deftone

I am midway through my PPL and I was looking at a way to fly as many hours as possible to get to the required minimums for commercial etc.

I work a 28days on 28days off schedule overseas, and was thinking that buying an inexpensive (no laughing at the back) aircraft (such as the warrior I learn in) would allow me to fly pretty much every day when Im off work, without the expense of hiring when I finish my PPL?

The main question I have is, what would the attitude be of future employers to gaining lots of hours just jaunting about XC instead of gaining the hours by flying working hours, up to and including regional?

Mike400

Where are you located?

deftone

Houston, Tx,

Fly out of Weiser, KEYQ

yimke

A regional would not take you without ATP mins. So you would either need to buy a multi-engine aircraft and spend a lot of $$. Or you could buy 50 hours of multi time from a FBO. You would probably still get hired... but I seriously would question your ability to make it to the line.

Aviator89

I think he was talking about commercial license, not commercial airline jobs. Maybe the OP can clarify?
But i agree, most regional airlines dont need tons of multi now. 50 or 100 are the mins for all regionals. Plus, most need warm bodies to fill seats anyway, so wouldnt be to hard to get a job at atp mins. But if you want one of the "better" regionals, more multi and some 121 experience may help.


To the OP:
If you got your PPL and instrument, then build to say 30 hours shy of 250 is a quick way to commercial license. Knock out the Commercial in a few days. Just a make sure you meet all the requirements under part 61 that you can do without an instructor. Then you will need to rent a complex aircraft. (Piper arrow for example) for your commercial requirements and checkride. I think its 15 hours in a complex as to be eligible for a commercial plus all the other requirements in part 61. Not entirely sure though, dont want to dig out my FAR/AIM right now.

But if you are home for 28 days you could easily do 8 hours a day. Especially once you have your IFR ticket. Weather still permitting of course. Under 91 you can fly even more if im not mistaken, just not a great idea. If yu are working towards atp mins as ell, Do as much xc and night as you can. It will help, imc as well if you are able. Getting 1500 isnt always the hardest part. Its the 500xc, 100instrument etc...

ClarenceOver

Hey aviator don't forget to post your interview exerpience on the capeair thread. Can't wait to hear it. I think you will get the job.

deftone

The ultimate goal would be airlines, although I was not planning on knocking out 1500hours in a warrior then applying to the airlines

The initial goal is pretty much what Aviator stated, get PPL then use it to build time for IFR and commercial license. Then hopefully get a start flying professionally, either selling it on at this point, or if funds permit, keeping it and flying extra hours when I could. If it took me a while to get my initial hire, then I could also use it to build hours following commercial, which is where my concerns come in. With a large number of hours flying XC mainly for just hours building, would that be frowned upon?

If I ever made it to regional, would they frown upon having, say 500 of the 1500 min hours built up in this manner? Would a pipeline/cargo/whatever firm care if a larger percentage of my hours got me to their mins? Say 300 out of 500?

BeechedJet

You want experience in your 1500hrs to prepare you for high speed flight in a crew environment. You gotta ask yourself with using a method such as what you're suggesting, am I preparing myself for a 121 ground school?

mooney

I must be misinterpreting you post. What do you suggest he do, buy a lear? Tens of thousands of day VFR pattern CFI's have done just fine at 121 ground school and high speed crew environment flights.

BeechedJet

So... Now you're running a flight school with this plane?