Expert: David A. NewMyer - 2/7/2005

Question
I am a 750 hr. commercial pilot currently working as a CFII. Looking to build my flight time to the magic numbers 1200-1500 hrs. Would really like to find a position as a first officer on a King Air or some other type aircraft. I would think companies could benefit from a pilot with not quite enough hours to be PIC for a part 135 charter operation. Do you know of any companies that will "grow their own pilots" so to speak, by bringing them aboard as a FO at this experience level?

Answer
Hi,

Thanks for your question....this is a tough one, and, I will try to assist.

Actually, this is a question that anyone seeking to move up in aviation is trying to find out.  It is not always easy to find this type of job and, in many cases, it requires first hand knowledge of an operator or someone who knows the operator to get in the front door to talk to someone.  Here are a couple of thoughts for you:

1.  The 750 hr TT is not the only thing that a King Air or similar operator will be looking at....they will also be looking for ME time of some sort.

2.  Given the above, if you really want to move to a King Air or similar operator, you need to build ME time into the range of 200 hours, or, above, if possible.

3.  Being an MEI is one way to do that....if it is not possible to get MEI time where you are, consider moving somewhere else where it is possible.

4.  Or, if you like the operator where you are now working, work with that operator to do one of three things:

A.  Get a referral to a nearby operator that HAS twin engine turbine aircraft to serve as a co-pilot in your time off;
B.  Get a referral to a company that has a twin engine aircraft for rent and share the use of that aircraft with another, trusted, person who also needs to build ME time (and, then, rent it on weekends, or non-work days, and swap legs while building ME time); or,
C.  Work with your current operator to add an aircraft that might "fit the bill" for local customers in terms of their charter or other flying needs...with the hope that you will be one of the pilots on the aircraft, thus, building ME flight time.

5.  If all else fails, at 750 hr TT and 100 ME time, several regional airlines will hire you if you have an aviation-related college degree and a referral from that college or university.  Building ME or turbine time in the airline environment may not be what you want to do the rest of your life, but, it is a step toward your goal of getting the flight time you need for a solid career in general aviation flying.  I know a lot of people who have done just that....started at a regional airline and transitioned back to general aviation (charter, fractional or corporate flight department flying, for example).

I hope that these suggestions are of help to you.  I am sorry I do not have specific companies to refer to you, but, here at the university where I work, we offer a ME time building course in our two large Cessna aircraft (a Cessna 340A and a Cessna 421C) out of which most students are able to get 40 hours of PIC ME time.  So, we have that built into the university aviation curriculum for course credit. Therefore, many of our students leave here with a good start (over 50 hours of ME time) when they go into the "real world."

I wish you the very best in your career,

David A. NewMyer, Ph.D., Professor and Chair
Aviation Management and Flight
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
http://www.aviation.siu.edu/