Accumulate hours in South Africa

[TheNewOne]

Hi There!

I need to log ~300 hours.
Since i can't find a job (I have 500 now) I thought about paying for them..

Is it possible to buy "block time" of 100 hours?
Whats the avarage price for it?
Any recomended places that do it around Johannesburg?


I'm open to other countries as well, I bought last year 100 hours block in Florida but i understand Africa is cheaper..

Thanks!

Any other creative ideas for logging those hours will be welcome -
Im desperate

[B Sousa]

I have a good idead where you are in the food chain. If your looking to do this as a career, your options are:
1) Find someone rich who will let you fly for them with low hours.
2) Instruct. Its the cheapest way to starve slowly while building hours and it keeps your head in the books and on top of all the changes you will need to know when applying for any job..
Good Luck.

[Springbok 495]

Block time...

[quote=TheNewOne]Hi There!

I need to log ~300 hours.
Since i can't find a job (I have 500 now) I thought about paying for them..

Is it possible to buy "block time" of 100 hours?
Whats the avarage price for it?
Any recomended places that do it around Johannesburg?


I'm open to other countries as well, I bought last year 100 hours block in Florida but i understand Africa is cheaper..

Thanks!


Any other creative ideas for logging those hours will be welcome -
Im desperate
[/quot


How does this block time works and what is it? Annyone......
Springbok 495

[Vertical_Reference]

All training companies have their own way of selling "block time"... as they call it.

Actually there is no such thing. Its just a way of selling a bunch of hours to a client in one go.

Lets say you want to fly 10 hour at a normal R22 (helicopter) rate of R2,000 per hour you need to pay R20,000. But buying the block time the comapany who offers it they might give it to you at R18,000 for the whole 10 hours. Saving you a MASIVE R2,000.

But companies can sell you block hour of 20, 30 or whatever you are willing to pay for.

But what I have seen is that they want you to use up these hours before a certain time as well. Seeing that the fuel prices in SA fluctuates too much and they could be losing out on hourly rates in 3 or 4 months down the line.

So it's all just a selling scheme to me. But... that's my way of seeing it. Some people might be willing to pay that amount of money just to save R2000 in the long run. 1% of your whole CPL.

Any other views on this? Am I wrong?

[B Sousa]

vert ref has it pretty good. Also in todays world and from what I have seen lately in SA, you NEVER give anyone upfront money, discount or otherwise Should they go south a loss is a loss and you cannot depend on courts etc to help recover anything.

[Desperate Wannabe]

Hi TNO
yeah renting block time will save you money, how much depends on the rate you can haggle with the school.
Tend to agree with B Sousa, depending on how much you intend spending for your Block, maybe do an instructors rating for the same or cheaper and let them pay you to fly the hours, instead of you paying them, It also looks good on the CV

Best of luck dude.

[Xshongololo]

Instead of buying the hours use the money to find a job.
I will put my money on a bet that you did not pay for your commercial pilots license.
Get out of your smug shell and look for a job. They are out there. You obviously have the money now show some tenacity.

[B Sousa]

""I will put my money on a bet that you did not pay for your commercial pilots license.
Get out of your smug shell and look for a job. They are out there. You obviously have the money now show some tenacity. ""

Ok, now Im really lost, whats with this??

[Deskjocky]

I'm open to other countries as well, I bought last year 100 hours block in Florida but i understand Africa is cheaper..

I don’t really think that’s the case, if I was you I would go straight back to Florida. Go to one of those companies like Airiben and buy 100 hours on a Duchess, twin time will serve you much better- especially in the job market. The flight schools in SA are generally quite good with clean, but for the most part, quite old aircraft. By the time you have paid for your trip and found a place to stay for the duration, any coast advantage will have been nullified compared to doing the same exercise in Florida. The flight schools in SA don’t specialise in this type of thing- any “block scheme” is just another ploy for you to part with your cash upfront- as the other guys have said- there is absolutely no incentive on your part to take this kind of risk.