Low time pilot needs help in DFW!!

[CaravanMan]

F L I G H T I N S T R U C T = Gap Filler. If you CAN'T find some type of job to get you to the 500 hour mark to get one of those OTHER jobs...WTF else can you do?! You already said you don't have the money to get the CFI. If that's the case, then you don't have the money to rent a plane to fly for 150 hours. I don't know what else there is that you can do, short of getting a set of kneepads.

Try going to some corporate flight departments or FBOs to see if they'll hire you on to clean planes, etc. That's how I got my first gig flying a Saratoga. I worked for the company for a couple years cleaning planes and the hangar, then they gave me a job flying a Toga they just bought. Or, try to buddy up with someone who flies a twin, see if you can ride along and fly empty legs.

 

[Kingair1181]

You might get lucky and find a job but I doubt it - Skydiving, traffic watch, ect all normally require 500 hrs TT min. I am one of the few pilots I have known who have earned a lot of hours in a relatively short time without earning my CFI or paying for my time but I think I have just been very lucky so far.

I was living in Dallas (last Nov) when I found a job in Houston as a radio relay pilot. I had been looking for jobs in Dallas but found nothing (and I had 425 TT and 220ish multi and had been applying for 2 months) I had applied for the job in Houston and was then called on a Tuesday night by the Chief Pilot and told to be at the airport in Houston at 6 am the next morning or dont come at all- literally threw what I had in my car and drove all night and made it to work with an hour to spare. Job ending up being great - flew over 250 hrs in just 4 months. The job then dried up but it help me land my current job out in West Texas where once again I had to move. I am now a weather modification pilot and love it. But the job is only a 6 month contract so come Oct I'll be in need of another job and will once again move.

My point is that yes, you can find jobs - Traffic watch is great, pipeline patrol, safety pilot, banner towing, ect. But most require 500 hrs TT and most probably won't be in Dallas. I applied at several companies in Dallas but both wanted and required a min of 500 hrs TT but were hoping for 750. Also, you are probably going to have to be willing to move to wherever the job is and take it, even if it is just seasonal work. If you are going to be picky about what job you take (ie not being a CFI) then you have to be VERY flexable in where you live. Also, expect to find another job (waiting tables, ect) between jobs. Good luck and I am not trying to dash your dreams but its a tough road if you don't become a CFI.

 

[CaravanMan]

You might get lucky and find a job but I doubt it - Skydiving, traffic watch, ect all normally require 500 hrs TT min. I am one of the few pilots I have known who have earned a lot of hours in a relatively short time without earning my CFI or paying for my time but I think I have just been very lucky so far.

I was living in Dallas (last Nov) when I found a job in Houston as a radio relay pilot. I had been looking for jobs in Dallas but found nothing (and I had 425 TT and 220ish multi and had been applying for 2 months) I had applied for the job in Houston and was then called on a Tuesday night by the Chief Pilot and told to be at the airport in Houston at 6 am the next morning or dont come at all- literally threw what I had in my car and drove all night and made it to work with an hour to spare. Job ending up being great - flew over 250 hrs in just 4 months. The job then dried up but it help me land my current job out in West Texas where once again I had to move. I am now a weather modification pilot and love it. But the job is only a 6 month contract so come Oct I'll be in need of another job and will once again move.

My point is that yes, you can find jobs - Traffic watch is great, pipeline patrol, safety pilot, banner towing, ect. But most require 500 hrs TT and most probably won't be in Dallas. I applied at several companies in Dallas but both wanted and required a min of 500 hrs TT but were hoping for 750. Also, you are probably going to have to be willing to move to wherever the job is and take it, even if it is just seasonal work. If you are going to be picky about what job you take (ie not being a CFI) then you have to be VERY flexable in where you live. Also, expect to find another job (waiting tables, ect) between jobs. Good luck and I am not trying to dash your dreams but its a tough road if you don't become a CFI.

Good post.

 

[jaxpilot]

I was at 350 hours for a long time, got a CFI job and 6 weeks later Im at 460. It really builds it quick if u get on with a good company. What the other guys said if u cant afford to get the CFI, traffic watch, skydive,etc.

 

[dardar]

It's going to be really tough to do if you are set on where you are living. It can, however, be done. I know guys who got 135 SIC positions with around your time, but they both had to move to do it. Try to find some 135 companies that fly single pilot airplanes, but have ops specs that allow them to use an SIC in lieu of an autopilot.

I'm not from Dallas, so I have no idea where you should begin your search on that one.

 

[ksu_aviator]

Your only option might be Great Lakes. They hire really low time pilots. I don't know about 350 in this job market, but they've been known to hire some outrageously low time pilots in the past

 

[Learsforsale]

I got a job flying traffic watch with less then 300 hours, but I was almost finished with my CFI training. You will build time, but you won't gain any experience. You may be able to build 6 hours a day, but its all day VFR. No matter how you try and spin it on a resume, all you are doing is slow flight and ground reference (turns around a point when you find an accident).

Suck it up, take out a loan and get you CFI. You have an extra 100 hours beyond the required 250 for commercial, why didn't you get you CFI then?

 

[Way2Broke]

I just wanted to say thank you for not teaching. If you do not want to be a CFI then don't because if your heart isn't in it you will not be a good CFI. The world already has enough bad CFIs! I'm sure you will find a way. Good luck.

Personally, I instructed and enjoyed most of it!

 

[av8rbama]

I just wanted to say thank you for not teaching. If you do not want to be a CFI then don't because if your heart isn't in it you will not be a good CFI. The world already has enough bad CFIs! I'm sure you will find a way. Good luck.

Personally, I instructed and enjoyed most of it!

I couldn't agree more... to the original poster, last thing we need is people with your attitude spawning more crappy pilots with that same attitude. If you're waiting on someone to hand you a job on a silver platter, i'm pretty sure you'll be waiting quite a long time.

I bet you got in it for the money, didn't you?

 

[skyta]

Yeah!!! I looked everywhere but the mins. are all 500hr!!!! how can I fill the gap!! that's the million dollar question!!

LOL dude you can't do anything with 350hrs. I guess try to look at some skydiving places or something. People that truly love aviation will do what it takes to be in aviation regardless if someone is poor or rich. If there isn't a way, people that love aviation will find a way.