Going from PPL to Commercial, how did ......

R

Ryan

New Member
...all of you guys do it? As I progress through my PPL training the question of what next keeps poping up. So I figure things this way; after PPL i'll have 50 hrs, then Instrument rating +/- 40 more hours, then Multi rating about 10 additional hours, with some of my decelerated math skills i get about 100 hours total +/- figuring in all of the trips with family and friends so lets be generous and give myself 110 hours. The requirement for commercial license is 250 hours. My question is how do i get 140 hours of non-commercial time?? ie. i can't just get some low level flying job b/c that'd be illegal. So how did you guys do it?? did you just put down the credit card and get some sort of package deal with block rates in a C-152? did you find some new friends with planes or what. Any experiences or ideas shared will be GREATLY APPRECIATED! (sorry bout the caps)
Anyways Happy Flying
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Ryan
 
I'm doing 141 flying for Private, will do for Instrument as well. Also, for a 141 Commercial, you only need min 190 hours as opposed to 250. At least that's what I blieve, I'm almost 99.9% sure, but someone correct me if I'm wrong.
 
After PPL I had 78.9 hours. All of that time was spent in a C152.

Then spent the winter checking out in a C172, and taking friends up sight seeing, splitting the cost when I could. This brought me to 100.6 hours.

Then summer arrived and I checked out in a Warrior and flew to lots of airshows and pancake breakfasts with friends and family. Total time at the end of that was 143.9 hours.

Then in October 2002, I started my IFR training. When I was done with that I had 214.4 hours.

Then it was another summer and I flew to more airshows, pancake breakfasts, kept IFR current, and did my tailwheel endorsement in a Stinson. After that I had acquired 260 hours.

Over the winter I checked out in an Archer, and then recently an Arrow, and started my Commercial Training with about 300 hours under my belt.

So basically, fly to interesting places, split the cost with passengers if you can, check out in other aircraft, maybe get your tailwheel endorsement, get IFR certified - and keep current by flying simulated IFR regularly. Before you know it the hours will have racked up (and the bank account will plummet)

Good luck!
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-Private SE: Finished with 60
-Private Multi: Finished with about 100 (Only 17 in the actual multi. Prior to that, there was some other types of flying, mostly XC building.)
-SE Instrument: Finished with about 140
-ME Instrument: Finished with about 180

[insert lots of "outside" flying here]
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-ME Commercial: Finished with 220
-SE Commercial: Finished with 230

If you're in a Part 141 school, their syllabus will probably be set up for you to meet the requirements directly from their training. Part 61, I dunno!
 
I did one of those time splitting multi engine programs-- 50 hours under the hood, 50 hours safety pilot-- which got me 100 hours closer to the commercial. If you're lookin' at bein' a professional pilot, I'd recommend that-- it get's your multi time down to less than 80 dollars an hour, and right off the bat you've got multi minimums for hiring at a few regionals.
If you want to save a lot of money-- do the same thing in an IFR 172, or a 152 for that matter.
Also-- look at joining a flying club. I built a quite a few hours in a nice flying club 172 that I was paying $45.00 an hour wet-- that makes taking the family up a lot cheaper then renting a 172 for 70-90 an hour.
 
I am pretty sure that my school is part 61, i've never found out the actual answer but based on its size im gonna take an edumacated guess. $45.00/hr wet!!! sign me up. So more or less you just gotta get out there and be creative with your spending. Thanks for all of the input
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Ryan
 
Hey there
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No, I actually don't train there. But a friend of mine finished his PPL/Instrument rating at BK Aviation.

And since I don't "actually fly", I can't say so, but yes, everytime we go up, we rent the Cherokees from BK/Caelum Tranquilitatis (why they'd name it that way is beyond me
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So, yeah, we fly out of FRG.
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Hey, it seems they've raised the rental prices a bit after the merger no?
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[quote So how did you guys do it??

[/ QUOTE ]

Hustle, hustle, hustle. Everybody has to have a way to hustle. Share flight time, wash cars, work for the Mafia...whatever it takes!!!
 
Have they raised the rental prices?? I dunno b/c I have an account there so all I do is feed them $$ and I never really know what things are costing me. What did your friend think of them? honesty is preferred
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Yeah, it seems like they have raised the prices about $5 more an hour. Last time we went up, we were a bit surprised they charged us more than expected.

What did my friend think about BK aviation training? or the increase in price?
BK training- I believe he was pretty much content with it.
The increase in price- Like anyone else, a bit discontent.
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I think he used to train in Westchester's Panorama before switching to Republic.

BTW, which was the last plane (reg#) you took up?
 
So whats the deal with spliting time as far as who logs what? Lets say I went up with someone and 1 hours he/she went under the hood while I was the safety pilot who would log what? This question applies for both SE and ME flying. And if we did some VFR flying what is the deal with logging that time? thanks for looking

P.S. AngelFuree check your PM
 
Ryan- Using your example, if both of you are rated in the airplane, (both have licenses) you would both log PIC. one as sole manipulator of the controls, the other as safety pilot. this applies to VFR, SE and ME. REMEMBER, both of you have to be rated in the airplane.
 
Dude, one step at a time. Get the private first, and then get the instrument. Who knows if you'll still want to get the commercial after that?
 
Get the PPL, then spend some time flying around to places you want to see. By the time you even pay attention, you'll probably have your 50 hrs X-C for the Instrument. After that, it gets even better. Get your instrument, and fly to more places FURTHER away that you want to see. I'm moving back home in Aug, so to build time, I'm moving things little by little in a Cessna. It's about 4 hours each way that way. I'm looking into taking a vacation in the Bahamas at Atlantis, and if that goes through, I'll probably take a 172 there. Also, keep in mind you need 250 to GET your Comm, not START your Comm. You can start training BEFORE the 250. Just have the 250 when you go for the ride.
 
Fly a lot. Spend a lot of money. Have LOTS of fun. Learn lots of new things. Before you know it, you'll have 250 hours! Best of luck in your journey.
 
Ryan:

My story:

Work full time. Fly 3-4 times a week. Part 61. Study, study, study. Part Sallie Mae loans, part Home Equity Line of Credit, part pay as you go.

Started April 20, 2002 with zero (0) hours. As of today, have my Commercial Single and Multi-Engine Land, Instrument Airplane ratings (earned on March 25, 2004), 260+ TT, 27 Multi and currently working on my initial CFI.

Took a job working first on the line, and now the front desk at my FBO on Sundays. GREAT opportunities to network, network, network!!!!

It can be done quicker, but this is the best for me... and that's the bottom line - do what is best for Y.O.U. = YOU!

Best of luck and keep us posted!

R2F
 
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