Low Time Pilots

[Amish RakeFight]

Flight instructing will vastly improve your judgment and skills and looks much better on your resume than mindless banner towing.

 

[phr8dawg]

I believe that pilots who were never a CFI are often very short on patience and lack insights into the weak areas of a new hire. Or they simply don't care. You will ultimately be a Captain and all those CFI hours will matter a great deal.

There is another side to it. You are introduced to aviation culture and tradition via the CFI route. You will pin the shirttail of your first soloed student on the wall. Tired old jokes from "Airplane" and "Topgun" get passed around. Wretchedly bad coffee. Preheaters. High-wing versus low-wing. Owner-pilots that will scare you sh#*less. That near-miss.
Recycled stories that make the rounds every year.

If you are very lucky, you'll meet some truly great instructors and something they taught you will someday save your life. You won't forget that. I still instruct and it keeps me rooted in my beginnings. You will not regret it.

 

[avbug]

I dont like instructing cause im not good at it. Ive tried it, but I wouldnt want me as an instructor. Im WAY better at just flying the plane.

"Way better at just flying the plane???" You're a 400 hour pilot. You're not "way better" at anything!!!

WAKE UP!!!

 

[Way2Broke]

AvBug, lay off. He is asking a honest question, and he has little experience. Try to be more of a mentor, instead of just telling him he is a idiot.

 

[b18onboost]

"Way better at just flying the plane???" You're a 400 hour pilot. You're not "way better" at anything!!!

WAKE UP!!!

Really? And who are you to judge? I bet if he has the oportunity he would be a better pilot than you. Cheers

 

[avbug]

AvBug, lay off. He is asking a honest question, and he has little experience. Try to be more of a mentor, instead of just telling him he is a idiot.

Put words in your own mouth, not mine. I said nothing of the original poster being an "idiot." You did that. I did not belittle the original poster.

I am not here to be a mentor.

The "honest question" the original poster asked if if anyone knows of any jobs for low time pilots. The original poster further stated that he is not good at instructing and doesn't want instructing jobs, but is "way better at just flying the plane."

The original poster has not stipulated his sources prevently or previously tried for work, and has not addressed common sources such as Trade A Plane, Climbto350, or Airjobsdaily.

Work is hard to come by presently for experienced pilots, let alone inexperienced pilots. One would indeed be foolish to turn down work simply because one is "way better at just flying the plane," if a flying job such as instruction comes along.

A 400 hour pilot doesn't meet the qualifications for even a VFR Part 135 job, which leaves flying such as hauling skydivers and banner towing. Visit the USPA site for skydiving information. Banner jobs come up in Tradeaplane and on climbto350, among other sites.

Point is, beggars can't be choosers, and at 400 hours, one isn't in a position to do a lot of choosing...or rejecting for that matter...which means that one needn't be discounting flight instructing opportunities. One doesn't have the experience or the qualifications to afford to do so.

I bet if he has the oportunity he would be a better pilot than you.

That's entirely possible, but also entirely irrelevant.

As for "oportunity," that will depend largely upon having the experience to qualify for positions that would enable the original poster to make such a demonstration. Until he gains that experience, we'll never know (nor care), will we?

In order to gain that experience, the original poster will be required to take what work he can find, and that might just include flight instructing...even if he thinks he's "way better at just flying the plane." Until then, at 400 hours total time, the original poster doesn't have the background to be "way better" at anything.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I'm looking for the same kind of jobs this guy is, any!

Any suggestions for an aviation job (note I didn't specify FLYING) are greatly appreciated. I'm trying to apply for both flying and "out-of-the-box" aviation and non-aviation jobs.

cliff
GRB

 

[rumpletumbler]

I dont like instructing cause im not good at it. Ive tried it, but I wouldnt want me as an instructor. Im WAY better at just flying the plane.

Give it a few hundred hours.

It'll take at least that until you settle in.

You might find you like it more than you think and you'll learn a lot.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

In order to gain that experience, the original poster will be required to take what work he can find, and that might just include flight instructing...even if he thinks he's "way better at just flying the plane." Until then, at 400 hours total time, the original poster doesn't have the background to be "way better" at anything.

At 400 hours, most of it is probably dual received too. One needs to go out and be a single-pilot PIC, before moving on to crewed positions. How else will one gain experience in making command decisions. Instructing is the first point in this journey.

 

[grantrobarts]

At 400 hours, most of it is probably dual received too. One needs to go out and be a single-pilot PIC, before moving on to crewed positions. How else will one gain experience in making command decisions. Instructing is the first point in this journey.

Is instructing considered single-pilot PIC? Because I don't know where else you are going to get solo PIC time without paying for it yourself.

 

[Flyght30]

You are talking about two different things. Instructing is considered PIC time. If you are speaking of "solo" PIC or other...solo can only be logged while you are the only person in plane. Hope this helps, though I am sure several will disagree with me. Some will say if you are the only pilot on board and are carrying pax, than you are "solo" pic. I do not agree with their interpretation of the regs.

 

[avbug]

"Considered" PIC time? What about the regulation needs "consideration"

It's printed in black and white.

Are you referencing the logging of flight time? The regulation is very clear. A flight instructor may log as PIC the time spent acting as an authorized instructor (14 CFR 61.51(e)(3)).

Some will say if you are the only pilot on board and are carrying pax, than you are "solo" pic. I do not agree with their interpretation of the regs.

Say again? There's nothing remotely like this in the regulation. The regulation is very, very clear on the subject. There's nothing to interpret here. (Interpretations, incidentally, come from the FAA Chief Legal Counsel and Regional Legal Counsel).

See 14 CFR 61.61(d):

(d) Logging of solo flight time. Except for a student pilot performing the duties of pilot in command of an airship requiring more than one pilot flight crewmember, a pilot may log as solo flight time only that flight time when the pilot is the sole occupant of the aircraft.

Is instructing considered single-pilot PIC? Because I don't know where else you are going to get solo PIC time without paying for it yourself.

There are a number of ways to get paid to fly single pilot; I do some of them. However, what has that to do with the price of tea in China?

You're confusing two terms, however...you cite "single-pilot PIC," and then in the same paragraph state "solo PIC." Two different things.

The experience to which Amish Rakefight refers as "single pilot PIC" is experience in which one is making the decisions and experiencing the results. This isn't the same as simply riding around the pattern with an instructor, and it's not something one gets when one is acting as SIC in a crew cockpit, either.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Remember folks, the flying part is easy. It's judgment and experience which kills you or keeps you alive.

My point earlier was that at 400 hours, most of this pilots time was spent earning (and learning - learning and doing - two different things) certificates and ratings with a CFI making the decisions behind a closed mental curtin. Something the sutdent isnt even aware of. As a CFI, one must be a few steps ahead of both the plane and student.

After earning your certs., one needs to go out and fly some x-crty or become a CFI, where you begin to learn how to be a PIC by making the decisions all by yourself because youre the most "experienced" on board.

 

[RemoveB4Flght]

I have given up on trying to convince student pilots or "low-hour" pilots how valuable the experience gained in jobs such as instructing.

You have so little time under your belt that you need to figure out your own shortcuts, and not expect sympathy becuase the one job that is available doesn't blow up your skirt

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I just read a post that said a "Low-Time" pilot is one that has less than 5000 hours.

cliff
GRB