Serious Time Building
04-24-2014, 09:31 PM
#1
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Apr 2014
Posts: 6
Serious Time Building
Hello,
So I wanted to get additional opinions from the community here before I go full swing on my next flight undertaking. I am currently a commercial instrument pilot with approximately 250 hours and am looking to meet the requirements for an ATP and get hired as a regional airline pilot as soon as practicable. I will need to obtain 1500 hours.
I have recently been quoted on 1000 hours of C-152 rental for approx $25 an hour (dry time) and possibly less after some negotiation. I plan to fly 30-40 hours a week until I have satisfied the rental agreement. I live in north central Florida, so afternoon thunderstorms will be the main deterrence for flights. Otherwise, I plan to quit my current (non aviation) job and pursue this full time. I also will not have to relocate. So far this is a solo venture, so I would like to have a safety/co pilot on board as well.
My questions are:
-Is this a wise idea?
-Any suggestions/recommendations?
-Am I a fool and wasting my money?
-What would you do?
I look forward to any advice or insight you guys have to share.
So I wanted to get additional opinions from the community here before I go full swing on my next flight undertaking. I am currently a commercial instrument pilot with approximately 250 hours and am looking to meet the requirements for an ATP and get hired as a regional airline pilot as soon as practicable. I will need to obtain 1500 hours.
I have recently been quoted on 1000 hours of C-152 rental for approx $25 an hour (dry time) and possibly less after some negotiation. I plan to fly 30-40 hours a week until I have satisfied the rental agreement. I live in north central Florida, so afternoon thunderstorms will be the main deterrence for flights. Otherwise, I plan to quit my current (non aviation) job and pursue this full time. I also will not have to relocate. So far this is a solo venture, so I would like to have a safety/co pilot on board as well.
My questions are:
-Is this a wise idea?
-Any suggestions/recommendations?
-Am I a fool and wasting my money?
-What would you do?
I look forward to any advice or insight you guys have to share.
04-24-2014, 10:31 PM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2013
Position: Big foot
Posts: 406
Originally Posted by RunForTheMoney
Hello,
So I wanted to get additional opinions from the community here before I go full swing on my next flight undertaking. I am currently a commercial instrument pilot with approximately 250 hours and am looking to meet the requirements for an ATP and get hired as a regional airline pilot as soon as practicable. I will need to obtain 1500 hours.
I have recently been quoted on 1000 hours of C-152 rental for approx $25 an hour (dry time) and possibly less after some negotiation. I plan to fly 30-40 hours a week until I have satisfied the rental agreement. I live in north central Florida, so afternoon thunderstorms will be the main deterrence for flights. Otherwise, I plan to quit my current (non aviation) job and pursue this full time. I also will not have to relocate. So far this is a solo venture, so I would like to have a safety/co pilot on board as well.
My questions are:
-Is this a wise idea?
-Any suggestions/recommendations?
-Am I a fool and wasting my money?
-What would you do?
I look forward to any advice or insight you guys have to share.
So I wanted to get additional opinions from the community here before I go full swing on my next flight undertaking. I am currently a commercial instrument pilot with approximately 250 hours and am looking to meet the requirements for an ATP and get hired as a regional airline pilot as soon as practicable. I will need to obtain 1500 hours.
I have recently been quoted on 1000 hours of C-152 rental for approx $25 an hour (dry time) and possibly less after some negotiation. I plan to fly 30-40 hours a week until I have satisfied the rental agreement. I live in north central Florida, so afternoon thunderstorms will be the main deterrence for flights. Otherwise, I plan to quit my current (non aviation) job and pursue this full time. I also will not have to relocate. So far this is a solo venture, so I would like to have a safety/co pilot on board as well.
My questions are:
-Is this a wise idea?
-Any suggestions/recommendations?
-Am I a fool and wasting my money?
-What would you do?
I look forward to any advice or insight you guys have to share.
04-24-2014, 11:12 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2011
Position: Admiral
Posts: 726
Originally Posted by RunForTheMoney
I have recently been quoted on 1000 hours of C-152 rental for approx $25 an hour (dry time) and possibly less after some negotiation. I plan to fly 30-40 hours a week until I have satisfied the rental agreement...
Do they charge extra to install wings?
04-25-2014, 03:30 AM
#4
Moderator
Joined APC: May 2006
Position: ATP, CFI etc.
Posts: 6,056
The problem with your plan is neither the cost nor the reason for doing it, nothing wrong with honorably trying to meet the ATP mins this way. But what you are missing is all the stuff one learns by taking the standard time building routes available, such as teaching and performing aerial applications for a couple of years. The ATP mins for first officers were set that high not to get people to rent more Cessna 152 block hours, they were set that high to get people who need a variety of professional flight experiences to get that experience somehow and not to jump from 250 hours into right seat of an airliner with so little knowledge. You need that experience. Working with passengers, going all over the IFR system, flying twins and other aircraft such as tailwheels, working for bosses, working with students, I could go on but there is a lot to learn and you will miss all of it logging a thousand hours in a hobby airplane flying day VFR all the time in the local patch. In addition, any airline that is worth working for will see a thousand hours of shallow flight time in there and wonder how successful you will be flying a totally different job when you have so little variety in your aviation background.
Get your CFI, CFII, and MEI. Teach for a thousand hours. Get a load of that, then quit and fly Part 135 or do aerial applications for another year. It will be some of the best flying you ever do and make you a well rounded pilot. The case for buying time blocks is not to circumvent the FARs, or achieve minimal compliance, it is to learn more about what you plan to do for the paying public before you do it. Don't miss out on the opportunity.
Get your CFI, CFII, and MEI. Teach for a thousand hours. Get a load of that, then quit and fly Part 135 or do aerial applications for another year. It will be some of the best flying you ever do and make you a well rounded pilot. The case for buying time blocks is not to circumvent the FARs, or achieve minimal compliance, it is to learn more about what you plan to do for the paying public before you do it. Don't miss out on the opportunity.
04-25-2014, 04:59 AM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2011
Posts: 134
Originally Posted by Cubdriver
The problem with your plan is neither the cost nor the reason for doing it, nothing wrong with honorably trying to meet the ATP mins this way. But what you are missing is all the stuff one learns by taking the standard time building routes available, such as teaching and performing aerial applications for a couple of years. The ATP mins for first officers were set that high not to get people to rent more Cessna 152 block hours, they were set that high to get people who need a variety of professional flight experiences to get that experience somehow and not to jump from 250 hours into right seat of an airliner with so little knowledge. You need that experience. Working with passengers, going all over the IFR system, flying twins and other aircraft such as tailwheels, working for bosses, working with students, I could go on but there is a lot to learn and you will miss all of it logging a thousand hours in a hobby airplane flying day VFR all the time in the local patch. In addition, any airline that is worth working for will see a thousand hours of shallow flight time in there and wonder how successful you will be flying a totally different job when you have so little variety in your aviation background.
Get your CFI, CFII, and MEI. Teach for a thousand hours. Get a load of that, then quit and fly Part 135 or do aerial applications for another year. It will be some of the best flying you ever do and make you a well rounded pilot. The case for buying time blocks is not to circumvent the FARs, or achieve minimal compliance, it is to learn more about what you plan to do for the paying public before you do it. Don't miss out on the opportunity.
Get your CFI, CFII, and MEI. Teach for a thousand hours. Get a load of that, then quit and fly Part 135 or do aerial applications for another year. It will be some of the best flying you ever do and make you a well rounded pilot. The case for buying time blocks is not to circumvent the FARs, or achieve minimal compliance, it is to learn more about what you plan to do for the paying public before you do it. Don't miss out on the opportunity.
04-25-2014, 08:50 AM
#6
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Apr 2014
Posts: 6
Originally Posted by Cubdriver
The problem with your plan is neither the cost nor the reason for doing it, nothing wrong with honorably trying to meet the ATP mins this way. But what you are missing is all the stuff one learns by taking the standard time building routes available, such as teaching and performing aerial applications for a couple of years. The ATP mins for first officers were set that high not to get people to rent more Cessna 152 block hours, they were set that high to get people who need a variety of professional flight experiences to get that experience somehow and not to jump from 250 hours into right seat of an airliner with so little knowledge. You need that experience. Working with passengers, going all over the IFR system, flying twins and other aircraft such as tailwheels, working for bosses, working with students, I could go on but there is a lot to learn and you will miss all of it logging a thousand hours in a hobby airplane flying day VFR all the time in the local patch. In addition, any airline that is worth working for will see a thousand hours of shallow flight time in there and wonder how successful you will be flying a totally different job when you have so little variety in your aviation background.
Get your CFI, CFII, and MEI. Teach for a thousand hours. Get a load of that, then quit and fly Part 135 or do aerial applications for another year. It will be some of the best flying you ever do and make you a well rounded pilot. The case for buying time blocks is not to circumvent the FARs, or achieve minimal compliance, it is to learn more about what you plan to do for the paying public before you do it. Don't miss out on the opportunity.
Get your CFI, CFII, and MEI. Teach for a thousand hours. Get a load of that, then quit and fly Part 135 or do aerial applications for another year. It will be some of the best flying you ever do and make you a well rounded pilot. The case for buying time blocks is not to circumvent the FARs, or achieve minimal compliance, it is to learn more about what you plan to do for the paying public before you do it. Don't miss out on the opportunity.
If I went the C-152 rental route, would I have a decent shot of getting picked up by a regional airliner in the current state of pilot hiring?
04-25-2014, 10:26 AM
#7
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2011
Position: Admiral
Posts: 726
To me, it seems like a **** poor investment.
Once you figure in gas, you are spending a fortune trying to get a job in an uncertain industry where starting pay is in the low 20s.
Best case scenario: $25,000 dry rental
fuel burn: 65% power - 5.5 gal per hour.
cheapest fuel in area - $4.75
total fuel: $25,125
Total cost $50,125
Now factor in the potential of an airline that won't take your purchased hours seriously...
That is if you can truly find an airworthy aircraft for that price, which I find extremely doubtful. I own and operate a flight instruction/airplane rental company with a very low overhead and I would lose money renting out at those prices. The old saying rings true "if it sounds to good to be true...."
Once you figure in gas, you are spending a fortune trying to get a job in an uncertain industry where starting pay is in the low 20s.
Best case scenario: $25,000 dry rental
fuel burn: 65% power - 5.5 gal per hour.
cheapest fuel in area - $4.75
total fuel: $25,125
Total cost $50,125
Now factor in the potential of an airline that won't take your purchased hours seriously...
That is if you can truly find an airworthy aircraft for that price, which I find extremely doubtful. I own and operate a flight instruction/airplane rental company with a very low overhead and I would lose money renting out at those prices. The old saying rings true "if it sounds to good to be true...."
04-25-2014, 12:30 PM
#9
Moderator
Joined APC: May 2006
Position: ATP, CFI etc.
Posts: 6,056
Originally Posted by RunForTheMoney
I agree and admit the prospect of being turned down by regionals is probably my greatest hesitation at this point. It kills me because I honestly just do not want to be a flight instructor. Knowing I could build all my ATP flight time in well under a year is attractive without a doubt, but I guess the question I am getting at is:
If I went the C-152 rental route, would I have a decent shot of getting picked up by a regional airliner in the current state of pilot hiring?
If I went the C-152 rental route, would I have a decent shot of getting picked up by a regional airliner in the current state of pilot hiring?
Nobody wants to teach stalls and landings to beginners, but for a year or three it is ok and it builds character. Get over it and start seeing studying to be an instructor. The FAA makes people teach because it helps develop better pilot skills. Even before the ATP rule it was common for people to have thousand of hours doing things like teaching and flying Part 135 before getting that first job at an airline.
04-25-2014, 01:21 PM
#10
On Reserve
Joined APC: Apr 2014
Posts: 13
Serious Time Building
I agree with the posts above.... I finished my commercial with 300 hours including 160 multi. Applied and interview with two regional airlines. I was hired both times but never started initial training due to layoffs and the economy. When the ATP rule went into effect, I struggled with the idea of being an instructor, however after I studied and after I earned both the CFI and the CFII, I learned a lot more!!! Now that I'm instructing I learn every day!! Don't Look at flight instruction as a negative, look at it as a positive steppingstone to the next chapter of your aviation career. I've been at this game since 2003. Started when I was 18 yo and I'm about to turn 30 and I still haven't given up. you are in FL. If you get on with one of the academies you can get to ATP mins in about a year. you'll be glad you choose the flight instructor route.
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