Possible cheap way to build time
 

In regards to building flight time to meet the ATP mins, I had this weird idea that I wanted to validate here on the forums.

Here it is. You buy some old c150 and simply run the engine on the ramp for hours on end. Obviously the fuel burn would be significantly less than actually flying it and the Hobbs meter is still running.

I realize this is stupid and I'm not going to do this, I just wanted to know if this would hypothetically be possible, and if the airlines would ever find out I "flew" my airplane on the ramp for 800 hours.

Thanks!

Possible cheap way to build time
 

Flight is only log if there is an intent to fly.

You are going to spend 20k for your old 150 that will be tbo'd and need another 10k after you burn up the engine. You will technically be allowed to log the time because you had the intent to fly it. IF you are turned in by anybody you are screwed. If you are caught pencil whipping which i guess if you do it that way its a grey area you are screwed. Or you could pay your dues like everybody else to achieve your goals instead of trying to cheat the system. Don't ask "hypothetical" questions. If you didn't consider it you wouldn't have asked.

If he taxis to the runway and the airplane explodes that is intent to fly.

When I was flight instructing in the desert, international students would fly from phx on a cross country flight and sit at havasu for sometimes a couple hours with engines running. Not sure why but im assuming same intent as op

US aviation denton usually has 3-5 150's sitting on the ramp running. But they are chinese students going back to their own country. Don't know if that makes a difference. I would go crazy sitting on the ramp for 10 minutes let alone hours.

If you were gonna do this you might as well pencil whip your logbook and save yourself the gas money.

Good luck when you get to your first commercial gig though when you only have a few hundred "real" hours though. I get the feeling the will spot you on your first day of training.

Thanks for the replies guys. As stated in my original post, I have no intent on trying this. Just a thought I had.

I also understand I would not gain real experience burning fuel on the ramp. The question I asked only pertains to the time building function.

Don't want to stir up any excitement.

Yes, I've heard of it being done but safe to assume the FAA would revoke all your tickets if they caught you.

Also...don't forget flight-aware. A potential employer can basically google your flight path if you're IFR.

Yeah, I can't see myself filing IFR for an extended ramp fuel-burn session, but good point.