MoovenUP

I made it through without a CFI, as previously posted check out drop zones or jump sites (probably about to be rediculed for not knowing the official term ) but with your time you may be able to get into an aerial mapping company and fly a 172, decent pay a bit of freedom and a bit of good healthy challenge. PM me if you want more info, I held 3 non CFI jobs before getting to a regional.

El Pilot

What are the aerial survey companies looking for when hiring guys? I need to get IFR and night current, but otherwise I am close to 500tt.

MoovenUP

What you have for times should work. The primary season begins in the fall and ends in the spring but it is not the easiest job and there is a high turn over rate. Desert winds in phx(I think), american wings in Florida, northern states aviation in new York are a few of them.

BeardedFlyer

Valley Air Photos, Keystone Aerial Survey, and Landcare are a few other survey ops. All will hire around 500TT... may have to start out as a camera operator at first if it's in a twin but upgrade is fast right now at low end jobs like that.

Tpinks

Expanding on your post...

The October-May work is pictometry work, the likes of NSA and SkyLens, American Wings are all operators for Pictometry. All of that is seasonal and almost every operator fly 172's. All of the pictometry gigs I looked at were all single person operators, meaning there was no operator riding in the back.

NSA requires 500hrs, however if they still have not met their quota just prior to the season starting, they will drop down to as low as 300-350.

Skylens is a new company this year that I looked into getting on with. I believe they were only asking for 350hrs, however, it is one of the best to get on with pay wise.

There are also non-pictometry survey companies that fly year round. I will be starting at one of these jobs next week. There mins seem to be a little higher than the pictometry contractors 600-1000hrs, but they are flying bigger aircraft. I was able to get on with one at 445hrs when they were asking for 600, but I had 150+hrs already in a 206 which is the smallest plane in their fleet.

MoovenUP

Hey tpinks any chance you know/fly with a dude at keystone who loves his vw and eats a pizza and slams a 2 litter a day and eats dorritos like a boss?

Tpinks

Lol, not yet. I head out this Saturday to start next Monday.

RedGuy

Do you have your degree? If not that should be your first priority, and don't get an aviation degree, get it in something you can use in the real world. Beyond that get your CFI ratings. Then IF you still decide to pursue a career as a pilot (and I wouldn't) when you get burnt out, furloughed, loose your medical, or just get sick of being away from home all the time you can have REAL life options.

JohnBurke

I've spent a lifetime working in aviation, and a degree has never been a necessity. A degree doesn't guarantee work outside of aviation, either. Given that many college graduates never go to work in their degreed vocation, the degree becomes more of a place-filler unless one has specific certification or technical training (aeronautical engineer, attorney at law, etc). Even then, without work experience, the opportunities are few and the entry level market seldom enviable.

If you want to fly for a living, don't necessarily prioritize a sheepskin over flight experience. A more practical (and useable) qualification is mechanic certification, which will keep you working when flying isn't available, and keeps you in aviation.

bedrock

Instruct. It is valuable for building CRM and understanding cockpit dynamics. I can tell immediately when I fly with someone who never instructed. You will also build your confidence and ability immensely. Treat your students well, aviation is surprisingly small world.

When it's time, move on to freight or Alaska freight. You will probably have to teach Alaskans to fly for 250 hours or so, then you move on to freight. It is dangerous to a degree, but you can build into it. You also will make much better money, become seasoned, and appreciate the airlines a lot more when you go. Another option is Cape Air, for which currently you need 1000 hrs. You can do it.