![]() You're facing what each civilian pilot has had to deal with as they began their aviation career. The rest is difficult but certainly can be done. Do not give up and insist a lot in you dream. I hope you find the right way to achieve your goals. Besides, it is a great way to stay in touch with many aviation people.Īnyway. It just takes two very easy computers test and you'll be able to instruct in your spare time at the flying school and get some money (or flying credit) on the side. Why don't you get your Ground Instructor certificate?. Traffic watch for radio stations is also an option open for newbies although the hours are not flexible (they make you be in the air during rush hours, you decide if it fits or not your schedule). Either that or banner towing but that's not very frequent in places away from the coast. Many people own airplanes and gladly will give share the cockpit with you. I would recommend you to go to the FBO and small air taxis and just hang around. I have been building some time since but still I haven't reached the three digits yet. Whenever there was a chance they let me hop in the planes in the right seat of the 206's of a couple of Air Taxis. ![]() Anyway., I started to go to the local (and nearby cities) FBO's just to hang around, knowing people, helping here, giving a hand there. Not that I was expecting to get hired by the majors right away, but despite knowing it was tough I never imagined it was almost impossible. Let's be honest (and I can tell you this because I once was in your shoes not a long time ago) with our rather poor experience and part time limitations it is very difficult to get a flying job specially these troubled days!!! I finished college before becoming a pilot, studied in the US, came back home and started to look for a job (I was able to put full time though) and. If you don't want to instruct then, as I said above, you (not specifically you Bacardi182) must have a source where to build some decent flight time.Īs said before: NETWOKING is the only thing that comes to my mind. This has been happening since a long ago, that is why the majority of pilots get their CFI to build time. A pilot with less than that is worth NOTHING and is not even a candidate for a right seat in a regional, not even in a part 135 operator. I have come to the conclusion that from now on, whoever ask me about what it is needed to become a pilot I will tell them: Lots of patience and enough money to pay +500 hours. Despite all the bad things that have happened in the last couple of years, and the uncertainty I now face at the end of the day, it has been worth it. If you have the flying disease you will find a way to make it happen. It will help your career and it will help you elsewhere in life. Most of the places where I've lived and worked, there were local business owners with an airplane that sometimes needed a copilot. ![]() Not unless I had so much money and so little imagination that I'd actually consider buying a Hummer! Pay and benefit trends being what they are in this industry I don't believe that I'd invest money in a training program leading to employment like we used to have in this industry. One such guy started doing that and next time I saw him he was a DC-8 captain at a non-sked. I hate to see anyone work for free but someone will and that someone will probably advance to "real" jobs. Had friends work as unpaid first officer on local corporate turboprops and jets. Carrying skydivers for "hops and pops" Copilot/bagloader on canceled-check runs. Usually need to get some taildragger time first, somehow. Other things I've seen low-timers get: Glider towing. He was an ex-Navy aviator but wanted someone else to fly while he looked at the rocks. Also flew for a geologist who owned an L-19. My original flight instructor used to say: "You don't find flying jobs hanging around a shoe store." Got a part-time job as backup pilot for a small operation. I got in the National Guard and it let me fly and it let me network - meet people. When I left active duty there was a surplus of pilots and so I did face the issue for a while. Lucky me! All I had to do was go to Vietnam and let people shoot at me for a year and I got all the flying time I could stand. As I near the end of my career I often wonder how young pilots get started today.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |