ShortField
No one of consequence
No shovels. Get a blower.
Is it Possible-Fly and own a business?
- Thread starter FlyMarines09
- Start date
ASpilot2be
Qbicle seat warmer
ShortField said:
I have found blowers and stairs don't get along well.
JOEFRIDAY2
Well-Known Member
Many pilots have side businesses. It's more common than you might think.
Many times it requires a side business in order to afford to be a commercial pilot.
Joe
Many times it requires a side business in order to afford to be a commercial pilot.
Joe
ShortField
No one of consequence
I have found blowers and stairs don't get along well.
Oh man, no stairs. That just reaks of effort.
ASpilot2be
Qbicle seat warmer
ShortField said:
Oh it really does. A royal PITA. But hey, you can sled down them.
Cheyenne
Well-Known Member
I run a small business on the side. I produce Bull Riding events. The first time you add one to a town I figure 60 days of leg work. Every year after that it shortens as sponsors get to know you. Second year events are currently taking around 25-30 days. It works for the extra cash ...and it's ALL cash
...and it's ALL cash
Pay2
Oberkellner
I don't know of a single pilot at my 135 outfit that doesn't have a side job. Most of us don't do it simply to supliment income but rather to fill in all the extra time. I've been building custome furniture and trim since before I flew full time, so I just kept doing it on the side once I took a "full time" flying job. I only work 12-15 days a month, so a side job keeps me from going crazy.
FlyMarines09
Well-Known Member
Well I'm glad to know that it's feasable. Does anyone have any advise for starting a small chater company and flying for yourself? I realize there are many pros and cons as well as financial burdons, but is that realistic or once I'm done with my flight training and college try to fly for the airlines or 135 and just have a side business in another field?
Thanks for the comments! Please keep them coming
Thanks for the comments! Please keep them coming
Pilotforhire587
Lycra Man
You would need a lot of money and some good business experience to try and do that right out of school.
FlyMarines09
Well-Known Member
Well realistically yes. Although I have some business experience already and will be spending a few more years doing some R&D.
Dynasty22
Well-Known Member
There are quite a few pilots I know of that do close to the company minimum of flying hours and strictly run their businesses during the week.
FlyMarines09
Well-Known Member
Did you establish your businesses before or after being hired? which is more manageable, owning a business at a scheduled carrier or on demand carrier?
What kind of jobs do they have? Any professional practices (doctor, dentist, lawyer)? Can this be done at regional level?
WacoFan
Bigly
This statement would seem to be disqualifying. Wanting to get into a small business IN aviation one day gives lie to your statement about being "business savvy".
The only exception would be "I am pretty business savvy and would love to learn how to get millions running an airline regardless of performance or treatment of employees.
Dynasty22
Well-Known Member
The ones that I know of.
One owns a networking company that installs network equip in the ATL area, another operates a franchise fast food restaurant in Pittsburgh, another runs web servers that are contracted out to web hosting companies, just to name a few.
The lawyer that I know of only adds on her services to a local law firm (utilizing office space, telephones) but has her own name.
genot
Well-Known Member
Our (ATC) AME flew for a regional and maintained his practice. He no longer does, but at one point he was a Dr/Pilot. Not pilot related, but I work with a lawyer/controller and could EASILY see running a small practice on reserve (not that I know what reserve is like)
You could also find a few people and buy rentals. Cheap housing market. Find three others, everyone puts 5K in, put a down payment on a cheap section 8 area (hey HUD is paying you, not the renter) house. Rent it for twice the mortgage, raise enough cash to buy another, wash rinse repeat. At some point stop buying (20 houses or so), realize increased cash flow, when its time to retire, sell all and enjoy the new found wealth. If the four people are the maintenance guy, the point of contact guy, the real estate agent guy and the organized guy all the better!
I've been toying with an EAS crash pad biz myself. The above business plan is used by some of my coworkers to great effect.
For JSpeed, I got my private at a very small family owned FBO at a small field. Dad was about 80 and an A&P, son was about 45, flew for a major and was like his dad an A&P and did some of my airplane's work. They owned one Skyhawk to train out of with contract CFIs, owned the only MX shop and the only 100LL pump. I've also had jury rigged work done at a small town airport where the A&P/shop owner/only employee when asked about payment said, next time you're down, just bring me a sandwich. Guy kept irregular non posted hours, so I ended up eating a ton of sandwiches. Worked for them. Wouldn't work in a big MX shop, but a small place where everyone knows everyone and they need an A&P you'd be a huge hit.
A Life Aloft
Well-Known Member
My advice is that you will need a helluva lot of money and time to start a charter op. By the time you navigate the hell of the FAA regulatory paperwork, insurance, the mounds of paperwork, to get a 135 cert, you will wonder what you are getting yourself into. The basic and cheapest (but still expensive) and easiest op would be single pilot/owner operator one plane. Just some quickie basiscs......you obviously need a plane. A decent plane that someone would pay money to you for you to charter them in. I can't see anything less than a six seater twin myself. You need a letter of intent with your ducks in a row to whatever FBO you would want to use and you will work with an FSDO also. Make the FSDO your best friend. They will be a great help to you. You will get a POI and to use to create your Ops Specs which will fit your operation. But it took me months after I submitted my PASI (pre ap statement of intent) to even get that far. You will need to consider the drug testing, AAIP, MELS, insurance requirements, RNAV procedures, hazmat, maintenance and much more. At least with single pilot ops I don't believe you will need training requirements and programs, or a general ops manual. You may want to seek out an aviation attorney or a company which specializes in setting all of this crap up, but also be prepared to do a lot of the research and paperwork yourself. You will save some money and learn quite a bit in the process and believe me, it is a process. It is not quick. You need to determine the costs of operating your plane and business as well. Then you get into advertising, what kind of charters you intend to do and how to get clients and keep them. You will need some sort of office and some basic office equipment. You need a good accountant. Now, a good offset would be a plane that you can teach in and charter with. That will help offset some of your costs especially when charters are slow and you will still be building hours. I am not sure in the beginning how you could manage all this start up process part time, however and think $$$$$. Lots of $$$$$. You could do scenic tours (I don't know where you live or if that if feasible) and you can fly pax within 25 miles of your departure airport (that is your FBO- not any airport) and I believe you can do that under 91 which would be easier. You could look into freight ops instead of pax ops. Any time you haul people around it's going to cost you much more for insurance than instruction insurance or freight.
It's more involved and complicated than I have gone into here, but I am just trying to give you an idea. You need to do a lot of research into different types of ops, what they entail and the costs to be able to decide what you would do obviously. What I can tell you even though you will make a budget, that there are a ton of expenses that will arise along the way, that can really add up. Not to mention delays. And be prepared not to make much money in the beginning until you are able to build your business, so you need some cash reserves. You have to seriously consider the already established and well known competition in your area as well and figure out how you are going to be different and marketable. If you want to scare yourself, just start reading FAR119. Frankly, it would be easier and certainly cheaper just to instruct on the side or fly part time for a an established charter outfit.
Inverted25
Well-Known Member
There is a spirit captain who owns the local A&P shop. He started it as a side business but it grew to the point now he just manages everything and has other A&P's do the work and he just signs off on it. Being a IA would be a must though to make something like that work.
Cessnaflyer
Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
My wife and I are in the middle of a few things right now. Starting a distillery, cattle ranching and we just talked tonight about adding buffalo and ostrich to the ranch. I only fly about 30-50 days a year though part 91.