Commercial license ---> $$$$

Rosstafari Daaaang. /X

Broad question here, mostly meant to stimulate some discussion... what uses can I get out of a commercial license? Just a plain vanilla one, no ATP or CFI or anything attached to it... but toss in an instrument rating if you'd like. Banner towing, air taxiing, crop dusting, barnstorming, ADIZ testing...?

I'm asking because I'm trying to think of "benefits" I can mention to my wife in order to justify the expense of moving up to one. It's kind of a moot point anyway, since by the time I'd have finished it I'll be looking at starting Academy work, but why let reality and practicality enter the picture?

FlyHighStork Newcomer Metamora, IL

Flying Jobs are extremely hard to find right now bc everyone that is waiting for an airline job is either flight instructing or doing the "Banner towing, air taxiing, crop dusting, barnstorming" lol.

The rating is a good stepping stone onto your next rating if ur not planning on flying for the airlines.

You may be really lucky and find a corporate job. a good add onto a commercial license is a multi rating. it will open more options for you.

psachs Trusted Member Chicago

You can do certain kinds of for-hire sightseeing flights, too. Without the FAR/AIM in front of me, I want to say within 25nm of the home airport.

irishcarbomb Moderator Houston, TX

commercial is useless unless you plan on making a career out of it, or are planning on buying an airplane...it will get you cheaper insurance rates. commercial without instrument is even more useless unless you're buying your own airplane. unless you get your CFI after (which wouldnt cost that much more), you wont make the money back you spent on it...even then with all the time building, it'll take a while to make it all back

you can banner tow usually with pretty low time, traffic watch, maybe pipeline flying. sight seeing is usually part 135 (on demand operator) which will require more hours

GolfJuliet F*** Terrorism

Tell her that 2 outta every 10 PPL's crash at some point in there life and only 1 outta every 100 commercial pilots do. . . .

scope dope Trusted Member

I actually saw a banner tow the other day coming home from work, those seem to be few and far between these days.

Basically I'm with the other guys, it's probably not worth it. hell wanna buy mine?

GolfJuliet F*** Terrorism

You see them at the beach during the summer a lot it seems like, and I know that when we go to NASCAR they start flying in the middle of the week up until the day before the race.

Rosstafari Daaaang. /X

That's actually pretty good. I'm all about manipulating statistics in my favor.

Yes please. I'll trade you a sixer for it. Come on, it ain't worth more than that.

scope dope Trusted Member

you can have all my ratings and the student loans along with them, deal?

Rosstafari Daaaang. /X

Hmm. If I default, who picks up the hit on their credit?

I'll toss in a handful of pretzels if it's you.