Makin Money from Flying/Hours building

[juststartin]

Hi,

I am just startin my PPL course (again) and am looking, instead of paying for it week by week, getting a loan (CDL or summink) to complete it alot quicker and move through some ratings.

The thing is, obviously with a PPL, you cant make any money from it, so I have thought about instructing, to build some hours and/or make a little money (although I have been told the pay is sh'te)

Would anyone have any advice about the best way I can do this, and what ratings you need to be an instructor, whether it be to build hours or have remuneration for it.

Im 27, have around 10hrs from previous training a few years ago, and the ultimate goal is to fly for airlines/commercially as soon as possible.

Thanks in advance and any constructive advice will be greatfully received.
:D

[Mercenary Pilot]

You need to have a CPL to get paid!

The best thing to do is try to get a weekend job at the local flying club washing planes, fuelling, whatever. Some owners may take you up on jolly or may give you a "mates rate" on aircraft rental. You may also get asked to be a safety pilot on flyouts and club events.

Don't try to make any money on your PPL, the CAA will be very upset! There are many people out there who (rightly) will have no qualms about shopping you ether.

[gmac1977]

To do a little research in to all the requirements in CAA world Lasors is a good read!

I'll give you ahead start on this occasion.

Lets work backwards!

To teach PPL students you'll need a Flight instructor qualification(FIC),
To get an FIC you'll need a commercial pilots licence,
To start a CPL you'll need 150hrs of which 100 must be Pilot in command,
To do hour building you need to have a PPL,

Most FTO's around the world are struggling to keep hold of good instructors. Most are jumping ship to fly the jets...

Expect good salaries and good working conditions coming to an FTO near you soon!!! :ok:

[bobster1]

To get an FIC you'll need a commercial pilots licence,


Not true, you can instruct with a PPL and FIC rating, you just cant get paid for it..

Download a copy of Lasors, it has all the requirments in there..

PPL, Class 2 Medical, license and ratings for what you are teaching, and at least 15 hours on A/C type, and all time logged is PIC :ok:

[juststartin]

Thats brilliant guys thanks for the prompt advice.

I didnt realise things were going to be so expensive. Was looking at going to the US to get it a little quicker and start movin up the "ladder".

No chance of me makin money from a PPL, would never dream of risking everything for a few quid! lol

i think instructing thus buildin hours would be better than nothin - infact a lot better lol

Cant wait to start the flying again, I feel like a kid at christmas haha

thanks again!

[gmac1977]

Bobster is correct. Granted!

[AlphaMale]

No chance of me makin money from a PPL, would never dream of risking everything for a few quid! lol


You can't 'profit' from flying with a PPL. But you can share the cost of the flight equally!!!

So if you friend wants to see his house from the sky tell him you'll show him if he goes half on the cost. If there are 4 people then you only have to pay 25% of the cost :ok:

But as said above, you don't need a CPL to be an instructor ... just don't expect to see it as a paid job. Look at this way, you can pay £140 per hour to fly 1hr or you can have somebody else pay it for you. Benifit of having the CPL is sombody else pays for the flights and pays you to build up your hours :E

Sitting your CPL might feel a bit easier after instructing PPL for 500hrs or so too ;)

[juststartin]

Thats what I thought.

I thought it might make things a little easier if I had been instructing for a while and built up some hours before going for my CPL.

I do get quite impatient as most people in my position (just beginning) will do, but I just wanted to make sure that I did everything the best and most productive way.

Its at times like this I wished |I listened at school lol:{

[ab33t]

Here is another option for you. Go to the US for a year invest +- £7000 become a cpl/cfi build the hours and get paid , fly most of the year in Florida. You can do on avg 100 hours a month , you do the maths.

[juststartin]

Nice - that could be a good option!!

so many options around for someone startin out lol:ugh:

Thanks for your input - most helpful

[BillieBob]

But as said above, you don't need a CPL to be an instructor But you do need to have passed at least the CPL theoretical knowledge exams. To instruct with a PPL you also need a minimum of 200hrs total time and 150hrs PIC.

[shaun ryder]

Running before you can walk comes to mind!

[juststartin]

Thats definately one thing I didnt want to do!

As I said previously, wanted to make I did everything right.

Also methodically - I wanted to have some sort of contingency plan from starting out as I am now - to airline standard, which is my ultimate goal.

Assessing my options if you like

[Adios]

Running before research comes to mind. You need 250 hours before you can take an Instructor Course in JAA Land and a CPL to get paid for the work. I dare say the requirements will be similar across the pond in FAA land, so whomever wrote you could spend £7K for it may be a little low on the figures! You can instruct with just a PPL, but you can't get paid for it, which rather defeats the purpose of getting paid for hour building.

[TelBoy]

The instructing has been done above I think. For an FAA CPL you need 250 hours and can go straight to CFI then. Remember to get a paid job you will need a J1 visa (if you are not a US green card holder or citizen).

Another way to build hours and experience (can be done on a PPL if no payment) is to fly glider tugs or para drop planes, but both of these will also present experience problems. You will need 100 hours P1 and need to be a glider pilot to tug them. For paras a lot of clubs use quite exotic aircraft - meaning turbo prop. Don't think with minimum hours and a PPL you are likely to be let loose on a Cesna Caravan or such like. A lot of more "qualified" pilots would sell their grandmother to get TP experience.

Once you have your PPL you can get some cheaper hour with no equity groups or short term lease (probably 20 hours a week for 2 or 3 or 4 weeks) all worth looking at to build P1 at an acceptable cost.

It aint going to be easy and it aint going to be cheap. Also remember the JAA ATP written exams take a long time to do. Allow about a year distance learning and 6 months full time - oh and about £3000 very much minimum.

All the very best to you.

[Asrian]

Maybe there is a parachuting club near You and maybe they'll need pilots to fly their drop plane. Expect no pay but free flying. If they have a plane You are allowed to fly...

[bobster1]

Our local(ish) parachute centre requires min 400hours for insurance purposes, just another consideration..:(

[TelBoy]

More on parachute drop here

http://www.bpa.org.uk/forms/council/STC%20Minutes%20-%2028%20September%202006.doc

[Asrian]

What about towing gliders?

Sure, all these activities need some special training and most probably a certificate/license. But they could be a way to get free flying hours, maybe not initially right after the PPL, but maybe later after some minimum hours, to KEEP a PPL or to collect hours for the professional career.

I know about some guys from the local flying clubs here (Germany) who get free hours by towing gliders, flying a parachuters drop plane or do some non-profit sightseeing trips for visitors.

[portsharbourflyer]

Afraid you will just have to accept that your first 100 hours p1 required to meet requirements for a CPL course / instructors rating or to fly a jump plane you will have to fund yourself.

British Parachute association minimum requirements for a jump pilot are a 100 hours p1 with 5 hours on type and then a check out with a BPA examiner; the Cessna 206 is the normal workhorse of the parachute clubs that you could fly with the minimum hours. However most clubs will still charge you for the 5 hours on type, which could still cost you a £1000. Although not compulsory one or two clubs also have a preference for an IMC rating.

So aside from hour building overseas the other way to get these hours would be to get a share in a PFA/LAA type aircraft, which can flown for as little as 30 pounds an hour.


As said with gliding experience and a ppl with a tailwheel rating you may be able to get a tug job but these are quite rare; you will often need to have past association with your local gliding club to be considered.