Building Flight Hours Options

[jetracer5]

Hi everyone! I am 25yo just finishing up my CFI ratings. I have 275 hours total time and 100ME and I am looking to try and build hours fast (I'm not getting any younger!!) I am currently planning on being a CFI at the school here in Seattle where I got my ratings but I was wondering if anybody had any ideas of any other ways to build flight hours? Are there any small cargo lines that don't require 1000+ hours? I just need to get to 600hr so I can apply at Expressjet (Continental Express) which is who I really want to fly for. Any input no matter how crazy would be great!!

[NDB Man]

Any imput no mater how crazy would be great!!

Well....... you can earn time by flying NDB, LONG LIVE NDB

[SF3aviatrix]

... I was wondering if anybody had any ideas of any other ways to build flight hours? Are their any small cargo lines that don't require 1000+ hours?

Your best bets with such low TT might be traffic watch or flying skydivers. While such operators generally hire in at lower total times, some require 500TT to meet insurance miniums. Here is a list of drop zones in Washington, where you might find an operator with 182/206s that will hire you. Unfortunately, the hiring for the busy summer season has already past (usually early spring or as soon as the weather is good) but you might get lucky and find an opening. Call the local radio stations and ask who does their traffic reports and inquire too.

You could apply to fly Part 135 freight in another 225 hours, but that is only for a day VFR operation which I can bet you won't find in SEA (or anywhere in the Pacific Northwest for that matter). Ferry pilot might also be another idea, but I'd venture to say most brokers & dealers require a higher TT to meet insurance mins as well.

Here's a page of ideas- http://flightinfo.com/buildtime.htm

I just need to get to 600hr so I can apply at expressjet (Continental Express) which is who I really want to fly for. Any imput no mater how crazy would be great!!

I wouldn't count on getting in at minimums with Express Jet. That is rare these days unless the airline is in bad shape or desperate for pilots and Express Jet is neither. Go to http://www.expressjetpilots.com/ to find out what is competitive there these days.

[jetracer5]

Thanks SF3 for you response! Lots of good info there! [You're] right I don't think their are any day VFR cargo operations here but I was thinking that I have a family friend that is the chief pilot for Vulcon Aviation (which is Paul Allens -microsoft founder- aviation company) and they have a whole fleet of planes from 2 757's to 5-6 other small and large business jets and even a twin otter on floats so I was going to give him a call and see if their is a way I could fly SIC on their small Citation or something. Heck I would even take a job washing the planes if it got me in the company. Its a long shot but you never know right!

Well the last I heard from Expressjet was they were changing their min from 600 to a 1000 but at last check its still posted at 600. I know 2 captains and 4 F/O from express so I am hoping with [their] recommendations I can get in at the min. If you go to aviationinterviews.com [there] were a few pilots hired at 500-600TT. Maybe they were related to the CEO or something but that still gives me hope! Hey maybe I can just buy some turbine hours off you!!

Thanks again for your response and I will keep you informed on the progress!

[SF3aviatrix]

... I was going to give him a call and see if their is a way I could fly SIC on their small Citation or something....If you go to aviationinterviews.com their were a few pilots hired at 500-600TT. Maybe they were related to the CEO or something but that still gives me hope!

The smaller jets, like many Citation models, do not require an SIC. Therefore you can't log any time even if they let you ride right seat. To be able to log SIC the aircraft must require one and with <300TT the operator would be hard pressed to insure you as a crew member.

While a few folks may have gotten hired at or near mins, they probably did have great 'connections' at Xjet. Don't forget that some come via an affiliated program that gets them an interview at lower times than those off the street. My friend with 350TT even interviewed there after doing a program via Flight Safety but didn't get hired.

[futurepilot]

So, let's say i have 500 hours on a cessna 152 and 200 hours on a multi engine airplane could i enter Continental Express?Of course with an ATPL.

[SF3aviatrix]

So, let's say i have 500 hours on a cessna 152 and 200 hours on a multi engine airplane could i enter Continental Express?Of course with an ATPL.

They may very well interview you at 700TT (500SE + 200 ME), esp if you work there already in another capacity, but you won't have a ATPL with that kind of time.

[futurepilot]

Ohh i completly forgot!!!But how can someone get accepted on Co.Ex. with 600 hours? Commercial license?

[SF3aviatrix]

Easy, "Minimum flight hours may fluctuate as the airline industry changes and ExpressJet grows." For a while they were interviewing anyone with a pulse. Plus the higher the ratio of ME time to SE time you have the better your chances to meet their 'fluctuating' mins. (Hint: they make exceptions for high ME applicants.) Internals get a break too. If you are into ExpJet, register at this message board for current & wannabe- Express Jet Pilots

[Ranger]

Hey, I resemble that avatar!

[Tpattyii]

You can try GTA in the Dallas area when you get 500 hrs. But I hope you like Ramen noodles and flying at tree top level when the weather is bad.

[aviation dude]

You can always fly people up for photographs, I know people at my flight school that come to get a ride just to take pics in the sky

[FutureCaptain]

You guys are all lucky up there. Never forget that. You talk about getting 5-600 hours to get in a commuter airline. Here in South Africa we need to add at least another zero behind that TT to even have an airline think of considering of maybe trying sometime in the future to arrange for an interview.

I am 23 and just finished my CPL. Staying here is a waste of time. I know I am still young, but very very concious about my age. I want to get in a airline and quick. After all flying an airliner is my passion. I've made many friends in the UK where I worked to save money to fly. Some of them (senior captains) are very willing to help me get into a Low Cost airline flying 737 and 319's. The truth is up there ( In Europe) lots of people go directly into airlines straight away with just 200hrs. It sounds mad and unsafe, but really how many of you low houred pilots out there would swap your Seneca for a 737-700. I know I would and over the next couple of months will try my damn hardest to achieve my dream

[Piltdown Man]

The truth is up there ( In Europe) lots of people go directly into airlines straight away with just 200hrs. It sounds mad and unsafe, but really how many of you low houred pilots out there would swap your Seneca for a 737-700. I know I would and over the next couple of months will try my damn hardest to achieve my dream

It's not at all mad and it's certainly safe. The low houred pilots (less than 300TT) I've flown with have, with one exception, given me no problems whatsover which is more than can be said for the direct entry pilots. The reasons are these that these people have carefully selected (certainly no though to cost) and trained since leaving (generally) university to fly. Their training will have been tailored as much as possible for airline operations and they have few bad habits (they will come later!). And as they have so little experience, nobody has told them how difficult jets are to fly (they are not!), so they find the whole thing very straightforward. However, they still have a lot to learn (as do I) and most will make good captains, should they choose to do so, in as little as three years!

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