Expert: D. Norkus - 11/9/2005

Question
I'm not too sure how to answer the following on an employment application:
Are you currently qualified____ Part 135
                          _____Part 121
Could you provide me with some insight on the pilot requirements for each. This is my very first interview with any airline/charter company.
Thank You.

Answer
Matthew

Sorry it took me two days to get to my Email, but I was at a recurrent ground school for a "Part 121" carrier and the internet at the hotel didn't work.

Seeing as you aren't sure about if you are qualified for Part 121 or 135, you are not yet. (Although you may have the fight time necessary to apply to a 121 or 125 carrier, you are not qualified under those parts unless you have passed their training program.) 121 and 135 are sections of the Federal Aviation Regulations that govern the type of flying these businesses do. Part 121 is airline and Part 135 is on demand charter.

You can read the requirements for pilots who fly for hire  under such regulations in the gov't online FAR database (otherwise you would need to buy a hard copy of those FARs as they are not included in general Part 61 & 91 general aviation FAR/AIM books). Read them online here-

AIR CARRIERS AND OPERATORS FOR COMPENSATION OR HIRE: CERTIFICATION AND OPERATIONS:

FAR 121 OPERATING REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS-
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=685566a52fc6fa2dd989e01...

The 121 training requirements start with 121.400. The minimum hours are not regulated by FAR other than the 250 required for commercial for SIC or 1500 for the ATP for Captain. Of course, the amount the airline requires to get an interview differs and isn't as low as 250 (Although decades ago United used to hire 300 hour pilots.)


FAR 135-
OPERATIONS AND RULES GOVERNING PERSONS ON BOARD SUCH AIRCRAFT -
http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=685566a52fc6fa2dd989e01...

The Part 135 single pilot IFR regs require that pilots have 1500 hours and are stricter than than most regional airlines hiring minimums of 1,000 hours with 100 being multi-engine.
The pilot flight time requirements are covered in "135.243    Pilot in command qualifications".


Seeing as you said you will be a new applicant for these kinds of jobs, I highly suggest you check out these sites for job and interiew information:

www.aviationinterviews.com
http://forums.flightinfo.com

Hope this helps.

Dottie