I'm trying to build time. All i have been hearing is, get a CFI, CFII and MEI and instruct. I have also heard pick up jobs banner towing and haul jumpers. Any ideas where to go for banner towing this late in the season? Currently located in Middletown Delaware, however I am willing to travel anywhere to build time.

 

Summer is generally the best time for banner towing when people are outdoors, at the beach, etc.

Most folks do flight instruction for a reason...also be aware that non-cfi's have a harder time at airline interviews and new-hire training (unless they have turbine time). Jump ops do not really build many skills that are relevant to the airlines, nad banner towing is not much better.

 

[quote=rickair7777;676291]Summer is generally the best time for banner towing when people are outdoors, at the beach, etc.

Most folks do flight instruction for a reason...also be aware that non-cfi's have a harder time at airline interviews and new-hire training (unless they have turbine time). Jump ops do not really build many skills that are relevant to the airlines, nad banner towing is not much better.[/quote

Rickair, dont think i totally agree with you about the jump ops, not building many skills for airline training. Have two friends, both fly for southwest and both built about a thousand hours being a skydive pilot. Im closing in on 750 from hauling jumpers three days a week. A day in the skydiving pilot life, takeoff at max tow with aft, aft, aft, weight, 2000 to 3000 da, climbing through clouds, constant pitch up attitude, trying to climb at max power, but keeping the oil temp from pushing through the red. At 11,000, door open, four jumpers hanging off your strut, max left rudder, max left on the yoke, stall speed a coming, jumpers away, stomp the left rudder, got to get that door shut. Now get down at 4000 feet per, dont shock cool, configure the plane, pick up another load, about 16 loads per day. I carry more passengers than american eagle on a good weekend!

 

I think of it this way... being a CFI is kindof like being a FO for a really bad CA.

 

YEAH! Sounds just like what we do at the airlines!

I flew jumpers for a little bit. I'm not saying that its not challenging flying, but every flight is pretty much the same. There's only so much useful experience one can gain from all VFR .3 flights.

 

I am fully aware of what you do at the airlines. Having friends at southwest, one being a check airman, I have had the humbling privelage to fly the 737/300, working off my flight sim checklist, holy systems and checklist batman. Then as a fly on the wall during de-brief alot of respect for the big boys. I'm also a cfi, PIC time, it is gold anyway you look at it, and when they look at the amount of people safely transported, and your ability to conduct this day in day out, i know it's a little more than" only so much useful experience one can gain from all VFR .3 flights."

 

Any idea where to go for a jump pilot job this time of year? I would assume places like Florida or the Carolinas. I just need to find a place that I can get pic time that I don't have to pay for.