Type rating just for fun

denverpilot said:
I've heard Kent's "someone needed me to warm a seat in a jet" story, of course, but I'm amazed at any industry that's let anyone with ratings and zero experience hop in a seat at all.
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Yeahbut if that was true how does anyone do their first flight in a jet or anything else? There's a first time for everything. I've sat through people's first times and also my own.
 
Everskyward said:
Yeahbut if that was true how does anyone do their first flight in a jet or anything else? There's a first time for everything. I've sat through people's first times and also my own.
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As an employee. These "they let me warm a seat" without being an employee are the situations I'm speaking about. I can't imagine a well run company allowing that.
 
denverpilot said:
As an employee. These "they let me warm a seat" without being an employee are the situations I'm speaking about. I can't imagine a well run company allowing that.
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I vaguely remember Kent's story but not the details. Maybe the other pilot was the owner of the airplane.
 
Everskyward said:
I vaguely remember Kent's story but not the details. Maybe the other pilot was the owner of the airplane.
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Interesting possibility. But I seem to recall it being a non-owner pilot who lost his SIC and needed to get the airplane somewhere.

Still. Even if I were the owner, I think I'd call someone I knew and trusted and wait a day for them to arrive via airlines, on my dime.
 
Rotarywing said:
So I am thinking I like to add a type rating. Mostly for fun but maybe also to be able to fly a few "charters" when I retire.
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Ryanb said:
I dont blame you, sounds like a fun idea!
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mrindian said:
How about a DC-3 type rating. Nothing more fun then operating two big radial engines.
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Greg Bockelman said:
I just got checked out as Captain at United Airlines. Yes it was and is a lot of work. But I just flew my first trip out of IOE, and yes I had fun.

So stuff THAT in your pipe and smoke it.
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jesse said:
What Greg says. I have a commercial multi-engine certificate that I got for fun.
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Ok fellas, stuff THIS in your pipes and sing it, really belt it out now, a one and a two and a... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMWWBigvbkY :D

dtuuri
 
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Flying magazine has a columnist who did a retirement jet pilot gig like the one the OP is seeking. He is cancer surgeon with his own twin. Got some training in a LearJet, and then got hired as a FO for a charter company. He writes about it in Flying.

I think that demonstrates the feasibility of the OP's goal.
 
denverpilot said:
Hmm. Good point.

Of course, if you're doing something for fun and really don't have any other underlying reason, it doesn't matter at all.

By hinting he had an underlying desire to be a free Commercial pilot, that's actually what made it come off the rails. ;)

I've heard Kent's "someone needed me to warm a seat in a jet" story, of course, but I'm amazed at any industry that's let anyone with ratings and zero experience hop in a seat at all.

"Hey, I maintain Linux systems in my basement and have a bunch of industry certs. Wanna have me just sit in your office and do stuff on the night shift?"

ROFL. Right. Sure.

I have a feeling any company that'd let you hop in a seat with nothing more than an FAA piece of plastic and not even signing a waiver let alone being an employee and under their employment contracts, is not run well enough you want to risk your life in one of their aircraft.

Just a guess. ;)
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Actually under PT 91 flights, he wouldn't have to be a commercial pilot. I don't know what the hype is anyway. Type rating or not, the guy is going to be in the right seat because he's uninsurable in the left most likely.

Lots of right seats on Pt 91 flights are filled by free fliers, kids getting a couple of hours Jet SIC towards their goals. There have even from time to time been advertisements selling these seats, but I don't see them working out because they disappear after awhile.

Basically the only valid complaint is that the guy will be taking up an opportunity for retirement that an up and coming pilot could use to advance his future.
 
denverpilot said:
As an employee. These "they let me warm a seat" without being an employee are the situations I'm speaking about. I can't imagine a well run company allowing that.
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By what stretch of the imagination do you see aviation companies as "we'll run"?
 
denverpilot said:
Interesting possibility. But I seem to recall it being a non-owner pilot who lost his SIC and needed to get the airplane somewhere.

Still. Even if I were the owner, I think I'd call someone I knew and trusted and wait a day for them to arrive via airlines, on my dime.
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The owner/pilot, whatever he was, probably trusted himself enough to basically fly the airplane single-pilot and only needed someone in the other seat for legality or if he couldn't easily reach some switch on the other side of the cockpit..
 
denverpilot said:
Interesting possibility. But I seem to recall it being a non-owner pilot who lost his SIC and needed to get the airplane somewhere.

Still. Even if I were the owner, I think I'd call someone I knew and trusted and wait a day for them to arrive via airlines, on my dime.
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Doesn't happen that way. What you do is find one of the local kids working on the field trying to work his way up into the industry and has already attained at least their multi rating, and you ask them to fill the right seat.

You would likely be amazed at how many corporate pilot careers have began that way, it's one of the traditional routes into the business.
 
NoHeat said:
Flying magazine has a columnist who did a retirement jet pilot gig like the one the OP is seeking. He is cancer surgeon with his own twin. Got some training in a LearJet, and then got hired as a FO for a charter company. He writes about it in Flying.

I think that demonstrates the feasibility of the OP's goal.
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Dick Karl, he seems to be having fun. Seems to be working out well.
 
I keep reading about the op not having any time in type yet all the new hires for regional jet work don't either. They only get simulator training and won't actually fly in the aircraft until it's with real paying customers. We have a CFI at our FBO going through training right now and he won't sniff kerosene until he's greeting passengers with a big shi#&y grin on his face.
 
Rotarywing said:
Interesting comments but completely useless. I am not looking for a Carrier. I have one that pays millions per year.
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Rotarywing said:
So another late night observation. I did ask what rating would be the most fun / useful to get for retirement futures I then have a couple of impotent experts giving their advice if this is a good idea or not without knowing **** about my flight experience.

If you are to stupid to read a simple question and respond to it maybe you should just stick to whatever thing you are doing. I assume that means some low income gig.
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Rotarywing said:
So let me first say that there is no Jesus christ or Santa claus. But the easter bunnny called with your eggs.

What attitude? What do you have an issue with?
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UGH. I have been around a lot of very wealthy people in my life, and your attitude (there is no God, other than ME) sadly matches a lot of other wealthy people with bad attitudes that think they are king of the world because they are wealthy. BFD. All the money in the world won't matter when you're a complete ****ole and no one wants to be around you, especially in a cockpit.

You could have $20 or $200 million, but if you simply posted and responded to everyone's comments with respect and integrity, you would not have received the slamming posts that came your way. Whatever your background, skills, wealth, etc. are, if you are a humble guy that works hard to earn the respect of those you want to work with day in and day out, and works hard to achieve 100% effectiveness every day, people will like and respect you back, and they will want you in the front seat with them.

I am in a similar situation to you. I left my last career, which was no fun but made me very comfortable financially. I now want to fly for a career, and am pursuing that on my own schedule, and having a ton of fun in the process. But the LAST thing I will do is belittle anyone for not having my wealth, as you have done above. I give complete respect to everyone I deal with, whether they fly brand new Gulfstreams (as a good friend of mine does) or are building time instructing in a 152 because they can't afford to get the MEI yet. I talk with the mechanics (that some choose to ignore) and will clean whatever plane I fly, before and after my flight, because that's what I'd like others to do. And just because I can rent the nicer planes at my airport, that in no F*cking way makes me better than any other person there.

So, I suggest losing the attitude, and starting over, maybe with a new account and username, and try demonstrating honor, and respect, and integrity with everything you say and do from now on. It will reap rewards much greater than money.
 
Interesting reaction in Aviation for people willing to work for free.

I started another business this winter with a buddy in something we don't really know, but have the capital and the intellectual horsepower, we hope, to dive in and try and make a go of it.

And, we both have expectations of not making a $$$ off of it for 5 years, in fact, losing ****loads of money for the first 5 years. But gaining a ton of experience, that, hopefully will accelerate our returns/ payback, enjoyment somewhere down the road. And, one of our major advantages is that neither of us needs to take a $$ out of the company to buy groceries or pay mortgages, so, we can work for "free".

Until then, it is a 6-figure$ excuse to drink beer.
 
Could you get that contract work with little to no time in type?
 
dans2992 said:
Could you get that contract work with little to no time in type?
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In the right seat, yes, it can get you in the door to build time and get in the left seat. People who don't have the $12k to spring on a type rating get butt hurt when people buy a type rating and get a jump on them into the industry.
 
So do people who pay for college when others don't.

Are you saying paying for a type rating like that is ill advised?
 
Besides, you could get a loan or put $12 k on a credit card. If it raises your earning power, it's a good investment.
 
dans2992 said:
Are you saying paying for a type rating like that is ill advised?
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Me, yes. Unless some employer has given you a written employment contract the investment would be foolish for a low-time pilot. Even professional pilots who try to open more doors by adding one more type rating to their resumes are taking a big risk. Six months later, they need recurrent simulator training for insurance purposes, another costly expense, to remain viable. A friend did this with the Gulfstream III and regrets it.

dtuuri
 
dans2992 said:
So do people who pay for college when others don't.

Are you saying paying for a type rating like that is ill advised?
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Paying for college is like paying for your CPL, paying for a type is another animal entirely.

I have never seen a job opening that I wanted, which I could have got if I bought a type.

I have seen openings for someone typed on a XYZ with 250hrs on type.

Only place buying a type might help you would be overseas, and even then it's a maybe.
 
dans2992 said:
So do people who pay for college when others don't.

Are you saying paying for a type rating like that is ill advised?
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For the OP, no. As he mentioned before he was driven away, he's doing it mostly for his own edification (some people couldn't stand the fact he said he was doing it for "fun"). If you are making a strictly economic decision it's probably better to wait until someone else is paying. If you have no jet experience, no one is going to hire you to be PIC so you don't need a type rating to begin with.
 
The TR certainly assures you of nothing as to being able to use it on anyone else's dime but your own, and most entry positions do not require one. You get hired long term because someone likes you. If we are talking a jet operator, your type rating is just another item on a much larger operating budget, and something they realize they need to deal with. That's why getting your own with no turbine time and no employer saying "Get the rating and you get the job" and it's a good job, it really doesn't buy you much advantage at all, and that advantage can easily be over come with a good personality and a smile. We aren't talking airlines here, we are talking about small flight departments, you get hired as much for like-ability as flying ability.

If you want to get a type rating because you want that experience and can afford it, I say go for it. It the same thing as most people who get multi ratings and seaplane ratings and never fly either again, just tack on a zero. Hey if that happens to set you up for the guy to call you when he needs a right seater, cool.

In the OP's situation, even if he does this for free, the reality is that this doesn't detract from the market because the person that will let him do it for free expects that anyway, and will get it, it happens every day in Pt 91 2 pilot operations, it's very common, and having a Type Rating is completely irrelevant because it's not needed, it does however make him more useful in the roll and in fact is his own personal safety hedge should the Capt become incapacitated.

As for 135, I don't think he can work for free for a 135 if he brings the rating, I'm pretty sure that would violate labor laws and make the situation uninsurable.
 
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Everskyward said:
For the OP, no. As he mentioned before he was driven away, ... (some people couldn't stand the fact he said he was doing it for "fun").
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Oh, get off that high horse. He was insulting and argumentive. Then he ran away when spotted as a troll in post #50 (he hung around for a couple last shots). You got suckered right from the beginning.

dtuuri
 
Did not really go anywhere. Just though the childish arguments was pointless. I have no intention posting in this thread anymore.
 
For what it's worth, I was asked about my ratings/hours/etc when I got a job here by one of the tenants. Nice to see people trying to hire that way. Unfortunately I have no commercial ticket or multi time, but I know of pilots who have (and were asked the same as me). They couldn't be hired even though the tenant liked them enough because the insurance company couldn't stop laughing at them.

Still working on getting set financially before I go try to bust out instrument/multi/commercial and possibly AGI/IGI. Maybe CFI if I'm ever set well enough although that might well be a while.

As for buying your own type rating, it's your money. My worry about a pilot in the same plane as me is more about if they are dangerous or toxic or aggressive, not if they bought their way into the seat (or spent 10 years in debt getting there).
 
dtuuri said:
Oh, get off that high horse. He was insulting and argumentive. Then he ran away when spotted as a troll in post #50 (he hung around for a couple last shots). You got suckered right from the beginning.

dtuuri
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:yeahthat:

Insults the industry then the people = not going to have a good time on aviation board.
 
James331 said:
If anything I tend to shine a brighter light on it than most here.
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Yes, yes you do! :D

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