PPRuNe Forums - Hour Building USA

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Cross Country:

Has anyone done east to west coast of vice versa for the benefit of hour building?

How long has something like Florida to California taken?

How many hours could you burn flying something like that route?

Quote:

Originally Posted by airbourne (Post 10342470)

Going in next March in a 172N. Estimating from 60 to 70 hours due to some sightseeing, could be less (around 55 hours flight time) at 105 kts. This for California-Florida and back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bulldog89 (Post 10342619)

Going in next March in a 172N. Estimating from 60 to 70 hours due to some sightseeing, could be less (around 55 hours flight time) at 105 kts. This for California-Florida and back.

Do you have an idea of the cost of it yet?

How many hours a day are you intending to cover?

How long will you spend on the return journey?

Thanks

Rate is 105$/block hour wet for an IFR WAAS GPS C172N, could be less selecting another airplane.

Some days 2, some days 5, some days zero. I took 22 days off but again...I’m taking it easy. I’ll try to get to the East Coast in 5 days and then come back leaving space for chill out days/extra days for maintenance and/or weather.

Can I ask who you are using to rent the plane? I am interested in doing something like this later this year.

Sure, it’s PlusOneFlyers, based in San Diego CA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexAB (Post 10396317)

Hi,
I am going modular to do my training from zero to hero to get the frozen EASA ATPL. And I would like to start in the USA for my PPL and building hours. However, it's getting quite confusing and I would thank a lot if someone can bring some light.

I saw there are just a few schools in the USA that offer EASA training. And I am confused in aspects like this:

EASA/FAA? PPL:
- if you get a EASA PPL in the USA, how can you build hours in the USA? (I mean, I guess the authority will have to ask you for a FAA PPL to fly in their area, isn't it?)
- so, should I just do a FAA PLL in any school in the USA? and then convert it to EASA PPL? (I searched, but it doesn't seem like a standard convertion... some people say it's just about doing more hours and more exams, but it's not clear)

Building hours
- If I plan to build all the hours in the USA before doing my EASA CPL in the UK, will all the hours count towards CPL requirements?
- if I decide to build hours both in USA and Europe, does it make it more complicate and I would need both FAA and EASA PPL?

As a note, I have no issues with visas as I can work and live both in USA and Europe. And my modular plan is:
1) PPL and Night Rating in the USA
2) Building hours in USA and/or Europe (mainly UK and/or Spain)
3) ATPL theory, CPL+IR+MEP+MCC+JOC in the UK

Thanks a lot!!

You’re over complicating things a little.
The only difference is the examiner you fly with as you will fly a US registered plane with an FAA authorized instructor during your “EASA” training.
In short you need to meet all the US requirements also for instance in order to solo.
Now the US PPL requires some additional maneuvers to be demonstrated during your flight with a FAA examiner. You’ll likely need two flights and 3hrs to be endorsed for your US PPL before or after you’ve flown with the EASA examiner.
Your time building will therefore be on an FAA PPl.

That should answer your question.

Now here is my suggestion: forget about doing it that way.
Go to a FAA certified Part 141 school and do your Instrument rating right after your Private.
Now switch to Part 61 (at the same school) for your FAA CPL training so you can do all of your time building on an IFR flight plan.
You’ll have about 100-120 hrs to fly and do at least half at night on an IFR flightplan.
Its all about filling in as many columns in your logbook flying the same hour.
Example:

3 hrs Flight should be

cross country
PIC
Night
IFR

Once youve completed your FAA CPL then go to Europe for a conversion of your licenses.
Save your training records, credit card receipts, printout from your school accounting system.
Anything and everything that can verify every single hour you have flown.

There are differences in how training flights and Pilot In Command In logged under FAA and under EASA so use a logbook that has several empty columns and designate one ‘EASA PIC’ so you won’t have any issues during your conversion process.

Words of wisdom:
There are several “EASA” schools in the USA and few of them have a better then checkered reputation.
There are literally hundreds of FAA approved Part 141 schools.

The advantage of doing your Instrument rating under part 141 is that you can start right after your Private and don’t need the 50hrs XC PIC the regulations require under Part 61.

Flying Academy Miami

Hi there,

Anyone got any experience with Flying Academy based at Miami exec?

They seem to offer competitive hour building packages and I’m considering doing a block of flying when I’m over there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maverick97 (Post 10399836)

They seem organised but if you have time and want to save a bit of money, don't rent an airplane with this "big schools". You have a lot of small "airclubs" in Florida and also in San Diego Region which offers much better deals. That was the conclusion that I got when I was doing my research. Also try to take a look on Pilots Paradise. They are a small company but quite organised apparently.

FYI I am still planning my trip so I might change ideas :*

Good luck :)

As an Aussie, I've seen plenty of posts about how flight training in the US is so much cheaper than here. I'm not debating this - its factual. What I am interested to know is whether it is more cost effective for an Aussie to complete their CPL in the US. Whilst the hour building will save a lot of coin, there are additional expenses and hidden costs including:
- getting to the US and back
- paying to stay somewhere while undertaking the training
- loss of income from not having a job whilst undertaking the training

So, taking the above into account, is it more cost effective as an Aussie to get a CPL in Australia or the US? Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by rust_bucket (Post 10420018)

TempoTCu you're saying the things that are rolling around in my brain as well. When everything is added up, is it actually cheaper/worthwhile to hour build in the US?

Costs-

- Return flights
- Visa (to some extent you're going for training not as a tourist)
- Insurance (make sure you tell them what you're up to)
- Accommodation
- Transportation
- Food
- Entertainment
- Flying hours and the trimmings
- Time off from work (you could use holiday pay, but if there is a delay?)
- Maintaining costs at home
- Costs associated with delays e.g. bad weather
- Costs associated with conversions

I've lived in the US on/off for the past several years and would say the cost of living is generally higher compared to the UK at least.

I would argue that you could hour build much faster than most places (UK/Europe), but I'm not seeing a cost benefit. Happy to be proved wrong though

Don't know about the UK, but I've just came back from the US.
Flew 76 hrs, taking into account all of the above I paid 12200 USD (could have been less taking a cheaper plane as the C152, or cheaper accommodation or not going to Las Vegas or to San Francisco or whatever). Went heavily X-country. Price for 76 hrs in a comparable plane (not NVFR/IFR certified, US plane was both) in Italy is 16700 USD. Landing fees plus living/transportation costs at home not included, just the plane. I'd go back right now if I could.

So if you live in Italy and have the possibility just do it. No idea about flying related costs in the UK.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rust_bucket (Post 10420018)

- Visa (to some extent you're going for training not as a tourist)

I am currently going through my PPL training in France. I am planning to do some hours building in US after the completion of my EASA PPL.

Since I am not an EU national (nor US) I only hold a tourist visa (B2) which I would like to use for going in hours building there. Do you think I have chances to face issues with that ?

Thanks.

For hour building only even an ESTA would be enough (14 USD)...

seaman208, private flying, not involving a course of study, may be conducted by aliens admitted under a B-class visa or under the visa waiver program. A flight review will not be treated as a course of study.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TempoTCu (Post 10417444)

YES and YES is the short answer. I did the research myself and i terminated my Swinburne Uni offer faster than Usain Bolt! What was appearing to me most after visiting a few flight schools over there was the ability to go from PPL to CPL with ME add on & CFI, II in less than 8 months. Ofcourse that involves alot of flying and hard work but when you compare how they do things in US vs Aus, in US they make things very simple when it comes to flying and they got no bias whats so ever on you! You also do more flying in US than Aus during your training plus after completing your course you will have about 12 months work rights (depending on your type of visa) and you can use that time to build significant hrs doing all sort of gigs as long as you got the right attitude! One of the schools (i didn't visit them just talk to them) told me they prefer hiring their own trained CFI students after completing their studies (including international students). They told me they can guarantee on that and they are willing to put it in writing!

Thanks to both of you for the information.

Hello, guys!
I flew in 2017 in Florida with a Cessna from Paragon Flight School, which is located in Fort Myers and I gave them a call recently as I want to fly again a few hours, and they don't do any rentals with their C172s anymore as they are really busy using them for training purposes only.
Is there anybody around that has rented an airplane from a flight school or a private owner in Florida and maybe could give me some advice on whom I should contact. I've seen numerous options online but some advice from somebody that has actually been in contact with them would be really helpful.
Thank you!

About first time US flying.

Hello guys!
About hours building in the US- how difficult it to fly in US?
I guess that I'll take an instructor for some few hours... but does it possible to fly there alone for the first time?

Usually you need at least a checkout (1-2 hours), but if you haven't flown in the US at all, it's definitely worth to fly some time with an instructor. It's not about piloting only. The airspace is different, the controllers are different, even the phraseology is somewhat different. For example, for me it initially was hard to understand the ATC. After some time you get used to it, but initially it is very frustrating. But the experience is really great. A lot of traffic, no landing fees almost everywhere, much cheaper flight hour, great infrastructure, great flight planning and weather briefing resources (for free!), everybody speaks English :)