Advice on Next Step

CBiPilotFL · March 15, 2007

Ok guys,

Posing a question to those more experience than I. I completed my PPL-add on for the helicopter last week and have been thinking about the next step. I have about 170 hours of f/w time and 50 hrs in the helicopter. I have some of the commerical requirments met, but i have yet to do the instrument time. Someone suggested that I do the instrument in the fixed wing and sim and then do the Heli-add on since it would only be 15 hours more and the cost savings would be substantial enough to finish what would be left of the commecial requirements. I'm a municpal cop in florida and I've been considering applying with a local Sheriff's Department in the hope of getting on with an aviation unit sometime down the road. I'm also considering blue 21 with the coast guard.

What do you guys think?

Galadrium · March 15, 2007

Get the commercial, that will give you enough hours to also get your CFI, then you can start working and gaining flight time. You can get the instrument rating later.

southernweyr · March 15, 2007

You have to get 10 hours of instrument training in an aircraft to get your comm license so take that into consideration. If you are not going to be getting a job as a pilot immediately then it might work out to get the inst. and use those hours towards getting your commercial. It also might be a good idea to do the hours as x-country time and even at night if possible. This is good for jobs down the road.

You should definately look to see what is required for the job you are wanting to apply for. With that info you would be able to make a better decision.

Gomer Pylot · March 16, 2007

Many, if not most, operators require an instrument rating, so you may as well get it, and count the flight time toward your commercial requirements.

Gerhardt · March 16, 2007

I think what he's asking is should he:

1. Finish his CPL first, then begin working on the instrument rating, or since he needs 10 hours of instrument time anyway just go ahead and get the instrument rating first and then get the CPL?

2. Since it's cheaper, should he get the instrument rating in the airplane and then do a helo IR add-on, or go ahead and get only the helo instrument rating?

I was in the exact same situation as you last year. I got the CPL written out of the way and logged a few fixed-wing instrument hours so I'm ready for the CPL checkride. But somewhere over the holiday months I lost my motivation to do it. It'll come back soon once the sun comes out for the spring. But I have no career aspirations of flying so there's no hurry.

Once I have the CPL the plan is to get my fixed-wing IR, then do the helo IR add-on. I'll never use either, but they are fun goals to keep my mind occupied while toiling away in the paper fields of the business world.

(yes, it wasn't too long ago that I had career aspirations but once my wife read a few threads by commercial pilots she slapped the sh*t out of me, sent me to my room w/o dinner and won't let me quit my day job)

Edited March 16, 2007 by Gerhardt

CBiPilotFL · March 17, 2007

I think what he's asking is should he:

1. Finish his CPL first, then begin working on the instrument rating, or since he needs 10 hours of instrument time anyway just go ahead and get the instrument rating first and then get the CPL?

2. Since it's cheaper, should he get the instrument rating in the airplane and then do a helo IR add-on, or go ahead and get only the helo instrument rating?

I was in the exact same situation as you last year. I got the CPL written out of the way and logged a few fixed-wing instrument hours so I'm ready for the CPL checkride. But somewhere over the holiday months I lost my motivation to do it. It'll come back soon once the sun comes out for the spring. But I have no career aspirations of flying so there's no hurry.

Once I have the CPL the plan is to get my fixed-wing IR, then do the helo IR add-on. I'll never use either, but they are fun goals to keep my mind occupied while toiling away in the paper fields of the business world.

(yes, it wasn't too long ago that I had career aspirations but once my wife read a few threads by commercial pilots she slapped the sh*t out of me, sent me to my room w/o dinner and won't let me quit my day job)

I appreciate the replies... You hit the nail on the head with my questions. I think I will do the CPL first and worry about instruments later. This will give me an additional rating earlier than taking the time off to save up for the instrument stuff, I can always do that later as you say, especially since I have no plans to ever really use it. I can't believe she sent you away without even dinner though... that is harsh

Gomer Pylot · March 17, 2007

Wives can be harsh when their husbands want to do stupid things. Sometimes they are all that keep us on a logical course.

Whirlwind · March 17, 2007

I'm also in the same boat. It was suggeste to me that I go for the commercial first to sharpen my control of the helicopter. After building commercial time and getting even more comfortable with the helicopter, it would be easier to fly just by the instruments later on. Any thoughts on that logic???

PhilJ · March 17, 2007

I'm also in the same boat. It was suggeste to me that I go for the commercial first to sharpen my control of the helicopter. After building commercial time and getting even more comfortable with the helicopter, it would be easier to fly just by the instruments later on. Any thoughts on that logic???

that depends if you are really struggling or not, instument training usually smoothes people out on the controls so helps the visual flying.

I do not see the logic at all of doing commercial then instrument, you need 10 hours instrument for commercial anyway and all the time you are training towards your instrument rating counts to the PIC time needed for commercial. why pay twice?

Often when people do the 10 hours instrument for commercial they don't do the necessary studying and sim time to get the full benefit out of those 10 hours and then when they later come to do the instrument rating they end up taking more time.

FLHooker · March 18, 2007

CBi, who do you fly with down there? Once I get out of Ft Rucker, my wife and I are going to be moving back to the Orlando area, and have been looking around for schools down there. Any info on where you fly would be greatly appreciated.

CHAD

southernweyr · March 19, 2007

that depends if you are really struggling or not, instument training usually smoothes people out on the controls so helps the visual flying.

I do not see the logic at all of doing commercial then instrument, you need 10 hours instrument for commercial anyway and all the time you are training towards your instrument rating counts to the PIC time needed for commercial. why pay twice?

Often when people do the 10 hours instrument for commercial they don't do the necessary studying and sim time to get the full benefit out of those 10 hours and then when they later come to do the instrument rating they end up taking more time.

All good things to consider. However if you are going to get a job (which is probably the only reason to get a helicopter instrument rating) you will need around 200 hours anyways. So, either way probably won't make too much of a difference. I got my PPL, CPL, CFI then I did my instrument and CFII checkrides together. It worked well and I had excactly 40 hours instrument time when I took the checkride. Ended up with just over 200 hours total in helicopters.

I think if I wanted to do it again in the least amount of hours, disregarding the 200 hour mark, then I would do the PPL, Inst, CPL, then what ever after that.

DebosDave · March 19, 2007

Here is what I know so far. I have about 170 hours total time, 55 in helicopter, with my private rating. I have about 15 toward my fixed wing commercial, and I am going to finish that before moving to my helicopter commercial. The only thing I have discovered, is that when I finish my helicopter commercial and CFI, I won't have the hours to be insurable as a CFI. So, if you are going to want to be a helicopter CFI, you are going to have to pay the piper for around 200 hours helicopter time to be insurable, you can get insured at 150, but that is almost pushing it. That is just another thing to consider when thinking about what ratings, and what to get them in. You have to have the hours before you get paid. You can get insured in a fixed wing with helicopter hours easier than a insured as a helicopter with fixed wing hours...

Dave