What’s a Time Building Program?
How do new pilots get hours? How do you get enough hours for a commercial pilot’s license? If you’re looking to build flight hours as a pilot, you’re in luck. The private aviation sector has recently really stepped up to provide what’s called a Time Building Program, and they’re for pilots of all experience levels. In this guide, we’ll take a look at 11 different time building programs in the United States.
We’ll outline the location, requirements, rates, fleet, maintenance, amenities, features, and total costs for each program. We’ve separated these into 5 categories: Location & Requirements, Rates, Fleet & Maintenance, Amenities & Features, and Flying Experience & Approximate Costs. This is an invaluable resource for pilots who are looking to maximize their time, money, and flight hours!
Disclaimer
All of this information was collected on November 12th, 2022. The intent of this post is to provide a hub to objectively learn about and compare the different Time Building Programs in the US. The author of this post did not contact any of these businesses directly, but pulled the information from their respective websites. Many of the websites did not list information regarding portions of the 5 categories and are marked as “Unlisted”; this merely means that the information was not readily available.
Additionally, we’ve bolded the most desirable options in each informational row from a consumer perspective; this is a subjective choice, so take it with a grain of salt. We encourage contacting all of these programs to learn more about them, and that is why we included a link to their websites in each section. If you believe any of this information is incorrect, or would like your program added/removed, please contact Jake@FlyOPH.com. Thank you and enjoy!
Note: Odyssey pricing updated on August 26th, 2023.
Table of Contents:
Location & Requirements
What makes your location special?
The location of the time building program where you do your flying is very important, particularly if you need to find a place to stay while building time. This communicates the weather conditions, flying frequency, and regular altitude among other things. Additionally, if you’re travelling for any of these programs, you’ll need to find a place to stay (we’ll go into that later). And as you might have guessed, all of these programs operate out of states that have a high density of general and commercial aviation.
What certifications do I need?
Not all time building programs are created equally. In order to join any of these programs, you’ll need a minimum level of certification and experience. For most, your Private Pilot License (PPL) will get the job done; for others, you’ll need upwards of your Commercial Multi-Engine (CME). It would serve you to know this information as you plan ahead and decide when, and where, building time is right for you.
| Name | Link | Location | Min. Cert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angel Aviation Arizona (AAA) | Link | Glendale, AZ | Unlisted |
| Chandler Air Service (CAS) | Link | Chandler, AZ | PPL |
| Flight Time Building (FTB) | Link | Edgewater, FL | PPL |
| Flying Academy (FA) | Link | Miami, FL Corona, CA Van Nuys, CA | PPL |
| Global Pilot School (GPS) | Link | Miami, FL | Unlisted |
| International Pilot School (IPS) | Link | Pembroke Pines, FL | Unlisted |
| Mesa Pilot Development (MPD) | Link | Inverness, FL | CME |
| Odyssey Pilot Hours (OPH) | Link | Erie, CO | PPL, IC |
| San Diego Flight Center (SDFC) | Link | San Diego, CA | Unlisted |
| SkyEagle Aviation Academy (SEAA) | Link | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Unlisted |
| Top Flight Aviation (TFA) | Link | Corona, CA | Unlisted |
Rates
How much is it?
This is the meat and potatoes of your decision, so let’s talk about it. Many of the programs have multiple types of aircraft with different rates, some of these are a Multi Engine Time Building Program. Additionally, most of the programs with rates under $100.00 are advertised as a “Split Rate”, implying that you will be sharing your time with a partner.
Can I split it?
Three of the programs on this list are advertised as providing a flying partner for you as a part of the program. Programs like this take advantage of the “Safety Pilot Position” to build simultaneous Pilot-In-Command Flight Hours; you can learn more in our blog post all about Logging Flight Hours:
Is your rate Wet or Dry?
Moving on, whenever you’re renting airplanes, you’re either paying for fuel in the rental fee (this is called Wet) or you’re paying for fuel out of pocket (this is called Dry). It’s important to incorporate fuel costs into your hourly rate whenever you’re renting Dry. Aviation Gas rates can vary from location to location, just like Automotive Motor Gas, and each airplane has a different fuel burn rate.
When renting Dry, this is information that you’ll want to take into account, so make sure to do your research. We did not include the cost of fuel in our final category “Flying Experience and Approximate Costs” because of this reason.
Can I get a discount?
For the Rate Adjustment column, we recommend that you explore any time building program that looks right for you to learn more about how their rates can change. Some programs have flight hour building packages, some have credits, and some are straight negotiable.
| Name | Link | Base SE Rate | Base ME Rate | Fuel/ Oil | Rate Adjst | Co-Pilot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAA | Link | $120 | $335 | Wet | Call First | Unlstd |
| CAS | Link | $99 | $293 | Wet | Add-ons | Unlstd |
| FTB | Link | $63 | Call First | Dry | Pckg | Unlstd |
| FA | Link | $124 | $379 | Dry | Pckg | Unlstd |
| GPS | Link | $55 | $130 | Wet | Pckg | Prvd |
| IPS | Link | $55 | $130 | Wet | Pckg | Prvd |
| MPD | Link | $25 + 3 Yrs | N/A | Unlst | Unlst | Unlstd |
| OPH | Link | $90 | N/A | Wet | No | Prvd |
| SDFC | Link | $115 | N/A | Wet | Pckg | Unlstd |
| SEAA | Link | $165 | $325 | Optnl | Pckg | Unlstd |
| TFA | Link | $159 | N/A | Dry | Pckg | Unlstd |
Fleet & Maintenance
What do I get to fly?
What airplane that you’re flying is just as important as where you’re flying. Maybe you’d prefer something that you’re already familiar with, or maybe you want to spice up your logbook with a plethora of different aircraft; either way, it’s good to know what you’re getting yourself into. There’s been a trend recently toward Light Sport Aircraft due to their low operating costs and increase in technology. Explore your options, and do what feels right for you.
How are the planes maintained?
Furthermore, maintenance can make or break your experience. Facilities that don’t offer On-Site Maintenance may have airplanes grounded for days at a time; not to mention that a dedicated staff are generally very aware of each airplane in their fleet and have a lot of experience working on them. Take this into consideration when choosing a Time Building Program.
| Name | Link | Fleet | Maint. |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAA | Link | Cessna 152 /172, Piper Seneca | Unlisted |
| CAS | Link | Many Types of Pipers, Cessna 172, Great Lakes | On-Site |
| FTB | Link | Cessna 152/172, Piper Warrior /Seneca, Socata TB9 | Unlisted |
| FA | Link | Cessna 152/172, Piper Warrior /Arrow /Seminole | On-Site |
| GPS | Link | Beechcraft, Piper Cherokee /Warrior, Cessna 152 /172 | Unlisted |
| IPS | Link | Beechcraft, Piper Cherokee /Warrior, Cessna 152 /172 | Unlisted |
| MPD | Link | Pipistrel Alpha Trainer | Unlisted |
| OPH | Link | Cruiser Aircraft SportCruiser, JMB VL3 | On-Site |
| SDFC | Link | Cessna 172 | Unlisted |
| SEAA | Link | Beechcraft Duchess, Cessna 172N, Tecnam P2006T | Unlisted |
| TFA | Link | Cessna 172 | Unlisted |
Amenities & Features
What avionics do your planes have?
Building time in an IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) equipped airplanes makes a world of difference on the quality of flight hours that you’re adding to your logbook. You’ll want to have the option to be able to shoot instrument approaches in order to build real world experience that translates very well to commercial aviation. Not to mention, a plane with autopilot makes building time much more bearable; hand flying a plane for 8 hours a day, 6 days a week will get tedious fast.
What if I’m from outside the United States?
For those of you reading this from outside of America, a one-stop shop for a time building USA program, with certificate conversion, is very ideal. Just be sure to research the costs before you jump in; however, the convenience can save lots of time and hassle.
How many hours do I need to buy?
In most Time Build Programs, the minimum required hours will be somewhere between 50-100. In order to keep operational costs low as a whole, it’s in the program’s best interest to serve each pilot for a significant amount of time. It can be pricey to register, onboard, and checkout each pilot who comes in (not to mention house). Which leads us into our next topic, Registration.
What’s the registration/onboarding process like?
In order to be covered by insurance, each facility will need every pilot to complete some sort of orientation and checkout flight. This includes not only the time and effort put in by the staff to handle all the paperwork and presentation, but also the time to run the aircraft and contract a CFI for the checkout flight. Also, each plane model will have its own checkout flight. Additionally, some locations require training to fly in atypical airspace, like mountainous terrain.
This information is not terribly readily available from the majority of the programs listed, so we recommend doing your research (as usual) and taking registration fees into account.
| Name | Link | IFR Able | Intl. Assist | Min. Hours | Min. Reg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAA | Link | Unlstd | Unlstd | 10 | $210 |
| CAS | Link | Yes | Yes | Unlstd | ~$1.8k |
| FTB | Link | Yes | Yes | 50 | Unlstd |
| FA | Link | Yes | Yes | Unlstd | $1,175 |
| GPS | Link | Unlstd | Unlstd | 100 | Unlstd |
| IPS | Link | Unlstd | Unlstd | 100 | Unlstd |
| MPD | Link | Yes | Unlstd | Unlstd | Unlstd |
| OPH | Link | Yes | No | 50 | $750 |
| SDFC | Link | Yes | Yes | 50 | Unlstd |
| SEAA | Link | Yes | Unlstd | Unlstd | Unlstd |
| TFA | Link | Yes | Yes | Unlstd | Unlstd |
Flying Experience & Approximate Costs
Where will I sleep?
Housing can be very costly depending on the location of the Time Building Program. For the programs that don’t offer housing or housing assistance, we recommend that you look at the costs of hotels and other stays in each city; this will play a big part in the total cost of your experience.
A program that offer housing options will usually take a weight off your shoulders so that you can focus on building more time. Additionally, the quality of where you stay will greatly impact your ability to be putting in the hours each week; if you’re well taken care of, you’ll be in and out with your hours much quicker. This leads us into our next point, Flying Rate.
How fast will I get my hours?
Flying Rate is measured in average hours of flight time logged per week. Different programs will have different levels of efficiency in this regard; and many variables affect this, including: scheduling, housing, maintenance, weather, flying partner, airplane availability, etc. The faster that you build your hours, the faster you can move on with your life and make something of your certificates!
How much is it for 100 hours?
And finally, the Approximate Cost for 100 Hours is the least accurate bit of information we’ve calculated from these programs, but that’s just because many of these program’s websites are lacking in important information regarding this number. For programs with many categories that are “unlisted”, the more like the 100-Hour Cost is going to be inaccurate; and the opposite goes for websites with few to no “unlisted” entries. Do your research and make the decision that is right for you, this is just a jumping point!
| Name | Link | House | Flying Rate (Hrs/Wk) | Approx. Cost for 100 Hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAA | Link | Unlisted | Unlisted | $13,300 |
| CAS | Link | Asstd. | ~28 | $11,700 |
| FTB | Link | Unlisted | ~42 | $5,300 |
| FA | Link | Yes | ~20 | $13,500 |
| GPS | Link | Unlisted | ~45 | $5,800 |
| IPS | Link | Unlisted | ~45 | $5,800 |
| MPD | Link | Asstd. | 30-40 | $2,500 + 3 Yr Sign On |
| OPH | Link | Yes | 30-50 | $10,000 |
| SDFC | Link | Asstd. | Unlisted | $11,500 |
| SEAA | Link | Unlisted | ~35 | $16,500 |
| TFA | Link | Unlisted | Unlisted | $15,600 |
There are a myriad of pilot time building opportunities out there; this is purely a starting point for Pilot Flight Time Building Programs. The Time Building Program that is best for you depends on many factors. Consider your location, budget, time frame, desired flying experience, and goals; and make the decision that is best for you!
We hope that this article has given you some guidance in your time building journey; blue skies!
Table of Contents:
3 responses to “Your Ultimate Guide to Pilot Flight Time Building Programs!”
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