Hour Building USA - (Master thread)
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Join Date: May 2016
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Thanks for the in depth review. Myself and a few others have been looking at CAS and this is certainly something to bear in mind. However, I would be visiting as a fresh PPL holder therefore I would probably appreciate a little bit of guidance.
May I ask how your time was in Arizona in general? (Cost of living, vehicle rental, accommodation, any night flying?)
May I ask how your time was in Arizona in general? (Cost of living, vehicle rental, accommodation, any night flying?)
Join Date: Feb 2016
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Hi guys can someone recommend any flying schools or rentals in the San diego Area, im looking to do 100 hr of hour building, or if anyone has recently come back from the states can they recommend any schools excluding chandler air services..
regards
regards
Join Date: Mar 2016
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I'm interested in doing my hour building as cheaply as possible so I have been considering the US.
The problem is, I've done my PPL using a glass cockpit and will do future courses with glass cockpits too.
So, does anyone have any recommendations of places where I can hour build with a) good weather b) a reasonable price and c) a glass cockpit.
Thanks
The problem is, I've done my PPL using a glass cockpit and will do future courses with glass cockpits too.
So, does anyone have any recommendations of places where I can hour build with a) good weather b) a reasonable price and c) a glass cockpit.
Thanks

Join Date: Aug 2019
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Would be great to hear an update from some of you guys on here.
Have any of you guys on here managed to get flying jobs yet?
Have any of you given up or not been considered/had much luck looking for flying jobs after gaining you fATPL?
(Hope this doesn't derail the thread if it does please let me know and I'll remove it, but please then update me in a different thread as I'm really interested to see how well you guys have done) But a lot of people on this thread will be wondering how everyone is doing also so maybe it would help everyone to share how it went/ is going for you.
Have any of you guys on here managed to get flying jobs yet?
Have any of you given up or not been considered/had much luck looking for flying jobs after gaining you fATPL?
(Hope this doesn't derail the thread if it does please let me know and I'll remove it, but please then update me in a different thread as I'm really interested to see how well you guys have done) But a lot of people on this thread will be wondering how everyone is doing also so maybe it would help everyone to share how it went/ is going for you.
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Oregon, USA
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I'm curious, why so many people are looking for paid hour building in the USA instead of doing the FAA conversion and getting paid to build your hours.
I work for a flightschool that has a lot of international pilots, who work for 2 years after their training and go home with 1500h-1800h.
I work for a flightschool that has a lot of international pilots, who work for 2 years after their training and go home with 1500h-1800h.

Join Date: Jun 2008
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Does anyone know of a company that rents out aircraft to travel the states, either east or west coast? Would be great to build hours and see the US from the skies.
Any ideas or tips would be a great help, thanks!
Any ideas or tips would be a great help, thanks!
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NWHeliPilot
Can you please elaborate more?
I just got the PPL(EASA) and I'm going to U.S one or to months to do the time building, if I wanna work there I would have to do the whole FAA program, work less than a year that's what the Visa allows, and then come back and start the EASA ATPL again.
Can you please elaborate more?
I just got the PPL(EASA) and I'm going to U.S one or to months to do the time building, if I wanna work there I would have to do the whole FAA program, work less than a year that's what the Visa allows, and then come back and start the EASA ATPL again.
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I think that guy's confused about your motivation to build hours. Most people go to the US to build time to get their CPL back in Europe. Those are the ones you pay for. Some people choose to stay and build time afterwards as a flight instructor, at which point the money starts flowing the other way. There are no free hours before CFI. Unless you can legally work for an airline in the US there's no point in getting single engine time. (In the US you need 1500 hours to work for an airline which can be mostly single engine, in the EU you only need 200 hours. More hours won't help you much unfortunately although a lot of people seem to think they will.)

Join Date: Feb 2020
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Close to finishing my PPL in Wales and looking to hour build in the USA for a few months - Looking at Chandler Air Service quite closely.
I've been advised it is much better to go with a few other keen pilots, and enjoy the hour build more - however in my position most of my mates aren't trying to be pilots.
Is anyone else in a similar position and would like to build hours with someone else?
Or does anyone know of any resources/websites for people to hour build together?
I've been advised it is much better to go with a few other keen pilots, and enjoy the hour build more - however in my position most of my mates aren't trying to be pilots.
Is anyone else in a similar position and would like to build hours with someone else?
Or does anyone know of any resources/websites for people to hour build together?

Join Date: Mar 2022
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Known and Reliable Places in USA for 100 hour time building.
Hi everyone,
New to this forum and just wanted some ideas from you guys!
Does anyone know of any good and reliable places in the USA for hours building (anywhere apart from West Coast)
I have spoken to 1 on 1 with a place in Miami, but after the call, I was disappointed with all the extra fees they tried to squeeze in which I knew weren't needed.
If anyone has any from memory or has used themselves I would appreciate it!!
p.s... if anyone also looking for hours building overseas is in the same boat send me a message!
------------------------------------------------
Until you have a posting history you don't have access to private messaging and adding urls. More chance of responses if you offer an email.
New to this forum and just wanted some ideas from you guys!
Does anyone know of any good and reliable places in the USA for hours building (anywhere apart from West Coast)
I have spoken to 1 on 1 with a place in Miami, but after the call, I was disappointed with all the extra fees they tried to squeeze in which I knew weren't needed.
If anyone has any from memory or has used themselves I would appreciate it!!
p.s... if anyone also looking for hours building overseas is in the same boat send me a message!
------------------------------------------------
Until you have a posting history you don't have access to private messaging and adding urls. More chance of responses if you offer an email.

Join Date: Jun 2022
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FlyingIce I tried to send you a message, but your box is full. Here it is:
I’m currently working on Iceland and want to go to Florida to gain some hours towards my Cpl. Can you tell me why you and your friends specifically recommend this place? Was it possible to take plane for i.e week or two and fly it around Florida or Us? How was the maintenance and general condition of airplanes? How did you organise the payments for rent? Was it possible to do the checkride with them to convert license? Let me as much as you know from your experience.
Best regards,
Jakub
send me a message, please
I’m currently working on Iceland and want to go to Florida to gain some hours towards my Cpl. Can you tell me why you and your friends specifically recommend this place? Was it possible to take plane for i.e week or two and fly it around Florida or Us? How was the maintenance and general condition of airplanes? How did you organise the payments for rent? Was it possible to do the checkride with them to convert license? Let me as much as you know from your experience.
Best regards,
Jakub
send me a message, please


Join Date: Feb 2022
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Says my inbox is full even though I only have one PM and I cant even reply to that because "Inbox is full".
First I went to a school in Ohio but there it took so long time to get an appointment with an FAA FSDO in Ohio (we booked the trip on a short notice and didn't have a long time to book the appointment) to verify my JAA license and get my FAA PPL based on my foreign license that I always had to fly with an instructor (cost alot more than planed).
I called Neil at flighttimebuilding.com and he said that he had an available plane and that he could get me an appointment for the verification of my license the next day, we drove down to Florida (from -25° to +25° C
) and the next day I had an appointment with a guy from FAA and got my license.
He got me flying right away with an instructor for a checkout on the plane and I was ready to go, Neil was so kind to even get us a house and a car for less than we paid for our rental car. I can't recomend this guy enough. I had the plane all for myself for 6 weeks so no need to book ahead of time and fight for few slots like bigger schools I have been to.
We are at least 8 guys here from Iceland that have done a lot of hours at that place.
First I went to a school in Ohio but there it took so long time to get an appointment with an FAA FSDO in Ohio (we booked the trip on a short notice and didn't have a long time to book the appointment) to verify my JAA license and get my FAA PPL based on my foreign license that I always had to fly with an instructor (cost alot more than planed).
I called Neil at flighttimebuilding.com and he said that he had an available plane and that he could get me an appointment for the verification of my license the next day, we drove down to Florida (from -25° to +25° C

He got me flying right away with an instructor for a checkout on the plane and I was ready to go, Neil was so kind to even get us a house and a car for less than we paid for our rental car. I can't recomend this guy enough. I had the plane all for myself for 6 weeks so no need to book ahead of time and fight for few slots like bigger schools I have been to.
We are at least 8 guys here from Iceland that have done a lot of hours at that place.
Last edited by FlyingIce; 27th Aug 2022 at 19:00.