How to get flying hours?

Question

If you undergrad from university with a aviation degree, with private/commercial pilot license but with no experience or hours ,can you still be hired by big companies?Also,if your currently studying in university,how can you gain flying hours while you study ? Private tutor ? How much would each section cost?

Answer 1

How pilots get their hours depends very much on the country they live in.

In Canada and the US, pilots who obtain their Commercial Pilot Licence (with 200 or so hours) will generally have to work their way up before they have enough experience to fly for a major airline. The two most common ways to do this are to either flight instructing or working for a small charter airline. As you gain experience you'll be able to move up to larger planes such as the ones flown by regional airlines. After gaining experience in this type of environment, you'll be a good candidate for a major airline.

For other countries in the world, the system for gaining experience can vary greatly. Some countries have very few small charter airlines and as a result, the larger airlines will hire pilots with very little experience and spend a significant amount of time training them. Sometimes this can involve 'cadet' schemes where they take pilots with little or no flying hours and train them specifically for that airline.

The last route to obtain hours would be to join the military in the country you live in. Many countries have an Air Force and you'll receive flight training from the military and fly operationally. Most countries require a certain time commitment, but after you have fulfilled your service, you'll have good experience to be hired by a major airline.

If you specify what country you live in we may be able to help you further.

Good Luck!

James Ball

Author of "So, You Want to be a Pilot, Eh? - A Guidebook for Canadian Pilot Training"

http://www.piloteh.com

http://www.piloteh.blogspot.com

Answer 2

A better question is how is a 13 year old is logging PIC time?? Anyways...there are regional airlines out there that are picking up guys that have as low as 500TT. Get your CFI and start to build a student base and the hours will come. A lot of people are doing online courses now too...that would probably be the easiest option.

Answer 3

You have NO flying hours? Dude, im 13 and got more hours PIC than you. lol.

Ok, but seriously, you need like more than 2000 hours for a major airline.

Answer 4

Most people trying to build up flight hours for a job get their CFI/CFII (Instructor/Instrument Instructor). Work as an instructor and  log those hours as pilot in command.

Some regional airlines will hire you with a Commercial Multi-engine Instrument Rating with as little as 4-500 hrs.