Fed up and trying to build time...

[polarbear66]

So I have worked for 3 flight schools so far, of which two of them have gone belly up, and this one has an intolerable owner. I am sitting on 780 hours total and 43 hours multi. I am looking to get some ideas on how to continue to build time and not have to work for another flight school. Is it time for Alaska? Africa? I am out of ideas.

Please help, I don't want to have to leave aviation (even for a little bit).

 

[Movin' on up!]

Time builder

I hated flight instructing so much I actually stopped flying for about a year. I ended up going to L.A. and flying traffic for a couple of radio stations there. Logged 700 hours in about 8 months. You can also try Grand Canyon tours, although it is too late in the season to get a job and fly much until next spring. You have enough time for VFR 135 work but not enough for IFR 135 unless you find an SIC position, so going to Alaska at this time of the year, with fall and winter coming (IFR weather), would probably not work out for you. I don't know where you live, but try the major metro areas for traffic jobs. Good luck!

 

[EatSleepFly]

For what its worth, a buddy of mine from flight school flies bush in a Caravan in Kenya. Loves every minute of it.

 

[English]

1) Rent an airplane and share expenses with a buddy
2) Rent an airplane and do Young Eagles flights
3) Do Angel Flight missions, either by renting your own airplane or by volunteering to be a co-pilot in someone else's (only log the time you fly, though)
4) Traffic watch
5) Banner towing
6) Aircraft ferrying and maintenance flights
7) Be an independent freelance CFI



There's more but I hope you get the idea

 

[propilot]

Air Cargo Carriers and Skyways, both fly cargo Shorts, will put you in the right seat of their 3-60's and 3-30's with that amount of flight time. Pay isn't great, but it is probably comparable to what you're making right now. Also, upgrade is usually around 1200 total time. I'd check out ACC first. I know guys at both and they seem to be the most content.

 

[BRA]

I would keep pounding out the instructing. Try and hit that 1200 hour total. Then more doors should open. Ramair freight and others seem to like low multi time.

 

[FlightTraker]

I second what BRA says. Although you may hate instructing,and have had a"run of bad luck" keep plugging away. This is a hard business to get started in. Instructing will teach you more than now than you will ever believe. Whatever you do, don't give up-we have all been in your shoes.......


FlightTraker

 

[FlightTraker]

Polarbear,

Stumbled across this website the other day. Don't know anything about them, but it may warrant a phone call......nice website!

www.skypatrol.com


FlightTraker

 

[mmmdonut]

Pft

OBVIOUSLY the answer is PFT.. I suggest Tab Express or Gulfstream which is what I did to earn this wonderful job flying the Beechcraft 1900---- soon I will be a skygod captain in a Brazillia - we're buying 300 of them and taking over for US Airways... Thanks Daddy!

 

[208starcheck]

Airnet is starting to look at people with less than 1200.

 

[Fly BI]

Check your mail

Check you PM inbox.

 

[vossdr1]

Bear,

You could do some aerial photography work or fly skydivers. There are plenty of those companies with web sites-shoot them some resumes.

 

[maddog805]

Get out while you can. Do something else before it is too late...

 

[T-Gates]

Air Cargo Carriers and Skyways, both fly cargo Shorts, will put you in the right seat of their 3-60's and 3-30's with that amount of flight time. Pay isn't great, but it is probably comparable to what you're making right now. Also, upgrade is usually around 1200 total time. I'd check out ACC first. I know guys at both and they seem to be the most content.

Run from Sky Way.... There is no comparison between the two companies.... I know.... ACC is far and away the better of the two.

 

[BoDEAN]

Great Thread

 

[polarbear66]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I will be sending out resumes and we'll see how it goes. It isn't that I hate flight instruction but I have just been chewed up going from school to school. It won't be too bad to have a job where I won't have to say "right rudder" everyday. I will let you know.


Polarbear

 

[Bryan D]

Fly banners, I flew 760 hrs in 7 month's. You get to fly a Super Cub! Sky Signs, Conway SC.

 

[tscarecrow]

I would rather say 'right rudder' all day than 'would you like fries with that?'

 

[fokkers&beer]

I think the banner towing companies in Florida should be starting up for the season. They might be worth looking at.

​

 

[Mtnjam]

Stuck too.

I am on my second CFI job. I left the first one because Maint. was a big issue and I had to remind my boss about being paid. I don't like how flight school's charge 40 dollars an hour and give you 12 or 14. So I moved to the E. coast and now make 20 which isn't too bad for being CFI. Instructing is no fun anymore and I literally have to drag myself to the airport to sit in an airplane to tell people "right rudder" With over 900 hrs. dual given I've pretty much seen all you can see teaching VFR pilots. Instrument students are hard to come by but if you can grab some of them it's quite enjoyable, at least I like it because they already should know "how to fly a plane". Finally with over 1200 hrs. total and over 100 Multi and spending time online applying to regionals I have 2 interviews lined up. One with Eagle next week and Express Jet yet to be determined. I'm waiting on the second call back from them.
You just have to get the 1200 hrs and it's true doors start opening. I just about threw the towel in, but now I'm hanging in there because there really is light at the end of the tunnel, but to prepare for an interview is alot of work. I spend 3 hrs. a day roughly studying, etc.etc..........
Also my theory on skipping around on flight schools isn't too good either especially when you go to make the next move. They will want to know why and want to know if you're going to just build "quality" flight time and then move on immediately to the next best thing