Best way to build hours?

[epic!]

I want to get my commercial by the end of this year but am far from the 250hrs i need. after my instrument ill still have well over 100 hours to obtain. Whats the best way to get these hours? Is renting a plane really my only option?

 

[ChiFlyer]

Besides working on other endorsements, try to find other people in your area that are in the same boat and split the time. Talk to flight schools, they usually have people that are looking to build hours as well.

 

[aucfi]

I want to get my commercial by the end of this year but am far from the 250hrs i need. after my instrument ill still have well over 100 hours to obtain. Whats the best way to get these hours? Is renting a plane really my only option?

You need to make yourself known to the airport bums who have airplanes. My local airport has several retirees who have airplanes who are always willing to take someone along for their Saturday/Sunday $100 hamburger runs. Ask if you can log the flight, most of them never log it anyway.

Offer to clean airplanes for flight time. You can do this at a flight school or with private owners. If there are a lot of hangers, stick a business card in the door that lets the people know who you are, what your trying to do, and how they can help. You'd be surprised how much interest you can generate.

Also, Id look into your local EAA chapter also. Members are not requried to own an experimental airplane. My chapter has mainly factory built planes with a few homebuilts on the side; all of which you can fly and log if properly endorsed.

Best of luck

au

 

[epic!]

Well, renting is the obvious answer... Unless you know someone that owns an airplane.

Do you have your instrument rating? If not, get that...you'll need it anyways and you will log PIC time... Get a high-performance or tailwheel endorsement... The bottom line is don't rent just to "build time"... Get something along the way.

ill start my instrument in a few weeks, thats a good idea to get those other endorsements. thanks for the advice

 

[NYCPilot]

dont hotwire any planes either. you wont be able to log the time....

 

[NW_Pilot]

"Splitting the time" won't save any money. If you are honest and only log the PIC time you were actually acting as PIC... For example, YOU fly the first leg of a x-country flight for the $100 burger as PIC. Then the "other guy" flies back. Still have to pay the hourly rental the entire time the airplane was "out", right? Flying back as "co-pilot" doesn't count for log time...experience, maybe...but not loggable...

PIC time is really what counts. Nobody cares about SIC/sand bag time in a Cessna or Piper.

Depends if the person flying is Under the Hood! Then Both are PIC. And Both get Excellent Instrument Practice.

 

[epic!]

You need to make yourself known to the airport bums who have airplanes. My local airport has several retirees who have airplanes who are always willing to take someone along for their Saturday/Sunday $100 hamburger runs. Ask if you can log the flight, most of them never log it anyway.

Offer to clean airplanes for flight time. You can do this at a flight school or with private owners. If there are a lot of hangers, stick a business card in the door that lets the people know who you are, what your trying to do, and how they can help. You'd be surprised how much interest you can generate.

Also, Id look into your local EAA chapter also. Members are not requried to own an experimental airplane. My chapter has mainly factory built planes with a few homebuilts on the side; all of which you can fly and log if properly endorsed.

Best of luck

au

I already clean planes for the flight school i did my training through, they pay me as well as give me a discount, but its still pretty expensive. Ill see about printing up some cards and what not. thanks for the advice

And on that note, anyone in the clt area care if i tag along?

 

[rfresh]

Are you interested in becoming a CFI? Great way to build time...

 

[epic!]

Are you interested in becoming a CFI? Great way to build time...

yes i just need to get my commercial first, which is why i need the hours

 

[RefugePilot]

Are you studying under a 141 school? If not you will need to build 50 hours of XC PIC time. You will also need 40 hours of hood.

I built up my time when I was in your shoes by hooking up with other instrument students and flying on cross countries while under the hood. The first step is to get some BAI basic attitude instrument time from your instructor. Make sure you are both proficient at the basic instrument flying. Then go places with the other student. One person is the safety pilot while one is under the hood, switch out roles each leg. Split the cost of each flight. Subtract out .3 hours from the PIC and total time for the time one of you is not under the hood.

The key is to make sure you are both decent at the BAI and VOR navigation
and follow the standards and procedures of your instructor so you don't develop any bad habits. Also make sure your safety pilot is safe. I remember the first person I did this with was staring at the sectional the whole time while I was staring at the gages. The safety pilot has to watch for traffic and let you fly the airplane and navigate.