cheap places to Time Build?
04-13-2021, 04:58 AM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
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Joined APC: Nov 2016
Posts: 343
cheap places to Time Build?
I'm a 2 year CFI and only have around 850TT. Due to the slowdown of student inflow, with the pace I'm flying now, I'll have to be a CFI for another 1.5-2 years before hitting ATP mins which is not a viable option. So I'm thinking of biting the bullet (and my savings) and buying a few hundred hours to at least propel myself closer to finishing my hours by the end of the year.
Any recommendations for places (anywhere in the US, but preferably east coast) where I can rent planes for cheap? Bonus if they have lots of time builders to share costs with.
Any recommendations for places (anywhere in the US, but preferably east coast) where I can rent planes for cheap? Bonus if they have lots of time builders to share costs with.
04-13-2021, 07:48 AM
#2
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,261
Airplane operating costs don't vary too much, but in high-cost metro areas there's always a premium for anything and everything. So you're probably looking for smaller or mid-size towns.
Also since you know you need a block of time, you can probably find someone who will rent you a plane for a large block at a significant discount. That's better for the owner and plane than having a parade of random cats flying his plane on training missions. If you're doing mostly XC, even better... that's a lot easier on the plane than primary or CPL training.
Also since you know you need a block of time, you can probably find someone who will rent you a plane for a large block at a significant discount. That's better for the owner and plane than having a parade of random cats flying his plane on training missions. If you're doing mostly XC, even better... that's a lot easier on the plane than primary or CPL training.
04-13-2021, 12:58 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2017
Posts: 285
Buy a plane with a partner or buy into a group owned plane. Cheapest way to do it. You can offer dual instruction to other plane owners to even cut costs further. You will meet other people in GA that need planes moved, BFRs, IPCs, or just someone to fly with as a safety pilot.
Get your hours. Sell your stake in the plane to the next guy in your position
Or there are a few people in Vegas to split with and there is a 162 that runs 95 an hour wet- so 47.50 an hour each
Get your hours. Sell your stake in the plane to the next guy in your position
Or there are a few people in Vegas to split with and there is a 162 that runs 95 an hour wet- so 47.50 an hour each
04-14-2021, 12:51 PM
#6
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Joined APC: Nov 2016
Posts: 343
After I made this thread, I did find a place down in Miami that rents out a Cherokee for $55/hr wet to time builders. Probably going to seriously look at that as an option once the winter rolls around.
I like that.
I know it's not going to be cheap. It actually seems a bit insane to me to drop another $10-15k on this, because, that's why i did my CFI and II. But at this point, I figure if I just spend this money and get the rest of my hours over with, getting to an airline sooner, getting a real paycheck, benefits, and a seniority number now is worth it, rather than flying a measly 30 hours a month for the next 2 years, and surviving off my GI Bill.
The cheapest place to time build is at your desk. Buy a good pen.
Experience is never cheap.
Experience is never cheap.
I know it's not going to be cheap. It actually seems a bit insane to me to drop another $10-15k on this, because, that's why i did my CFI and II. But at this point, I figure if I just spend this money and get the rest of my hours over with, getting to an airline sooner, getting a real paycheck, benefits, and a seniority number now is worth it, rather than flying a measly 30 hours a month for the next 2 years, and surviving off my GI Bill.
04-15-2021, 01:43 AM
#7
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,017
I believe you may have misunderstood.
Throwing money at "time building" to shortcut your way to the front of the line foregoes experience.
Experience isn't something you buy. It's something you get. Something you do. It takes time, and simply buying hours and droning around on your own is not the same. if you want to do that, time build, save yourself the effort, falsify your logbooks by penning it in and go to the airlines with the same level of "experience" you'd have buying it: none.
Or go get experience. It's not cheap. Cheap doesn't refer to the cost in dollars. It refers to experience earned. Earned is not the same as bought, and experience isn't cheap.
Throwing money at "time building" to shortcut your way to the front of the line foregoes experience.
Experience isn't something you buy. It's something you get. Something you do. It takes time, and simply buying hours and droning around on your own is not the same. if you want to do that, time build, save yourself the effort, falsify your logbooks by penning it in and go to the airlines with the same level of "experience" you'd have buying it: none.
Or go get experience. It's not cheap. Cheap doesn't refer to the cost in dollars. It refers to experience earned. Earned is not the same as bought, and experience isn't cheap.
04-15-2021, 03:10 AM
#8
Super Moderator
Joined APC: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,945
Seniority > experience
What John is saying is factual and important, but isn’t everything. We can all list a half dozen experiences where one class date made a huge difference. You likely have 500 dual given which is a lot more of a start than others. Do what it takes to get in the front door.
What John is saying is factual and important, but isn’t everything. We can all list a half dozen experiences where one class date made a huge difference. You likely have 500 dual given which is a lot more of a start than others. Do what it takes to get in the front door.
04-15-2021, 06:36 AM
#9
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Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,261
Originally Posted by usmc-sgt
Seniority > experience
We can all list a half dozen experiences where one class date made a huge difference.
We can all list a half dozen experiences where one class date made a huge difference.
04-15-2021, 08:28 AM
#10
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Nov 2016
Posts: 343
Originally Posted by usmc-sgt
Seniority > experience
What John is saying is factual and important, but isn’t everything. We can all list a half dozen experiences where one class date made a huge difference. You likely have 500 dual given which is a lot more of a start than others. Do what it takes to get in the front door.
What John is saying is factual and important, but isn’t everything. We can all list a half dozen experiences where one class date made a huge difference. You likely have 500 dual given which is a lot more of a start than others. Do what it takes to get in the front door.
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