Time Building Flying - Non CFI

TopGunn

TopGunn

Well-Known Member
Hello all,
I would like to first of all thank you in advance for reading my post. I came across this web site last night and it seems like many people here carry good head over their shoulders. Anyway, i will be getting my commercial ticket next weekend. I am looking to build some time but i am least interested in teaching. I realize flying traffic or pipeline patrol will serve the purpose. Does any one here have any leads as who may be hiring? I dug out an old post from 2007, but it seems like half of the companies may be out of service now. I am willing to relocate. Here is my current situation.

500TT
5 ME
Commercial Single Engine and possibly multi in another 10 days or so.

Thanks again and enjoy your weekend. Happy 4th.

God Bless US of A :beer:
 
TopGunn said:
Hello all,
I would like to first of all thank you in advance for reading my post. I came across this web site last night and it seems like many people here carry good head over their shoulders. Anyway, i will be getting my commercial ticket next weekend. I am looking to build some time but i am least interested in teaching. I realize flying traffic or pipeline patrol will serve the purpose. Does any one here have any leads as who may be hiring? I dug out an old post from 2007, but it seems like half of the companies may be out of service now. I am willing to relocate. Here is my current situation.

500TT
5 ME
Commercial Single Engine and possibly multi in another 10 days or so.

Thanks again and enjoy your weekend. Happy 4th.

God Bless US of A :beer:
Click to expand...

The problem you are going to run into is that traffic watch is almost a dead art form and since there hasn't been much movement up top, the pipeline and survey gigs are asking for higher total times than they used to. saw a few going for 1200 hours..not that it's a bad thing. Pipeline flying can be quite dangerous. You can try the aerial survey companies, but last year I was the lowest time at my old company getting on with nearly 700tt, and a lot of those guys are coming back to it this year. You can also look and see if there is a skydiving outfit that would be hiring, which might be your best bet at your time, but the season's well underway. Any reason you do not want to instruct? A lot of good connections can be made through instructing, you never know who you'll be teaching. Not saying it's the best thing since sliced bread, but instructing jobs are much easier to come by as a low time pilot...and even that's getting difficult.
 
Traffic Watch pilot is simply a dying breed. The operation at my former airport in Massachusetts closed for good last May. Same thing is happening in other American cities.
I know you don't want to instruct, but getting your CFI tickets might be the way to go with your times.
 
GlenA said:
The problem you are going to run into is that traffic watch is almost a dead art form and since there hasn't been much movement up top, the pipeline and survey gigs are asking for higher total times than they used to. saw a few going for 1200 hours..not that it's a bad thing. Pipeline flying can be quite dangerous. You can try the aerial survey companies, but last year I was the lowest time at my old company getting on with nearly 700tt, and a lot of those guys are coming back to it this year. You can also look and see if there is a skydiving outfit that would be hiring, which might be your best bet at your time, but the season's well underway. Any reason you do not want to instruct? A lot of good connections can be made through instructing, you never know who you'll be teaching. Not saying it's the best thing since sliced bread, but instructing jobs are much easier to come by as a low time pilot...and even that's getting difficult.
Click to expand...


Thank you for your feedback. Instruction may very well be my last resort.
 
A piece of advice (and I'm not trying to be rude, just trying to be real). Get your post count up, and not just with simple one liners. Contribute to our community and see what happens. Many people here have gotten good jobs flying from people they know here, and only know here. We are a tight nit community and all preaty much look out for one another. Get to know us, and you'll see that what you have said in the 1st post of tis thread is actually true.

Welcome aboard.:welcome2: :rawk:
 
TopGunn said:
Thank you for your feedback. Instruction may very well be my last resort.
Click to expand...

Don't think of it that way. I'm what you may consider a time building instructor. I'm building time until something else comes along. However I give my students my all while there. Instruction makes you one hell of a pilot. I learn something new every day and my skill set is becoming better and better because my students challenge me constantly. I've been instructing for about a year and a half and I'm ready for the next challenge. However, I wouldn't trade in my time instructing for anything.

Good luck!
 
moxiepilot said:
It makes you a better pilot. Combined with other flying skills it makes you a really good pilot, but instruction is not the end all to having superior skills.,
Click to expand...

+1 I'm a firm believer in diversity of experience. do a few things and above all keep on learning
 
jhugz said:
I learn something new every day and my skill set is becoming better and better because my students challenge me constantly. I've been instructing for about a year and a half and I'm ready for the next challenge. However, I wouldn't trade in my time instructing for anything.
Click to expand...

:beer:
I totally agree. Some good times and great experiences! I'm pushing two years as a CFI and I'm still improving my skill on every flight we do. I'm certain that when the time is right for me to move on towards my career goal, my experience level and resume will be much more competitive.

Besides, when they first start out your students think you can walk on water! :laff:
 
GlenA said:
+1 I'm a firm believer in diversity of experience. do a few things and above all keep on learning
Click to expand...


True. My only apprehension is spending more money. I am already in good amount of debt and from the outlook of this career, my return of investment is minimal. The love for aviation kept me going this far. Plus, considering my tolerance level, i dont know what will happen to the student who pulls mixture to idle instead of the throttle. :D
 
TopGunn said:
True. My only apprehension is spending more money. I am already in good amount of debt and from the outlook of this career, my return of investment is minimal. The love for aviation kept me going this far. Plus, considering my tolerance level, i dont know what will happen to the student who pulls mixture to idle instead of the throttle. :D
Click to expand...

had that happen on short final. you'll be amazed at how quickly and calmly you can push that back in and have them do a go-around. The engine doesn't quit instantaneously so you can have it back full rich with hardly a cough.
 
GlenA said:
had that happen on short final. you'll be amazed at how quickly and calmly you can push that back in and have them do a go-around. The engine doesn't quit instantaneously so you can have it back full rich with hardly a cough.
Click to expand...

Had it happen twice (although it was mixture to idle cutoff instead of carb heat). Both times caught it, pushed it back in, and never had the engine hiccup.
 
or coming down at 55 knots on final and flaring 300 feet above the threshold.

Edit: with full flaps!!
 
Oh the books I could write about I almost died :) I know, people frown on saying that about students..but when you are teaching people who have severely limited English speaking and understanding skills, "My controls!" doesn't always make it through the panic barrier....
 
GlenA said:
Oh the books I could write about I almost died :) I know, people frown on saying that about students..but when you are teaching people who have severely limited English speaking and understanding skills, "My controls!" doesn't always make it through the panic barrier....
Click to expand...

That is my biggest fear, being from a school in FL, I hope to be instructing in the Fall when I return and we have a lot of foreign students come through that have minimal english, and I am concerned that if I instruct I will most likely have one of these students and the Language will definitely be a barrier. I suppose its all about learning how to work with it and make it not a barrier?!?

Any advise on good ways to topple the language barrier issue?
 
TopGunn said:
I am looking to build some time but i am least interested in teaching.
Click to expand...
Then the absolute last thing you should do is teach. I might be unpopular on this board in my opinion of this, but if there is one thing we need less of in aviation, its flight instructors who don't really want to be flight instructors. There is absolutely nothing worse than trying to learn from a teacher who doesn't want to be a teacher. Its a disservice to your students and yourself.
 
To the original poster...Im in the same boat myself. My eyes are ears are always open regarding low time jobs; if I happen upon anything, I will let you know.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top