Originally Posted by
Okihara
However I'm more interested in the fact that they'll clock in between around 15-16 hours of flight time a week which seems rather a low figure given that each day has roughly 8-10 hours of flyable time (granted: not in Mebourne at this time of the year
).
there used to be a 800 hr year limit for commercial pilots. If I log a 6 hour day of instructing flying I tend to sleep pretty soundly that night - it gets tiring.
You will find 800 hours a year a pretty full year.
Originally Posted by
Okihara
So here's the thing: Instead of spending 1.5 to 2 years instructing (800 hours/year) in C172, wouldn't it be financially wiser to borrow $150k while rates are low, rake in that flight time in a country where solo rates are cheaper within 4-6 months, land that first FO job at a regional and start earning better money faster?
as mentioned by Horatio, a pilot who had 1500 hrs working as an instructor or other GA operator would be looked on more favourably than someone with 1500 hours all private flying.
Achieving an instructor rating (and also working as an instructor) will teach you a lot of things about aviation and flying, way beyond just hours in your log book.
That said, I would say, if all you want is just hours for a FO slot, don't do instructing. Do instructing (even if it is a stepping stone to 'bigger' things) because you think you will enjoy or learn from it. If you aren't that interested in instructing, look for another GA position that does interest you and build your hours and aviation experience there.
If doing instructing be aware you will need to pay for the instructor rating - they are not cheap and the course itself should not (if done properly) be easy - it should teach you a lot about flying, about how people think in a cockpit (and how to manage that) and also about yourself.
Originally Posted by
Okihara
Other option: buy a cheap C152 and do a flight time marathon in it. That's financially probably better that burning cash at a hire rate.
Your thoughts?
remember to factor into your costs putting around 1400 hours of flying on the aircraft. That will be 14 x 100 hourly inspections and unless you bought it with a low hour engine and prop you likely will need to do a major engine + prop overhaul in that time - keeping aircraft flying is not cheap (although if you are doing bigger hours hours in a year it probably becomes cheaper to buy than hire but you would need to be doing at least 300+ hrs/year to make it worthwhile - and it can still bite you if you have unplanned maintenance costs)
MY thoughts are, if you really want to work in aviation, look at getting a entry level GA flying job (might be instructing if you think you would like it) rather than simply getting experience by flying privately.