How to Build Flight Hours

Of all the aviation challenges we're faced with today, one of the greatest is how new pilots will build their flight hours.

Times have changed and aviation jobs have shifted. No longer are banks flying checks, fewer people are taking flight lessons, and with technology and teleconferencing the corporate world is spending more time at home on their computers. With the sinking of any economy, the corporate luxury items go first... yes, the aviation department.

Today I am dedicating this blog to helping our new pilots.  Please help them with ideas on how to build those golden hours.

     

• I ferried aircraft for Renton Aviation from the Cessna factory in Wichita back to Seattle. Yes...free flying. They bought me a ticket there, and the gas to bring the plane back.

• I helped instrument students, who owned their own planes, work on their training. Yes... I was a CFII but I did not charge them to fly... I just donated my time, put them under the hood and flew approaches with them so I too could log hours. 

• I hung out at the airport and asked people where they were going and if they needed a support pilot. 

• I began a business... "Champagne Tours" ... providing romantic sightseeing flights around Seattle. Piper Aztec, middle seat removed, leg room and privacy. Yes...champagne was served.

• When attending college at Central, I found other pilots to share gas so we could fly over and back. 

With 700 hours of flight time, my daughters were 2, 3 and 4, and I was working on my Flight Engineer ticket. Late at night after the babies were asleep, I would return to the training center to study. One night Evergreen was training and I asked if I could observe. They allowed me to, and this continued for three days.

Day four their flight engineer no showed. So I volunteered to work the panel. I could read the checklist and knew how they ran their procedures. This particular night happened to be a checking event for their Chief Pilot.

Three months later, Evergreen contacted the training center to see if I had received my FE ticket. Someone dropped out of class last minute and they needed to fill the spot. Their biggest problem with hiring, was finding pilots who could pass training due to a very 'nuts and bolts' ground school.

They sent a check pilot to give me an evaluation, and see if I was 'trainable.' Prior to this event, Bo Corby, flew with me in his 727 simulator and taught me how to fly a jet.  I still hear his words of wisdom, and they have carried me through many check rides.

Evergreen offered me a job as a 727 First Officer. This was 3 years prior to my plan... but my supportive husband said, "honey, you've got to do it!" A scary thing for a low time pilot and mother with three little ones at home. 

Question of the day: Does opportunity knock, or do you have to find the door and do the knocking?

Please show your support for our new pilots and help them find the answer to the toughest question: How do I build flight hours?

More on How To Build Flight Hours can be found HERE.