Is buying (non-PFT) bad?

[Vik]

I am finishing up my commercial rating and was planning on getting my CFI. I have also been looking at non-aviation job offers on the side since I am a computer geek. I have the possibility of getting a full time, 40hr/week job that pays pretty well.

Would it look bad during an interview with the regionals if they found out that I had bought a cheap Cessna 152 and just flown it instead of becoming a CFI?

I think I could fly it 50hrs+/month which is about what the average CFI logs in dual flight instruction per month.

I don't know if this is a wise decision. I don't want the airlines to think I'm some "rich kid" whose daddy bought him a plane to build time. I've read a lot of messages on here and other msg boards of people wanting to buy large blocks of multi time. If there is nothing wrong with that, would it be wrong for me to do this?

I wouldn't mind CFIing. In fact, I think I would love the job. I might still get my CFI and do it part time on the weekends.

 

[bobbysamd]

Buying time

The commuters like to see that you built up time by working. Nothing wrong with renting a plane for some pleasure flying from time to time, but more pleasure flying than revenue time is a negative, and for the "rich kid" connotation you mentioned. Probably the H.R. coneheads wouldn't care that much, but pilots review logbooks at interviews and they'll notice.

I don't see a real negative if one buys a block of multi to fly off to make the underwriter happy, but only enough to make him happy. Multi PIC earned through employment is worth its weight in gold.

Get your CFI and go to work. If you already feel that you love it, you probably will. Good luck with your plans.

 

[Caveman]

Get your CFI and buy the 152. That way you can build quality time instructing, make enough money as a part time independent CFI to pay for the plane, keep your day job to pay the bills, build more TT by flying yourself, and lease back the 152 to the FBO when you are ready to move up.

 

[Timebuilder]

I'd buy a plane in decent shape, with a mid-time engine and lease it back to the flight school. Don't buy a piece of junk. Instruct, and fly it yourself for business or pleasure. Unless you go to a big school to teach, you will have 4 to 8 hours every day to HTML to your heart's content for a long time when you start instructing. A thinkpad with a wireless modem and you're off and running.

Example: Bob, the hiring guy at Airnet Express, says to have lots of time as an INSTRUCTOR for top consideration, and RECENT time, at that.

Good luck.

 

[English]

Buy the airplane AND flight instruct. I did it that way and it actually helped me. There was no rich kid syndrome. I bought an airplane (with two other partners) and flew Angel Flight missions and did a ton of Young Eagles flights to give myself something worthwhile to do over the usual $100 hamburger. I did cross country trips to all the places I read about in the various aviation magazines as well. So, during interviews, I was able to discuss not only my flight instructing background but also aspects of my volunteer work. My enthusiasm for flying came across as I described all the cool places I had flown to. lus, by the time of my first regional interview I already had international flying experience (ok well, it was only Mexico and Canada, but it was a start!).

Besides, didn't you get into flying because you love to fly? You will learn more about flying from instructing, but you also need to get your hands on the airplane and actually do it. If you only instruct and don't fly, you'll get rusty.

If you can afford it, buy an airplane. I wouldn't recommend instructing in it, though, unless you want the added expense of the 100 hour inspections and insurance.

Buying an airplane is not pay-for-training. Let that one go.

 

[FLYnMONKEYS]

flight instruct....it will make you a better pilot

 

[Vik]

A lot of people have told me that flight instructing makes you a better pilot. They of course didn't know I wanted to buy an airplane or buy time but I think they were making an argument for becoming a CFI.

I was just thinking, how could teaching people to fly make you a better pilot than actually being at the controls yourself?

 

[sstearns2]

.......

>I was just thinking, how could teaching people to fly make you a >better pilot than actually being at the controls yourself?

Instructing doesn't really improve your motor skills per se. It puts you in a lot of situations you wouldn't get yourself into, but you'll now have to get yourself out of. Instrument instructing is where you'll learn the most. Probably the most significant 'skill' you'll gain is how to maintain situational awareness as the pilot not flying. Also you'll learn how to 'negotiate' with ATC to get what you want.

Anyhow, you'll be surprised by how much you learn by watching and teaching.

Scott

 

[FLYnMONKEYS]

.

I was just thinking, how could teaching people to fly make you a better pilot than actually being at the controls yourself?

In order to teach something you must know it. Evaluating another pilot's performance is a necessary skill for instructing and a requirement in a two person cockpit. You learn something during every lesson. Being a CFI also teaches you the patience required as to not be "that Captain" everybody hates to fly with.

I would also say if I had a decision to hire an exCFI or someone who just tooled around to building time (everything else the same), I would go with the exCFI.

I've flown with pilots at the regional level that built time in their own aircraft, I could tell. But then again both of them made it to UAL in record time......oh, maybe it was their perfume

 

[Timebuilder]

Vik

Use the search function, and read some of the posts that Bobysamd and I have written about the value of instructing in making one a better pilot. Just type in our usernames on the right side of the page and you'll see a list of what we have posted. The gist is this: I learned more about flying in the first 100 hours of instructing than I had learned in all of the time previous to that.

If you still have questions, PM me.