Reduced Minimums for Pilots with Type Ratings

By Kevin Teeter

I recently attended an Airline job fair and stumbled upon something I wasn’t expecting – Reduced minimums for pilots with type ratings!

In speaking with the various recruiters I noticed that many of them offered to waive a significant number of multi engine hours if the applicant possessed a type rating.  In some cases they would waive up to 400 hours of multi.  If you consider the average multi engine rental costs $220 per hour/wet, then they would spend approximately 96,000 to get those hours.

The cheapest time building package I have found online is $181 per hour/wet, which equals $72,400 for 400 hours.  The cost of a type rating would yield only 72 hours of multi time.

Many of the presentations by these airlines project the hiring of pilots in the next two years to be in the tens of thousands. 

The airlines in attendance were:

• GoJet
• ASA
• Skywest
• Air Wisconson
• American Eagle
• CapeAir

We have known for some time that a type rating is an advantage for any career-minded pilot – but it’s always good to have confirmation from an outside source!