Flying more than 100h a month

[escobar]

With summer fast approaching I was wondering if any of you actually fly and log more than 100h a month? I fly commercially and have a share in a sep which i want to really get alot of use out of this summer. I have read in lasors that any a/c under 1670kgs is not countable towards duty hours so from what I believe I can fly a 152, which is under 1670kgs MTOW, for as much as I want per month? Am i correct?

thanks

[IO540]

I would check your airline regs too. I used to know one captain who would limit his spamcan flying because it added onto his duty hours.

[A and C]

In theory you are correct but as someone who in the summer is always flying over 90 hours a month you will find that your private aircraft usage drops somewhat.

This is not intentional, life just gets in the way of the flying.

[nosewheelfirst]

As long as you don't get paid for it its ok

[escobar]

Thank you for all the replies. [I] think you have all confirmed what I thought, in that if i am flying it effectivly under my ppl, ie not gettin paid for it, then i can fly for as many hours as i want. Agreed life may get in the way but hours=experience=more bars=more money

thanks

[airborne_artist]

hours=experience=more bars=more money

If you are already flying commercially (and at the rate of 100 hrs a month), I can't quite see how further hour-building on the simplest of aircraft is going to increase your pay/promotion prospects. Employers will only be interested in your multi-engine time, surely?

[Arfur Feck-Sake]

Further hour-building on a SEP aircraft can increase pay/promotion pospects.

For example, if an airline pilot meets all the requirements for unfreezing the ATPL except the 1500 TT requirement, SEP hours will count. Or if he meets all the requirements except 100 hours night, again, SEP hours will count. Many airlines offer increased pay and promotion on unfreezing the ATPL.

[S-Works]

At 100hrs a month that is not exactly a problem is it.......

[escobar]

Exactly right. Upon unfreezing my pay goes up, and secondly with 500h on type and 2500h there is always a chance of command. The second is purely down to my handling on an OPC or LPC but there is a much higher requirement for capts than FO's in my company, in actually fact they would rather have two captains flying together than a capt and a FO.

Just re-reading the replies, i'm currently flying nowhere near the 100h a month commercially, in fact thats my problem, i'm hardly flying at all, possibly 25-35 a month, which is why i want more hours

[S-Works]

I rather think you are deluding yourself if you think your GA flying will count towards anything with your company.

Promotion comes from within, time on type and demonstrating ability, team work and being a 'company man' not from 'hour building' in a spam can.

But don't take my word for it, head over to the airline sections and pose the same question.

[escobar]

having already posed the question to my company the answer was if you have the hours and are good enough you'll get promotion. I may or may not be good enough and thats down to me but if i had the hours i'd at least be given a shot

[S-Works]

Like I said ask in the airline forums the question of the guys that know the industry. But my personal view is that having the hours refers to your professional hours not burning holes in the sky in a spam can trying to circmvent the system.

Learning to walk before you run comes to mind.........

[A and C]

Escobar has a point in that un-freezing the ATPL will bring in more money and the PIC time can help a little as most company's opp's manual (part A) will have a minimum time to get a command. This is usualy not a factor as most people will need to get the minimun time on a jet before they are ready for command.

However for some of the more gifted pilots a few more hours in the logbook might just give them enough hours in the logbook to get a command at the earlyest oportunity.

The thing that staying in touch with light aviation will do is keep your "hands on" flying skills sharp, this will become very valuble when the company puts you up for CAT C airfield training. Those who fly small aircraft take to the more demanding airfields with ease compared with guys who let the automatics do all the work.

[MIKECR]

escobar,

Not sure which company your with but most regional operators out there are desperate for people to fill the left seat. They just cant get enough captains. Eastern being a class example, theyve been advertising in flighglobal for months now but to no avail. The rest are all the same. Hence most of these companies prefer the ex FI guys who have 1000 hours instructing time, theyre quick command potential. Unfreeze the atpl and your laughing.

[escobar]

I got lucky/unlucky and got a job after only 4 months instructing, couple of turbines is better than a single piston. As I have said I want to be in the position to be able to be looked at for command. Whether or not I am good enough will be down to the company, but a green book and 2000-3000h would help immensly

[Human Factor]

not gettin paid for it

Remember the above also applies to "valuable consideration". Essentially, if you fly with no pay and, for example, get free or reduced rate hire in return, that still counts. How easy it is for anyone to prove is a different matter.

[S-Works]

I got lucky/unlucky and got a job after only 4 months instructing

Gosh, how lucky you only had to 4 months of Instructing. A bit like parole eh?

I am sure your students got good value......

[escobar]

Reson I don't post on prune is that no matter what you say somebody always has to come back and argue a point. If you actually read my post i said lucky/unlucky. Pay me 35k a year and i'd have stayed a fi as i had a great time, one of the reasons i still do it part time, but at about 10k a year with a loan of 35k and a spend on my fATPL and fi of about 55k then being a full time fi is not a good move. Why did i bother gettin my ir or mcc if i wanted to be a career fi? I gave my students everything i had, one of the resons i still keep in touch with some, rainy days i gave briefings for free, i'd stay late in order to get them through a mental block, i didn't get paid overtime. So i won't have anybody knocking my dedication to my students. I was lucky in that i got a break after only 4 months, a break which means i can live reasonably whilst paying back my loan. Hopefully in another year i'll be able to say i was lucky/unlucky to have only flown turbo props for 18 months. Not because I hate turbo props, in fact they are very enjoyable, prob hand fly more in a month than what i would in a year of jet operating, but due to the fact that i gave up a career paying 30k a year, took out lots of loans, and now have a career earning deficit of about 150k. As an fi i had monthly meetings with the bank manager as to why I was defaulting on my loans. Show me somebody who has a ir and mcc under 35 that seriously wants to be a career fi.

I thank everybody who gave me a sensible answer to my posts, once again i will go back to lurking. thanks

[Mungo Man]

Boxe-x said

At 100hrs a month that is not exactly a problem is it.......

Well actually yes it is. In order to get my ATPL unfrozen and therefore collect a significant payrise I had to 1)Meet all the hours requirements and 2)sit a skills test which can only be undertaken as part of the annual company LPC (licence profficiency test - basically a type rating and instrument rating renewal).

The catch is you have to have met all the hours requirements by the date you go to the simulator to do the LPC test.

In my case I had met all the requirements except the 100hrs night command time. I was however very close so I rented a warrior and flew a few hours of night circuits. This was I was able to avoid waiting another 12 months for the next chance to unfreeze my ATPL and get a payrise.

I was unlucky in that I only instructed for 12 months!! Best flying I ever did do!!

[Easy Ryder]

Bose X

Whats your problem?

I know escobar, you dunno his sitch - you seem to have the mindset he's at a proper airline and doing this to rush his career along. I happen to know where he is he'll be very lucky to top 200hrs a yr. And he aint workin for an airline in any sense.

He's lucky coz he got a TP job rather quick compared to others, unlucky coz he's hardly flying... not why any of us got into aviation.....


You need to chill and not start having a go at someone until you know all the facts and actually read the original post correctly.