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Fed up and trying to build time...

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polarbear66

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2003
Posts
10
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).
 
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!
 
For what its worth, a buddy of mine from flight school flies bush in a Caravan in Kenya. Loves every minute of it.
 
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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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
 
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!
 
Bear,

You could do some aerial photography work or fly skydivers. There are plenty of those companies with web sites-shoot them some resumes.
 
propilot said:
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.
Click to expand...
Run from Sky Way.... There is no comparison between the two companies.... I know.... ACC is far and away the better of the two.
 
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
 
I would rather say 'right rudder' all day than 'would you like fries with that?'
 
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
 
MAPD Instructing

Perhaps you need a better instructing gig with more upside. You might look at instructing at Mesa Airlines Pilot Development. I instructed there several years ago. Upsides include working with highly-motivated students, with the major upside being an interview with Mesa Airlines eventually.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
 
bobbysamd said:
Perhaps you need a better instructing gig with more upside. You might look at instructing at Mesa Airlines Pilot Development. I instructed there several years ago. Upsides include working with highly-motivated students, with the major upside being an interview with Mesa Airlines eventually.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Click to expand...
You mention this school in almost every thread......if its so great, why did you leave?
 
bobbysamd said:
Perhaps you need a better instructing gig with more upside. You might look at instructing at Mesa Airlines Pilot Development. I instructed there several years ago. Upsides include working with highly-motivated students, with the major upside being an interview with Mesa Airlines eventually.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Click to expand...
I'm confused. What's the major upside?
 
MAPD et al

DX Rick said:
You mention this school in almost every thread......if its so great, why did you leave?
Click to expand...
I did not care for the place at all as an employer, bearing in mind that this was several years ago. Click here and read why. You'll have to scroll down several posts.
smellthejeta said:
I'm confused. What's the major upside?
Click to expand...
Try rereading this link. In a nutshell, the chance to interview for an FO position with Mesa Airlines. In other words, an airline interview.

There are other good flight instructing jobs available, e.g., International Flight Training Center (IFTA) in Bakersfield. I know this place, having visited, applied and lining up an interview, and having a friend who worked there. Equipment, facilities and environment are first class. Students are motivated. Beginning money used to beat commuter wages by more than a mile. Perhaps best of all, instructors are sought-after at IFTA and are treated like professionals. Airline Training Center Arizona in Phoenix is the Lufthansa school and IFTA's direct ancestor. I also know that place, having been offered a job there and having had at least three friends who worked there. Same comments apply.

MAPD, IFTA and ATCA require experience; MAPD a lot less than you might think. Just check them out. There are a few good instructing jobs available.
 
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Go tow banners in Florida. Fly all day. Chase girls that are "cutting loose" on vacation all night. And the best part is they go away in a week or two and a new bunch replaces them! I towed in FLL/MIA in '02 and PFN in '03, PFN was the most fun.
 
Banner towing

tangodelta21 said:
Go tow banners in Florida. Fly all day. Chase girls that are "cutting loose" on vacation all night. And the best part is they go away in a week or two and a new bunch replaces them! I towed in FLL/MIA in '02 and PFN in '03, PFN was the most fun.
Click to expand...
. . . but beware of the sleazoid banner-tow outfits for which you have to P-F-T and not get any work.
 
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I was at the same point 2 years ago. I was ready to hang it up , but a good friend of mine said "The key is, go somewhere most people wouldn't or couldn't go." Being single (don't know your position) allowed me to explore flying Caravans in South Africa or flying in Alaska. I threw resumes out to just about every Alaskan operator in March and was hired by one in April. I went from 800TT/140ME in Apr '03 to 2050TT/520ME by Apr '04. Now I'm flying Lifeflight in a C414 with an upgrade to a C550 in 6 months.

I won't say I've got the best job now(it's right for where I see my career going), but I sure have more companies beating down my door now than ever. I had to turn down 3 calls for interviews just last week.

Stick it out bud!

Cheers,
RCHCFI
 

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