The first 300 hours...

[wrxpilot]

I currently have about 85 hours (PPL at 49) and will be working on my instrument rating shortly. Afterwards I'll be building time and working towards the commercial, and then the CFI rating. I'm estimating getting my CFI at 300 hours.

What did you guys do to alleviate some of the costs involved here? Is time building as a safety pilot a viable option (i.e. is it considered "real" time?). I've also kicked around the idea of buying a plane, but it's close to or more expensive than renting unless I get into an IFR 152 (or similar price) partnership. Anyway, I'd be interested to hear how some of you got through the heavy pay stage. Thanks in advance.

 

[HMR]

Make your flights apply to as many columns in your logbook as possible. For example, while doing your instrument training, fly to an airport 50nm away and shoot approaches at night. You'll get night, x-country and hood time. Rent the cheapest, safe airplane you can find. Come to class prepared so you don't waste any time ($) in ground school.

If you like the way your instructor teaches a certain topic be sure to take careful notes. It's not too early to start building your lesson plans for when you get your CFI ticket.

Take your Instrument written and your CFII written on the same day. You'll save a lot of study/ground school time.

 

[wrxpilot]

Make your flights apply to as many columns in your logbook as possible. For example, while doing your instrument training, fly to an airport 50nm away and shoot approaches at night. You'll get night, x-country and hood time. Rent the cheapest, safe airplane you can find. Come to class prepared so you don't waste any time ($) in ground school.

If you like the way your instructor teaches a certain topic be sure to take careful notes. It's not too early to start building your lesson plans for when you get your CFI ticket.

Take your Instrument written and your CFII written on the same day. You'll save a lot of study/ground school time.

Thanks HMR, I appreciate the help.

 

[CFIjim]

I suggest you look for a Civil Air Patrol (CAP) unit in your area. They are the largest operator of general aviation aircraft in the USA. I started with CAP when I had about the same number of hours you have. That's how I obtained a lot of my cross-country and hood time toward my instrument rating. The aircraft, mostly C172s and C182s are available for "proficiency" flying at reasonable rates. It is not a flying club, you cannot take non-member friends or family with you in CAP aircraft. As you accumulate more hours there are opportunities for giving cadet orientation rides, training to be a search and rescue mission pilot etc. And official training or mission flying would not cost you anything. Check it out at: www.cap.gov If you have any questions about CAP, feel free to PM me.

 

[minitour]

Take your Instrument written and your CFII written on the same day. You'll save a lot of study/ground school time.

I'd recommend knocking out the IGI too. The FOI is a joke and you might be able to supplement your training funds by teaching instrument ground at the FBO.

-mini

 

[mayday1]

for your instrument training, see if you can find another instrument student.. then ride along in the back when they're shooting approaches.. you'll be surprised how much you learn listening in on comms, watching the approach get setup and develop, catching mistakes your friend makes, etc. Granted, none of this is loggable time, but it can be valuable and greatly help in making your flights more productive.

 

[Goose Egg]

I saved some major bucks by getting my degree at a state school with it's own fleet. Dual and rental were a bargain. Also, I built up a lot of the XC PIC and total time required by splitting time. My school had a Cherokee 140 that rented for ~$55 wet. When I split that time with another pilot, it rented for ~$27.50/hr, and both of us got to log almost all the time. Beat that!

Geeze, I must have 30 hours in that airplane alone.

-Goose

 

[Kawasumi_Kichou]

I was lucky and had a good-paying job at the time, so I just bought my first 550 hours. I was also in the CAP at that time, which reduced the costs somewhat. And I split costs on trips as much as possible. Never went the CFI route. At 550 hours I got my first 135 gig, mostly because the chief pilot was a CAP guy too and he remembered me from my cadet days.

 

[comander]

I was lucky and had a good-paying job at the time, so I just bought my first 550 hours. I was also in the CAP at that time, which reduced the costs somewhat. And I split costs on trips as much as possible. Never went the CFI route. At 550 hours I got my first 135 gig, mostly because the chief pilot was a CAP guy too and he remembered me from my cadet days.

Hey man whats a 135 gig????

 

[Traveller Pilot]

Fly legal, fly safe...more important than hours in the logbook, is your flying safety record..and enjoy!! Welcome aboard