Guidance PPL - IFR - Commercial - Best way to make a $$$ return on training?

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Esu

Filing Flight Plan
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Esu
Hi everyone!
I'm on my journey to do my PPL/IFR, 80 hours, will have it out in a month, but I'm debating if I want to go commercial or not. 250 hours, should license with twin prop and..well, you know how it is.

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I would like to make my investment back in my education by doing commercial, the cost isn't per se the issue - it's more "kind" of work.

Is most of the work for an early pilot just charter flights to popular locations, marketing on FB or whatever group and breaking even on the rental of the plane to build hours ?

What are some common ways once you hit commercial rating to build hours/pay back the sunk cost of education for these ratings?

The difference here is *I* don't want a career in aviation, I just want to fly and know how to do it, but if the opportunity in commercial is easy enough for weekend flights to pay for my original training, I'll do it. Otherwise, I think PPL/IFR may be enough for me to have fun.
 
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Not a criticism, just a suggestion so you fit in better. "biprop" = twin engine or multi-engine.
I'll let the other people who may be currently involved with beginning Commercial type jobs comment about that question.
 
champ driver said:
Not a criticism, just a suggestion so you fit in better. "biprop" = twin engine or multi-engine.
I'll let the other people who may be currently involved with beginning Commercial type jobs comment about that question.
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Thanks, will do from now on! I can't edit my post, so. opps. :)
 
Assuming you’re actually talking about obtaining a charter certificate and/or working for a legal charter operator, you’re still going to need 500 hours minimum, and more likely 1200 minimum to do charter flying.

Part 119.1 identifies most of what you can do with “just” a commercial certificate.
 
At least you didn’t say you were wondering about a Bi rating.
 
There's another thread active right now about what you can do with a commercial certificate. The short answer is get paid to fly someone else's airplane, and it will take a fair amount of experience to get the most entry level flying jobs. Most folks build flight time by getting their instructor certificate and teaching.
 
MauleSkinner said:
Assuming you’re actually talking about obtaining a charter certificate and/or working for a legal charter operator, you’re still going to need 500 hours minimum, and more likely 1200 minimum to do charter flying.

Part 119.1 identifies most of what you can do with “just” a commercial certificate.
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Wow 500 hours, so best way is just to be kinda a cheaper CFI.. or buy a plane, I see. Well, hours are hours, right? :D

Clip4 said:
At least you didn’t say you were wondering about a Bi rating.
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Well, I mean, you aren't open to helping me with that, right? lol

Brad Z said:
There's another thread active right now about what you can do with a commercial certificate. The short answer is get paid to fly someone else's airplane, and it will take a fair amount of experience to get the most entry level flying jobs. Most folks build flight time by getting their instructor certificate and teaching.
Click to expand...

Hmm, no easy way but it seems the magic number is 500 hours. It makes sense, flying has money as a barrier to entry.

Ah well, if it's 500 hours or so, then buying a nice Cherokee 4 seater - 75k seems to be better there, right?
 
Esu said:
Wow 500 hours, so best way is just to be kinda a cheaper CFI.. or buy a plane, I see. Well, hours are hours, right? :D


Well, I mean, you aren't open to helping me with that, right? lol




Hmm, no easy way but it seems the magic number is 500 hours. It makes sense, flying has money as a barrier to entry.

Ah well, if it's 500 hours or so, then buying a nice Cherokee 4 seater - 75k seems to be better there, right?
Click to expand...

no help needed, yoi can do that with home study and self labeling.
 
Esu said:
Hmm, no easy way but it seems the magic number is 500 hours.
Click to expand...
If you’re referring to my post for that “magic number”, it’s not a magic number, simply an FAA minimum that more than likely isn’t going to get you into charter flying.
 
I think you'd find it'd take a long time and a lot of effort to recoup the cost of a commercial license by flying on weekends.

In my way of thinking, the only way an aviation hobby can "pay for itself" is if you think the experience of flying is priceless.
 
SkyChaser said:
In my way of thinking, the only way an aviation hobby can "pay for itself" is if you think the experience of flying is priceless.
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There's another way of thinking?
 
SkyChaser said:
I don't happen to think so, but that's also just my opinion and not necessarily unrefutable fact. :)
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I'm still early on with my pilot lessons, just thought there'd be something fun, like for skiing, take a season to work/be semi exploited at a resort and you can ski almost all you want, life guard/swimming, driving, SCCA buy a miata/neon and go from there... :)

That's how I got to flying..from doing those things and learning the skills to do so.
 
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