buzzsherwood

Hi guys asking for advice again. I was supposed to have started my flight engineer job a few weeks ago but training was delayed(5th time) and now I am supposed to start Monday.

However I had asked some questions on a job listing and actually got asked to send my email in and they seem interested even though I am no where near the hours they wanted for the job.If I remember they wanted like 100-200 multi engine, turbine and like 1500 TT.
I have 620 TT and 13 multi engine.
The company is Win Aviation out of Illinois but the locations would be in Cali or Arizona.Has anybody heard of them?

The job is flying military parachute jumps in a Sherpa as SIC, which sounds cool and might open some doors for contract overseas or something maybe. if I can make friends with the military guys.

The pay is less than the flight engineer pay(200 a day, vs 40K salary and mileage for FE) but I would be flying a lot more and it would count as SIC turbine time, and multi time. Though I dont know how useful a Sherpa type rating would be.

But the flight engineer job is supposed to open a spot for me in 8 months or so to a Falcon, though flight time per year would be less I am sure than the jump job, but getting paid to sit at home might be nice.I think average flight time usually is 500 hours for the cargo company.

So which do you think is a better deal if I get offered to fly the jumpers? Slower and steady with an established 121 fright company with chances to move up later, but build the flight time slow, or build time faster but with less pay and less chance to move up and hope to get in someplace? Which type rating would be more useful to get?

Thanks guys. Appreciate any help for a newbie pilot

diverdriver2

I know Win aviation and the owner Andri. Good operation and you'd go do something unique. Maybe this sets you on a different path that you might like better. Working is better than not working. More hours going in the logbook can't hurt. I'm biased because I'm a DiverDriver and I know Andri. I would recommend doing it.

Steve McCroskey

I've also been over there and it seems like a good operation with the potential to do some unique stuff and fly different aircraft besides the Sherpa. It would be a different change of pace for sure and your schedule may or may not be pretty different from what you are used to. They don't skimp on maintenance there so you won't have to worry about flying a plane that is questionable which is always nice.

buzzsherwood

Thanks for the Info guys.So far I am in ground for the FE job, people seem nice and people I talk to seem happy.

So far everything seems by the book and regulation.

I never heard back about the jump job, though it seemed cool.

My main gripe is that the FE job I am at is in Michigan, I would love to transfer to the other locations but you need an ATP for that, So if I stay and move to SIC in the Falcons, it would probably be 2 years or so before I can transfer.I wish they would have Florida for the FE position.

My plan was to find a part time job or 2 so I could fly on my days off, and try to get my ATP ASAP,but problem is being 121 I can only fly 100 hours in 30 days, so that makes it hard.