Low hour pilot jobs
 

Hello my name is Jordan Hunt and I'm currently training at ATP flight school in Louisville, KY. I have about 2 months left in my program here and within that time I will hold my commercial multi, commercial single and my IFR rating. I could go onto get my CFI, CFI multi, and my CFII but I do not see myself as a teacher and I don't think I would enjoy being a flight instructor. Once my training is up here I will have at least 100 hours of multi time under my belt and I'm only 20. Is there any way I can gain the 1500 hour requirement without becoming a CFI. By the end I will have at least 275 hours total time. Thank you for your help!!!

Traditionally CFI has always been the way to go, but a few wet commercials could luck into miscellaneous light ASEL jobs like traffic watch or pipeline patrol. But satellite and UAS technology has made those jobs fewer and further between.

In the past, CFI and 135 night freight experience was preferred over VFR experience like traffic, pipeline, drop zone pilot. But in today's environment the regionals just don't care...they'll hire anyone who meets the ATP mins. But IFR or instructor experience will make airline training easier compared to buzzing around VFR in a light piston plane.

If you really want to skip CFI, start pounding the pavement and making connections. Maybe you can start with ferry flights in your local area.

I'm new to this and I really don't know anyone because I have no friends or family that has been in the aviation field besides my instructor. What would be a good way to find out about ferry flights or other jobs in a local area or anywhere period. Thank you for responding.

Hang out at a local busy GA airport and talk to folks. Usually the best way to make connections is to be a CFI, people get to know you after a while.

It's probably going to be easier to do the CFI thing...there's a reason most people do. If you're trying to get established in GA, it will be slow going with little consistent income...so you'll need a side job too. Maybe work at the FBO, that's another way to meet people.

I'm probably going to have to bite the bullet and become a CFI then who knows I may end up liking it. But thank you for your response it means a lot.

Few of us ever wanted to be CFI's long-term but I certainly enjoyed it while it lasted.

Also...since you used your real name (I assume), be very benign and polite on these forums. Airlines will blacklist pilots who they can identify as having an online persona anything much more contentious than "Eagle Scout". I tend to view this place as kind of like a bar where you can let your hair down a little with fellow pilots...but the conversation is a permanent record, so most of us use anonymous IDs.

Being a CFI will help you more than you think. You will actually learn a lot more by teaching (if you put your effort in it), and you will really come to master your aircraft. You might get to point where you become like a kung fu master, where you can see your student making a mistake almost before it happens, things will seem to occur in slow motion after you've done it for several hundred hours. Also, the CFI cockpit dynamic will help a lot in implementing CRM in the future. As I've stated before, it is patently obvious when I fly with someone who has little or no CFI experience. CFI for a while, then move up to Alaska cargo, you will develop well deserved ability and confidence.

IF you get the chance to get into pt 91 or 135 cargo with low time, you probably will be severely mistreated and have your confidence impacted by flying in a dirt-bag operation with unstable, unemployable captains who make your life a living hell. That's no joke. Places that hire low time pilots, have do so for a reason.

Thank you I really appreciate your alls input and I will definitely give it a try.