< 500 hour pilot jobs

Der_Meister said:
Retail, Fast food, waiting tables.... I realize they are not flying jobs, but other then the jobs already stated there is not much below 500. I worked retail for about a year 1.5 after I got my commercial before I got a job flying. Its sucks but it pays the bills and keeps you in the air from time to time.
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Same lines as this...first day after I graduated college I worked 16 hours at 2 different jobs...both of which weren't aviation related. Good thing CFI is almost done now!
 
Brian, I too am a low-timer. I got a job flying jumpers in Florida with a wet 250TT CPL. Just pick up the phone and a list of dropzones and don't put it down until you find something. I made calls for nearly a month before finding something. And with no connections.
tough? of course, but not impossible. good luck!
 
jhugz said:
With a straight face tell me this isn't going to be happening in about another 6 to 12 months. You're delusional if you say otherwise.
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its not...with all the displacements, parking saabs, closing bases(saab MSP, MEM, DTW, LGA, BOS).... staffing levels have gotten a whole lot better(not fixed yet though). There are still plans to hire about 250 through the spring.

NOTE: mins are 1000/100 and ATP written, that CANNOT be bent...its insurance reasons for the colgan side (soon to be just the Mesaba side), every new hire WILL be going to the Saab...so if you were hired at Pinnacle...you're going to be on the Saab, if you were hired by Pinnacle with less then 1000/100, you get kicked out of the hiring pool till you have the time, (unsure if you have to reinterview, but probably not)

the next saab class is rumored to be in November...
 
Have you ever considered interning? Not just for the airlines, but even some 135 operators such as Ameriflight have internship programs where if you have all your ratings, they will let you fly for them for the duration of your internship. I know a guy from my school that did this, but I don't think he went back. Just saying, there are ways to get professional pilot jobs out there with less than 500 hours. Believe me.
 
Brian,

Don't get the impression that we're giving you condescending answers to your initial question. There is a lot of professional experience on this forum and all of us have been low time pilots before. Most of us would do anything we could to help a new pilot work their way up, but we can't work miracles. The truth is that it is not easy to get from a wet commercial to hirable. You've already said that you plan to finish you CFI and that is very respectable considering the difficulty you've had in completing it thus far. Anything is worth a shot, but instructing is by far the quickest way to get the time you need. You may find that you enjoy it. I loved instructing and made a lot of money doing it. Ultimately the choice is yours on how to get hours. Just remember that we're trying to help you (after all, you did ask for our advice) not hold you back.
 
stick-n-rudder said:
Brian, I too am a low-timer. I got a job flying jumpers in Florida with a wet 250TT CPL. Just pick up the phone and a list of dropzones and don't put it down until you find something. I made calls for nearly a month before finding something. And with no connections.
tough? of course, but not impossible. good luck!
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This is what I did. Along with banner towing companies, survey, etc. Looked every day for at least an hour. Probably made at least one blind phone call and email a day for 2-3 months, and I was looking even before that. Ended up fling jumpers for about 3 months, then did survey for 8-9 months and now I'm at a 135 company. Still don't have my CFI, but I do plan to get it probably within the next year just to have it... and now that it won't cost me much either. If I ever have enough free time, I think teaching floats or tail or something along those lines could be pretty fun.
 
z987k said:
This is what I did. Along with banner towing companies, survey, etc. Looked every day for at least an hour. Probably made at least one blind phone call and email a day for 2-3 months, and I was looking even before that. Ended up fling jumpers for about 3 months, then did survey for 8-9 months and now I'm at a 135 company. Still don't have my CFI, but I do plan to get it probably within the next year just to have it... and now that it won't cost me much either. If I ever have enough free time, I think teaching floats or tail or something along those lines could be pretty fun.
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Speaking of aerial survey, did I miss the boat for this season? I'm still under 500 and it looks like most have finished hiring.. Or are some companies not seasonal?
btw, what you did is exactly what I had(ve) planned.
 
I would say this season on survey has passed you by initially. Most Picto vendors are starting in a week. You could always put in your resume and hope someone leaves mid-season, but then they probably have that list set as well. Still, never hurts. If anything it would get your resume in before next season.

Good luck.
 
stick-n-rudder said:
Speaking of aerial survey, did I miss the boat for this season? I'm still under 500 and it looks like most have finished hiring.. Or are some companies not seasonal?
btw, what you did is exactly what I had(ve) planned.
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You missed the picto hiring, but I think the two companies that fly 206's are looking... although you do need 500TT. They are also not the time builder picto is. Someone posted a google docs sheet a few days ago with a ton of survey companies on it that you could check out. You'll have to find it though, as I did not bookmark it.
I should also mention, the first job I got out of persistence. The second two - networking.
 
Sorry guys I haven't been on here in a little while. I appreciate all the input you have provided and I plan on making phone calls and sending more emails on top of the thirty I have sent already ;). Sorry if i come off a little ungrateful but I have just been real anxious to find a job and get flying, and having failed that check ride twice kind of put me down. Also after seeing a guy I went to flight school with, having less hours than me get a job at PSA because his dad is a regional manager doesn't really help. I Haven't been able to even work with my instructor any more because she is so busy and cant find any room to fit me in her schedule so I plan on doing my best to jump on any opportunity that arises. Thanks again for the help!

B
 
brian.sloan said:
Sorry guys I haven't been on here in a little while. I appreciate all the input you have provided and I plan on making phone calls and sending more emails on top of the thirty I have sent already ;). Sorry if i come off a little ungrateful but I have just been real anxious to find a job and get flying, and having failed that check ride twice kind of put me down. Also after seeing a guy I went to flight school with, having less hours than me get a job at PSA because his dad is a regional manager doesn't really help. I Haven't been able to even work with my instructor any more because she is so busy and cant find any room to fit me in her schedule so I plan on doing my best to jump on any opportunity that arises. Thanks again for the help!

B
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Make sure you follow up on every e-mail with a phone call. Call immediately after you send it to "make sure it was received." Then call back the next day and the day after that if necessary. Don't give up. Something will open up for you.
 
brian.sloan said:
Sorry guys I haven't been on here in a little while. I appreciate all the input you have provided and I plan on making phone calls and sending more emails on top of the thirty I have sent already ;). Sorry if i come off a little ungrateful but I have just been real anxious to find a job and get flying, and having failed that check ride twice kind of put me down. Also after seeing a guy I went to flight school with, having less hours than me get a job at PSA because his dad is a regional manager doesn't really help. I Haven't been able to even work with my instructor any more because she is so busy and cant find any room to fit me in her schedule so I plan on doing my best to jump on any opportunity that arises. Thanks again for the help!

B
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You're just going to have to get used to that...
 
I didn't like people, didn't want to be a CFI... Looking back at what I would have missed out on, I wouldn't change a thing. I even learned to like people a little more. Well, some more than others...

Get your Tailwheel, and do pipeline. Theres a pretty good outfit in Bakersfield, Ca. Good equipment, and great pay for an entry level job. All that low level work will look better on a resume than dropping meat missiles all day.
 
TwoTwoLeft said:
I didn't like people, didn't want to be a CFI... Looking back at what I would have missed out on, I wouldn't change a thing. I even learned to like people a little more. Well, some more than others...

Get your Tailwheel, and do pipeline. Theres a pretty good outfit in Bakersfield, Ca. Good equipment, and great pay for an entry level job. All that low level work will look better on a resume than dropping meat missiles all day.
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Is 1500TT minimum entry level still?
 
z987k said:
You missed the picto hiring, but I think the two companies that fly 206's are looking... although you do need 500TT. They are also not the time builder picto is. Someone posted a google docs sheet a few days ago with a ton of survey companies on it that you could check out. You'll have to find it though, as I did not bookmark it.
I should also mention, the first job I got out of persistence. The second two - networking.
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Not that it's going to help the op, but the two 206 companies are year round. Insurance requirements are 500TT and I'm pretty sure we are fully staffed again. Don't know about the left coast operation though.
 
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