Did you go to simcom with another pilot in recurrent? Or initial by your self?

I did the 5 day initial and the other pilot did the 3 day recurrent but was allowed to stay for 5 days. I don't know if he was charged extra or not, we both sat for 5 days of class and sim sessions.

In a different thread, I remember seeing someone say they were an airline recruiter. Anyone remember who that was?

Yep, Lori Clark.

You can ask her a question at the bottom of her column via this link.

http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/content/view/180/41/

So does anyone know what will happen if I break the contract? It simply specifies a starting and ending date of employment; 2 years. I read online that the company will probably be able to come after me for "damages" if I break the agreement. I assume this is my training costs...

Any accurate help is welcomed!

Not being a jerk just honest.

A lot of these training contracts don't hold water. Come on- some FTD course at SimCom isn't worth 2 years- there's guys getting full blown types at Flight Safety with shorter comitments if any at all. If your serious about leaving- spend 50 bucks and take it to a lawyer. Or ask the guy you fly with.

Right now with your current operation- the company is paying you for your availability not your experience. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you probably have some duties like cleaning the plane, updating plates, flying dead legs, and talking on the radios. Don't get me wrong- this is good experience, but these guys can't expect you to stay around too long.

The bottom line is these questions are best addressed before you take the job.

There's no silver bullett here- just a little leg work on you part.

Yep, I currently do all those things. Good call on flying dead legs... I only get to do takeoffs and landings when no passengers are on board. Enroute, I fly about every third leg with passengers on board.

I know I should have figured out this situation prior to signing the contract... but like I said, I was just a starry eyed CFI looking for turbine ME time . The contract is currently being looked at by the law department at my parent's place of employment.

I am currently in a position where I have lost my CFI job and am not flying regularly. Like a few posts above, I had to sign a two year contract saying I will not infringe on the business of my employer. However, these contracts are rarely acted on, and by talking with the chief flight instructor we reached an agreement where I can continue to instruct, only not through renting his airplanes. Be sure you do reach an agreement, though, because one person I know of got completely screwed. He was working in the next town over as a CFI, quit his job and moved to my town where he was hired on as a CFI. The other company heard about it, and decided to make an example of him by bringing down the full force of the law upon his head. He now cannot work for 2 years in aviation (in this region) and had to pay $20,000 in court. $20,000 is more than a year's pay in our profession!

I am now increasing my multi-time flying empty legs with a friend's Conquest and teaching a random flight student here and there. 920TT and 70 multi and thousands of resumes floating around. Here's hoping for that lucky chance!

The contracts to look out for are "promissory notes". These are actually loans that you are signing and will be filed and come due if you quit. The outfit I was working is somehow conning Capt.‘s into signing a 2 year note for $14,000 on a Shorts type rating that the chief pilot does himself since the company screwed flight safety out of money. Ah hell, they screw everyone out of money or they try at least. Some of you will know who this is, please don't post the name as I don't want to flame them,,,, yet.

I have only been with my comp. for 4 months flying the lear, in which they spent around 10K for everything, no contract. I just got hired with a regional and was honest and told them I obveously couldn't afford to pay them back but won't screw them either b/c I didn't want to burn a bridge. I basically made a deal that once or twice a month I would fly an out and back for them in the lear and do this for a while until we feel Its fair. Be honest b/c you never know what your future holds and if you have to come running back for the crappy old job. Just some food for thought.