Flight hours prior to UPT?

[Guest TEXASPILOT]

Is there a min on the # of hours you must have to go to UPT or is a PPL all that is needed. Thanks, TP

[Guest mrharvester]

If you don't have a PPL, you will complete IFT which results in getting your PPL. So, to answer your question, you must have your PPL prior to UPT.

Is that enough 3-letter acronymns for you?

[Guest TEXASPILOT]

I have my PPL, but for some reason I recall reading something about having to have 50 hours. Can't find anything on it now though... Thanks

[backseatdriver]

If you do IFT, the AF pays for up to 50 hours for you to complete your PPL. That's probably where you got 50 from. You don't have to complete all 50 hours, just get your PPL.

[PropWash]

OK. I'm something of a noob when it comes to this so forgive my ignorance. Is there any way to accumulate flight hours without having a PPL (or any other special license/experience)? I don't think I'm going to be getting a PPL due to cost, but if I could somehow get some hours under my belt to suppliment my PCSM score, that would be great. I've not taken the BAT test yet but I did, what my ROTC CC says, is well on the AFOQT (P-84, N-87, A-85, V-87, Q-76). Anyways, any information you fellas have will be greatly appreciated.

[Buddy Spike]

The only way to do that is to get dual time with a flight instructor.

[WHAP]

find a flight instructor, get some hours, you can normally solo after ten or so. But for the purposes of PCSM scores, dual time recieved counts.

Nice scores by the way.

[Guest Sven]

You could go to your local CAP unit and join. You won't be able to fly left seat and primary flight training is not permitted. You would be flying however. Don't know if that would help your PCSM score either.

[Buddy Spike]

Originally posted by Sven:

You could go to your local CAP unit and join. You won't be able to fly left seat and primary flight training is not permitted. You would be flying however. Don't know if that would help your PCSM score either.

It can't be logged, so it wouldn't help the PCSM at all.

[BFM this]

The cheapest flying I've found is a Glider Club. Obviously things will vary from club to club but at the one that I was a member of back in IL you paid for tows and dues and that was it. It was about $400 per year and $21 to 2K', I had some pretty cheap 2 and 3 hour flights.

Question is: will glider time kick up a PCSM score? It was never a factor for me as my glider time was a drop in the bucket above the 200 hour max for the PCSM.

The other thing is that you'll have to get yourself spooled up to at least solo status: most instructors don't want to hang around while you work on your thermalling techniqe for hours on end.

At any rate, www.ssa.org will help you find a local outfit.

[Guest Perfourmance]

Junior Mech. Engr. student in Fayetteville at University of Arkansas and I would like to know the best way to get some hours before going to OTS? Should i do some lessons by the hour or go ahead and get my PPL? Where's the best place within a reasonable distance for me to do this? thanks guys.

Bryson

[brabus]

You don't need to get a PPL, but if you can afford it/have the time, I would highly recommend it. Have you already been accepted to OTS? If not, I'm pretty sure that having a PPL is ALMOST a must to get a pilot slot through OTS. If you decide against the PPL route, you still should get at least some time in a small plane to find out for sure that flying is really what you want to do for a career.

Use airnav.com to lookup the airports closer to you, that site will also list FBOs at the field that you can then call/go to websites and see their rates for getting a PPL. There's also google. Have at it.

[trailmix]

If you're hurting for $$ I'd say get a job at an FBO and sometimes they give you a reduced rental rate on aircraft. Try to avoid what I did: running up credit cards to fnish the PPL and they paying them off over 5 years... OUCH!

~mix

[Ill Destructor]

PPL not necessary, but you might as well go into it with that intention. For the record, I have 43 hours, no PPL and was just selected to be a pilot. As suggested, getting a job at an FBO is handy. Not only might you get discounted rental rates, but the fact that you're working in the aviation industry will show some real desire to the board.

[Insubordinate & Churlish]

You could also look into buying a block of time, i.e. $700 worth of time. At least where I fly out of, the planes are cheaper per hour if you buy the time in blocks like that. But, being a fellow college kid, I understand that you might not have a couple hundred dollars to put down.

Best of luck.

[nrodgsxr]

Check with your school to see if they have a flying club. I went to GT and the flying and instructor time was *MUCH* cheaper than elsewhere. I didnt have money but that's what credit cards are for right? I was working so it wasn't so bad. But seriously if you can try to get some college loan money. Hey it's for your education right?

[ 09. November 2006, 13:51: Message edited by: Kraeji ]

[cragspider]

or you could check out aopa.com for info on flight schools in the local area.

[Guest nunya]

KASG or Carter Field in Rogers are your best options. Drake Aviation was at KASG - they moved to FSM and somebody else took over. Drake was nice - no idea how the new school is. They're on the corner of 412 and 265 - enter off 412.

[Guest Perfourmance]

thanks for the input guys. Looked up some stuff and saw that in Little Rock I can do $59/hr. of flight time and everything is logged with the F.I. Also called up the Civil Air Patrol wing in Rogers to see if that would benefit me. I still have about a year before I take the AFOQT and really start trying to get my pilot slot.....so either way ya'll think I definitely need a PPL as a "street" OTS recruit.

by the way, this is all new so I haven't applied for anything...

thanks for the input and keep it coming.

[brabus]

Having a PPL would be a BIG help in you getting an OTS slot. Obviously dudes do get slots w/o a PPL...but why not improve your chances and have some fun at the same time? It really comes down to money...if you have it, then absolutely spend it on the PPL instead of other crap you would have bought. Also, another alternative is getting a student loan for flying. You can find some that don't need to be paid back until after graduation and have pretty low rates.

[Guest Miclhstrase]

So similar questions have probably already been adressed here regarding this topic. I apologize for any repitition of previous posters. Unfortunately, this computer is having trouble with the search function and I have no idea why...

Anyways:

My plan is to take the AFOQT about the same time I take my GRE, get my scores, and see where I stand. Afterwards I will take my TBAS, and hopefully get those results back in a timely manner.

Now, I had originally planned on getting my pilot's license this winter, but now that it's already part-way into the semester, I am not seeing that I will have the money necessary to complete my training. However, I've heard and read that some flying hours are better than none when it comes to your PCSM score. I could just rack up as much time in the air as I can afford.

So if my AFOQT and TBAS scores come back high (GPA is high), should I be concerned about not having my license? I am applying as a civilian with mostly academic experience and little else. I'll predict the answer: "If I can get it, get it." I could always take out a loan if it becomes necessary.

Thanks,

- Bryan

[Jenkspaz]

Well, you're right about your prediction. If you can get them, get them. But I don't think it's necessary for you to have to take out a loan to finance it. If you do very well on your AFOQT and TBAS, then you probably won't need them. I've got a few buds that didn't have any hours at all and they got slots (STS). If you can get at least a few hours, I would recommend it. You don't need to break the bank, but just know that any hours you do have will help.

[Guest TacAirDrvr]

Well, you're right about your prediction. If you can get them, get them. But I don't think it's necessary for you to have to take out a loan to finance it. If you do very well on your AFOQT and TBAS, then you probably won't need them. I've got a few buds that didn't have any hours at all and they got slots (STS). If you can get at least a few hours, I would recommend it. You don't need to break the bank, but just know that any hours you do have will help.

I think the magic number is 99, once you hit 99 hours w/ or w/out PPL is good! its been about 8 years but I think the hours is what got me my slot!!

[AC-172]

Would a Sport Pilot Rating be counted just as much as a PPL?

[Jenkspaz]

Would a Sport Pilot Rating be counted just as much as a PPL?

It's not the certificates that they look at, it's the number of flight hours you've logged.