Commercial hours questions

[FutureFly]

New to all this, Working towards private pilot, wondering when wanting to achieve a commercial certificate, after instrument, one must complete 250 hours then apply to a commercial training program? Once someone achieves their commercial, does a Flight school for instance, care what hours said pilot has in their logbook other than minimums, for example, if they logged all the necessary hours for commercial during a month of time building part instrument and just general PIC time? Does it matter to the employeer for a CFI job as to how long it took to get the hours or exactly what hours they were? Or in the potential employeer for a CFI job eyes, hours are hours as long as their chick ride and your competency reflects said experience hours?

 

[MauleSkinner]

First, go fly.

If what you intend to fly meets the experience requirements, great. If not, make appropriate adjustments as necessary.

Occasionally the type of flying you did makes a difference to a potential employer, but that generally revolves around your experience not matching the experience of the person doing the hiring. Not worth worrying about, IMO.

 

[Pinecone]

For a CFI job it is mainly about having the rating.

For a later airline job, they will look at your logbooks and time and question things. But that is more to catch anomalies. Like the one guy whose look book showed a number of multi engine hours in a plane owned by the person looking over the log book.

 

[WDD]

As stated, just go fly and get your private. Then get your 50 hours X Country requirement for the instrument rating while studying for the instrument written, then start your instrument training and get to your instrument checkride. That's A LOT - don't worry about the commercial just yet.

But to actually answer your questions, yes you can start your training, take the written before you get the 250 hours - but you need the 250 hours before you can take the commercial check ride.

 

[mandm]

My advice:

1) Go places, new airports, places further than 200nm / 2 hours flight one way

2) Get simulated instrument training with another pilot or instructor

3) Get night cross country experience

4) Get your instrument rating, start some commercial lessons and practice the maneuvers when you are flying by yourself. It takes time to master them so if you practice now and then it will help.