Training and building time...

172pilot · Post by **172pilot** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 11:17 am

Right now I only have a PPL with about a 110 hours. I have a great full time job which pays quite well and I've been just renting to slowly gain experience. Haven't made up my mind if I want to take the plunge and jump into commercial aviation even though it's always been my dream. I have been always looking at different ways of building time whether it be instructing or trying up north. I'm 26, nearly 27, have a 4 yr degree and I think given my age, if I was to do commercial aviation as a career I'd like to fast track as much as possible.

I'm wondering if I can get some feedback on these programs in the US where you pay about 40,000$ to get your multi engine/single engine instructor rating and they hire you afterwards to teach for a year or so on a student visa. FlightSafety and Comair have such programs. Is this a feasible method? Will the experience count when applying at a charter op/air ambulance etc?

Radio Phone · Post by **Radio Phone** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 11:21 am

If you have a good paying job you really like, keep do'in what you're doing. Things pay wise right now are bad enough for those of us with time, much less just starting out. Hey you never know, you could own your own plane by 35 and then fly for fun...

Good Luck

RP

Shiny Side Up · Post by **Shiny Side Up** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 11:39 am

I'd agree with RP, unless you're really hell bent, keep a good paying job that you like. If you're planning on getting into commercial aviation you better like it a hell of a lot more to make the jump, If you do, that's fine but I'd still advise you to hang on to a good paying job for as long as possible, at least until you're done all your training.

N8 · Post by N8 » Wed Feb 18, 2004 11:50 am

Build a bank roll ($20 000 after your flight training is paid off should do), don't buy a house, don't get married (or find a rich girlfriend), become a minimalist, get a second job while flying, share an apartment with room mates. If you instruct don't live in a big city, move to a small town with an airport (and flight school) or live with your parents (yup, even if you are 30 years old).

Don't give up on the dream.

See you in the sky.

Right Seat Captain · Post by **Right Seat Captain** » Wed Feb 18, 2004 4:24 pm

Don't give up any sources of income. Avoid debt, and save up for the months looking for a job.

corn-shoot · Post by **corn-shoot** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 4:49 pm

Understand this...Flightsafety has a great program for one thing...AMERICAN aviators. If you do not have a greencard or are an American, these schools aren't going to do you that much good. I'd put the money on the guy that flight instructs up here for a few years while working his tail off to make good contacts before a Canadian guy at flightsafety. You'll go down there for 2-4 years and come back to Canada not knowing a single soul. Your biggest assett in aviation will be your contacts.

Now, if you're from the US, or can work down there, then that's a different story, get yourself down there ASAP.

Snowbird · Post by **Snowbird** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 7:09 pm

I was in a similar position, about 100 hours and a 4 year degree and decided to look into accelerated training programs in the U.S. In the end I chose FlightSafety Academy for a multitude of reasons and have been here for 3 weeks. I visited Comair (Delta Connection Academy) as well but was more impressed by what FSA had to offer. It will take about 6 months to finish the commercial multi-IFR program and I expect to have a minimum of 250 hours total with about 60-70 of it multi when I finish. Basically, the only single-engine flying you do is when you build up PIC cross-country hours and learn commercial manoeuvers. If I choose to instruct here, the average instructor builds about 650-700 hours in a year with about 250-300 being multi-engine instruction.

There are advantages and disadvantages to training here. Obviously it's hard to make contacts for Canadian jobs in Florida but if you've already done training in Canada hopefully you already have some contacts. Also, FSA has trained numerous Canadian professional pilots and instructors and will give you their contact information. They have a career development program which is available to any graduate, even if you graduated 20 years ago. Flight Safety International has a huge rolodex. If you don't want to instruct they have internships all over the world available. For Canadians, this entails working at the Dash-8 site where you will be a sit in during sim training. From what I hear, there's always been a steady stream of Canadian students and instructors down here. Another disadvantage is I will have to take a couple more flight tests and written tests (commercial and instrument) in order to convert to Canadian licenses. Also, the instructor rating in Canada is totally different so that would have to be redone.

So far I've been very happy with the quality of training I've received. It's a rigorous program and their training standards are very high but if being a pilot is what you've always wanted to do, you'll love it. Building up cross-country time is much easier down here with the weather, you have the opportunity to fly at least 6 times a week. Not to mention that there are over 100 planes in the fleet and the school is not even at half capacity right now. A plane is always available. If you have a private, the program can realistically be completed in 5 months.

I highly recommend you visit the Florida academies, ie. Comair, FSA, and Pan Am. That way you'll get a better feel for the facilities and the general philosophy of the schools. If you have any specific questions about the program, training in the U.S., etc. just shoot me a message.

niko · Post by **niko** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 8:07 pm

While you are spending 6 months in Florida, try to get yourself a wife. That's the fastest and most expensive way of getting into the US

corn-shoot · Post by **corn-shoot** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 10:13 pm

Oh ok, and don't forget a poncho, because the lovely folks who we like to call "Northern Operators" will hauck a major lugie on your training and education. Mmmmmhmmmm.

snapped · Post by **snapped** » Thu Feb 19, 2004 10:23 pm

Come on Corn-shoot the US is superior in everything a Northern operator would be lucky to get an all american instructor . Think of how much you could learn

Snowbird · Post by **Snowbird** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:22 am

Yes, getting married would definitley be a good solution in order to obtain a green card. In fact, I think it's basically the only solution. Canadians aren't even allowed to participate in the green card lottery.

corn-shoot wrote:Oh ok, and don't forget a poncho, because the lovely folks who we like to call "Northern Operators" will hauck a major lugie on your training and education. Mmmmmhmmmm.

As long as my education is valued by airlines and regionals, I really couldn't care. I'm more interested in instructing to build hours.

armani · Post by **armani** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 7:39 pm

Delta school says all fo their 121 graduates got hired by airlines. So would Canadian be able to get the job in US or it is only for US citizens? From what you read - it sounds good? what is the reality.

AirCon · Post by **AirCon** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 4:08 am

Hmmm...great paying job, flying for fun most of the time?....why don't you get the best of both worlds?.....get your instructor ticket and instruct on the weekends and fly during the week for fun after work

A

duplicate2 · Post by **duplicate2** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 2:32 pm

Wow armani, you resurrected a 2 year old thread, that might be a new record!

armani · Post by **armani** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 7:43 pm

Yes, I have just read it. It answers many questions about how to get a fast track to airline. I was just wandering it that was really true.