Well, I guess you are partially right. You are getting some ideas. I was a contract pilot for eight years. What I saw was furloughed pilots getting free types from the state and then lowballing their daily rates to get the work and then not being able to pay for the next years training. The market for you will be completely different than your next door neighbor if they had the same work and flight experience. I saw a bunch of guys who contracted when they got let go from a corporate gig just until the next one comes along. Hey, we ALL have to eat. I understand, but, you want to succeed, do the homework which includes mapping every aircraft and charter company within two hundred miles of your hooch. Go talk to some operators and see if they have a need for someone with your experience. Make a projection of sales, maintain a budget, save for next years training events. Do make your cold calls, sales calls, customer follow up calls. Track what your clients are doing, that way, you know what is needed. Year number one is the most difficult, because you have to start a business and save enough for next year too.
The above is what most people don't do. And they fail. What are you doing to limit your liabilities? Incorporate? Insurance? What can you you do to grow? Is moving to another city with a larger market a possibility?
These are some of the things that YOU need to know about to become a professional contract pilot. Flying is only about 15% of what the job entails. The type of aircraft is the markets choice not yours. It does not matter what you want to sell, it matters what the market wants to buy.
Good luck and pm me if you want more.
