Help Needed in a BIG way.....

[152_Heavy]

Hey...

Long time reader of this forum but 1st time poster...

I need some advice on something......

I have 300 hours and have been applying like mad all over the place. Been phoning a few chief pilots on recommendation from people that work there to see what their feeling is on the industry and where things are at. Awesome people I have spoken to but none have jobs for me at the moment.

However, I have been offered a dispatch position up North. I would not be flying for the 1st year and a half but then after that, I would have the opportunity to go on to a 1900.

I have weighed the pro's and cons of this situation but am still coming up with the same "I dont know what to do" problem. I figured that I would throw it out to you all, who have years more experience than me and would be able to help me sort through this.

As I see it, I would work dispatch for at least 1 1/2 years, then onto the plane with 300 hours. Then, I would have to sit right seat for....probably 3 years to get enough time to qualify for my ATPL's. Thats 4.5 years later and I am in my early 30's. I took a late start at aviation.

Again, I dont know what to do......suggestions, comments, advice?

Thanks!

[Cat Driver]

Why not go bush flying?

[Go Guns]

The 1900 is a great airplane but the lack of PIC is gonna be a thorn in your side. I would say to keep looking. Try to find a company with a piston single and maybe some Navajos that flies their pilots a lot.

[152_Heavy]

I would LOVE to go bush flying. I have my own PA/12 and had always hoped that I would be able to do some bush flying and trust me when I say I have been applying like mad....yet, no offers

Am I still too early in the season?

[DHC3Rwannafly]

Nope not too early, that's for sure. Do you have your float rating? If so or not, try to get a dock hand job, they may get your float rating for you, then next season you'll probably fly for them on the 180/185. Give Phil at atikokan aero a call. He has a great thing going there. Good luck!
DH3

[BusDriver]

Take the dispatching job up north! Even if it sucks, you would be in the right spot to meet people, who know other people, in other companies. It's called networking and it is alot easier in person vs. over the phone or internet. You never know where life will take you, but you will go nowhere without taking a chance!!

Good Luck!

[North Shore]

I think that I'd try to hold off the company "up north" for a while, (mid-spring? May-ish) and see if you can get a real seat somewhere, until you see which way the economy is trending. If we're in for a slowdown, your dispatch seat could be a lot longer than a year...if you're flying, though, while it might only be a 206 heavy it's still pic time..

Good luck..

[xsbank]

My vote is with North Shore's - give it a month or two more.

Where are you now? If you have your own a/c, road trip! Arriving at the company's door step by air is a great job-getter. Just be careful where you go this time of year, you might get stuck there for a while (PIC time!).

Good dispatchers are worth their weight in gold - if you are good at it, you will NOT get checked out as you are less valuable to them as a pilot.

[NorthSky]

Yep -- like the others are saying better off finding something else. Its a nice offer but right seat on the 1900 with 300hrs is a bit of a stretch.
Find yourself a similar offer but with someone who has a range of hardware that lets you fly as pic (or FO for a shorter term) from bottom up and then jump on it....
Fluckmachine makes a good point as well about meeting people. You'd be shocked about the number of guys that get hired every year just by 'showing up'. And here's the kicker -- the places that showing up works at are the ones you've never heard of and that are HARD to get to. Do your research, PM some guys on here and then make your picks. Chatting em up on the phones is nice, but nothing can replace showing up and shaking some hands -- AND be sure to wear your jeans and work gloves cause you can bet that when you offer to pitch in by helping unload whatever unexpected heavy crate just happens to show up -- you'll get yourself hired on the spot.

[KAG]

all good points. A 1.5 years working dispatch is waaaay to long in todays market. it's just a plane it will be there (or at another company) when you have more experience. Instruct, swamp/fly floats but don't waste your time working that long on the ground.

['effin hippie]

That dispatching thing cuts both ways.

I was a dispatcher for a full year (back in the dark years), if I may say so I was good at it, and it may well be the only time I'll ever be described as worth my weight in gold. I'm sure not everyone will agree, but I learned a LOT about how a company operates, knowledge which unquestionably made me better employee down the road. The big thing was that the CP knew me, his desk was 15 feet away, and he knew better than anyone that I was doing a good job; and when I did move to the flight line, I was rewarded as a result.

I can think of at least 3 others who had exactly the same thing happen to them. One friend dispatched for KBAL for a year and then basically got her pick of airplane.

I this case, I have to say that the deal on offer blows, and I'd look further, or take it and keep looking while you're there. But, of all the non-flying s*** entry level jobs out there, I would recommend anyone starting out take a hard look at any dispatching position you get offered.

All the best.

ef

[jetboy1975]

After a year and a half dispatching with no flying makes for rusty skills. I've seen it many times that when they say ok to the upgrade you fail the sim eval etc..and then you are s.o.l. It may open doors and make contacts but alot of things can change in a year.....

[Donald]

After a year and a half dispatching with no flying makes for rusty skills. I've seen it many times that when they say ok to the upgrade you fail the sim eval etc..and then you are s.o.l.

Any company that would treat an employee like that, is not worth working for IMHO.

[Chickaddd]

That's a long time to be sitting behind a desk, keep looking, there are opportunities out there and Spring (hopefully) is just around the corner. Remember you're a pilot not a dispatcher. Good Luck in the search.

[152_Heavy]

WOW....you guys rock.

Thanks to all of your for your replies and MANY thanks to all of you for the tips.

Somehow, i owe each of you a beer!

Tough not knowing what to do at such an immature stage of the career. Thanks to people like you in the know, who have seen tons of stuff in aviation; I am able to make this decision confidently.

Thanks again.

Safe flying everyone!

[Doc]

Dispatch job.....um, NO.
In that year and a half, you'll still have the same time you have today. Things change. That 1900 could well be a memory by then? Go FLY young dude!

[flying4dollars]

Some will say go dispatch and wait it out, some say go fly...both sides should be considered sure, to a degree.

Lets see, I bit the bullet and went to a company to work dispatch. I loved it and hated it. I was really good at what I did and I got along with everyone. Was on managements good side and felt good. I kept looking at other companies for a direct entry spot while I was working there, but I knew at the very least I was working towards a seat. 6 months in I still hadn't found anything anywhere else, but hey guess what, now I was 6 months closer to a seat. 2 months later I got my wish, however not from my dispatching job. I was hired by another company to work the ramp there for a few months before theyd put me in a seat. Turns out, 2 weeks later I was PCC'd on a navajo and found myself flying on the daily.

The dispatching job definatley helped me out. I had a much better understanding of 703/704 ops and regs, and I was an asset to both companies. Dispatching helps improve your office skills no doubt, and makes you much more marketable. Yes I know, "you're a pilot not a dispatcher" but it seems these days having any job related credentials works for you. It did for me anyways.

Regardless, I never regreted taking that dispatching job. Just over 1 year since being up in the north and I'm flying a 12,500+ machine. It only took 8 months of dispatching. Regret factor? zero

gotta do what you think is best for you

Good Luck!!

[dangerous]

If you have no flying job lined up, take the dispatching job and build "seniority" there. At the same time, look for a flying job at another company or do an instructor rating and instruct part time. As soon as you get a better flying job, take it, unless your company is putting you one the aircraft next week. Basically if you're on the ground, you should be at least looking for a flying job. That's my $0.02.

[TopperHarley]

I agree 100% with Dangerous.

You said it yourself- you have applied to countless places and have received NO bites. I would be inclined to take the job, and continue to apply to as many flying jobs as you can. If someone calls you, great, take it. If not, just keep building your seniority on the ramp job and wait for your number to come up.

1.5 years is definetly a long time to be working the ramp in today's market, but it is still better than nothing. If you get ANY kind of flying offer while there, I would definetly take it and build your time.

I was in your position not too long ago too. While I worked the ramp, I kept applying to other companies. I got 3 calls from other companies, but I ended up sticking it out because my flight line spot was just around the corner, and it ended up working out just fine.

I would still recommend the instructor route, but if you're short on $$$, there really isnt too much else out there. A flying job is always better than a ramp job, but a ramp job is always better than no job at all.

[Blue Yonder]

I must agree with C-HRIS and Dangerous.

Its been my experience that flying jobs and girlfriends are kinda similar:

It's always easier finding a new one when you already have one.

Blue

[BusDriver]

152 Heavy,

The only reason I suggest you take the job is so that it forces you to get on with your career. Within 1-2 months in the right places you will be flying rather than still sitting behind a computer screen in southern Ontario. I am not endorsing companies using pilots for ground type labour positions, cause it is bullshit. But why not collect a paycheque for a month or two while you are looking for the right gig. Or like some of the other guy's suggested, take that airplane of yours and head north! All the best, if you have any questions feel free to pm.

Flucker

[tumbleweed]

You should listen to your gut feeling on this decision. You haven't given enough information for anyone to give you good advice. You are also asking advice from people who don't even post their real name. Including me. The company may tell you a specific period of time as dispatch but that might be a round number and may be worst case senario too. That way they are living above the expectation.

[Red Line]

I'm gonna chime in hear and agree with the last few posters: yes, if you find a good fly-right-away job, take it, but in the meantime you might as well be working for a 703/704 operator in some capacity.

2 things that I feel are great experiences for newbie pilots are: 1) ramp/fueling (so you don't get mad every time you take on a fuel-related delay) & 2) dispatch

At my company many pilots (myself included) get frustrated with our dispatchers. But occasionally I'll take a step back tell myself "well obviously they're just as frustrated as we are, perhaps there's a way I can be more helpful to them". It's all about communication and it goes both ways. Having sat in a dispatch-type seat before (at a previous company) it's easier for me to see the "big picture" in the operation and the job they're trying to do. You can't chirp till you've sat in that seat.

The experience I'm talking about here can be picked up in a few weeks. I wouldn't do it for 1.5 years if flying is your main goal.

[C-GGGQ]

2 things that I feel are great experiences for newbie pilots are: 1) ramp/fueling (so you don't get mad every time you take on a fuel-related delay) & 2) dispatch

I agree, however i enjoyed my ramp job thoroughly (for the most part). My dispatch position ranks up there in worst jobs i've ever had (could have just been the company, or could be I'm more suited to the outside and fueling or loading aircraft). Both were eye opening experiences though.