Cheap creative ways to build hours?
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Orpington
Cheap creative ways to build hours?
I'm currently sitting on a basic PPL with no IR or multi engine rating and I'm keen to progress in my private flying 'career' as quickly as possible, with the dream of ending up with a CPL at some point and having my flying enjoyment paid for whilst doing some tour flights for example.
What are some cheap creative ways people have employed to build hours?
Currently for example I tend to conduct private 'tours' where I share the cost of a pleasure flight with friends and colleagues (in equal proportions).
What other ways have people used to gain hours at the lowest cost possible?
What are some cheap creative ways people have employed to build hours?
Currently for example I tend to conduct private 'tours' where I share the cost of a pleasure flight with friends and colleagues (in equal proportions).
What other ways have people used to gain hours at the lowest cost possible?
Joined: Dec 2001
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 3,766
Likes: 424
From: GA, USA
Lowest cost or at the most value for money? There is a big difference.
Value for money go to the USA and add an intrument rating to a license validation then do some time building while filing IFR flight plans.
Simply drilling holes in the sky around your home airport adds little valuable experience.
Value for money go to the USA and add an intrument rating to a license validation then do some time building while filing IFR flight plans.
Simply drilling holes in the sky around your home airport adds little valuable experience.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
From: Orpington
Lowest cost or at the most value for money? There is a big difference.
Value for money go to the USA and add an intrument rating to a license validation then do some time building while filing IFR flight plans.
Simply drilling holes in the sky around your home airport adds little valuable experience.
Value for money go to the USA and add an intrument rating to a license validation then do some time building while filing IFR flight plans.
Simply drilling holes in the sky around your home airport adds little valuable experience.
Also the instrument rating has a certain prerequesite of hour required, which is actually one of the reasons I ask this question. In order to even get an MEIR or CPL one needs a certain number of hours, and my focus right now is getting to that stage with as low cost as possible. I do agree with the general sentiment that doing circles around the home town isn't particularly of much use.
Joined: Dec 2001
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 3,766
Likes: 424
From: GA, USA
A FAA instrument rating under Part 141 does not require extra hours.
Which is why it's such a good thing to do.
Gain the extra hours flying on IFR flight plans gaining IFR experience.
Which is why it's such a good thing to do.
Gain the extra hours flying on IFR flight plans gaining IFR experience.
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,977
Likes: 0
From: Glens o' Angus by way of LA
The guy in the attached link wins the prize for absolute cheapest PIC flight hour costs and in a Cirrus and Cessna 400 to boot. The real icing on the cake was he had no instruction costs or pesky FAA licensing or test fees either.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colton_Harris_Moore
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colton_Harris_Moore
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,507
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From: last time I looked I was still here.
Decades ago there was a loop-hole. I do not know if it still exists. A friend use to do aerial photography, working for the photographer who had the client base. He flew single pilot in a Cessna (it needs to be hi-wing) and made very good commission. The snag was the CAA then deemed it to be commercial flying as he was paid to fly: this was before the aerial-work permit. The loop-hole was the pilot then would rent the a/c as a PPL and be paid to take photos.
The more top-end photo companies employed a commercial photographer on board, so then you were being paid to fly; unless they would also work the dodge of you renting the a/c and the photographer was then your pax on a joy ride.
I'm not up to date with the aerial work permit under EASA.
My mate made good hours and a healthy income. You'd need to find a way to be paid for something else and not the flying per se.
The more top-end photo companies employed a commercial photographer on board, so then you were being paid to fly; unless they would also work the dodge of you renting the a/c and the photographer was then your pax on a joy ride.
I'm not up to date with the aerial work permit under EASA.
My mate made good hours and a healthy income. You'd need to find a way to be paid for something else and not the flying per se.
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,977
Likes: 0
From: Glens o' Angus by way of LA
Decades ago there was a loop-hole. I do not know if it still exists. A friend use to do aerial photography, working for the photographer who had the client base. He flew single pilot in a Cessna (it needs to be hi-wing) and made very good commission. The snag was the CAA then deemed it to be commercial flying as he was paid to fly: this was before the aerial-work permit. The loop-hole was the pilot then would rent the a/c as a PPL and be paid to take photos.
The more top-end photo companies employed a commercial photographer on board, so then you were being paid to fly; unless they would also work the dodge of you renting the a/c and the photographer was then your pax on a joy ride.
I'm not up to date with the aerial work permit under EASA.
My mate made good hours and a healthy income. You'd need to find a way to be paid for something else and not the flying per se.
The more top-end photo companies employed a commercial photographer on board, so then you were being paid to fly; unless they would also work the dodge of you renting the a/c and the photographer was then your pax on a joy ride.
I'm not up to date with the aerial work permit under EASA.
My mate made good hours and a healthy income. You'd need to find a way to be paid for something else and not the flying per se.
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 9
From: UK
Be carefull about the aircraft type used to build hours, microlights and motorglider hours for example do not count in your total for some purposes.
Consider buying a cheap Cessna 150 or maybe a 172 to build your hours in instead of renting, there is no need for speed - its the hours that count. You will get your money back when you sell it.
Consider buying a cheap Cessna 150 or maybe a 172 to build your hours in instead of renting, there is no need for speed - its the hours that count. You will get your money back when you sell it.
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 3
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From: UK
Ref: https://www.caa.co.uk/General-aviati...ctory-flights/
Joined: Dec 2001
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 3,766
Likes: 424
From: GA, USA
Scattering the ashes of the dearly departed is NOT a good idea.
Unless you have a custom made arrangement to scatter.
Flightschool I once worked for got greedy and decided to do this.
Airflow patterns are very unpredictable and part Uncle Ernie ended up inside of the horizontal stabilizer.
This sounds very humorous but you're dealing with the remains of loved ones and people mourning.
Don't mess around with that...literally.
Unless you have a custom made arrangement to scatter.
Flightschool I once worked for got greedy and decided to do this.
Airflow patterns are very unpredictable and part Uncle Ernie ended up inside of the horizontal stabilizer.
This sounds very humorous but you're dealing with the remains of loved ones and people mourning.
Don't mess around with that...literally.
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 450
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From: UK
I've been asked several times by relatives of the recently departed about scattering ashes over their favourite spots in the highlands, based on what those sea burial guys charge for boat hire and putting on a small ceremony with their best Albert Finney sad faces while chucking the ashes overboard it could be a good way of covering your flying costs, I understand there's a bit more to it than opening the storm window and pouring them out, get it wrong and you could be wearing old uncle Ernie.
I think you'll find this requires a CAA written exemption.
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 450
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From: UK
Smart fella I knew used 15 of his CPL allocated £000s to buy a scruffy C150 with decent engine hours and did his hours building in it.
He rented me a block of 100hrs dry in a month at £not-much per hour to do my hours building. I passed it on the the next fella who also burned his 100hrs in a month. And so on. And on...
The owner had done his sums well. He sold that tired old cab with a recon engine some years later for a modest profit having had a great deal of cash-flow from it plus an aeroplane to fly himself on occasions.
Now that's creative.
There are plenty of people out there gagging to get their hands on sensibly priced hours by the block. Damn few aircraft on the market to satisfy them.
He rented me a block of 100hrs dry in a month at £not-much per hour to do my hours building. I passed it on the the next fella who also burned his 100hrs in a month. And so on. And on...
The owner had done his sums well. He sold that tired old cab with a recon engine some years later for a modest profit having had a great deal of cash-flow from it plus an aeroplane to fly himself on occasions.
Now that's creative.
There are plenty of people out there gagging to get their hands on sensibly priced hours by the block. Damn few aircraft on the market to satisfy them.
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: Dublin
ask to resell your local club(s) flights , lessons and ground classes and anything else in return for hours rental in their aircraft. this is how I am doing it for 'free' hours.
I like the post above who bought an old recon engine too.this is a serious way to get those hours in quickly , at a cost.
Good luck.
I like the post above who bought an old recon engine too.this is a serious way to get those hours in quickly , at a cost.
Good luck.
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 0
From: Scotland
Join the LAA. Buy a cheap Permit to fly aircraft. Hangar it on a farm strip £100 per month. Fly the living daylights out of it at 18litres per hour. Maintain it yourself with the oversight of a grown up. Thoroughly enjoy the experience.
When you've had enough, sell it for very little less than you paid for it.
Repeat the above if so inclined.
All legal and above board.
Or.
Rent, charge passengers for taxi flights, people trafficking, drug running etc, to cover the costs and profit, work on word of mouth advertising. Change operational bases regularly to avoid getting caught. Budget the cost of fines or jail time for when you do get caught.
Probably very difficult to repeat whether inclined or not.
Not legal or above board.
When you've had enough, sell it for very little less than you paid for it.
Repeat the above if so inclined.
All legal and above board.
Or.
Rent, charge passengers for taxi flights, people trafficking, drug running etc, to cover the costs and profit, work on word of mouth advertising. Change operational bases regularly to avoid getting caught. Budget the cost of fines or jail time for when you do get caught.
Probably very difficult to repeat whether inclined or not.
Not legal or above board.
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 442
Likes: 0
From: London
Camargue,
I somehow doubt that they'd let you hire a tailwheel single seater, without ample experience on tailwheel, and training you / checking you out on different aeroplane types which may well prove more expensive than the C150/152 option. ( not that it isn't outstanding training, with incredibly skilled mentors / instructors and expand your experience which will increase your stick n rudder skills by 500 folds [or more] ).
But cheaply do hour building? I am not so sure....!
Also ChampChump is right - they're at Damyns Hall, near London now. Lovely airfield is anyone wants to visit?
I somehow doubt that they'd let you hire a tailwheel single seater, without ample experience on tailwheel, and training you / checking you out on different aeroplane types which may well prove more expensive than the C150/152 option. ( not that it isn't outstanding training, with incredibly skilled mentors / instructors and expand your experience which will increase your stick n rudder skills by 500 folds [or more] ).
But cheaply do hour building? I am not so sure....!
Also ChampChump is right - they're at Damyns Hall, near London now. Lovely airfield is anyone wants to visit?