B1900 or flight instruction?

[ayseven]

I wonder whether being a good, safe pilot is even valued. Its whose bum you kissed from what i have experienced. Hi ..

[ayseven]

Do what you WANT to do. The business eats people who are indecisive, not to mention what it does in the airplane. Having a family before starting out will further complicate things, but some people just like creating problems. Try to be the best.

[Trematode]

How would a 1900 " add nothing of value to your logbook" when your a freshly minted CPL MIFR starting out and trying to better your IFR/ 704 operational expereince?

There was a time not too long ago where turbine time or >12,500 lbs time would actually open doors for you (help to get hired at the airlines, for instance). I am merely saying that this is no longer the case. He's not going to get anything from the 1900 job in terms bullet points on his resume that he couldn't get from a king air or even a navajo job. He would actually be sacrificing the opportunity to build PIC time and the other requirements for his ATPL -- but more importantly, he would be sacrificing family time that he will never get back, and for not much in return.

If he decides later he wants 703/704 operational experience later, the jobs will still be out there, and he'd be in a better position to be upgraded to captain faster, or compete for the job itself if the market gets a little more competitive.

[SpeedChecks]

He would actually be sacrificing the opportunity to build PIC time and the other requirements for his ATPL -

so your saying, flying in a circle on a Cessna builds better time than a 1900 FO.....

[the-minister31]

He would actually be sacrificing the opportunity to build PIC time and the other requirements for his ATPL -

so your saying, flying in a circle on a Cessna builds better time than a 1900 FO.....

At least you use your PIC qualities to fly circles in a cessna !

[C.W.E.]

so your saying, flying in a circle on a Cessna builds better time than a 1900 FO.....

Yes.

[Trematode]

He would actually be sacrificing the opportunity to build PIC time and the other requirements for his ATPL -

so your saying, flying in a circle on a Cessna builds better time than a 1900 FO.....

As far as your logbook goes, yeah -- PIC is king. You'll probably get better hands and feet, too, although hand-bombing a 1900 in bad weather is fun as well.

An FO job on a turbine will give you operational experience in a two-crew, IFR environment. You'll gain some experience in the 704 world, and you'll find out what that's all about -- but it does absolutely nothing for your logbook when it comes to getting hired these days. 703/704 operators are gagging for pilots now that encore and jazz have sucked them all up like a shop vac, nobody gives a shit about turbine time the bar is set so low.

[SpeedChecks]

I absolutely disagree. If I was a 705 recruiter and had a resume of a 1900 FO vs 172 instructor, I’m definitely taking the 1900 FO with IFR, multi crew, multi-engine and operational experience.
No brainer!

[Trematode]

You're not a recruiter, though, and this isn't 2010 anymore.

703/704 operators already don't have the candidates to be picking and choosing. And many 705 operators don't either.

For the pilot in question, his career would probably be better served getting the PIC time now, and getting his ATPL, because 1900 jobs are a dime a dozen. It's not some once-in-a-lifetime opportunity the way it might have been perceived in the past. If he needs a bit of turbine or multi-crew later he can always get some after his AA license requirements if he really needs to. The alternative might be a long ass wait time to upgrade at some 704 or regional airline.

[Big Pistons Forever]

To the OP

How much PIC time do you have now ? If it is not enough to get your ATPL how are you going to get it as a lawn dart FO ?

Yes 704 operators are hiring brand new CPL/MEIFR pilots straight to the 1900 however alot of those guys and gals are not making it through the training. If you do decide on the 704 route I can pretty much guarantee if you had 5 2's on your CPL flight test and just scraped through the MEIFR training and flight test, the 1900 will eat you alive.

I absolutely disagree. If I was a 705 recruiter and had a resume of a 1900 FO vs 172 instructor, I’m definitely taking the 1900 FO with IFR, multi crew, multi-engine and operational experience.
No brainer!

Bottom line is pretty simple. Decent companies hire on attitude and train to experience.

If it is a choice between a not very impressive 704 FO who thinks he is hot stuff because he has some turbine 704 time and and a keen well prepared and solid C 172 instructor, I will take the C 172 instructor every time

[mel gibson]

At my multi turbine operator many years ago, the best Captains were the FOs who started at 250 hours and upgraded after 1000-1500 hours in the right seat. We had direct entry Captains who came from being Navajo Captains and they were below average.
Instructors with 1000 hours PIC , who joined as FOs were brutal and would vilolate Captains routinely with altitude busts.

The best overseas Captains at my current Airline, were overseas FOs for many years learning the local knowledge of foreign airports and oceanic procedures. The worst overseas Captains were the narrow body ones who never did the overseas operation as an FO. CRM from long time FOs is also better.

My opinion only, but I have only been doing this for 30 years....

[TeigrobT]

I personally took the instructor route till I had all ATPL requirements before getting a 704 job. A few of the perks of doing that were that a few companies were trying to hire me which meant I could choose the one that suited me best. That being said I have flown with captains who have gone straight 250 hours into the right seat for 2-3 years before upgrading and they speak highly of that route. One thing I will say is that when I did my ground school for the 704 much of my IFR theory was very strong since I had just come from IFR instructing, so it definitely helped me in that sense.
As most posters have said and I always tried to tell me students this also, only become an instructor if you’re going to try to be the best instructor you can be, don’t just do it for the hours.

[ehv8oar]

It's going to depend on the person who does the recruiting as much as anything. One recruiter might have a high opinion of instructors and the PIC experience gathered from doing that, another might value the turbine, multi crew experience more.

Thing is though if the good times stopped tomorrow what is going to be more beneficial to you. I'm pretty sure the majority of recruiters would pick someone with multi crew experience on a reasonably quick multi turbine than instructing experience on a small piston.

[ayseven]

Ideally, you would think they would want a mix. People bringing different points of view is not a bad thing, as long as everyone can get along.