Adding more ratings

M

MIFlyer

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Jun 11, 2015
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Mercer Island, WA
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MIFlyer
When I started flying, my goal was to always be learning and to be able to fly just about anything out there someday. I do not plan to fly for a living, and don't really want to CFI, but I'm thinking about what order to pursue things.

About me:
40 ish years old
ASEL - Private with 110 hours (30 CC PIC)
HP endorsement (new!)

Ratings I for sure want to add:
IR
ASES

Ratings it would be cool to add
AMES
Commercial
Helicopter (maybe)

Ratings I really don't have interest in
ATP

I think my plan is to fly this year (enjoy VFR CC), maybe do the Aviation Training Center IR ground school in the spring and then perhaps do IR in 2018.

Then maybe in 2019 do Sea rating. though, i'm torn between
1. pick one of the 3 or so great places in Seattle to get ASES add on. Advantage, lower cost, also, I'd get experience with local lakes/rules/customs
2. go to AK and get ASES and AMES and also try to get Ski endorsed while there. Much more expensive, but would be SUPER cool and my gut tells me that someday there might not be any MES planes to fly, so this could be the last 10 years or so to do that before that's not a thing (more of a bucket list).

Somewhere along the way, pick up AMEL (a few local places offer it)

then just fly for awhile until I have 250 hours, then possibly go back and get commercial in ASES/AMES ASEL/AMEL

PS, I know that currency and proficiency are things, and I don't have the illusion that I can get trained in all these types of aircraft and just "jump in one" cold after not having done it for a year or two, but I just like to "earn the badges". If I was AMES and hadn't flown anything but ASEL in awhile, i'd grab an instructor for an hour or two to get refreshed before solo flight.

thoughts?
 
MIFlyer said:
When I started flying, my goal was to always be learning and to be able to fly just about anything out there someday. I do not plan to fly for a living, and don't really want to CFI, but I'm thinking about what order to pursue things.

About me:
40 ish years old
ASEL - Private with 110 hours (30 CC PIC)
HP endorsement (new!)

Ratings I for sure want to add:
IR
ASES

Go for the IR because it's useful and will lower your insurance premiums. Go for the commercial because it's easy and ditto on insurance. Go for the ASES because it's cool.
Click to expand...
 
I have ASES in my ticket solely because I learned to fly in Juneau....when I returned to the Lower 48 I finished up at Kenmore Air. Seattle Seaplanes gives instruction out of Lake Union. I have a grand total of 32 hours of ASES...difficult to impossible to rent in this watery town, so be prepared to own your own.

Bob
 
bobmrg said:
I have ASES in my ticket solely because I learned to fly in Juneau....when I returned to the Lower 48 I finished up at Kenmore Air. Seattle Seaplanes gives instruction out of Lake Union. I have a grand total of 32 hours of ASES...difficult to impossible to rent in this watery town, so be prepared to own your own.

Bob
Click to expand...
Thanks Bob, I've heard that as well. Basically, the only ways to get seaplane hours are to either own/partner in a seaplane or be a member of BEFA.
 
Adding IFR is one of the best. Adds a large amount of utility to your PPL. No longer with that benign layer of clouds be a barrier to your departure or arrival.
 
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Screw all that other stuff. Buy a plane, get your IR. Then fly, fly, fly.
 
By the way, commercial and ATP are new certificates.

Instrument, ASES, multi, rotorcraft, etc... are ratings.

I think you'll find with the current rules, ATP is no longer something lower timers can pick up practically "just for the hell of it."

I always wanted to add a DC-3 type rating just to have it on my certificate.
 
Lots of different ratings and endorsements. Every pilot is different. I fly for fun and have no desire to get my instrument rating. I have been flying about 14 years and have time in about 20 different types. I have full access to a V35B Bonanza now, really nice airplane but if it was the only plane I had to fly I would have hung it up a long time ago. It serves it purpose but its really boring climbing up high and going in a straight line. I would say the most fun is getting a tailwheel endorsement. That opens up lots of cool airplanes including aerobatic biplanes :)
My next deal will be a seaplane rating, I would love a Cub with floats. I think out of everything I have flown my J-3 and Breezy are the most enjoyable. If you are a new pilot you need to figure out if you want to fly for fun or for travel. Big difference between the two. Most pilots I know that bought a travel machine gave up flying or don't make it to the airport very often. Everytime I have some free time I am at the airport. The fun stuff I fly you don't need a reason to have a place to go. Just get in the air and buzz around. I can say after 14 years I am not bored with flying at all. My first plane was a 172 and after being in it less than a year I almost quit flying because it got boring. I sold it and bought a Decathlon and went upside down.. That opened up a whole new world for me, I was no longer bored but having fun.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Adding IFR is one of the best. Adds a large amount of utility to your PPL. No longer with that benign layer of clouds be a barrier to your departure or arrival.
Click to expand...

May add utility but is not a bit of fun. I turn my radio off when I fly. I would not be happy if I was on the radio with ATC the whole flight. I like to turn on the tunes and carry on a conversation with my passengers. I always wonder what kind of flying you do AggieMike. Is it just straight shot travel or do you ever just chill and play around?
 
MIFlyer said:
maybe do the Aviation Training Center IR ground school in the spring and then perhaps do IR in 2018.
Click to expand...


VERY good choice for IFR training, Spence has more instrument dual given than any CFII I've met and really loves to teach. I would also use him and his sims quite a bit, sims are a huge tool for IFR training.



MIFlyer said:
Then maybe in 2019 do Sea rating. though, i'm torn between
1. pick one of the 3 or so great places in Seattle to get ASES add on. Advantage, lower cost, also, I'd get experience with local lakes/rules/customs
2. go to AK and get ASES and AMES and also try to get Ski endorsed while there. Much more expensive, but would be SUPER cool and my gut tells me that someday there might not be any MES planes to fly, so this could be the last 10 years or so to do that before that's not a thing (more of a bucket list).
Click to expand...

No such animal as a ski endorsement, I'd say it depends on what you want to do with your seaplane training, personally I'd just go talk to Kit at Seattle Seaplanes, or Kenmore

Go to Harvey (S43) and get your tailwheel in their Champ.
http://www.snohomishflying.com/arentals/N84842.html

If you're looking for a good destination course, go look up CC in Arizona, learn how to actually FLY the plane and also have a hoot while doing it.

http://www.bushair.co.za/home.html
 
pigpenracing said:
May add utility but is not a bit of fun. I turn my radio off when I fly. I would not be happy if I was on the radio with ATC the whole flight. I like to turn on the tunes and carry on a conversation with my passengers. I always wonder what kind of flying you do AggieMike. Is it just straight shot travel or do you ever just chill and play around?
Click to expand...

It's interesting what different people find to be fun. I do a lot of instrument training and flying, and I love it - love the challenge, the back-and-forth negotiation with ATC, the feeling of a hand-flown approach to minimums and there's the runway right in front of you, even learning how to make the plane do what I want through different autopilot modes and such. Admittedly, some of the "challenge" is gone now since GPS procedures are all basically the same - I enjoyed trying to figure out how and in what sequence to set up two VORs to fly an approach and when to switch between the two, when to switch the other over to the missed approach, etc. Not so much of that now.
 
pigpenracing said:
May add utility but is not a bit of fun. I turn my radio off when I fly. I would not be happy if I was on the radio with ATC the whole flight. I like to turn on the tunes and carry on a conversation with my passengers. I always wonder what kind of flying you do AggieMike. Is it just straight shot travel or do you ever just chill and play around?
Click to expand...

Different strokes I guess. As much as I love acro & mock ACM, I get kind of excited when weather goes down to 500' or less. For me, doing one approach after another is a blast.
 
James331 said:
VERY good choice for IFR training, Spence has more instrument dual given than any CFII I've met and really loves to teach. I would also use him and his sims quite a bit, sims are a huge tool for IFR training.





No such animal as a ski endorsement, I'd say it depends on what you want to do with your seaplane training, personally I'd just go talk to Kit at Seattle Seaplanes, or Kenmore

Go to Harvey (S43) and get your tailwheel in their Champ.
http://www.snohomishflying.com/arentals/N84842.html

If you're looking for a good destination course, go look up CC in Arizona, learn how to actually FLY the plane and also have a hoot while doing it.

http://www.bushair.co.za/home.html
Click to expand...

Thanks James, I think ir is probably next unless I bang out ases as a fun thing next summer.

Thanks for all the responses. I became a pilot to travel and to turn 100 mile, 5 hour each Way car trips into 2 hour trips including the 30 minute drive to the airport and 15 minute preflight. Between traffic on the freeways and the various bodies of water, it does get that bad.

If the weather is acceptable, a buddy and I will take the 182 on fri-Saturday and do a grand tour (fly about 4 hours a day) and do a big swing around the Olympic peninsula, down the Oregon coast, and over to bend. Then Saturday we'll poke around the east side (crater lake/ etc) and work our way home. He's a lapsed student pilot that I'm trying to spur into finishing.

But my normal mission is grab wife and kids and fly to beach or to grandmas house (about an hour).


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
MIFlyer said:
If we weren't redoing the house, it'd be this year for the plane


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

It's less expensive than you think. If you can afford all that renting you can afford a plane.
 
You can say that. Went with buddy to poke around eastern Washington last weekend. 9 landings at 7 airports. 7.2 tach hours on 8.5 Hobbs in the 182. What a damn bunch of fun


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I'm a little late to the game...but I know pilot who's flown with Kenmore Air (seaplane airport) for years now. I've known him since he was a youngster. Good kid. He's an exceptional pilot from my understanding. I can likely put you in touch if you think that would be a benefit to you.
 
Thanks Chris. I've narrowed my plan down and sea is going to wait.

Starting IR ground school in October, hope to get through IR by summer 2018 (possible with heavy sim use)
Meanwhile build new house
when done, buy PA23 and get MEI (wish I could do IR in my own plane, but looks like I'll do the club 172 and then transition to my own when I buy down the road)

then go from there, but if I buy that, I may not ever get around to the sea ratings
 
Another vote for getting your instrument rating. It takes your flying from a hobby to actually being a utility. That pesky 1000 OVC deck that kept you grounded? Psh, no problem. I would also add a vote for getting your tailwheel endorsement. Seriously helps your stick and rudder skills.
 
My number one vote goes for the instrument rating as well!

I did my ASES and it was a a blast! My recommendation though would be if you want to get your commercial, get it first, then get your seaplane so you have a commercial ASES! If you get it while you have your private you'll have a limitation on your certificate "private pilot privelages only airplane single engine sea" or something like that! Not that you probably plan on flying seaplanes for a living, just something to think about
 
There is no FAA "ski endorsement". You can fly ski equiped plane if you can fly that plane on wheels.
 
Couldn't agree more.

pigpenracing said:
Lots of different ratings and endorsements. Every pilot is different. I fly for fun and have no desire to get my instrument rating. I have been flying about 14 years and have time in about 20 different types. I have full access to a V35B Bonanza now, really nice airplane but if it was the only plane I had to fly I would have hung it up a long time ago. It serves it purpose but its really boring climbing up high and going in a straight line. I would say the most fun is getting a tailwheel endorsement. That opens up lots of cool airplanes including aerobatic biplanes :)
My next deal will be a seaplane rating, I would love a Cub with floats. I think out of everything I have flown my J-3 and Breezy are the most enjoyable. If you are a new pilot you need to figure out if you want to fly for fun or for travel. Big difference between the two. Most pilots I know that bought a travel machine gave up flying or don't make it to the airport very often. Everytime I have some free time I am at the airport. The fun stuff I fly you don't need a reason to have a place to go. Just get in the air and buzz around. I can say after 14 years I am not bored with flying at all. My first plane was a 172 and after being in it less than a year I almost quit flying because it got boring. I sold it and bought a Decathlon and went upside down.. That opened up a whole new world for me, I was no longer bored but having fun.
Click to expand...
 
MIFlyer said:
When I started flying, my goal was to always be learning and to be able to fly just about anything out there someday. I do not plan to fly for a living, and don't really want to CFI, but I'm thinking about what order to pursue things.

About me:
40 ish years old
ASEL - Private with 110 hours (30 CC PIC)
HP endorsement (new!)

Ratings I for sure want to add:
IR
ASES

Ratings it would be cool to add
AMES
Commercial
Helicopter (maybe)

Ratings I really don't have interest in
ATP

I think my plan is to fly this year (enjoy VFR CC), maybe do the Aviation Training Center IR ground school in the spring and then perhaps do IR in 2018.

Then maybe in 2019 do Sea rating. though, i'm torn between
1. pick one of the 3 or so great places in Seattle to get ASES add on. Advantage, lower cost, also, I'd get experience with local lakes/rules/customs
2. go to AK and get ASES and AMES and also try to get Ski endorsed while there. Much more expensive, but would be SUPER cool and my gut tells me that someday there might not be any MES planes to fly, so this could be the last 10 years or so to do that before that's not a thing (more of a bucket list).

Somewhere along the way, pick up AMEL (a few local places offer it)

then just fly for awhile until I have 250 hours, then possibly go back and get commercial in ASES/AMES ASEL/AMEL

PS, I know that currency and proficiency are things, and I don't have the illusion that I can get trained in all these types of aircraft and just "jump in one" cold after not having done it for a year or two, but I just like to "earn the badges". If I was AMES and hadn't flown anything but ASEL in awhile, i'd grab an instructor for an hour or two to get refreshed before solo flight.

thoughts?
Click to expand...
Why not add a glider rating. You'll be surprised how your power flying will improve. More aware of your feet, the wind and general "feel" for the air. A tailwheel endorsement is not a new rating, but well worth getting.
 
this thread kind of got revived but my current plan is IR this winter (signed up for ground school at ATC Seattle in October, hope to checkride in the spring)

Then I'll add AMEL. I may or may not take the AMEL before IR, depending on whether I buy a twin engine plane before I'm done with IR or not
 
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