Anyone a career contract pilot?

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Pilot-To-Be

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I have been fortunate to meet some connections of folks who are career contract pilots and have scored many of trips as an SIC.

That said, for those of you who are career contract pilots, what is your story and what is your advice for a guy trying to break into it more? I understand the in’s and out’s very well, but it seems difficult to really break into it. Everyone I know of seems to have just gotten into it from dumb luck - knowing someone who wanted to send them to school for an initial type. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the best type of work, but seems harder to really get into full time. I’d be concerned of relying on it full time and hoping the phone keeps ringing.
 
Nice work if you can get it. And if you get it, won't you tell me how?
- George Gershwin



I want some hot stuff, baby, this evenin’
Nauga, probably
 
Pilot-To-Be said:
I have been fortunate to meet some connections of folks who are career contract pilots and have scored many of trips as an SIC.

That said, for those of you who are career contract pilots, what is your story and what is your advice for a guy trying to break into it more? I understand the in’s and out’s very well, but it seems difficult to really break into it. Everyone I know of seems to have just gotten into it from dumb luck - knowing someone who wanted to send them to school for an initial type. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the best type of work, but seems harder to really get into full time. I’d be concerned of relying on it full time and hoping the phone keeps ringing.
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Very cyclical work. At times you will be turning down trips and other times the phone won't ring.

Very dependent on airframe type as well.
 
Most of the people I’ve known who make their living as contract pilots start with marketable experience in type via a corporate or charter job, and then chose the contract pilot route when employment ended. They had contacts and a good reputation with other pilots of the type that they flew.
 
I agree with the above. I found it very hard to break into contract flying in anything above cabin-class twins, let alone on a full time basis, without already having experience in type.

First, of course, it's contract flying. Which means you're not an employee. So, who's paying for your type rating and recurrent? You are. But then you have a type rating with no time in type, so who's going to hire you?

I had a brand new Citation CE-500 PIC type rating, and did some work as a SIC, but the problem is of course that EVERYONE wants to get SIC time, and all it requires is a 61.55 check, not the full type rating. So you're competing with hundreds of other gear-slingers. And of course, Citations are single pilot eligible airplanes, so the owners may not even need or want you along.

As said above, the best way to get contract work is to have recently left a full-time flying job in that airframe. Go fly for NetJets or something like that, build up a thousand hours in type, then go look for work as a contract pilot.

Now, contract pilot in lighter aircraft like the PA-46 series, TBMs, or even Barons and similar? That's much easier to get into - but of course that's dependent on who you know as well, since many of these aircraft are owner-flown.

As with most jobs in aviation, it's all about who you know. Build your network. And if it's really FULL TIME contract work you want, well that's probably going to take a long time to build up that critical mass of clients to be able to support yourself on just the contract work.
 
Exactly. Previous experience from some other career and then going contract seems the typical way to enter the game. The guys that I know found themselves in it merely from what I’d consider to be dumb luck.

I’ve built up about 100hrs of SIC Citation time that I document for possible insurance purposes down the road (time in type).

The primary individual that I know found himself with an offer to manage someone’s CJ1. He got a type and years later has more work than he can take and has been full time contract for years, making several hundred grand between managing and flying contract trips. He’s in that unicorn position that everyone dreams about.
 
Pilot-To-Be said:
Exactly. Previous experience from some other career and then going contract
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Not just some other career, specific time in type matching work. Hella "artisan" little industry from where I sit. Such was my experience when ruminating the same question last year.

I'd say you're looking at having to eat full-time 135 schedules as the entry price for time-in-type building, before you can break the glass ceiling of insurability as a freelancer. The good news is that as a low timer (I assume) you have to time build anyways, so your opportunity cost is lower.

Good luck.
 
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Network, network, network! I did full time contract work for 4 years, almost all of it for one customer. I was typed in the plane but had not flown it in years. I paid for the first recurrent and the customer paid for the rest. I got the contract through an old chief pilot.

31 years of full-time corporate flying plus the 4 years of contract. I have done a little contract on the side when employed. I cannot think of a single contract flight where I was not recommended by someone.
 
you said you are getting SIC time....if in anything requiring a type rating, ask about getting a SIC type rating. Any type rated pilot can endorse , CFI not required last I heard, and can do all trainiy in plane rather than formal sim program. essentially it shows you have received training and demonstrated ability to land it safely with eng out (as if capt in capacitated) and understand systems and basic CRM . The type rated pilot makes logbook endorsement you bring to FSDO or pay DPE. it will help getting contract jobs. there is a AC about the process some time ago but haven't felt with it in a long time.

perhaps offer to pay owner for gas for the training or work some flights free. there is a corp/charter industry safety rating system referenced for a number of reasons, and higher rated ops require type rated FOs.. so SIC type will be something that will set you apart which is way helpful getting pulled from a list.

I flew contracts in jetliners. mostly moving them around for leasing companies. I'll say this, regardless of how quick they want you there, the plane is never ready and you will be hanging around for maybe weeks, at least for bigger stuff that require a lot more inspections. I learned to charge by the day regardless if flying or sitting.

good luck.
 
I have not met anyone with contract pilot as a career goal. Everyone I know that works as a contract pilot was put there by job loss. They just kinda figured out in the moment: well, I know Steven over here, bob there and Mary at this other place perhaps I’ll put out some feelers for contract work while I’m looking for a stable gig

Then after a while there hasn’t been a stable job and the contract work is regular enough to keep the lights on at home. Boom. Another contract pilot is born.
 
AlphaPilotFlyer said:
you said you are getting SIC time....if in anything requiring a type rating, ask about getting a SIC type rating. Any type rated pilot can endorse , CFI not required last I heard, and can do all trainiy in plane rather than formal sim program. essentially it shows you have received training and demonstrated ability to land it safely with eng out (as if capt in capacitated) and understand systems and basic CRM . The type rated pilot makes logbook endorsement you bring to FSDO or pay DPE. it will help getting contract jobs. there is a AC about the process some time ago but haven't felt with it in a long time.

perhaps offer to pay owner for gas for the training or work some flights free. there is a corp/charter industry safety rating system referenced for a number of reasons, and higher rated ops require type rated FOs.. so SIC type will be something that will set you apart which is way helpful getting pulled from a list.

I flew contracts in jetliners. mostly moving them around for leasing companies. I'll say this, regardless of how quick they want you there, the plane is never ready and you will be hanging around for maybe weeks, at least for bigger stuff that require a lot more inspections. I learned to charge by the day regardless if flying or sitting.

good luck.
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If the OP is getting SIC time in anything requiring a type rating, then they are required to already have at least a 61.55 SIC endorsement, so it's simply a matter of filling out IACRA and taking it to the FSDO or DPE. This does open up international flights, since many countries require a SIC type rating.
 
RussR said:
If the OP is getting SIC time in anything requiring a type rating, then they are required to already have at least a 61.55 SIC endorsement, so it's simply a matter of filling out IACRA and taking it to the FSDO or DPE. This does open up international flights, since many countries require a SIC type rating.
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More accurately, anything requiring an SIC…the only airplane I’ve seen mentioned specifically so far is a CJ, which may or may not require an SIC, depending upon the PIC’s qualification.
 
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