I'm in the process of getting my commercial now. The only reason for
doing it is that it will allow me to do scenic flights at the local
flight school if there is no one else available (it's a small school).
If the FAA goes through with their illogical restriction on
scenic/charity flights, I will stop my commercial training for now (I
only have 270 hours) and pick it back up again when I'm close to the
500 hour requirement (lots of Angel Flights should allow this). You
need to ask yourself a few questions (which I'm sure you already have).

1. Do you really want to do this as a profession, regardless of the money?

2. Do you think that flying professionally will satisfy your desire to
fly or kill it?


Once you get your commercial, I think viewing paid part-time
instructing/sight-seeing as a time builder rather than investment
recovery instrument might be the way to go. Just think of it as getting
to do something you like to do and you get some money for it as a bonus.


Just my $.02

gatt wrote:
Thanks for your previous help, folks. I have, hopefully, one remaining
question.

At the age of 35, having resigned to a life of earthbound employment, I just
want to know this:

If I finish my instrument rating and complete my commercial, is it possible
to recover those training expenses flying part-time? All I want to be able
to do is subsize my passion and increase my ratings and skills. If I spend,
say, $10,000 earning instrument, commerical and perhaps CFI ratings, is it
reasonable to expect that I will be able to earn that back before the final
wings are pinned on my shoulders?

In the end, it'll be worth it anyway, but what are the odds?

-c




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