CPL and Full-time job

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gcd89

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Greg D.
Is it possible to pursue a CPL (and/or IFR, Complex, Twin, etc) while working a 40 hr week? Or is a CPL something you have to devote 100% of time to?
 
I got my private and instrument while working full-time in a demanding business; you just dedicate the time that it takes.

Commercial should not be too time-consuming at all. I intend to knock that out fairly soon - certainly, by the time I next need a Flight Review.
 
I've done all mine(Commercial Single Engine Instrument) while working 40hrs/week. Some parts were significantly aided by work that let me shift schedules or take a long lunch so I could fly at times other than the weekends or weekday nights.
 
Absolutely possible as long as you're willing to dedicate enough of your "free" time to the task.
 
Agreed. No problems there.

Now, if you want to be a commercial pilot while working a full-time job, that seems to work best if you own a business and can let your employees take care of things while you run off to fly.
 
Won't be as quick, and may not be as efficient, but it can certainly be done. I did all my ratings on weekends.
 
I did all my ratings and endorsements on weekends working more like 50-55 hours a week.

If possible, take a week or two off on vacation and do nothing but fly every day. That's what I did for my Private.
 
I have more or less 3 jobs. My regular 9-5, a side business, and a partnership with a buddy to sell stuff on eBay. I've managed to fly 1-2 hours a week. Not a lot, but enough to get me to solo.

Recently, I had to take a number of business trips, so that dropped off, but as long as I am home, I try to fly weekly. While PPL is much easier on the hours, I believe CPL is doable.
 
I'm not CPL yet, but I'm sure its doable.
If you take 1/2 or 3/4 day a week, and go for a nice cross-country - you can easily do 4 hours a week. Which I think is not bad.

I've found that if I leave work for a 1.1 hour flight 2 or 3 a week I'll "waste" more time then to just go for a long XC once.
- The drive, pre-flight, getting my stuff to the plane, etc.

I also learn much more on those unfamiliar fields.

YMMV

I work 50-55 hours a week, and probably flying around 150 hours a year.
Would rather switch those numbers though :)
 
Friend of mine is a 950hr CPL holder who wants to get his ATP. He has a 9-5 and bought an IFR C152 to build time in. He charges other "time builders" $30 an hour to fly with him. One pilot flies a leg while under the hood, other logs PIC time as safety pilot. Then they switch places and fly home. He flies 20 hours some weekends, with both pilots logging PIC time for essentially $30 an HR

So, it definitely can be done :)

I'm hoping to have mine sometime this summer. Would really like to be a weekend CFI by next fall!

Also don't forget that you can log 50 hours toward that rating in an approved simulator. I don't know if you are required to have an instructor for that 50 hours, you may at least have to get "instructor supervision"

I've thought about flying somewhere for a weekend, staying a night and knocking out 15 -20 hours that way.

Edit:

(i) Credit a maximum of 50 hours toward the total aeronautical experience requirements for an airplane or powered-lift rating, provided the aeronautical experience was obtained from an authorized instructor in a flight simulator or flight training device that represents that class of airplane or powered-lift category and type, if applicable, appropriate to the rating sought;
Click to expand...

Looks like you need to be receiving dual instruction for the sim time to count. Probably more fun and about the same cost to get that in an inexpensive airplane splitting the cost with another time-building pilot... doing the safety pilot thing
 
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Nebraska. Jesse. Do it. ;)

(Shameless plug for Jesse, once he's recovered from this week with me.)
 
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