Renew group 3 instrument rating or upgrade to group 1?

[Dodgeramguy87]

Hey All,

I finished school about 4 years ago with a commercial licence as well as a multi rating and a group 3 instrument rating. I did the group 3 rating to save some $ and to make ends meet at the end of school with a few companies and friends telling me that a check ride on a twin would upgrade me to a group 1 IFR.

Life happened and the job search didn't go to well in the initial years. Im now looking for jobs again along with renewing my instrument rating. I actually got hired in a "pool" position and before I could make it out to start I was kicked out of the "pool" because of a policy change that states I must have a group 1 rating. It seems most companies want a group one.

Im just looking for some advice on wether there are companies out there that will hire someone with a group 3 to fly singles or should I bite the 10,000$ bullet and go back to school for a group 1? I realize now I should have spent the extra 5grand on a group 1 but hey hindsight is always 20/20.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks folks

[North Shore]

As you seem to have already discovered, this is a hard career to get started in. Without knowing the exact details of your situation, Id be pretty leery of advising you to spend yet more $ on getting your G1 without a clear need for it. By that I mean, go out there get a job on singles (perhaps with a company that can progress you on to twins) and then, once you are somewhat established with, say, 700 hrs, get the G1.
No point spending another $5K to still be unemployed..

Good Luck!

[Oxi]

Depending on how proficient and fresh you are with IFR and flying a twin it wouldn't be 10,000$. Ive seen a few pilots with a group 3 flying every few months IFR in a single and transitioned to the G1 after a few training flights and a review.

[clear_blue]

My own suggestion is to go for the group one. I know it's going to cost money. I know it's not going to come with the promise of a job. It will however make you more marketable and open a few more doors for you.
In the mean time, there are some operators that probably only require a Group 3. There are a lot of operators that fly the PC-12, and they are single engine. There are also some operators that fly C210's around as well.

[Dodgeramguy87]

Thanks for the advice all. I recently discovered Cornwall Aviation and read some good things about their renewal courses. Probably best to just do a group one and have a few more options available. I recently got married and I don't think my wife would appreciate moving to the middle of nowhere in northern Ontario lol

[AuxBatOn]

Thanks for the advice all. I recently discovered Cornwall Aviation and read some good things about their renewal courses. Probably best to just do a group one and have a few more options available. I recently got married and I don't think my wife would appreciate moving to the middle of nowhere in northern Ontario lol

You may well end up there even with a Group 1.

[Meddler]

This is a vey unpleasant reality, but if your marriage dictates you being home every night in a big city, getting started in Canadian aviation will be difficult. Not impossible, just a lot less likely.

Bear in mind that not every move away from the city will be to a miserable hole though. I think the best could be made of lots of places, depending on ones interests.

And yes, if you hope to get hired in a place without any forts or lakes in the name, the group 1 is a good move.

[ahramin]

$10 000 for a group 1 . I did my group 3 to save money same as you. A couple years later I did my multi (5-6 hours), one IFR practice flight and then the ride. Easily under $3k.

[Dodgeramguy87]

Yeah, I'm working at getting on with Perimeter. There are a few options out in Alberta as well, but with all this is going on with the price of oil it looks like there may be a slow down in the works. I am not ruling out northern Ontario. I would just prefer a place like Winnipeg or Calgary so my wife can put her education to use as well. We'll see whats happens.

[Dodgeramguy87]

$10 000 for a group 1 . I did my group 3 to save money same as you. A couple years later I did my multi (5-6 hours), one IFR practice flight and then the ride. Easily under $3k.

Pretty wild eh? I thought I would get a second opinion, and discovered Cornwall Aviation. They said 2-3 grand should easily do it with some good studying done before hand. That was music to my ears!

[aholenstein]

Hey All, I know this post is older already, but I am in the same boat as Dodgeramguy87, except not Wife
I just wanted to get clarification, aren't the requirement to get a class 3 the same as getting class 1 instrument rating expect one flight test is performed in a single and the other is performed in a multiengine airplane? The TC Written exam is exactly the same, right? I would not be required to complete a rewrite moving from class 3 to class 1... correct? I currently have my CPL Single Engine, so I figure if I complete my Class 3 Instrument rating now, and if I later get my Multi Engine rating, I would just have to add an instrument flight test on a twin, correct? I wouldn't necessarily need a bunch of hours flying Instrument in a Multi Engine...

If someone can weight in on this, that be great...

maybe I should add, I am thinking if buying a single engine airplane that is IFR Certified before even start the IFR Training...

Cheers,
Andreas

[ahramin]

There are no extra requirements for the Group I IFR beyond what you already need for the Group III.