1000 Hours Total Time!!!!!

[Jump Complete]

Total Time: 1005.7 Hours!:D
(270 of them in the last 18 months since getting CPL/IR-Not bad for an 'unemployed' pilot!:)
If a companies not recruiting it won't make a dam bit of difference of course, but it's got to look better on the C.V.
Wish me luck!

[BravoOne]

What an achievement, wish I was an Hour behind you!

All the best with any applications!

Regards,
B1.

[phd]

Jump Complete

Well done - it must be a great feeling to crack the first 1000 hours.

For the benefit of those of us who are a long way behind in the hour building stakes, could you give a breakdown of how you gained those all important hours - in particular the recent hours as an 'unemployed' CPL/IR? What have you been up to - dropping meat bombs, or towing those skinny aeroplanes without engines?

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Still dazed and confused.

[AMEX]

First 1000 (loved each one of them)
250: standard traininf, solo stuff
50: bought a block in the US (hired a 310, no flying for free crap)
200: Towed gliders (skinny things behing an even skinnier rope)
600 next: First job in the African bush (propelled myself there)
That's 1100 but that 's how I cleared a 1000.

By the way, Rome wasn't built in a day;)

[batty]

190 CPL IR Training + 1 year with Ryainair =1000 !!!

[Cityliner]

You only fly 810 hours per year at Ryanair? Surprising for me i thought they are going to the max of 1000hrs with turn around times of around 25 or 30 min shouldn't be a problem to get 1000 p.a.

[batty]

Cityliner OK then smarty...

190hrs + 10 months 28.2 days Ryanair=1000 hours

And by the way its 900 hours a year max not 1000

[Jump Complete]

I started off as a glider pilot, back in 1993 (Next June it will be 10 years since I started flying!!!)
Having got my Silver C I did my PPL (On a real aeroplane with a small wheel at the back) under the old system where I only had to do enough to achieve the standard-took about thirty hours four me but I did go solo in under 7 hours)
Then off to the states to do 100 hours and the IMC and Night.
Back in the UK I started glider towing (Most clubs wont trust you with their aircraft unless you have at least 100 hours TT)
Spent an enjoyable but broke summer at Sutton Bank in Yorkshire, using Pawnees and SuperCubs to tow gliders,
Did the same thing in the Pyrennes in Spain (That was fun!) and in Scotland later the same year.
Did my (British) CPL and the intitial part of my IR in Florida early last year (Had to complete it back in the UK-can't take the test over there or at least, couldn't then) First time pass which was just as well as I'd run out of money by then.
I built the final 270 hours since qualifying flying Parachutist (mainly tandem) up to 10000'-hence the sign-in name.
I actually got into thanks to Wannabees. I was on site 'listening' to an aurgument amongst newly qualified JAA CPLs saying they couldn't get work, JAA was a big con etc, and someone saying-"Get on with it, work for nothing for a year or so towing gliders, flying parachutist, don't expect to fly 737s straight off."
Advice which many people didn't seem to want to take. But I thought 'Actually he's right' Later that day I got bored of sending off CV's, thought, 'Lets do something more proactive' and went to the local Parachute centre asking if they needed anyone and they said 'Yes.'
Like most things in this game it was pure luck, I just walked in when he'd just lost a pilot to the airlines. There are many pilots (private and hours builders/newly qualified CPLs) who would love to do it. I obviously fitted the profile with my glider towing experience as well.
I don't get paid (Apart from the odd couple of notes thrown at me for positioning the aircraft for maintence) but to have done that much flying and stayed current is obviously priceless.
The parachute flying is great because you get to fly a slightly larger aeroplane (sadly only a single though) and I've kept in Instrument flying practice. Although they have to be able to see the DZ on the run-in its frequently necersary to climb though cloud on the way up.
Its hard work but good fun, and the social side is great.
Its very satisfying to do a 'job.' Flying all day on mulitiple fights sharpens your flying skills and teachs you how to be consistent and safe. Its not like hiring a PA28/C152 on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
Some people think that 'as a CPL I should get paid' Maybe so. But look to the future and know that if you can get into a situation like that and work for them as if they are paying you a good wage it will pay off in the end.
However next stop is to get paid! I'll let you know how I get on!
Best of luck to everyone out there. Don't give up!!!

[Shutty]

quick question for Jump Complete -
from what I understand in your post, you were towing gliders Before your CPL. Is this simply because you weren't getting paid?
I'm off to SA at the end of the month for my PPL (how excited am I?!) so what would you say was the minimum in terms of licensing I would need when I get back before I could do a similar thing? (ignoring the time of year ;-)

anyone else have any advise on what can and can't be flown on various licences? and what about type ratings?

many thanks
alex

[phd]

Jump Complete

Thanks for filling us in on the detail of your hour building. This kind of information and advice is invaluable and inspirational to myself and probably to other aspiring commercial pilots. Pprune at its very best.

Thanks

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Pobody's nerfect

[Jump Complete]

Shutty -In answer to your question-it depends really on your definition of being 'paid.' The CAA define it as 'Valuble Consideration' Now some may say that 10's of thousands of pounds worth of 'free' flying (for which you work you arse off) is valuble consderation.
In Yorkshire I recieved a luxury:rolleyes: mobile home to live in for the season and was very well fed by the club house canteen.

In Spain I got accomadation and an allowance that was just (and I do mean 'just' enough to by meals with. However, most of the visitors took pity and picked up the bill anyway when in resturants.

In Scotland I got a room and basic allowance that was just enough to buy petrol (for the car of course!) food and beer. Again people tended to buy the beers (as thanks for finding them good thermals or wave-if you don't do that you'll go thirsty!) for me.

Its not easy but it is good fun, very rewarding and if your situation allows you to do that (ie, no family or mortages to worry about) I reconmend it even just for the hell of it, just for a while.
The social scene is great. So good, in fact, a bit of self discipline is required to avoid hangovers on flying days!

Incidently trying to maintain a long distance relationship on no money isn't a good idea. I made the mistake of getting a girlfriend two weeks before I left for Scotland. The relationship survived the time I spent in Scotland but not for too long after that. I think we'd developed the relationship too far by phone and letter and the reality of being together wasn't quite ready for it. Just a word of warning...

As I said before, most clubs will need at least 100 hours TT before letting you tow (insurance) Most require tail-dragger expereince as aircraft like SuperCubs, Pawnees (which are big but very easy to fly-and land) or even Chipmunks are common.
You certainly have a much better chance if you have flown gliders up to at least 'bronze' level (basic cross country qualification) as you have to be able to find the lift. It is expensive to pay for an aerotow and you will not be popular if you drop the glider in sink and it lands before you do!!!
A CPL probably won't be an asset at that stage as they assume that you will abandon them immediatly you get offered a proper job!
Like any other segment of the aviation world its a question of timing, persistance, putting yourself about, writing lots of letters (phone the British Gliding Association and ask for a list of clubs) and of course, a fair bit of luck!!

Good luck to all.

P.S. Dont forget to enjoy it!!!

[Loony_Pilot]

Hi,

On a more comical note.. I have 666 exactly now.
shall i change my name to evil_pilot or Captain Bezlebub or something. lol

LP

[Shutty]

Thanks for the detailed reply Jump Complete.
As I currently don't have any of 1) House 2) Job, or 3) Girlfriend (hey, I've just left uni ;-) it sounds like a great time to do something like that. It sounds like what you did was full-time - ie all week on site. Is that right? (not a problem, I just always imagined it being more of a part time, weekend thing).
Is there anything else that PPLs can "get away with" other than glider towing and parachute drops?

[scubabri]

blah.. I've got 484 hours and and 7 days to put in as many hours in a borrowed c-150. This should get me half way there, but at great expense as the first 300 hours came out of my pocket.

No luck on finding a job to build any more hours, seems that all of the usual stuff, banner towing, glider towing, photography are being occupied by 1000+ hour pilots who hate their jobs, but like it better than eating popcorn for dinner :)

Is everyone else seeing the same? I'm gonna try moving up north to finish up my CFI and hope that will increase my odds of finding employment.

brians

[Busterplane]

Scubabri

Not quite true. The traditional hour building jobs are being occupied but only because the market is so sluggish further up. our local gliding club has a 2 year waiting list for tugging which pays £20 a day. And an aerial photgraphy company I know of has 2 fATPLs on staff one with more than 1000hrs and 2 years in the job and the other building through 600 and counting. Both are good and would in normal circumstances have expected to be in something a bit bigger than a 172 by now. Theyre sticking to it though as a few hundred hours a year, £40 a day and an IR renewal is better than glaring great holes in your logbook.

Have no doubt though that although they might wish they were flying a 73 they do not hate thier jobs at all. They consider themselves lucky to be getting on when so many are less fortunate. They will get "proper" jobs first and rightly so and then these positions will open up for those of you with the right attitude. Many people cant hack low level photography or the scares involved in hauling a glider in the wide blue yonder and pack it all in within a few days.

[Jump Complete]

Well Said, Busterplane... Very true.
Scubari-(sorry if thats wrong, it's taking so long to do anything today I've forgotten how to spell your name) You are wrong, at least, I hope, in tha main. They, (ie, guys like me) don't hate their job, they love flying, but they may well get frustrated occasionally because they thought they'd have it sorted by now, flying something decent and earning a reasonable wage.
I'd be very suprised if anyone who's got this far (1000 hours, F/ATPL etc) would stop now. It won't be long now!!!

[scubabri]

you are right, I think I misspoke. I don't think the words I was looking for where hate.. but more, wish they were someplace else. I on the other hand would be overjoyed to have a job paying 40 bux a day, just to get some time in the book and be in the air. Once I return the 150 in 5 more days, there will be glaring holes in my logbook, and in my skills.

I hope things pick up soon, it will be better for all of us.

Thanks for the correction.


scubabri (brians)