ESQ702

Long time lurker and first time poster...I've done some searching around the forum but I haven't seen any relatively recent posts with the question I have (sorry if I missed some and this is a duplicate to what others have already asked).

I'm considering a career change. I'll be 39 later this year and have hated every minute of my current job (same one the last 11 years). I always kicked myself for not going the military route and then switching over to civilian flying years ago, but that's water under the bridge at this point.

I am at absolutely 0 time and will be starting on my PPL soon. I have enough income to cashflow training as I go and plan on using a private FBO-type school near where I live (in the Las Vegas area) to start.

My current job is flexible enough that I could take a few days off a week to do a second job if I wanted to. I need to keep working as I go (i.e., I'm not looking at jumping into a full-time school option like ATP because I'll keep working for now).

MY QUESTION: Is it realistic to find a low-time flying job (whether it is in Vegas or elsewhere in the U.S.) that would allow me to work on a part-time basis a few days a week on a consistent basis?

I'm guessing I'll need around 500 hrs + 25 or more hours ME time before someone would take me seriously, which I'm fine building up to, but I'd rather find a part-time option if it exists to work towards building up to 1,500 hours if that's possible and keep working my day job for now as I go.

For those who may want to recommend a CFI job, I'm well aware of that option and I'm open to doing that if nothing else presents itself when I hit 250 hrs, but I'm inquiring more about other flying jobs beyond a local CFI position with my question above.

Thoughts? Crazy idea to work and find a part-time flying gig on the side to build up to 1500 hrs?

el_duderino

I'm 550 tt and 30 multi and having a hard time finding work. I think the low time survey jobs want true low time, and the other jobs want far more, so sort of in limbo it seems. Debating CFI as well.

urp99

I'd recommend looking into Skydiving ops. Many are looking for 500 hours, but a lot will hire with less. You can easily build 600 to 800 hours per year, and it's a relatively easy transition to turbine and/or multi equipment if you're good at your job. There are also part time positions if you don't mind flying weekends, that's a Drop Zones busy time.

PittsS1

Banner ops, you can do part time. Some will hire with a wet commercial and most want a tail wheel endorsement. Pay, about 20/hr. Vegas might be a good place for this. About 20 a flight hour. I did this for a while (I guess I kinda still am on the waiver).

Skydiving ops, sometimes you can find a PT position. 182, they might hire you with a wet commercial, the bigger planes they want 600-1K hours. Pay is about 20/a flight, but some 182 DZ's don't pay at all and they try and get the Tandems to tip the pilot. I fly PT for a DZ in a 208 right now, I get some time in an Otter, but rare.

CFI - You know this.

Glider towing to build hours. Don't know about pay.

Presto205

OP: Las Vegas is actually a pretty good area to build multi engine time as they do Grand Canyon tours there. You would have to check if they do part time but I know you can find some work out there once you have your ratings.

FlyinLion

The low time jobs are out there if you are willing to relocate. Ameriflight, Cape Air, Southern Express Airways are a few examples.

If you are willing to relocate and essentially have no life, you can get a job with a survey company with really low hours.

It gets much more difficult if you are tied to a particular area and can only work part time. At least you are in a populated area so you eventually may be able to pick something up. Doing your training locally should help, you may make some connections.

itsmytime

I wouldn’t count cape air, and Southern Airways express in that. In other threads it’s been mentioned that it’s taking 800 hours to get called for an interview. Even though they publish 250 as mins. I know Ameriflight requires 500 pic, not just 500 total time to get hired there.

Marcdjohnson496

Seriously, peruse barnstormers.com , buy something like a baby ace, fly baby, c150. Partner with another wannabe - find a trusted partner to half if you can.

Pacificpilot

There is a job waiting for a few low time pilots looking to build time toward their ultimate pilot job. If interested, we have a few openings for a copilot of king air B200 flying maritime surveillance in the Pacific Islands region.

P28RZFT

In addition to all of the above suggestions, I'd add that it's incredibly important to build your network of aviation contacts. Fellow pilots, flight instructors, people that work at the FBO, mechanics, etc. The more people that know you, know what you're interested in doing, the better you'll be in terms of potential opportunities. Especially true for jobs that wouldn't get advertised.

I finally found a part-time pilot job the part-91 world which came about because of an instructor I knew at a local flight school. He'd been working this same job but was moving on to something else and passed the job info. along to me. A simple phone call to the company owner and I was hired.