Aviation Insights

Well, 2009 has begun. I hope everyone had a prosperous 2008 in some manner despite all the gloom and doom Wall Street produced. Even more so, I hope you all have a very good 2009. With that in mind, I’ll attempt to discuss type ratings and tie it in to the last blog, Fly home for the holidays, where I spoke briefly about compensation.

Most major airlines pay pilots an hourly wage. I know it seems a bit strange, but that’s how it works. And, that hourly rate is dependent  upon 3 things; your longevity with the company, whether or not you are a captain or first officer, and how much the airplane weighs. Or, so we say, the more it weighs the more it pays. Pay scales for longevity usually max out at 10 or 12 years of service with the company. The other two parts of hourly pay rates are somewhat tied together. Normally, the more senior captains and first officers are flying the heaviest or largest airplanes. Why, because they pay the most. For corporate flying, I can’t say a lot about pay scales etc. But, I can say there is some correlation. You can expect to make less money in smaller corporate jets, in both seats, than you’ll make flying larger jets. Very simply, a Learjet Captain or First Officer will make less than a Gulfstream crew, who will make less than those flying something larger.

How does all this tie in with the last blog? I touched on compensation briefly in relation to our worth as professional pilots. How much we are worth, especially in corporate flying jobs, is strongly tied to what kind of aircraft “type ratings” we have. You need a type rating to act as a pilot in command. See FAR part 61 for definitions and requirements. The point is, the quantity and quality of type ratings on your license will have a great effect on what kind of job you can expect to get. By the way, just because you have a specific type rating doesn’t mean you’ll get hired as a Captain. Though not unionized for the most part, many corporate flight departments use date of hire, or some type of seniority, in conjunction with performance when determining who get the next Captain upgrade. See these two blogs for some insight to being a Captain, Learn to Fly – Civilian Path and The Informal Interview and You.

So as your career progresses, pay attention to what type rating options are available at each job you consider and how useful a particular type rating may be in the future. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to earn new or better type rating. While you’re doing that, be aware of any potential restrictions that may be placed on your type rating. Ideally you want none. I can give you 2 examples of restrictions on my ATP(airline transport pilots license). They are B757/B767/B777 – circling approach – VMC only, and 777 limited to FAR 121-543 operations only. In effect, a restriction is a limitation on your license you most likely don’t want. I cannot shoot a circling approach for AA as a Captain in those airplanes unless the weather is VMC. Big deal, right! You never know. Also, the 777 restriction mean I cannot act as a Captain on the airplane except for cruise flight. There is a bit more to this one, but suffice it to say, the restriction limits future employment opportunities since I don’t have a full ATP in the 777. Try to avoid an restrictions being placed on your license. It could limit your worth as a professional pilot!!!!

A type rating does cost an employer money so don’t be pushy when attempting to get them added to your license. However, protect your worth and be tactful when asking or suggesting you be allowed to get a type rating. The flying business is unpredictable and you never know when a type rating will come in handy for the next job.

That’s all for now.