1000 hours for my Commercial? WHAT?

The Fold Transmitting in the Blind South Florida

FAA to Propose New Commercial-Pilot License - WSJ.com

I hate lawmakers. I have 210 hours, I know this won't be happening soon, but it makes me sick. Think about how much more money it'll cost to get your Commercial License.

Assuming 1000 hours is the final number, it was previously 250... Assuming 118 an hour (thats on the cheap side) you're looking at an extra 88 thousand dollars.

JOY.

luna75 I am THE Pocket Ninja farmingdale ny

daaaaamn.....it costs that much to train to be a commercial pilot? and what type of a/c are we talking? boeing, airbus? does the rate per hour depend on how large of an a/c you're learning on?

The Fold Transmitting in the Blind South Florida

Thank you for illustrating my point. As most Americans, you are unaware what pilots go through. I hope I'm not insulting you when I say that, but most Americans or citizens do not know exactly how much it costs to become a pilot.

It costs currently about $40,000 to get your commercial license. That is if you do it through one of the "fast" schools, and such. It can cost as much as you want it to, but generally the average is $50-60 thousand.

With this proposed change, that would increase by atleast $88,000.

The rate per hour does change based on the plane, it also depends on your area. I was flying a 1968 (Yes, the plane is twice as old as me) Warrior that was about 109 an hour. An instructor costs about $25-50 an hour.

At my current FBO, I rent a plane that costs $130 an hour, a C172. Single Engine, barely goes as fast as my car (and doesn't when it's windy).

Everyone is pushing for "safer skies!" and "increased ratings" when those arn't the problems. If we had the same reaction to driving as we did flying - we would only have 613,000 drivers in the United States, plus those drivers would have to pass a medical every three years minimum.

Think the American people would go for it? I don't think so.

red_stripe Newcomer

is that for part 141 schools or just part 61?

The Fold Transmitting in the Blind South Florida

Assumably they're not going to let the 141 schools stay as such. I'd say it'd be across the board.

otterstrom Trusted Member of NATCA

military is the only way to go.

luna75 I am THE Pocket Ninja farmingdale ny

not insulted at all my friend, I have friends who are GA pilots, but I never got into specs on HOW much it costs...and that is another reason why even thought I would LOOOOOve to learn how to fly, I just do not have the financial means to, I cannot even go back to college right now just because I have a huge mortgage, there is no way I could take time off work to go back to school....never mind the actual time to practice flying...how the hell can i juggle that with a husband and 3 kids??..how does anyone do that anyway??

Matty13 Senior Member

This legislation should have a net effect of raising pilots' wages. The supply of kids with shiny-jet syndrome will get slimmer, and qualified candidates will get fewer. Regional carriers may soon be forced to offer higher wages.

Hopefully a silver lining.

DylanFan Newcomer SC

Did any of you actually read the article?

Randy wants to create a new category of commercial license that falls somewhere between the current commercial license and the ATP. The new license would be required to act as SIC for an airline and the minimum flight time to obtain your new "Commercial Pilot with 121 SIC privileges only certificate" would be 1000 hours.

How would you get those 1000 hours? The same way pilots got the flight time required to apply at airlines back before there were regionals paying slave wages for pilots with wet commercials to fly big jets. Things like flight instructing, banner towing, skydiving, and 135 flying.

Here's the part of the article that should concern everyone here:

I get the feeling that there will be a lot fewer air traffic controllers in the US twenty years from now than there are right now. I just hope I can get 25 years in before they send every single controller job overseas.

The Fold Transmitting in the Blind South Florida

I'm not seeing the part where you're paraphrasing. If you dont' have a commercial license, then you can't fly as an instructor. If they put a "co-pilot" part in there, then you can't be a CFI without that, essentially.

In the end, it's not about how many licenses you have. You dont' have a driver's license for snow, and one for ice, and one for rain, and one for high temperatures. It's just one.

It's about the training you recieve to get those licenses - there should be no reason that we have to have 1 or even two more licenses. The airlines need to train their pilots better - if it's really a problem.

Unfortunately, the FAA rules in blood. Someone crashes and they make a new regulation because of it. The Grand Canyon crash led to no VFR for Commercial flights, etc.

I dont think an agency that still uses NDB's will get rid of radar.