Anyone gone through applebee av Turbine transition

[DOIT 1 TIME]

Hey has anyone gone through Applebee Aviations Turbine Transition program in Oregon? Just wanted to know if it's worth the 20K price. I know most feel that 10k is too much for the minimal 5 hrs you get in most turbine transitions but they " AB Ax " say you get 36 rs in 500C and possibility of line pilot job. This sounds pretty good to a low hour pilot like me. Any info would be appreciated.

 

I never saw a wild thing

sorry for itself.

A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough

without ever having felt sorry for itself. DH.L

Edited June 9, 2008 by DOIT 1 TIME

[helidave]

Most jobs you can get at 1000 hours will give you a turbine transition in their aircraft for free.

[Bayou06]

BLUF: It's not worth the money, for a few reasons.

 

1. If you're just starting out, your next employer will probably not give much weight to the 36 hours turbine time. They primarily look at total time.

 

2. After you get your 1000 hours PIC, your new employer will put you through your Part 135 turbine transition. They are required to per the FARs. Even if you have 1000s of hours of turbine time, you still have to go through their training. Now, as a newbie, you may require more hours than a pilot with thousands of hours of turbine time, but they will get you up to speed.

 

3. With the above being said, your 20K will be much better spent on getting your 1000s hour of PIC. That is what your employer and his insurance company are looking for.

[DOIT 1 TIME]

Thanks for the input.

[Hutch1528]

I didn’t take their transition course, but last June I answered an add for an Ag-pilot job that Applebee Aviation had posted on a website. And, of course, they wanted me to pay them about 20K for their turbine transition course, after which I would make a very small wage for the season. Since I needed to build flight hours and had no other immediate prospects, I decided to charge the cost of the course on a credit card. $2750 was charged to my visa over the telephone, and I was to pay the remaining money when I arrived in Oregon. By the next day, I was feeling very uneasy about spending another 20K on training that a future employer would eventually pay for. I called and informed them I had changed my mind and would not be taking the "job". It took over SIX months of constant phone calls before I received a partial refund. And, although it was only about fourteen hours from the time I took the job until I informed him otherwise, and more than a week before I was to be in Oregon for training, Mike Applebee felt entitled to a $500 "registration fee" for all his trouble (Oh, what agony he must have gone through). After several more telephone calls, and hearing the some old "I'll get back to you" or "send me an email and we'll work something out", I stopped wasting my time and moved on. That was my first, and definitely my last, experience with Applebee Aviation............well, maybe not. I think I might have to stop in and "introduce myself" next time I'm in the Portland area.

[bossman]

$20,000 will get you about 50 hours of turbine at MARPAT. Depending upon how much ground school you need. This would be all training toward a rating. Come see us.

[DOIT 1 TIME]

THANKS GUYS, DECIDD NOT TO DO IT.

[choppedair]

I heard of a rich dentist's kid who recently paid the $20k to do their turbine transition. They then flew with him a few hours and they're making him pay to dry cherries. The kid is actually paying them to let him work for them...

I think that kid is in for a rude awakening...

Personally, I can't believe a company is getting away with that.

[apiaguy]

I don't see what the big deal is... Maybe you're just all jealous you don't have the money to play.

 

If you pay to fly their 500 and you get to do some work in it... sweet... You're a low time looser with no experience.... if you can pay someone to help you get some experience doing something more than flight training or flying around leisurely... great.

 

Drying cherries would be more interesting than some solo flight to nowhere. What I mean is at least it get you an idea of what work is like out there.... so what if you pay or you're getting a discount for doing the commercial work or whatever... ISN'T EVERYONE HERE ALWAYS SAYING THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE MONEY..... THEY JUST WANT TO FLY HELICOPTERS FOR A LIVING.... I see this guy trying something different to acheive the same goal....will he always be doing it for free? NO.

 

Is Applebee or anyone else that uses low time guys to do commercial work cheating everyone or being unscrupulous? No. They are taking risks using these low time guys and probabally pay a premium on insurance to do so... so what? They're trying to support a business and make a buck... Good for them..

 

Damn, the rest of you guys should vote for Barack so he can take everyones money and give it to everyone else so everyone can get the same flight training.