Commercial checkride

[Golden Dragon]

Congratulations on passing that milestone.  A lot of hard work and spent money for all who have gone down that path.  It's still a great career, good luck!

[cpxxx]

Well done. Nothing like getting that out the way! I've done no less than three Commercial check rides. All of them nerve wracking to say the least. I was failed by mistake on the first one. The Examiner was new and screwed up and asked for something he shouldn't.  Even so I was kicking myself for not getting the manoeuvre right. We did another one and I passed this time.

Then I stopped flying for several years. The licence expired and I had to do another commercial check ride. I flew so badly that I thought I had failed but the Examiner passed me. Quote: 'You're agricultural but safe'    This truth was later confirmed by my skydiver buddies. 

So what's next? I recommend a period of skydive flying when you put up enough hours to be accepted at a drop zone. A year of that will turn you into a proper stick and rudder pilot. Basic skills that seem to be becoming lost in the new generation of pilots. Plus it's some of the best fun flying a new pilot can do.

Congrats again!

[flight17]

Sorry for the delay, was working everyday till the first and then got 24hr stomach flu and never saw there was new replies as it dropped off the first page.

I just scheduled my Multi commercial for next week, so just a few more days longer until I'm done with the program. Next will be cfi's and mei.

quote author=cpxxx link=topic=357306.msg4739670#msg4739670 date=1388491911]
Well done. Nothing like getting that out the way! I've done no less than three Commercial check rides. All of them nerve wracking to say the least. I was failed by mistake on the first one. The Examiner was new and screwed up and asked for something he shouldn't.  Even so I was kicking myself for not getting the manoeuvre right. We did another one and I passed this time.

Then I stopped flying for several years. The licence expired and I had to do another commercial check ride. I flew so badly that I thought I had failed but the Examiner passed me. Quote: 'You're agricultural but safe'    This truth was later confirmed by my skydiver buddies. 

So what's next? I recommend a period of skydive flying when you put up enough hours to be accepted at a drop zone. A year of that will turn you into a proper stick and rudder pilot. Basic skills that seem to be becoming lost in the new generation of pilots. Plus it's some of the best fun flying a new pilot can do.

Congrats again!
[/quote] I really don't want to instruct as a job, but I know more than likely I'm going to have to... But I'm actually planning on going and talking to the two local(ish) jump companies around here.

One flies two 206's and a 182. The 182 I believe is the oldest flying jump 182 in the country. The thing with this place is the flying is done for free, but I know more or less I could be a pilot there and build a good amount of time.

The other company is using bigger stuff, PC-6, caravan, beech 99...but is further away from me. However, all the pilots there from what I have been told are older retirees and they really don't hire young people as they are there for fun vs us being there just to build time. But they get paid, so naturally that is my favored place plus I get to fly something turbine which would be fun. If I could get hired there, I necessarily wouldn't leave right away either. I'm actually trying to stay local if possible as I want to continue flying our museums C-123 and start flying our new C47.

I still haven't decided which route of aviation I want to pursue. But I'm leaning towards business aviation if I can find the right company.

[colmbo]

\One flies two 206's and a 182. The 182 I believe is the oldest flying jump 182 in the country. The thing with this place is the flying is done for free, but I know more or less I could be a pilot there and build a good amount of time.

If they won't pay you to fly it probably isn't worth your time to fly for them.  Tell them to pay you by the load…$3-5 per load would be a good starting point.  Regardless what they tell you, they can afford to pay you a little bit to fly.  I flew jumpers for many years and operated my 182 as a jump plane so I have some idea of what it costs.

Jump pilot time is nothing special when it comes to have time in your resume. It is nothing more than hours in the logbook unless you're lucky enough to be flying multi-engine turbine aircraft so you might be better off building time in other ways.

It does make you proficient in the stick and rudder skills.  When you're making 10-20-30 takeoffs and landings in a day even a putz would get better.   

[Tordon22]

If you're serious about business aviation, work backwards: company you like --> planes they have --> shoot for the smallest planes type, etc.

The best responses I've received were blind emails to the heads of certain flight departments saying this is where I sit now, I'd sure love to sit in one of your aircraft someday, where should I go from here? You'll get some great insights into their hiring preferences.

Great job on the license, and good luck.

[Golfer]

Don't fly for free.

Don't try to justify flying for free, just don't fly for free.

Another rule of thumb is it takes 10 years to get the job you want that's worth having and even that's no guarantee it'll be there tomorrow. Look at Heinz if you want a local example.

Beyond that congratulations on the first step to being a professional aviator!

[flight17]

If they won't pay you to fly it probably isn't worth your time to fly for them.  Tell them to pay you by the load…$3-5 per load would be a good starting point.  Regardless what they tell you, they can afford to pay you a little bit to fly.  I flew jumpers for many years and operated my 182 as a jump plane so I have some idea of what it costs.

Jump pilot time is nothing special when it comes to have time in your resume. It is nothing more than hours in the logbook unless you're lucky enough to be flying multi-engine turbine aircraft so you might be better off building time in other ways.

It does make you proficient in the stick and rudder skills.  When you're making 10-20-30 takeoffs and landings in a day even a putz would get better.   

Yeah I don't think I would fly for them unless I could work something out with them. They own the farm they fly out of, do everything in house, so they should be able to afford a little bit...

I really want to fly the Kingair at the other place, though. I don't know what it is about Kingairs, but I want to fly one so badly. I would take a job in one over a Citation anyday, at least for now that is.

If you're serious about business aviation, work backwards: company you like --> planes they have --> shoot for the smallest planes type, etc.

The best responses I've received were blind emails to the heads of certain flight departments saying this is where I sit now, I'd sure love to sit in one of your aircraft someday, where should I go from here? You'll get some great insights into their hiring preferences.

Great job on the license, and good luck.

That's a good way to go about it. I sort have thought about that way, but without the part of emailing them to find out how to get there.

I'm really torn between two paths of aviation. I think a little bit of background info is needed. I have loved aviation since I can remember. The F14 was my favorite plane and I was dead set on flying one in the Navy until they retired it. After that, I lost interest in the military, though I would fly in the navy now, but since I do not have a four year...

I have volunteered at a local museum for 5 years now helping with our warbirds and I have really been bitten by the bug. I have flown our C-123K once, but the insurance decided they would not carry me last year, even though I was fully qualified as per what they told us the requirements were. So I was not able to fly more than the training flight, but this year, since I have become a Commercially rated pilot, I'm hoping that will help me be carried. I have attended numerous airshows with the C-123K though as a non piloting crew member and I thoroughly enjoy the Air show circuit. This year we hopefully will begin flying our new C-47. I'm hoping to have saved enough money by then to get a PIC type in it when we have all of the other pilots get typed in it.

Because of the bug which I already have been bitten by, If I could make an honest living out of it, I would be perfectly content with flying warbirds to airshows or giving rides. One problem with that plan is that museum is all volunteer, so it would have to be done on my own.

I have been on a Beech 18 buzz lately, with my idea being that I could fly it to airshows and also give rides in it as it is a real warbird, but it would be an economical warbird the average Joe could come out and afford to ride on. I have already worked the numbers out and I think I could make it work and live reasonable off it until fuel skyrockets, but I'm lacking the 100K-150K to purchase the plane and do the proper restoration on it.

Now the other option is Business Aviation. There is an FBO at my local airport that flies a Cessna C441, which I would be content with flying right now. But they are not in the healthiest of positions and I more or less know this job would hold me back as the FBO is really struggling. I also know multiple people (including my initial instructor until he left, who took me through Pvt, Instrument, Multi) that are flying for another FBO based out of Pittsburgh that are flying managed Citations and BeechJets, both 91 and 135, which I would not mind doing this early in my career, but I doubt I would get hired there being this fresh. Then again, the last Pilot I know who was hired there was hired with only just over 600hrs TT of which only a handful were Multi hours.

I also know an Aerobatic Performer who is based on field who I would love to apprentice. I could easily make a living do that, but since I know this person, I also know that lifestyle is a very hard one as they are always on the road performing. I don't mind traveling, I like it very much, but the thought of not have a true home sucks in my opinion. If you are wondering, this guy is a part of the 4orce flight team.

More or less, I need a flying job that will be fun. Something that I'm not going to be there to just greet the passengers and press buttons all day. I love the thought of flying airliners and the people associated with it, but it just seems like it would be a boring job. The funnest part of a flight for me is the takeoff and Landing, so it needs to be something that would be fast paced.

Insights?

BTW, if anyone is wondering my times

I took my Ride at 250.1hrs

Current times are as follows:

251.3 Hrs TT
41.5 hrs Multi Engine (22.2 of which are PIC)
65.1 hrs Complex Time
15 hrs High Performance
1 hr logged Tailwheel
14 hrs G1000 Time
31.1 Hrs Night
10.8 Hrs Actual (50.9hrs Hood Time)
200 hrs of PIC (includes both Single and Multi)
1 hr SIC

658 Take off and Landings

I have Logged flight time in 11 different aircraft types

Cessna 150 (46th produced of 23,000+)
Cessna 152
Cessna 170
Cessna 172R
Cessna 172M
Cessna T182T G1000
Fairchild C-123K Provider
Mooney M20E Super21 (Johnson Bar Gear and Hydro Flaps)
North American T-6 Texan (non logged, though I could get it logged if I wanted)
Piper PA-28-161 (Warrior III)
Piper PA-28R-201 (Arrow III)
Piper PA-44-180 (Seminole)

This year, I will for sure add to that list the following:
Douglas C-47B
Piper L-21B (PA-18)
Piper PA-32 (Lance and/or Cherokee Six)
Cessna 120

I'm hoping to get my first bit of Turbine time as well this year.

[Shifty]

Congrats Flight!   

[Golfer]

I think most people make those same calculations and ideas about what they want to do with their lives.  I know I did and still do to a certain extent.  I've even seen some people make it work.

I have a buddy who flew a lot of junk (it's good for you) and for a traveling T6 outfit that flew around hopping rides. That experience put him in the right place to fly another outfits T6s who just happened to have Mustangs and other ol stuff. I'm jealous of his Facebook posts when I see the cool stuff he does and has all sorts of other cool stuff on his wing. ME-262s and such. Way cool.

Don't lose that mindset but think in terms of a career as well. The numbers and economics don't lie and right now is the leading edge of a hiring wave at the legacy airlines that can absolutely make your career. Not just with the new flight and duty time regulations but the retirements to come.  The fastest way to that seat is to get your 1500 hours as quickly as possible, find the first outfit that will stick you in their turbine equipment, upgrade into that turbine equipment and log 1000 PIC in that turbine equipment.  You'll live and die by your seniority number but the earning potential, schedule and lifestyle will be far and away better when you're 40 than if you're still paying for a Beech 18 with nothing in an IRA or 401(k) to show for all your effort. And there will be a lot of effort.

Business aviation is a viable path as well but they're different animals.  Flying is the smallest part of the job in most flight departments and who you are matters more than flying an ILS inverted while iced up on fire. There are management duties that come along with a lot of those jobs and you might find yourself on the phone with maintenance shops, buying stock or even helping out wrenching on the airplane if you're in a small flight department as you're building experience (not just flight time) for that great job you're working toward.

Anything you can save, save. The compounding effect over the long term is huge so anything you can squirrel away now into a Roth IRA or have your employer match anything into a 401(k) get it. You might not have the nicest car in the employee parking lot but you'll thank me and anyone else that told you to do that when you're 40. Promise.

Congratulations again. . This is no small accomplishment and good luck on the next one.

[flight17]

Multi-ride was this past Wednesday and I passed it as well!

 I'm now finally done with the Professional Pilot Associates Program at e Community College of Beaver County!

[gyrene81]

very cool man!!! congratulations!!! 

[TOMCAT21]

Congrats

[Golfer]

Congratulations!

[Shifty]

Multi-ride was this past Wednesday and I passed it as well!

 I'm now finally done with the Professional Pilot Associates Program at e Community College of Beaver County!

(Image removed from quote.)

I always enjoy seeing you young guys in this game go out and make your way in real world aviation.
Outstanding Flight17! 

[cpxxx]

I agree with a lot of the comments. Try not to fly for free unless it's a genuine club and no one is making money out of it and you really like what they fly. A guy I worked tried to avoid paying pilots. His attitude was that he was doing them a favour in letting them fly his planes and gain experience. I tried to warn him it wouldn't work but he had to find out the hard way. Couldn't keep anyone past the first time he yelled at them. He paid me, otherwise I'd have walked. He doesn't yell at me either.

Colmbo is right in that jump flying is nothing special in your resume but it will make you a better stick and rudder pilot and it helps to get you out of the flight school mentality and into real world flying. But don't discount any work experience. It's all good. One of our pilots got a job flying passenger Twin Otters. They favoured jump pilots because of their good handling skills. Another just got a job on our local regional with around 450 hours, 150 of that jump flying. He reckons it helped.

Staying local is a nice idea but if you want a career in aviation you have to be prepared to move where the jobs are. Sometimes it's the other side of the world. Another of our guys went to fly Airbuses in the Phillippines. A current pilot just came back from bush flying in Africa. Sometime you get lucky though. My skydive outfit moved to the local airport. My commute is all of five minutes! If it paid well it would be the best pilot job in the world!

Good luck with your career but remember that the luckiest people make their own luck.