FT Job, How you getting Flight Hours?

C

ComplexHiAv8r

Well-Known Member
How are you "Career Changers" getting flight time? With a full-time job I am having problems getting flight time. I fly 2-3-4 times a week, problem is hours are not increasing in the logbook like I would like.

Wondering how the rest of you are doing it?

Thanks
 
Wow, 2,3,4 times a week? Doesn't sound like you're having trouble finding time to fly. I'm lucky if I get in two or three flights a month right now with work and the Summer WX in Tampa Bay. When I do fly, I usually have to go from 6-8am.
 
Murdoughnut said:
Wow, 2,3,4 times a week? Doesn't sound like you're having trouble finding time to fly. I'm lucky if I get in two or three flights a month right now with work and the Summer WX in Tampa Bay. When I do fly, I usually have to go from 6-8am.
Click to expand...

Problem is its from business so short flights. 45-60mins one way. :( That and I might get an hour or two to sneak out of work and go up.
 
ComplexHiAv8r said:
How are you "Career Changers" getting flight time? With a full-time job I am having problems getting flight time. I fly 2-3-4 times a week, problem is hours are not increasing in the logbook like I would like.

Wondering how the rest of you are doing it?

Thanks
Click to expand...

You already know my answer to this, dude.
 
Use a 150 instead of the Cirrus? That should about double your hours per week, no?
Hey that semi's gaining on me....

Time for CFI? I all of a sudden have students coming out of the woodwork, including 2 instrument students waiting for me to pass my II checkride.
 
XLR99 said:
Use a 150 instead of the Cirrus? That should about double your hours per week, no?
Hey that semi's gaining on me....

Time for CFI? I all of a sudden have students coming out of the woodwork, including 2 instrument students waiting for me to pass my II checkride.
Click to expand...

Renting the 150 would cost me more then the Cirrus, the company owns it. My size is also a concern for the 150.

Not alot of time for CFI'ng...FT job 60+ hours a week.
 
ComplexHiAv8r said:
Not alot of time for CFI'ng...FT job 60+ hours a week.
Click to expand...

If that's the case, I'd say you are doing all the flying you possibly can do right now. I mean, let's look at some other options...

1) Work less, and get your ratings part-time. Then, CFI part time.

2) Quit work, and fly full time.

3) Continue working your current schedule and build your hours very slowly flying the company Cirrus.

It just doesn't sound like you could squeeze anymore flight time out of your current life. If an aviation career is what you really want, a definitive choice has to made made, and the resultant consequences must be addressed and reconciled.

In other words, get busy living, or get busy dying... ;)
 
Ian J said:
If that's the case, I'd say you are doing all the flying you possibly can do right now. I mean, let's look at some other options...

1) Work less, and get your ratings part-time. Then, CFI part time.
Click to expand...
True, and I begin living on airline pay...that and who is going to hire me as a CFI due to my size? Be honest here!

2) Quit work, and fly full time.
Click to expand...
True, but I would loose access to the Cirrus most likely.

3) Continue working your current schedule and build your hours very slowly flying the company Cirrus.
Click to expand...
This is what is happening.

It just doesn't sound like you could squeeze anymore flight time out of your current life. If an aviation career is what you really want, a definitive choice has to made made, and the resultant consequences must be addressed and reconciled.

In other words, get busy living, or get busy dying... ;)
Click to expand...
No ####!
 
Let me see if I understand the situation. You are flying 20 - 25 hours a month on your employer's dime, woking hard and getting paid for the work you do.
Maybe I just do not understand but, I fail to see the problem.
I would like to get more flying in also but with work and family it is not easy. You can try to squeeze in an extra hour or two a week and plan on flying like crazy on your vacation. Whatever you do, keep at it.

--Stoneage
 
Stoneage said:
Let me see if I understand the situation. You are flying 20 - 25 hours a month on your employer's dime, woking hard and getting paid for the work you do.
Maybe I just do not understand but, I fail to see the problem.
I would like to get more flying in also but with work and family it is not easy. You can try to squeeze in an extra hour or two a week and plan on flying like crazy on your vacation. Whatever you do, keep at it.

--Stoneage
Click to expand...

The work is what is delaying my ME and CMEL/CSEL. :(
 
I easily work 50-60 hour weeks as well. We are coming up on the busy season and it will be more like 60-70 hour weeks for the rest of the summer.

I fly on weekends and after work, if I get out on time. My goal was to fly 40 hours a month. I am well under that for the last 3 months, but it is due to weather, not work.

Sounds to me like you have a SWEET gig flying the company Cirrus. Can you not supplement this by flying something else on the weekends too? Build yourself lots of time and then quit when you are at or above the commercial mins.

You have been here for a while so I am sure you know that there MUST be sacrifices to get to where you want to be in this industry. It is a hard pill to swallow, but Ian's words run true.
 
ComplexHiAv8r said:
How are you "Career Changers" getting flight time? With a full-time job I am having problems getting flight time. I fly 2-3-4 times a week, problem is hours are not increasing in the logbook like I would like.

Wondering how the rest of you are doing it?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I could barely keep current, I fly every other weekend or so, this year I tried to do better so I dropped some serious $$$ for a long trip from New Orleans to Myrtle beach in c172 SP, that just rocked :rawk: other than that, not good ... going too slow for me, but that's fine because I am saving up some $$$ to start a full blown training next year, or maybe this year with the help of gibill, so hopefuly I get to fly my behind off next year untill I get all the ratings I can....there's no free lunch in this business :crazy:
 
Am I reading this right?

Who wouldn't be DELIGHTED to "only" fly 20 hours a month on their company, AND hold down a full time job!!

As has been said, those of us who work full time will ultimately have to make the choice to leave the full time job behind and commit to aviation. But given the deal you have with you employer, I'd stick it out for a year or so until you can earn the rest of your tickets. You can add on the muti later without drowning in debt.

If you want to trade lives, pm me. Ive got a pile of paper on my desk and a beat up ol 152 you can rent for 100/hr -- if you can get out of my office over the weekend.:banghead: Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
 
HEY, QUIT POSTING WHILE AT WORK!!....wait I'M at work...nevermind....Bug's right though. In a way, you're eventually have to make a choice, which will most likely involve one helluva pay cut. I'm going to try to combine the two, Instructing after work and all day on the weekends. Yeah, it'll involve 80 hour work weeks, but from what i remember of my instructing days it didn't really feel like work anyway. It's the price you gotta pay if you want to get to where you want to be, ya know?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top