Commercial?

Terry

Terry

Line Up and Wait
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Terry
Hi All;

61 years old and IR. Fly for recreation. (Turn 62 in November)

Would any of you recommend me getting my commercial ticket?

IR was really tough and I was stressed out big time. Wife says she doesn't want to see me that way again. (Glassy eyed, wobbly, and disoriented.)

In a way I want to but in a way I don't. Thought about CFI but in all honesty I am looking at "slowing down" not speeding up.

The company I work for would be willing to pay for some of the expense if it meant flying some of the big wigs around.

I am IR but do not fly hard IFR any more because I am no longer glassy eyed, wobbly, and disoriented. ,:)

So, opinions and comments welcomed.

Terry
 
Sure, why not. I don't know this for a fact, but I've heard that insurance goes down for commercial pilots (again, I don't know about that for sure).

The commercial training is pretty darned easy in comparison to the IR. The hardest thing for most people are the lazy 8's.

Go for it.
 
I got the commercial ticket at 54. I'm certainly not going to fly airliners but it never hurt's to increase the knowledge base. And I just wanted to do it. :yes:


deafsound said:
The commercial training is pretty darned easy in comparison to the IR.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say it's "pretty darned easy", but it is shorter in terms of training hours. Easy makes it sound like the FAA gives away the Commercial cert. It's different (but not easier), from the IR in that it's all VFR with lot's of ground reference maneuvers. Lazy 8s can be a bear to do properly and the oral was certainly no cake walk. I thought I was a wx expert after the IR. Lot's more wx to learn about for the Comm. Gotta know your aircraft systems almost like you designed the plane. Oral was about 2 hrs and flight 1.3, hobbs.

Short story long, I found the Comm training and checkride no less stressful than the IR. But definitely less time consuming and somewhat less intense.

Follow your heart. We are at the age where we need to start crossing off stuff on the bucket list. I intend to have the init. CFI-A and CFI-Glider by Christmas.
 
deafsound said:
Sure, why not. I don't know this for a fact, but I've heard that insurance goes down for commercial pilots (again, I don't know about that for sure).

The commercial training is pretty darned easy in comparison to the IR. The hardest thing for most people are the lazy 8's.

Go for it.
Click to expand...

Yep What Dave said. I got mine with no real plan to even use it.
 
I'm planning on getting mine with no actual intention of using it, but it may help open doors.

The one question regarding funding I'd bring up. If your company would expect you to fly some of the big wigs around, is that something you'd want to do? You said you don't fly hard IFR, so is having the big pointy-haired boss saying "Well, I need to get to this meeting and you're supposed to fly me there" to you on a day when it's at minimums and, while doable, not something you'd want to do, going to cause you undue stress? Just a consideration there. I've had my mom get annoyed with me for canceled flights due to WX, but I also don't mind saying "I don't feel like dying today, so we're staying on the ground."

Otherwise, I would go for it... but I'm a rating hound. Barring some strange occurrences, I'll have my IR in a bit under a year from when I took my first flying lesson, period, and somewhere in the 130-150 hours of flying time range. :)
 
Well, this pilot decided to get his commercial later in life's game. That led to the opportunity to fly other people's planes on their dime, a situation I can heartily recommend.
I kind of like the challenges of aviation, so doing the work and studying for higher ratings, although a pain, was ok. I've even started studying for the ATP written.
Do it!

and Ted's right. When they're paying you, they expect to go.
 
I did mine. Never have regretted it, Never have collected a dime for flying.

Reasons:

1) I am not very good at going out just to bore holes in the sky. This gave me a purpose to do some flying.

2) Learning the maneuvers improved my flying overall.

My next ride will be Commercial Glider. For the same reasons.
 
There is absolutely no reason not to get the Commercial.

I'll second all the others who said it will improve your overall handling of the airplane, is the least difficult mentally and least costly of all the ratings/certificates, and should certainly improve your overall insurance rates.

Plus Lazy 8s and Chandelles and 8s on Pylons are FUN!:)
 
I've found Chandelles to be an excellent tool to teach how simple and benign a power-on stall recover is.
 
And now for something completely different....

There are so many things you can do that will make you a better pilot. Get some really good spin training. Get some really good aerobatic training. Learn to soar. Get a tail wheel endorsement.

The commercial is like a class I medical. If you don't need it and aren't going to use it, don't do it.
 
Terry said:
The company I work for would be willing to pay for some of the expense if it meant flying some of the big wigs around.
Click to expand...

Well, if your company is willing to pay for some of it I'd suggest jumping at the opportunity. By the way, if you're flying the big-wigs around, the company has to provide the airplane if your presence on the flight is only because you're the pilot.
 
oh man if the company's paying for it! DO IT! if nothing else... free instruction and free flying! if only for a little while!

and yes 8s on pylons and power off 180s are FUN!!!
 
I never cared for the lazy 8's, and was never any good at them. I'm not sure I could even do one now if someone put a gun to my head.

180 power off is a blast. And chandelles are cool too.
 
deafsound said:
I never cared for the lazy 8's, and was never any good at them. I'm not sure I could even do one now if someone put a gun to my head.

180 power off is a blast. And chandelles are cool too.
Click to expand...

Really? Why not?

I found that once I broke everything down into what was to happen over each 45 degree segment, they came easy.
 
I used to hum the "Blue Danube Waltz" while practicing lazy 8s. It really helped to keep things smooth and slow if I thought of "dancing" the airplane through the manuever.
 
TMetzinger said:
I used to hum the "Blue Danube Waltz" while practicing lazy 8s. It really helped to keep things smooth and slow if I thought of "dancing" the airplane through the manuever.
Click to expand...

:)

That could work!

The biggest surprise about the Lazy 8 is how glacial the rate of change -- consider that 30 degree bank is the max and the roll should be steadily increasing over 90 degrees of direction change -- that's 3 degrees of bank for every 10 degrees of direction change...
 
Whether you plan to use the commercial privileges or not, the commercial training makes you a more precise and skillful stick-and-rudder pilot, and that's always good -- go for it.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Otherwise, I would go for it... but I'm a rating hound. Barring some strange occurrences, I'll have my IR in a bit under a year from when I took my first flying lesson, period, and somewhere in the 130-150 hours of flying time range. :)
Click to expand...

Good for you. I got there in 359 days and 124 hours and it is work.

My goal was to have the commercial done by the second annivrsary but life got it in the way. Should have it by year end 214 TT now. Don't know that I will use it to make money but it is nice to have the option.

It would also be nice if insurance rate was reduced.
 
I would certainly recommend it. I haven't done mine yet, but plan to. Don't have any immediate plans to do any fly for hire, but at some point down the road, maybe at retirement, I have this notion that I might want to use it.

Always good to have under the belt anyway.

My $0.02 (Cdn)
 
dmccormack said:
Really? Why not?

I found that once I broke everything down into what was to happen over each 45 degree segment, they came easy.
Click to expand...


because my instructor did a lousy job of describing the maneuver to me, so I never really understood it.
 
gibbons said:
There are so many things you can do that will make you a better pilot. Get some really good spin training. Get some really good aerobatic training. Learn to soar. Get a tail wheel endorsement.
Click to expand...
These are some of the things you can do while getting your commercial - matter of fact, if I ruled the world, they would be required to get a commercial.

But do it, old man. And when you see how easy and fun it really is, and how you could start gettin' paid to show others, you'll want to be an instructor.

We need old man instructors.
 
gibbons said:
And now for something completely different....

There are so many things you can do that will make you a better pilot. Get some really good spin training. Get some really good aerobatic training. Learn to soar. Get a tail wheel endorsement.

The commercial is like a class I medical. If you don't need it and aren't going to use it, don't do it.
Click to expand...

Diddo, to me getting a commercial ticket with no plans on using it is like a dentist learning brain surgery. :D
 
Dean said:
to me getting a commercial ticket with no plans on using it is like a dentist learning brain surgery.
Click to expand...
See how things have changed? In the old days, people got a commercial just as a means or excuse to sharpen up their skills.

Skillz. man, chicks dig men with skillz.
 
Terry said:
Hi All;

61 years old and IR. Fly for recreation. (Turn 62 in November)

Would any of you recommend me getting my commercial ticket?

IR was really tough and I was stressed out big time. Wife says she doesn't want to see me that way again. (Glassy eyed, wobbly, and disoriented.)

In a way I want to but in a way I don't. Thought about CFI but in all honesty I am looking at "slowing down" not speeding up.

The company I work for would be willing to pay for some of the expense if it meant flying some of the big wigs around.

I am IR but do not fly hard IFR any more because I am no longer glassy eyed, wobbly, and disoriented. ,:)

So, opinions and comments welcomed.

Terry
Click to expand...

Commercial is much different from IR, it's basically a VFR rating and is about aircraft control comfort and thinking more so than proceedure. I think you'll enjoy it more than the IR since you won't really be learning a new way of flying, more just putting a polish on your control techniques.

CFI may be something for you to do in retirement, and if so you'll need the Comm and if someone else is willing to subsidize that, then well.... But outside of that, there is no reason at this time for you to get a Comm if you are just doing personal flying and intend no more. I knew a guy who was PP/IR with Lear and Citation type rating for his own planes.
 
deafsound said:
Sure, why not. I don't know this for a fact, but I've heard that insurance goes down for commercial pilots (again, I don't know about that for sure).
Click to expand...

I checked with our insurance agent after my husband and I got our commercial ratings last March. I was told that no discount would be given to owners of single engine plane. We got a discount after getting the instrument ratings in 2005 and will only get another discount once reaching the 1000th hrs mark (for both of us).

We had great fun with the commercial training . We flew almost every day the month before the check rides trying to perfect our chandelles, lazy 8's, steep turns, eights on pylons, spirals, 180 degrees power off approach landings etc.. It was a good thing that av gas cost below $4/gallon early this year.

With the high fuel prices, we don't fly as often but have tried to make every flight an opportunity to practice both IFR and VFR skills and to have some fun at the same time. We would do VOR trackings, a few holds, some missed approaches before either a short field, a soft field or a power off landing. Once the instrument practice was over, we would often fly up and down the river or over the hills, farm land etc. I am getting pretty good at steep turns around a point for Rick, my husband to shoot pictures or videos through the picture window of our strutless Cardinal. Then we would lazy eight or chandel our way back to our home airport.

Life is good when we can still afford this relatively cheap sky 'date' ;-)
 
i suppose he did have his IR, i misread that to begin with. had a guy around here who was PP-multi and could not get insured in the 421 without an IR at any cost.
 
Hi All:

I am one step closer to getting my commercial paid for. The company is considering paying for my training. :D:D

What A Country!

Terry
 
Terry said:
Hi All:

I am one step closer to getting my commercial paid for. The company is considering paying for my training. :D:D

What A Country!

Terry
Click to expand...

That is the greatest thing that America offers to set it apart. No matter what it is, if you show initiative, and get out there and find what you want to do, you can find someone who will pay to train you to do it. It's all about attitude.
 
30703 said:
I checked with our insurance agent after my husband and I got our commercial ratings last March. I was told that no discount would be given to owners of single engine plane. We got a discount after getting the instrument ratings in 2005 and will only get another discount once reaching the 1000th hrs mark (for both of us).
Click to expand...
I got a discount for my commercial and for passing 700 hours. The next one will be at 1000.
 
Age is such a relative thing. I took my PP checkride with a guy who was 85+. With luck, when I get around to my IR checkride, it'll be with him. Then on to commercial.
You still have most of 30 years left to fly. This is just one more step, another notch in the belt.
Don't wait. Go for it.
 
Hi All:

Another step closer today as the company is considering me flying to Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, Illinois, and Alabama.

I should be taking my written exam in just a couple of weeks. Then my flight instruction.

It appears to be about 90% certain and I should know the whole plot next week.

Will keep everyone posted.

Terry :yes:
 
smigaldi said:
I got a discount for my commercial and for passing 700 hours. The next one will be at 1000.
Click to expand...

I don't recall getting a discount when we reached 500hrs or 700hrs. Our insurance rate was the same after getting the instrument tickets in 2005 but the agent told us it would have been higher without the ratings because all insurance companies had raised their rates to compensate for hurricane related claims. As I mentioned in the previous post, the agent told us that we would not get any discount for the commercial ratings but will get one when reaching 1000hrs.
I'd like to know the name of your insurance company so that we can ask our agent to compare rates when our current policy expires.
Thank you in advance.

hpl
 
Hi All:

Well next week I will be in Wyoming. (Decided to drive.) If this turns out well it will open up a door to let me get my commercial and start flying over most of the U.S.

I will be submitting a proposal the end of this week and will keep everyone posted.

If I can swing this I am looking at flying to: Montana, South Dakota, New Mexico, Iowa, Illinois, Texas, Alabama, and Florida. Most of it will be done in an 182. I have started studying for my commercial written and plan on taking it the end of September.

Thanks for all the encouragement and advice for this "senior citizen." Again, What a country!

Terry :D
 
Hi All:

We'll the company said "not at this time" for my commercial license training. I really thought they were going to pay for my training.

So, back to "square 1". I will look at my options and let everyone know what I decide in a few days.

Thanks;

Terry
 
Terry said:
Hi All:

We'll the company said "not at this time" for my commercial license training. I really thought they were going to pay for my training.

So, back to "square 1". I will look at my options and let everyone know what I decide in a few days.
Click to expand...

Terry,

Is this travel you'd have to do anyway as part of your job? If so, it doesn't require a commercial. Do it anyway! Soon, the other folks at your company will get jealous of your ability to time-warp to the various locations, and they'll get on board again. :yes:
 
Hi All:

Due to the economy everything has been put on hold.

However, I am saving up $3,000 so I can pursue my commercial ticket on my own. Next step will be a CFI.

Just a big "THANKS" for all the nice advice and comments.

Terry :yes:
 
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