Introductory Light Jet flight?

[Joe Larussa]

I am a Mooney driver but on my bucket list is flying a light jet. Anyone ever hear of such a thing? Not looking for a type rating or anything, just the experience.

[Mooneymite]

There are a couple of 135 outfits that fly the Eclipse.  Give them a call and see what they can work out.  The Eclipse can be flown single pilot, but not sure if can be "FOR HIRE" single pilot.  If it can, then just charter and ask to sit in the right seat.

[toto]

If you want to go the CB route, get to know the guys who fly for local charter operators. It's not at all unusual for them to take people along on reposition flights (i.e., with no paying passengers aboard).

Probably not loggable time, but it's certainly possible they'd let you sit up front. And you take an Uber or whatever to get back home.

[Joe Larussa]

Just now, toto said:

If you want to go the CB route, get to know the guys who fly for local charter operators. It's not at all unusual for them to take people along on reposition flights (i.e., with no paying passengers aboard).

Probably not loggable time, but it's certainly possible they'd let you sit up front. And you take an Uber or whatever to get back home.

Great idea!

[carusoam]

Go Joe!

Sounds dangerous...

I simply got addicted to flying an M20C...

then flying with an IR...

Then flying an R...

Then an R with an engine upgrade...

Go turbine Mooney! (If this ever gets back into development)

Sense the progression happening?

Best regard,

-a-

[StinkBug]

If you have a CPL you could even get paid to sit right seat. I've got about 3 hours in the right seat of a Citation CJ1 just because I ran into the right charter operator in the FBO and they had a flight scheduled where the customer requested 2 pilots. Officially it was a single pilot operation, but I got to enjoy the front seat of a jet from SoCal to Idaho and back. 

I also got about 20 minutes of actual stick time on a G3 on a repositioning flight a while back. 

Edited October 16, 2017 by StinkBug

[Mooneymite]

Caution!  Flying jets may become addictive.

[Joe Larussa]

39 minutes ago, Mooneymite said:

Caution!  Flying jets may become addictive.

So is flying Mooney's!

[DMJones]

There are quite a few charter outfits having a very difficult time finding pilots right now.  Most of the young men with ATPs are heading to the airlines.  So, you might actually be able to find someone who would PAY you to occasionally sit right seat, provided you have your Commercial ticket.  One of my friends has a side business and its sole purpose is to round up pilots for just that purpose.

[jetdriven]

14 hours ago, toto said:

If you want to go the CB route, get to know the guys who fly for local charter operators. It's not at all unusual for them to take people along on reposition flights (i.e., with no paying passengers aboard).

Probably not loggable time, but it's certainly possible they'd let you sit up front. And you take an Uber or whatever to get back home.

The nonrev 135 legs are totally loggable

[FlyWalt]

5 hours ago, DMJones said:

There are quite a few charter outfits having a very difficult time finding pilots right now.  Most of the young men with ATPs are heading to the airlines.  So, you might actually be able to find someone who would PAY you to occasionally sit right seat, provided you have your Commercial ticket.  One of my friends has a side business and its sole purpose is to round up pilots for just that purpose.

If you have a commercial ticket with instrument and multi engine ratings then you can find work out there if you want it.

[peevee]

13 minutes ago, FlyWalt said:

If you have a commercial ticket with instrument and multi engine ratings then you can find work out there if you want it.

Where is this work you speak of?

[Mooneymite]

10 minutes ago, peevee said:

Where is this work you speak of?

Ah, Peevee, haven't you heard?  The elusive "pilot shortage" is upon us.  Full employment for anyone holding a solo certificate, or above.

[peevee]

3 minutes ago, Mooneymite said:

Ah, Peevee, haven't you heard?  The elusive "pilot shortage" is upon us.  Full employment for anyone holding a solo certificate, or above.

I'll happily do any kind of flying for hire on my weekend.

[DMJones]

58 minutes ago, peevee said:

Where is this work you speak of?

I'm in Atlanta.  My friend places pilots with aircraft.  Most are privately owned, and they're looking for guys who have type ratings in the vacant jet.  We had a layover together in Paris, and he spent most of the day on the phone trying to talk guys off of their sofas and into a cockpit.  So, to get "real work" you'd need to be on-call and come when called.  BUT, they do frequently need a right-seat filler, and they'll make do with most any warm body...

I have no idea what they pay.

[KSMooniac]

I've heard of many right seat shortages in my area as well...I'm close to finally starting on comm & multi just to have some opportunities to fly something else and let others pay for a change.

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[Marcopolo]

@DMJones   "Most any warm body"  I'm your man.....body!!!!!!!!

 

Ron

P.S. willing to fly to location.

[ohdub]

If you'd like to log an hour or two in a jet warbird, go see Larry in Santa Fe, NM at http://www.jetwarbird.com/. I flew an hour in the L-39, it was awesome (but not cheap)!

[Immelman]

Do you have 1500 hours? Multi engine? instrument?

Go get hired at a regional airline, they will train you and type you in an RJ and you'll get some "heavy" light jet experience and valuable training for the price of your time....

[KSMooniac]

I got to fly in a Challenger 300 this evening. Wow! Nice front office. Really nice lounge in back.

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[DMJones]

I'm thinking that most here wouldn't be willing to "jump through hoops" to get a ride.  If one owns a Mooney, then most likely one already has some disposable income and wouldn't be interested in being on-call for a last minute requirement.  And the company/individual I mentioned above is in business (trying to make money for himself) so he's probably not interested in having to run down guys from all over the country trying to score a ride. I gave him a call and he has a couple dozen guys near/at his home field he uses.

Having said that, there ARE opportunities.  I'd hit up local outfits near your home (wherever that may be) and make an offer.  With a short Google search (i.e. one try) I found lots of sites like this:  https://www.indeed.com/q-Charter-Pilot-jobs.html

Good luck to all who are searching...

EDIT: one more thought, I used to be a maintenance pilot, and I was able to allow passengers to ride along when I was putting an airplane back in service.  See if there's a jet maintenance center near you, and you might be able to jump on one of those flights.

 

[FlyWalt]

17 hours ago, DMJones said:

I'm in Atlanta.  My friend places pilots with aircraft.  Most are privately owned, and they're looking for guys who have type ratings in the vacant jet.  We had a layover together in Paris, and he spent most of the day on the phone trying to talk guys off of their sofas and into a cockpit.  So, to get "real work" you'd need to be on-call and come when called.  BUT, they do frequently need a right-seat filler, and they'll make do with most any warm body...

I have no idea what they pay.

 

[FlyWalt]

To get REAL WORK all you need to be is "RELIABLE". And for me that means that you appreciate the fact that the placement company has honored you with a place on their list of people to call. Their reputation is based on being able to find reliable professional people with good skill sets.

Reliable to me means that the placement company doesn't have to "talk you off of the sofa".  People who are reliable on a consistent basis form a good reputation for themselves and eventually find themselves being offered better assignments and even full time positions.

This is true for any profession.

[DMJones]

52 minutes ago, FlyWalt said:

To get REAL WORK all you need to be is "RELIABLE". And for me that means that you appreciate the fact that the placement company has honored you with a place on their list of people to call. Their reputation is based on being able to find reliable professional people with good skill sets.

Reliable to me means that the placement company doesn't have to "talk you off of the sofa".  People who are reliable on a consistent basis form a good reputation for themselves and eventually find themselves being offered better assignments and even full time positions.

This is true for any profession.

Truth spoken.

[Joe Zuffoletto]

About 8 years ago I got a call from the Cessna sales office here in Denver and they offered me a demo flight in the Citation Mustang. Apparently they were targeting high-time, instrument rated retractable owners like myself. I made it clear to the sales rep that I may never be in the market for a jet, but he insisted so I went. We started with a 40-minute flight with my wife and I onboard (me right seat, she in the back), then we dropped everyone off but their pilot and me and he gave me the left seat for 3 circuits around the pattern at Rocky Mountain Airport. Unforgettable experience and loads of fun!