MikeB525

Hi all,

I'm plotting my next move(s) in aviation and I have a couple questions that you all may have some answers to. I just got a part time skydive job in a 182. I would like to stick with this for time building and I'm seeing an potential opportunity for multi engine turbine experience. There are a lot of skydive ops (At least 2 within a 90 minute drive from me) that use twin otters and such. Anyone have any experience in how difficult those pilot positions are to get what what experience and times they generally want?

Taking the next step from there, we all know the big thing to advance beyond the regionals is multi turbine PIC. Would having that experience from dropping jumpers in a twin otter be acceptable?

undflyboy06

Turbine PIC is always good when you look at it. With no 121 time however, I feel that ending up in the Majors (if that's your goal) will be difficult. Having that type of Turbine PIC time will look good for 135 or Corporate gigs.

If you have the opportunity, I would say get TPIC to check that box before you move on.

MikeB525

Thanks. The plan would not be to go from skydive to a major, but from skydive to a regional (or 135, etc). But things can get stagnated at the regionals and you can wind up being an FO for years. My idea was that getting MTPIC (of any kind) before going to a regional would make it more possible to go from regional FO to a major if one winds up at a place with a long upgrade.

TallFlyer

What are your times now?

There are lots of people that get hired at Legacy jobs without the MTPIC. Don't get me wrong, it's a very nice thing to have on your resume but it's not the prerequisite it once was.

Depending on where you want to live going to the right regional has the potential to give you a much better QOL than a skydiving gig and be gaining 121 time in a crewed, turbine airplane which has the potential to open doors as you continue to round out your resume (degree, training department, etc) and begin building a network of co-workers that can and will advocate for you at your target carriers.

Ultimately your future success will be driven far more buy who you are and who you know rather than twin PT-6 time in an unpressurized aircraft dropping meat missles.

If you have the mins and are gung-ho about adding some turbine PIC to your logbook I'd advocate for AmFlight as a much better way to get not only the turbine time, but PIC time in a difficult environment which will help you be more of an asset in the right seat of a larger aircraft.

MikeB525

Thanks. No where near ATP mins; just shy of 600 hours. I'll see what transpires in my travels.

rcfd13

Things only get stagnated at the regionals because things get stagnated at the majors. It trickles down. If upgrades are long at the regionals it probably means the majors aren't hiring.

I would say that you should get your name on a seniority list as soon as possible if your plan is to go to the majors. Giving up a few months seniority to get 100 TPIC is probably a bad move in the long run.

If you get your name on a seniority list now you'll upgrade faster, and in turn you'll get the TPIC anyway. If you wait a few months for TPIC before going to the regionals it will take you a few months (or years) longer to upgrade and you'll be losing out on TPIC that way. Majors are going to care a lot more about your 121 TPIC than your single pilot TPIC.

TallFlyer

At this point in your career you need to gain quantity, not so much as quality. Driver driving can be Ok so long as it's not a 20 hour a month gig or something like that. I don't think Twotter time would be worthwhile to you if they're not flying a whole lot.

You also need to be aware of the other requirements to an ATP cert aside from the total time requirement. As I'm sure you know, diver flying is not going to get you night, XC, or inst time.

With the times you have, and the time of year it is now you need to look into the following 4 opportunities:

Air America Flight Center
Landcare Aviation
Desert Winds Air Service
Northern States Aviation

All of them are flying aerial survey all over the US in 172s. You'll basically be trained, then sent out to travel the US while living in hotels for 7-8 months. Depending on how the season goes you'll fly 500-700 hours probably. Fun gig that I did way back in the day and a great time builder. Their season starts at the beginning of the fall so NOW would be the time to start applying, etc.

If you're not able to do that, consider finishing your MEI.

Diver Driver

As someone who flies jumpers on the side in turbine equipment, I can tell you that it's very competitive to get these types of jobs. Every one I have gotten, I haven't applied for, I've been invited to do them.

The best advice I can give you is get to know the pilots, CP's and hang around the drop zone so everyone gets to know you. Get your A license jumping from the Otter and network yourself in.

telejet

Networking is very important in these types of jobs. Your jump pilot time will be helpful as well. Get to know the current pilots and the DZO. If you make a good impression, then you will probably get a call if a position opens up. They are usually looking for someone who is laid back, who can sit in an airplane for 12 hours without a break (and someone who won't break said airplane!). Insurance times for a twin otter are around 1000 hrs, and I'm sure they would like to see some multi and maybe turbine time depending on the operation. I was hired with 1200 hrs, but already had 750 hrs in the twin otter from a 135 operation.

As for the quality of the time... it is what you make of it. It's good to check the 1000 TPIC box, and it can be a lot of fun at times. Definitely need to supplement it with something else to stay competitive, as its mostly day VFR doing the same exact thing 1,000 times over.

EatMyPropwash

A regional airline captain and a skydive single pilot twin otter guy walk into the same major airline interview... which do you think will get the job...