galaxy flyer

Chief Pilots just about everywhere in the US frown on these schemes and their antenna, not to add extreme skepticism, will be notable upon reading your resume. They invariably came up the hard way, mil or civil, and won't take "pay to fly" seriously.

GF

contrail44

I wouldnt call busting my a$$ at my job and spending all my money on time, the easy way up.

e6bpilot

You are PAYING to work somewhere. The quality of this time is questionable since in a normal employment contract, the employee is incentivized by the money to put his or her best foot forward. The employer will enforce the standard that they expect and will fire the employee if they do not uphold that standard.

Instructing makes you a better pilot. Period. Teaching, flying, and talking on the radios while saving your skin gives you the level of experience that you need to succeed when the chips are down. Paying someone to act like an employee in their airplane is at best a sketchy arrangement and a very poor way to get the hours that build the experiences that make a good pilot.

Gjn290

Another thing to think about, most people who take these type of jobs are very low time. After you pay for your 100 hours in a 1900 what are you left with? Nothing. You are still a very low time pilot with not many options. Not to mention your thousands of dollars poorer. Those places do more harm than good, just stay away. It could affect you later in your career.

Instead, why don't you take those thousands of dollars and put them towards a CFI? At least then you'll get a return on your investment.

Also, there are places out there that will hire you with 250 hours and will PAY YOU and won't give you the boot when you hit 100 hours. Sure it might be sitting right seat in a C208 for a few months, but you'll get formal training and a 135.293 checkride. Most of those places you'll upgrade around 700 TT and build some quality time.

contrail44

I guess the idea was just to look competitive at those low time places but sounds like its a waste. Thanks for the advice.

Diesel450

You may think that it will meal you get ahead but you could run into issues when it comes to interview somewhere and they start asking about our experiences and find out that you "paid to pay", as you can see it is not looked upon favorably.

In this day and age where regionals are hurting bad for people a 100hrs is a 100hrs. I would suggest using the money get your CFI, CFII, MEI. Those will be far more beneficial to your career and open more doors than 100 hrs of B1900 time.

own nav

Korean Airlines has hired just about all of them (dozens). In fact they pretty much funnel them into the program as part of a larger package from private pilot on up. I don't know the exact details, but I believe they work off their debt as part of the deal with the airline.

Or was your question directed toward the captain?

PRS Guitars

I think he was referring to the KSFO crash.

WBennett

Gjn290, care to share the companies your referring to that will consider hiring a 250 hour pilot? I'd love to be in the right seat of a van!

CrimsonEclipse

You are what's wrong with aviation (and several other industries)
Working for free, or even worse, pay to fly, reduces the value of the position.

I would NEVER recommend or hire a pilot who participates in pay-to-play (fly).

It shows a lack if integrity and it usually shows up with a lack of skill.

You also enjoy "trolling" the thread, which is a characteristic that must make you a joy in the cockpit.

Become familiar with the term "bottom feeder".