Got the Private...now???

[FracCapt]

So I got a question....what is the best way to do this next step...I have my private....now do I go and start my instrument single....or do I build up hours and do my Multiengine then knock out my ME, MEI, and COMM all together....help please!!

If I remember correctly, you are going to ER in Daytona....correct? If so, contact the ERAU Eagle sport aviation club(http://clubs.db.erau.edu/sportavi/) and join if you can afford it. You can then fly their Cub for $35/hr dry(plus instructor) and get some tailwheel experience, and cheap time(compared to ER rates). Also consider doing some aerobatic or upset training in their Pitts. It's a great airplane, and you'll learn a lot. Unfortunately...they don't let anybody take it solo, even people that have a bunch of time in THAT EXACT PITTS as an instructor. Bastards!

 

[cforst513]

how can you complain about the weather? it's always sunny here and never rains, except at night i have nothing useful to add to this situation b/c i am just a bit farther along than you are. i think what i'm going to do is instrument (take instrument and CFII written tests together), comm, CFI and CFII. i'll worry about the multi stuff when i'm established as an instructor

 

[pilotyip]

Remember if you want to be a professional pilot, a college degree is not necessary. It gets in the way of getting your ratings and building flight time. If you feel you must have a degree, do it on the side on line. You can be a full time pilot doing a degree on the side, but you can not be a full time student and build flight time towards your 135 PIC mins. Only 7 of 177 airlines presently hiring make the possession of a degree a showstopper.

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

Only 7 of 177 airlines presently hiring make the possession of a degree a showstopper.

I thought it was 8 out of 178 airlines.......

Mr. I.

 

[Big Dog]

Without a doubt, get your instrument rating. You'll learn more about the real world of flying and be a safer pilot getting an IR vs. any of the other things listed. And your private certificate is much more useful with an IR.

 

[johnpeace]

Without a doubt, get your instrument rating. You'll learn more about the real world of flying and be a safer pilot getting an IR vs. any of the other things listed. And your private certificate is much more useful with an IR.

..and you'll be way more efficient at flying and training when it's time to do your commercial.

...and you won't waste a bunch of money earning a more or less useless multi-private...when all you really need is a multi commercial + MEI down the road anyway.

...and like he said, the instrument rating will make you a better (read: less likely to kill yourself or someone else) pilot.

 

[Junior2]

I agree with cornholio...that is the same way that I took EXCEPT, I obtained the CFII before my first instruction job. I knew a lot of CFI's that delayed the II for almost a year...It hurt them, but I got alll the Instrument students (gold in CFI terms). The CFII took me about 2 weeks, 6 hours of training which included an instrument proficiency check...It is a shame if you let that small amount of money get in the way of a full student load.

As far as the multi-commercial...the people who I have seen try to obtain this before the Comm SEL, take more time to get it and might spend more money. Any training in the multi before 250 hours (Commercial minimums for total time) is cheaper than after 250 hours...but remember it is easier to take training one step at a time rather than leap over a couple on the way up.

I did not go to any accelerated program to get my ratings but these are the times that it took me for my advanced ratings:

Commercial- 260TT
CFI- about 15 hours training
(2 weeks after CFI) CFII- 6 hours training
(1.5 years after CFI) Comm Multi- 8 hours training
(three weeks after Comm multi) MEI- 2 hours training (included in 15 hours of PIC)

There is more than one way to do this, and i believe that which ever route that you choose...If you study your @** off, you will save yourself more than the order in which you do this.

....REMEMBER... make your hours count!!! Even if an amount of Total Time or multi time gets you an interview...You still need to back it with you flying skills. Keep it standard and don't cut corners by double-dipping or by taking advantage of "grey areas" in the FAR's..they can come to haunt you in an interview.

 

[Catnhat]

Got to agree with Big Dog. You'll learn a lot more about flying with the IR. And you'll be able to do a lot more valuable flying. You haven't logged "PIC in almost 2 months due to moving around and FL weather!!!" With the IR you'd be flying! Without it, you're still sitting on the ground with a ME rating.

All of this is irrelevant if you have easy (inexpensive) use of a twin. If you are paying full price for your aircraft rental, go get the IR.