it's inop and mel'd as long as it's in their ops specs.

trafly

Uhhhh, small point..... Cape Air is a Part 121 airline. Not a 135 operator.

robthree

Actually, we're both.

The 402s run under part 135, while the ATRs are on a 121 cert.



To answer a couple questions that don't look like they have been fully addressed:

Yes, a 402 SIC can log all the time she is acting as SIC. As stated before its not a gray area or open to interpretation, you're a member of the crew.

As far as the attractiveness of 402 SIC time to a future employer, I'd guess that all depends on who, when, and how much. Its probably less attractive than C-130 SIC time, but perhaps more attractive than C-152 PIC time, or maybe even C-130 FE time.

I can say I find flying the 402 much more challenging than flying either the ERJ or CRJ.

Upgrade time on the 402 is instant. The instant you meet the requirements for your ATP you go to upgrade training. On the ATR it could be a while... see my post about GUM FOs.

HoboPilot

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