From where can I start to be a commercial pilot?

Answer by Trevor Kincy:

So traditionally speaking you would go to flight school to get your required ratings:

1. Private Pilot
2. Instrument
3. Commercial
4. Multi-Engine/Jet Rating (optional)
5. Certified Flight Instructor or CFI/Instrument (optional)
6. Air Transport Pilot (ATP)

So typically you'll start in a single engine prop, like a Cessna or a Piper. You'll do 1 and 2 in those before getting into 3. Generally this is when you get bumped up to a Multi-Engine prop (if that's in your budget). Once you have your commercial, you can technically fly for profit. But no carrier cargo or otherwise hires pilots with under 1000 hours, 1500 is the general industry minimum.

So you need more hours. Become a CFI or CFII. Build your hours while someone else foots the bill. At 1500 hours (1250 if you go to a Part 141 program) you can get your ATP License. Any major airline is going to require you have your ATP. Type ratings can be accomplished though various companies. No one expects you to have flown a 777 in flight school, lol.

Ballpark costs: 65,000+ and that's if you don't need remedial lessons. Flight hours cost money.

Alternatively if you're a Veteran, the Post 9/11 GI Bill will pay for Part 141 a Degree programs in full or 60% of regular flight training.

Hope this helps, good luck!

From where can I start to be a commercial pilot?

How expensive and time consuming are flight lessons?

Answer by Guido Bartolucci:

Both the time and costs can be very different depending on the person and location. The minimum flight time for a less structured Part 61 school is 40 hours though I think the average is around 60 hours and people might even need as many as 80 hours.

If you learn in a city like Seattle or San Francisco and you are learning in a modern 4 seat, single engine aircraft expect to pay about $15,000 (assuming $200/hour for the airplane with taxes and extra fees, $75/hour for the instructor and 45 hours of dual instruction and 15 hours of solo).

If you rent an older airplane (like a Cessna 152), live in smaller city, and find an instructor outside of a normal flight school. You might be able to get away with $100/hour for both the plane and instructor and expect to pay around $6000.

As for the time commitment, expect it to be a lot. I fly out of Boeing Field which is in the city really not too far away from my house but I still give myself an hour to get to the airport and to preflight the plane before my lesson even starts and an hour to discuss the flight and get home afterwards. So a "1 hour lesson" becomes 3 hours.

Then there's the studying, I can't even imagine how many hours or how many thousands of pages I've gone though. I basically had to give up reading anything else for 6 months. And from the moment you start your lessons you will be spending a lot more time interpreting the weather, even if you aren't planning on flying that day.

How expensive and time consuming are flight lessons? 

How safe / dangerous is flying a Cessna (or GA), statistically speaking?

Answer by Bob Watson:

An introductory flying lesson is about as safe as they come.  The lessons that lead up to a PPL are all going to be done with safety foremost in mind.

A light plane that is being used for flying lessons is inspected by a licensed mechanic every 100 hours of operation (about every couple of months) at a minimum. The flight instructor you'll be flying with has more than a hundred hours of training and many more hours of practice (often many, many more).

Enjoy your flight!

How safe / dangerous is flying a Cessna (or GA), statistically speaking?

Gifting A Flight – Some Ideas

An Introductory Flight lesson also known as a Fam Flight is a great way to experience flying without committing to a flight course.

Gifting a flight can be perfect option for anyone who loves flying an airplane or who has always dreamt of being a pilot. A flight can be gifted to a loved one on the occasion of their birthday, anniversary or any special day of their life.

Discovery Flight –  It can be presented as a special gift. This gift is most popular because flight instructor of a discovery flight gets totally involved with the person before and after the flight. Instructor discovers the areas that person would have never seen before.

Sight Seeing – Sight seeing is also very popular. It gives sky view of all the popular sights.

Private Pilot Groundschool – This is also very popular as it lasts for the longest period and the person keeps himself involved for long period of time.

Why is Florida called Sunshine State

Florida which was initially known as la florida got its name from Ponce DeLeon. Florida is famous for its sunny beaches and hence known as Sunshine state. Tourists come here in winters to enjoy its sunny beaches. Find out more

Find out everything about the State of Florida at http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/fl_intro.htm