I've got a few questions...

So here's my situation. Currently have a good job that I enjoy, but there's not a lot of opportunity for advancement. Flying is what I'm determined to eventually do. And being able to live comfortably would eventually be the goal while doing so. I'm currently getting my PPL and have a chance to keep my current job, adjust the hours I work, finish my PPL, build hours, and could potentially slide to part time with my current job if I can start making some money/time build in aviation.

1) After you get your PPL, what is going to be your first paid job flying? (yes I'm aware that there could be multiple answers to this, just trying to get some ideas in addition to instructing). I'm in Nashville if that helps with specific answers.

 

In short...there are NO/NONE/ZERO paid flying jobs after your private. You can not be compensated for flying until after your commercial rating. That'll be when you have ~250-300 hours.

The bad part...that's only when you CAN get paid. A job for a low time commercial pilot can be hard to find. It's best to get your instructor ratings as it'll likely be your first chance to earn money as a pilot.

 

After you get your Private, you need to get your instrument rating and then your commercial ticket, and then you have a chance at some minimum wage flying. If you want to get your CFI, then you can make some slightly above minimum wage flying setting yourself up for another slightly above minimum wage flying in a plane with two engines.

 

Looks like you need to a little more 'research' into your proposed plan...

 

When I became a commercial pilot it seemed like there were hardly any jobs available other than a few opportunities to fly sky divers and tow banners seasonally , but even those required around 300-500 hours. As a newly minted 300 hr flight instructor, I would get plenty of calls for jobs

 

Jeep, assuming you made a typo in your post and what you really meant to say is "after I get my Commercial license, what are my options for jobs?". The answer is there aren't many jobs for a 250 hour pilot. You will have around 250 hours at the completion of your COM certificate. You will not see few opportunities for paid flying jobs until you get to at least 500 hours. However, newly minted flight instructors can often find work with less than that. Give priority to earning your instructor certificate.

When I had my COM license and about 250 hours I went running around looking for work thinking I was just about there. It had been along struggle to pay for every flight hour up to that point. I thought the Twin Otter at the drop zone was definitely a possibility and "turbine time here I come". I remember making myself look silly to several turbine drop zones at the time. After several rebukes, I realized I was nearly unhirable with only 250 hours. So I kept adding time through various things like ferry flights, banner towing, instrument currency, and pleasure flights. At some point I got a drop zone to train me to fly the 182, but this involved a lot of time sitting around at the field waiting for training to meet insurance requirements. That went slowly for sure, and two years after getting my COM license I finally got a job flying a drop zone 182 as the main guy.

So, you can see how slowly it goes without your CFI. When I finally got my CFI I already had enough other gigs worked out not to need it very much. By that time I was into glider towing, aerial surveys, sightseeing flights and other things. It was more for window dressing at that point. The lesson is, get your CFI and use it as an early as you can.

 

YES! exactly. my bad. I'm aware I can't get paid to do anything for just having my PPL, sorry about that.

 

Actually, that isn't 100% factual. A private pilot can be compensated for the towing of a glider.

http://www.ssa.org/files/member/FAA_...on_11-3-10.pdf

 

I will echo what others much more experienced than myself have stated: get those CFI ratings. It takes much luck to secure a low-time flying job, but once you earn those CFI tickets, you will have opened up a lot of doors!

 

Thanks for taking the time to respond fellas. I know these noob questions have to get repetitive. Would y'all recommend taking a little time off maybe a week and try to do as much flying as possible during that time while getting my PPL? Or just do 2-3 flights per week consistently? Or does it even matter? Thanks