Business Jet Direct

[AirVenture]

Has anyone been involved in this program or know anybody who has? I'm interested in it and am just looking for any personal accounts. If I decide on going, I'll have to go down to Vero Beach this winter to do my MEI with them, but that's no big deal. It sounds like a great experience. Simuflite also has a similar program which is 12 months, but unpaid. Any input you have would be great!

Thanks,
-Brett

[ananoman]

I guess you could say I did this program. It didn't used to have a name. I instructed at FSI until I had ATP minimums, then went to one of the learning centers. I am now flying a Hawker 800XP in the Chicago area. PM me with any questions you have, and I will try to answer them.

[TP_Express]

Apparently with the new system you have to complete your 800 hour CFI contract before moving on to a center. Dont quote me on this.

[AirVenture]

They haven't changed their website to the effect. However, they don't keep up a very up-to-date, organized site. Thanks ananoman, I might contact when the opportunity gets closer.

-Brett

[bLizZuE]

Originally Posted by BountyKilla123

Apparently with the new system you have to complete your 800 hour CFI contract before moving on to a center. Dont quote me on this.

You can either instruct or go to the center first. They are in dire need of people at the centers right now.

[West270]

Originally Posted by bLizZuE

You can either instruct or go to the center first. They are in dire need of people at the centers right now.

So if you go to a center first, do you come back to vero later to instruct?

Thanks.

[badco99]

I know a lot of people that have done it and are doing it right now and think it's great. My only word of advice is to make sure you get a letter of employment and know exactly what is going on as far as pay, etc. Other than that its a great opportunity. I'm sure some of the other guys can chime in about their experiences. Don't forget you need to do the CFI hiring process to get into the program.

Good luck. I'd say get your MEI and then run from Vero like your life depended on it.

[badco99]

Originally Posted by West270

So if you go to a center first, do you come back to vero later to instruct?

Thanks.

If you're lucky you'll have a great job offer and won't have to go back. But don't go into it expecting that to happen. I know a few guys that got an instructor job on the side. Great way to build actual flight time to help get that great job offer down the road. It's all about the TT.

[AirVenture]

Thank you everybody very much for your input! I know this is a Flight Safety specific part of the forum, but how do you think this experience would compare to Simuflite's right seat program. It doesn't require you to do any prior training with them and they require a minimum of 12 months (non paid). It would be great to get that much experience and exposure to the industry, however a year long commitment (unless hired) means I probably wouldn't be able to build much total time during that period. Also, what do you think I should have has far as total time even going into one of these programs?

Thanks again,
-Brett

[bLizZuE]

I honestly think that if you instruct here at FSA, then do the internship, you can walk away with a job. You will have ATP mins (ish) and can get your PIC type in whatever the center has, for free. Plus you meet corporate pilots who need SICs and the like a lot. You have the hours, and the experience they need.

This is my plan, and I think it's an awesome way to go.

[ananoman]

Well the big advantage over Simuflight is that you are paid.

If Vero has enough students to go around, I would recommend instructing there. It is no paradise, but compared to many places it pays pretty good (if there are enough students) and you actually get good benefits. Lots of multi too.

You want to have as much time as you can get. Compared to the regionals, it is a lot harder to get a job flying a business jet with low time. 1000 hours is the minimum and ATP minimums are better. The smaller/older the jet you are in the easier it is to get hired with low time, and the less it will pay (usually).

[West270]

Thanks for the responses!

I'm at FSA right now but I've never heard how the CFI and the training center program worked. I have heard that the hiring process for CFI is very tough.

[Flysher]

Id say definetly do the instructing first at FSA or on the side. I have several friends that did the sim center thing first with low TT and got turned down by scads of people just because there TT was so low.

[Cool2Fly]

I have to agree that I would recommend Business Jet to anyone at FSA or interested in corporate aviation. A few things I took from the program were:
1. FlightSafety Int. is a great company to work for that does very well for itself and in these tough times of aviation and I can seriously see myself working for them in the future.
2. All of the corporate pilots I had the opt to interact with gave me a great insight into the industry.
3. This job with Caribbean Star, they dry lease the Dash 8 sim in ATL and I was able to get face time with the chief pilot and training captains on a daily basis.

[badco99]

Originally Posted by West270

I have heard that the hiring process for CFI is very tough.

The hiring process consists of a one on one with Skovgard and Wakefield, oral presentation, and a sim eval which is used to determine if you qualify for the internship (they want to make sure you can shoot an approach before you go to a center). I wouldn't say its difficult, but the way they do it could be changed. We've discussed it on here before. Good people get turned away (for the CFI), and knuckleheads get hired. But that isn't to say they don't have some really good instructors there. Some good news I heard was that the instructors got a raise. Wasn't a whole lot from what I understand, but a raise is a raise.

Like it was mentioned before, the good thing about instructing first is you build up your time before you go to the center. Once you have 1000 hrs they will type rate you on their dime, and most type ratings go for probably $15k+. So it can be a pretty good deal.

Again, before you do anything or go anywhere get something in WRITING.

[AirVenture]

Hey, thanks everybody! I plan on flight instructing for the next 7-10 months, and I guess I'll see how things go from there!

[JDE]

Originally Posted by AirVenture

I know this is a Flight Safety specific part of the forum, but how do you think this experience would compare to Simuflite's right seat program. It doesn't require you to do any prior training with them and they require a minimum of 12 months (non paid).

I'm not sure of all the specifics on FSI's program, however I did do SF program and I liked it. The nice thing is you aren't required to be there, so it gives you time to instruct or do another job. When they need you and you can or want to do it, good, if not, no worries. I was only there for 6 months before I had a job offer. They want you to be there 12 months, but that usually doesn't happen. Also, if you want a chance of getting a type rating, you should stay for 12 months, but if you're low time, a type rating doesn't do much for you anyway. It is not paid, but it does have other bennies. It's like an internship where you can show up when you want to.