Career Options in Aviation

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PilotMedic865

Pre-Flight
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Jun 24, 2019
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FlyBoy913
I have 3 years left until I retire from the military as a rotor head. Of the qualifications I’ve accrued, I have CSEL, CMEL, Commercial Glider, Instrument Airplane, Instrument Helicopter, AGI and IGI. I have a bachelor’s in aeronautics and a master in Aviation safety from Embry-Riddle. I’ll have right at or just over 1,000 TT when I get out. I know everyone’s goal is airlines, but I’m kinda over being away from home all the time. I’m looking at either a 135 or 91 gig that would offer a decent QOL, or something in the operations side of the house. I wouldn’t mind flying a PC-12, 208 or something like a king air. That’s where fixed wing EMS has sparked an interest. What ideas do y’all have?
 
[mention]Velocity173 [/mention] For HEMS Q&A.
 
PilotMedic865 said:
What ideas do y’all have?
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Alaska, 800 to 1000 hours a year.

Fixed wing EMS.

Really depends on family life and where you live.

Just to lay it out here...Pt. 135 and QOL usually don't go together.

I have known some folks that had a good Pt. 91 gig and really enjoyed it.
 
I would encourage you to listen to 21.Five Podcast. A podcast for professional pilots, by professional pilots. They discuss many scenarios just like you are facing. And talk about the many different options as a professional pilot.
 
PilotMedic865 said:
That’s where fixed wing EMS has sparked an interest. What ideas do y’all have?
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I fly EMS. Quality of life can be good IF you live in base. Essentially sitting reserve at home during your on duty hours. If you commute, you'll be away from home for at least 7 days at a time in crew housing of some sort. We have PC-12s, King Airs and lots of rotors. We always need IFR rotor pilots. I don't know mins for rotors, but fixed wing is 2500 hrs. Non-negotiable from what I hear.
 
You’re retiring with 1,000 hrs? What airframe?

Plenty of corporate SIC jobs available in PC-12s with 1,000 hr requirement. Of course pay is crap. I don’t think you’ll find one in EMS though. Our company requires 2,500 TT, 1,000 PIC and 500 ME if applying for twins. Rotor wing is 2,000 TT and I think 1,000 turbine. All that stuff is CAMTS required so no exceptions…at least none that I know of.
 
PilotMedic865 said:
I have 3 years left until I retire from the military as a rotor head. Of the qualifications I’ve accrued, I have CSEL, CMEL, Commercial Glider, Instrument Airplane, Instrument Helicopter, AGI and IGI. I have a bachelor’s in aeronautics and a master in Aviation safety from Embry-Riddle. I’ll have right at or just over 1,000 TT when I get out. I know everyone’s goal is airlines, but I’m kinda over being away from home all the time. I’m looking at either a 135 or 91 gig that would offer a decent QOL, or something in the operations side of the house. I wouldn’t mind flying a PC-12, 208 or something like a king air. That’s where fixed wing EMS has sparked an interest. What ideas do y’all have?
Click to expand...

It’s always fashionable to bash part 121 relative to part 135 or 91. However, if time at home, predictable vacation times, financial stability, and working in an environment where safety of flight matters are important, than your odds of finding what you seek in part 121 are higher than in corporate aviation or medevac flying. I say the odds are better because there are good gigs available in part 91 and 135. The problem is that side of aviation varies wildly and no good deal gig is likely to carry you to retirement. That said, there are plenty of corporate gigs where most of the job is simply being available all the time. You may not actually go in to work all that often. Day to day, this can be great. However, it gets rough when you want to be able to guarantee not missing your kid’s big game, the conception and birth of your kids, etc.

You already qualify for the restricted-ATP. I’d grab that along with a type rating that would be useful in the world you choose (i.e. 737 vs Citation). This will give you recent successful training history and might enable you to get into contract piloting. If money isn’t all that important, I hear they are hurting for pilots to fly the 73 from Vegas out to the restricted areas everyday. Thats a banker’s hours job.
 
PilotMedic865 said:
I have 3 years left until I retire from the military as a rotor head. Of the qualifications I’ve accrued, I have CSEL, CMEL, Commercial Glider, Instrument Airplane, Instrument Helicopter, AGI and IGI. I have a bachelor’s in aeronautics and a master in Aviation safety from Embry-Riddle. I’ll have right at or just over 1,000 TT when I get out. I know everyone’s goal is airlines, but I’m kinda over being away from home all the time. I’m looking at either a 135 or 91 gig that would offer a decent QOL, or something in the operations side of the house. I wouldn’t mind flying a PC-12, 208 or something like a king air. That’s where fixed wing EMS has sparked an interest. What ideas do y’all have?
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Qualifications for most flying gigs has gotten tighter and you are kinda of a jack of all certificates with little experience in a category and class. Your strong area is rotor and that’s were I would set course.
 
YakDrvr said:
It’s always fashionable to bash part 121 relative to part 135 or 91. However, if time at home, predictable vacation times, financial stability, and working in an environment where safety of flight matters are important, than your odds of finding what you seek in part 121 are higher than in corporate aviation or medevac flying.
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Yep, all my buddies from the USAF that didn't go airlines give me a hard time about my schedule & "being gone all the time" until they find out I work less than 8 days a month for triple what I made as a Lt. Col in the USAF. Rumors are stronger than fact-finding in most circles.
 
From my limited job hunting experience, 1000hrs won’t open many doors. Every pc12 job I’ve seen says 2500 or more. I talked to a 135 flying caravans, I was 1250 hours, with recent caravan pic, I wasn’t given the time of day.
 
Wagondriver said:
From my limited job hunting experience, 1000hrs won’t open many doors. Every pc12 job I’ve seen says 2500 or more. I talked to a 135 flying caravans, I was 1250 hours, with recent caravan pic, I wasn’t given the time of day.
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I have a potential Part 91 gig lined up in a meridian, I guess I could do that for a bit to build some more time
 
PilotMedic865 said:
I have a potential Part 91 gig lined up in a meridian, I guess I could do that for a bit to build some more time
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Because you have military flight training you might be able to go straight to a regional airline. There you could build time and if you are willing to spend roughly 5 years you could get to the magical 1,000 multi-TPIC. This would open lots of doors both part 121, 135, and 91.
 
Below is a posting that's almost a year old, so no idea if they're still hiring, but it might be helpful as a guide for what some states do. In NYS, AFAIK, all the aviation assets at the state level are run by NYSP. NYC has their own programs. Might/probably would have to qualify as an officer to be in that role, background check, etc. No mention of hours required in the listing. Benefit if it's an actual trooper job is good health care and 20 years to retire, plus they might count your military service as time in service, or you might be able to buy same.

 
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