How to build flight time without becoming a CFI

 Flight Time Building  No Responses »
May 032013
 
Are you a low-time pilot trying to build up your flight time?

Try these tips and get those hours in your logbook!
It’s the age-old question – how to get experience when no one is willing to give you a chance in order to build your experience.

When I was struggling to put hours in my logbook, I had to really get creative since I already had a full time, non-flying job.

The trick was to be willing to do a little bit of leg work – getting out there and putting myself in front of opportunities.

Be prepared to see the cheesy setting of my hotel room as I talk about how I, and other pilots I know, got those first 1000 or so hours under our belts.

Free PPL Prep Kit

 

Why do you want to learn to fly?

 Learn To Fly  No Responses »
Feb 032012
 
Flying in Piper Senca

People want to learn to fly for one of three reasons (or a combination):

  1. To become a commercial / professional pilot
  2. To become a recreational pilot
  3. For transportation purposes that are incidental to a business

Some people love aircraft so much, they want to figure out a way to get paid to fly.  So, they work hard and pursue life as a professional pilot.  Whether it’s working for an airline, being a crop-duster pilot, flying fighter jets, or taking people on scenic flights, some of us just want to get paid to do what we love to do.

Other people are just in love with the beauty of flight and the freedom they experience up above the clouds.  Maybe they never got the opportunities to pursue a career in flying, but it’s always been one of their dreams.  Others are in love with the technology that makes flight possible, but consider it a hobby and don’t want to turn a hobby into a “job”.  These are recreational flyers.

There is also a third group of pilots that exhibit a little of both of the above traits.  They are business owners, entrepreneurs, or successful professionals with little patience of ground highway traffic.  They know they’re smart enough to operate and airplane and would rather fly to a meeting or conference in a fraction of the time than it would take to drive there.  These smarty pants also know that an expensive hobby, such as flying, can easily be used as a business expense if they use it for business-related purposes.

In any case, all pilots share a common trait – when we get back on the ground from a flight, it doesn’t take long for us to start thinking of the next time we’ll get to go up again.

Your PilotTrick of the day is:
If you’re thinking of becoming a pilot, it’s imperative that you know which of these three categories you fall into.  Knowing this little tidbit could save you thousands of dollars because which flight school and/or flight instructor you choose depends on which of these type of pilots you want to be.

Now, I want to hear from you awesome flyers and flyer-wana-be’s out there!  Please leave a comment below and tell me what type of pilot do YOU want to be?