How to collect 1500 hrs

[marc s]

hello,
i am new on this forum, i want to start a in a flight school to be a commercial pilot and i have some questions..
1- how to collect the 1500 hrs experience to join an airline???
2- i am 28 years ...is it too late to start now??
3- is there a good job opportunity in Canada? i will be a permanent resident the next few months
4- the period of study in canada is it like the us?? i can start and finish a flight school in 8 or 9 months????

[Cessna driver]

hello,
i am new on this forum, i want to start a in a flight school to be a commercial pilot and i have some questions..
1- how to collect the 1500 hrs experience to join an airline???
2- i am 28 years ...is it too late to start now??
3- is there a good job opportunity in Canada? i will be a permanent resident the next few months
4- the period of study in canada is it like the us?? i can start and finish a flight school in 8 or 9 months????

1. Fly.
2. No.
3. Depends.
4. Maybe, if full time everyday.

[marc s]

hello,
i am new on this forum, i want to start a in a flight school to be a commercial pilot and i have some questions..
1- how to collect the 1500 hrs experience to join an airline???
2- i am 28 years ...is it too late to start now??
3- is there a good job opportunity in Canada? i will be a permanent resident the next few months
4- the period of study in canada is it like the us?? i can start and finish a flight school in 8 or 9 months????

1. Fly.
2. No.
3. Depends.
4. Maybe, if full time everyday.

thanks for your answer...1-but how to Fly??? is it easy to find a job to collect the 1500 hours because i saw many airlines,they demand 1500 hrs minimum to be able to start as copilot
3- would you please tell me it depends on what???

[dirtysidedown]

1. Fly.... either paid or instructor.
2. No. I am 30 and started at 29.
3. Dunno. Depends what/where and how you want to start.
4. There are study programs that take upwards of 18 mths to get your CPL.

[Colonel Sanders]

In the USA there are intensive programs to
take someone from zero to PPL/IFR/CPL/CFI
in one year. To the best of my knowledge
no such program exists in Canada, nor could
it with our weather. Winter in Canada is
something which has to be experienced to
be believed.

In Canada, people prefer to take expensive
three or four year diploma programs to get
their CPL, which generally doesn't include an
instructor rating.

[Shiny Side Up]

For some reason the idea of "collecting" time sets my teeth on edge. there's more to aviation than just the airlines. If you're looking to be a working pilot in Canada, do some more research as to what else pilots do. You'll find the ways to [ugh] "collect" time.

[Bede]

Marc,

Spend some time on this forum. There are many ways to build time. Instructing, flying jumpers, bush flying, FO on smaller aircraft will all get you time. Keep in mind, the airlines is not the be-all-end-all of aviation. My fondest memories in aviation took place in small airplanes in the middle of nowhere.

As for flying jobs, they are always hard to get when you're starting, but if you're willing to move to where the work is and work hard, it will be much easier.

It is possible to do a CPL, multi-IFR and instructor rating in a year. I did my PPL as an air cadet and started my CPL as soon as I got home. I passed my class 4 instructor rating ride the Friday before the Monday when the next year's Air Cadets started their training. The key is to book 2-3 flights/day, every day. Make sure you have cash lined up before you start. If the weather is bad, than so be it, you can make it up on the days you're flying twice. Self-motivation is a big help too.

[Shiny Side Up]

The key is to book 2-3 flights/day, every day

I have to stress that if you want to complete quick, that this isn't the only part of it. If you are trying to fly 2-3 times a day, then your time on the ground is in the books. Its not just about collecting the hours.

[ahramin]

Marc S, while many airlines specify 1500 hours as a minimum to apply, you should probably ask around to see if anyone is being hired with those minimum hours and if not how many hours the average pilot being hired has.

[PilotDAR]

For some reason the idea of "collecting" time sets my teeth on edge.

Yeah, me too. I was opening my mind to a language difference. "Building time" takes my mind to about the same place. But, I can see that the hiring requirements take us there. If an airline will hire someone who presents a logbook with 1501 hours, most in the circuit, that really worries me. We end up with pilots stall Dash 8's into the ground near Buffalo, or overfly their midwest destination by 150 miles.

The industry needs pilots with experience, "time" is secondary in my opinion - but then I'm not hiring for the airlines, so what do I know?

As said, you can have a thousand hours, or an hour a thousand times...

For the OP, to fly 1500 hours, or a large chunk of that, buy a plane, and fly it. If you have trouble affording the plane, the cost of all that training is going to shock you more...

[dave_091]

For the OP, to fly 1500 hours, or a large chunk of that, buy a plane, and fly it. If you have trouble affording the plane, the cost of all that training is going to shock you more...

I 100% agree with that statement. Buying into a partnership and flying wherever and whenever I can has saved me thousands of dollars. And, I've only been an owner for 15 months.

[B52]

Another post that appears to be of the bait variety
and, if that's the case, it's amazing what some will
do for entertainment.

[Pop n Fresh]

Wurst thread title evar! I am disappoint.

[marc s]

thanks alot for your answers

[dirtysidedown]

Winter in Canada is
something which has to be experienced to
be believed.

Amen to that. I don't know how many times I have shown up or been cancelled due to weather. I am now stuck booking 3-4 times a week just to get one flight in due to the probability of thunder showers.

In Canada, people prefer to take expensive
three or four year diploma programs to get
their CPL, which generally doesn't include an
instructor rating.

I was dumb (or smart depending on how you look at it) enough to to get a univ. degree first, work govt, and then be stupid and realize that aviation is a love and I would be rather doing that then sitting in an office all day. I am now training part time and claiming my training at the same time. It also helps to have an understanding wife!

[Colonel Sanders]

My advice to anyone looking to get more hours
in their logbook (apart from buying some of mine):

Get your hands on a privately-registered airplane
with 4 cylinders with 100hp or less. Should burn
max 6gph, more likely 5 gph. Sole ownership is
ok, partnership is better.

Buy something that has been flying a LOT lately.
Do not buy a project that has not flown for years
because the owner lost interest, lost his medical,
or had the bad manners to die. Such a project
will eat you alive.

Run mogas in it and claim the road tax back. Fly
the pants off it. Fly it everywhere. Fly it to the
USA.

Just get a VFR aircraft, with a good comm and
transponder/encoder. That's all you need for
radios. You can use an economical portable
intercom and VFR GPS.

Don't worry about the paint. The engine is
what matters.

Put 1000 hours in your logbook, flying it
everywhere you can think of. Then sell it
to the next young guy. Get your ATPL PIC
hours done.

[trey kule]

In the USA there are intensive programs to
take someone from zero to PPL/IFR/CPL/CFI
in one year. To the best of my knowledge
no such program exists in Canada, nor could
it with our weather. Winter in Canada is
something which has to be experienced to
be believed.

The. Cadets go from zero to about 50 in six weeks. Should be able to a CPL (200 hrs). In about 8 months, non?

What time frame you think it can be accomplished in? Like to hear everyone's opinion on this. Preferably based on experience. I realize weather in Canada is a factor.

[gaamin]

.

[trey kule]

Marc S, while many airlines specify 1500 hours as a minimum to apply, you should probably ask around to see if anyone is being hired with those minimum hours and if not how many hours the average pilot being hired has.

Good point.


And gaamin, tks.

[Illya Kuryakin]

My advice to anyone looking to get more hours
in their logbook (apart from buying some of mine):

Get your hands on a privately-registered airplane
with 4 cylinders with 100hp or less. Should burn
max 6gph, more likely 5 gph. Sole ownership is
ok, partnership is better.

Buy something that has been flying a LOT lately.
Do not buy a project that has not flown for years
because the owner lost interest, lost his medical,
or had the bad manners to die. Such a project
will eat you alive.

Run mogas in it and claim the road tax back. Fly
the pants off it. Fly it everywhere. Fly it to the
USA.

Just get a VFR aircraft, with a good comm and
transponder/encoder. That's all you need for
radios. You can use an economical portable
intercom and VFR GPS.

Don't worry about the paint. The engine is
what matters.

Put 1000 hours in your logbook, flying it
everywhere you can think of. Then sell it
to the next young guy. Get your ATPL PIC
hours done.

Read this. Then read it again. This is how it's done. Everything else is smoke and mirrors. An hour is an hour. Buy the cheapest reliable plane you can. At the end of the day (I hate that cliche) an hour in a 150 is equal to an hour in a Bonanza, as far as total time goes. And FLY your ass off! Have fun. Go places!
Illya

[ea306]

My advice to anyone looking to get more hours
in their logbook (apart from buying some of mine):

Get your hands on a privately-registered airplane
with 4 cylinders with 100hp or less. Should burn
max 6gph, more likely 5 gph. Sole ownership is
ok, partnership is better.

Buy something that has been flying a LOT lately.
Do not buy a project that has not flown for years
because the owner lost interest, lost his medical,
or had the bad manners to die. Such a project
will eat you alive.

Run mogas in it and claim the road tax back. Fly
the pants off it. Fly it everywhere. Fly it to the
USA.

Just get a VFR aircraft, with a good comm and
transponder/encoder. That's all you need for
radios. You can use an economical portable
intercom and VFR GPS.

Don't worry about the paint. The engine is
what matters.

Put 1000 hours in your logbook, flying it
everywhere you can think of. Then sell it
to the next young guy. Get your ATPL PIC
hours done.

Read this. Then read it again. This is how it's done. Everything else is smoke and mirrors. An hour is an hour. Buy the cheapest reliable plane you can. At the end of the day (I hate that cliche) an hour in a 150 is equal to an hour in a Bonanza, as far as total time goes. And FLY your ass off! Have fun. Go places!
Illya

RE-READ THESE POSTS....AND DO IT!!!

I did exactly that.... And it paid off in spades.... Didn't fly a thousand hours in it though because I managed to get a job at 432 hours. The fact that I had flown my little C150 all over BC and Alberta as a private pilot/commercial wanna be... Helped out greatly in getting my first job...which led to the next job...etc..etc..etc..

Care & Ownership of a little airplane offers a lot of experience that will not hurt you. Oh and looking back.... It was a lot of fun too!!

Great advise as far as I'm concerned.

[RickPilot33]

each of us have found our happy medium.
fly across Canada and maybe use something thats ifr certified too so you can get so.e experience there.
I flew from. the east coast to the west coast many times In different aircraft.
it helped but personally if you want to help get there with a little help financially than Instructing at a busy flight school would help.

hope this guides you to where you want to be.

safe flying!

[andy.air]

If an airline career is the end goal... Doesn't Air Georgian have that cadet program thing? I haven't looked too much into it since I was already done at the time, but it may be worthwhile checking out since it gets you from zero hours to turboprop. I probably would have tried getting in for less hassle with finding a job and saving time if they had something like this when I started. Probably tough as heck to get in though.

[AuxBatOn]

In order to collet 1500 hrs, you need to pass GO.

[Colonel Sanders]

Doesn't the cadet program have the motto:

"Be Part Of The Problem!"


Please, go get some PIC. Spend some time alone
in an airplane, flying someplace you have never
been before.

Example: a young friend of mine - same age
as my kid, God I'm getting old - recently delivered
a new open cockpit Waco biplane from Minnesota
to Anchorage, Alaska.

Last summer my kid delivered a supercub from
Ottawa to Calgary. Watched it rain for 5 days in
Wawa.

See?

I know that kids texting away in the right seat think
they know it all, and with the new 1:1 rule for right
seat time for the ATP, I guess they do.

But still, time spent by yourself in an airplane, going
cross-country, some place you have never been before,
dealing with weather and mechanical, is still really
valuable experience, even if you don't wear a fancy
uniform while you're doing it.

This is something the very best pilots can do. One
of my best friends jumped in a Douglas AD-1 Skyraider
in France and flew it to Arkansas.