Pilot Flight Time... How Much Does It Matter?

[Brent Bergan]

I was looking around for jobs, and came across a mountainous, fire dept job opportunity. The primary candidates all have over 10k flight hours. It made me think, at which point in hours does it stop making a difference for hiring for the top jobs? For example, for people with similar backgrounds, does a qualified pilot with 11k hours outshine the same pilot with 4k hours... what about, ,6, or 8? Or, after xx number of hours you start looking at other qualities, such as masters, experiences, schools, etc.

 

At which point in flight hours do your skills become what you have? At which point do flight hours stop making a difference for being hired?

 

For you high time guys out there, have you seen your skills increase as your flight time increases, or at some point do you top out?

 

Could be an interesting article?

[Skids Up]

If you don't try and learn something new every time you go out, or try and get better/smoother at each task, then you have peaked out.

 

You never "make it" and then never need to improve yourself.

 

Hours are a poor way of sorting people, and though 'usually' more hours = more/better pilot, it ain't always so. But it becomes the 'easiest' way to determine experience/ability as there isn't any other way, other than the "Yeah! I've got lots of experience..." statement.

 

Lots of hours say you have been there done that. Put up with the good, the crap, the ugly and all the rest and survived. Usually says something about character, but not always.