peck333

How many hours do you have?
How long did it take to get em?
How did you get em? with what job
did you get loans for your flight school, if yes what impact has that had now in the job market to fly?
Just curious of the evolution to becoming a paid pilot, and the possibilities of making it happen(what options there are after training to make it to a decent job)
Describe how you did it, and also add if you do or dont have a degree.

Thanks ya'll

ToiletDuck

1500hrs

6 yrs including training. August 2005 had 320hrs.

CFI for the Airforce training IFS guys nonstop. Also flew radio relay for the oil company

Yes, found ones that were around 2% so not that bad only had 15k. It wasn't just for flying it was for college too.

Work your butt off. Never lose sight of your goals. Graduate. Send out resume's like a mutha and take the one that pays the most.

I graduated with a degree in aviation. I got started by flying hurricane katrina related radio relay for the oil field for a bit. Flying non-stop for a couple months. Then took a month off to help a friend with his business. Sent out around 500 resumes. Just kept tabs on all the offers so that when I was ready I took the one that payed the most.

peck333

Word!!! Like A Mutha, I Like That

peck333

1200 Hours Your First Year After Getting Cert, Without Instructing? You Got Your First Flying Job With 320 Hours?

ToiletDuck

no I only flew radio relay for 6 weeks. During that time I managed to get 350hrs and one day I was walking out to the plane and just started to get the shakes. Felt my eyes watering up ect. I was going to snap so I just had to quit the job. It was long long flights. 2 a day of 5-6hrs a piece. All X-C time and a lot of night time which was great. But people were constantly quitting so I was being asked to fly more and more. In december I hit 202.3hrs and just couldn't take it anymore. Then I had around 560hrs. And started working with the airforce where I do 5 flights a day unless they are going solo. It's usually tough for 3 weeks then they do solo's so it isn't too bad.

iflyjets4food

Have about 1600TT. Been flying since 08/16/2001. I went to a university with a Part 141 flight school. Was a right-seater in King Airs with 280 hours or so (I knew some people) before I went back to school to finish a 4-year degree. I had 450 when I left there. Took out loans to go to school, but I married a wife that makes lots of $$$. I flight instructed while completing my 4-year degree. I went back to where I flew King Airs only as a flight instructor. I'm back in the Charter department, and next week I'll be a captain.

FlyerJosh

4600 hours TT. Started flying in January of '97. Went to school at a university program, graduated there in May 2000. Taught at a large part 61/141 school outside of Washington DC the summer of 2000, interned with Atlantic Coast Airlines in the fall of 2000, and was hired as a line pilot December of 2000. Flew the CRJ for ACA until it became independence air in June of 2004, then flew the CRJ under independence colors until I was furloughed in May of 2005. (The company went under January of 06.) Collected unemployment for a few months, then started flying a corporate jet (Citation Encore) for a large equipment manufacturer.

Paid for flying and school with student loans (about $35K) and through tuition/loan reimbursement programs available by joining the National Guard (Army enlisted for 9 years in the guard). The guard covered through reimbursement about $50K in loans and other tuition/books costs through various state and federal programs. The only time that money was really tight was when I was an intern (unpaid, supplemented by flight instructing part time), and when I was in training as a new hire FO ($200/week), all while living in the Washington DC area.

Here's the timeline that my career has taken:

January 97: First flight/start private pilot training
February 97: First solo
May 97: Private pilot certificate earned
June 97 - October 97: National Guard training (no flying)

January 98: Start instrument training
July 98: Start commercial training
September 98: Start multiengine training

January 99: Commercial/Instrument/Multi-engine certificate(s) earned
February 99: Start CFI training

January 00: CFI certificate earned
January 00: Start CFII training
May 00: CFII certificate earned
May 00: Bachelors Degree completed (BS in Aeronautics/Commercial Aviation)
June 00: First full time flying job (Flight instructing)
August 00: Start airline internship
December 00: First full time airline flying job (CRJ FO)

January 03: Awarded captain (Jetstream 41- never trained/withheld by company @ captains pay)
November 03: Displaced back to FO status (CRJ FO)

May 05: Furloughed from independence air
June 05: CRJ type rating earned
August 05: Hired as part 91 corporate pilot (Current employer)
September 05: Citation 500 type rating earned

ToiletDuck

You've done it... You have a nice flying job and married right lol. I'm green with envy!