soignet 0 #1 September 17, 2004 I have my private pilots license and i was wondering if i got a limited commercial license if i could fly jumpers? I was told by my DZ owner that if i wanted to fly jumpers for him he would exchange each load for a free jump. I don't have any interest in flying for fun anymore so if i could just get my limited commercial and take up jumpers it would be worth the money to get my limited rating, but not worth the time or money for me to get a commercial license. Any info would be great especially if you are a jump pilot. ST Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tombuch 0 #2 September 17, 2004 I don't know what you mean by a "Limited" Commercial. As far as I know, the FAA only issues one level of commercial certificate. You may mean a commercial certificate without first obtaining an instrument rating. My suggestion is to get the instrument rating, then the commercial. Each should cost a couple of thousand dollars through a conventional FBO, although there are accelerated schools that can do it for a little less.Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 6 #3 September 17, 2004 Quote My suggestion is to get the instrument rating, then the commercial. Quote Ditto! I don't know how comfortable I would be with a "Limited" pilot flying me in a jump plane anyway! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 259 #4 September 17, 2004 QuoteI don't have any interest in flying for fun anymore If it's not fun anymore, why bother? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #5 September 17, 2004 Insurance requirements usualyl require a full commercial, instrament rating and at least 500 hours for a Cessna. 1000+ are sometimes required on the Twin Turbines out there.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EDYDO 0 #6 September 17, 2004 A limited commercial pilots license is a commercial license with a limitation. In this case, without an instrument rating. The answer to your question is, yes. See FAR 61.133 Commercial Pilot privileges and limitations. (b) Limitations clip clip and does not hold an instrument rating in the same category and class will be issued a commercial pilot certificate that contains the limitation, "The carriage of passengers for hire on cross-country flights in excess of 50 nautical miles or at night is prohibited." (See above reg for complete and exact wording.) Then when you get the instrument rating, the limitation is removed. Ed Edited to add: http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgFAR.nsf/0/55294E3C3676303586256959004C084B?OpenDocument&Highlight=61.133 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
soignet 0 #7 September 17, 2004 So i can thanx EDYDO I guess my first post was not real clear when I mean limited commercial I mean a commercial rating with out being IFR certified. and to answer why i don't fly for fun is. My brother died Feb/03 in a cessna crash just flying for fun on his B-day. So now when i fly it is just not as fun as it use to be. As far as some jumpers feeling safe with me flying i am not quite sure but i know the owner/pilot wants to have the opportunity to jump every now and then and he is the only pilot. And as far as getting my instrument rating it is not worth the 2000-3000 dollars just to get to jump for free (when i am not flying). ST Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YahooLV 0 #8 September 17, 2004 no such thing as limited commercial.http://www.curtisglennphotography.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #9 September 18, 2004 Have the DZO check with his insurance carrier on the min specs they will cover under their policy. Like I said... most require the commercial and 250-500 hours. Depending on the plane the requirements might go up a lot.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tombuch 0 #10 September 18, 2004 QuoteHave the DZO check with his insurance carrier on the min specs they will cover under their policy. Like I said... most require the commercial and 250-500 hours. Depending on the plane the requirements might go up a lot. I like the idea of a full commercial with instrument rating, and more flight hours than the FAA minimum. Insurance requirements are a pain in the butt for operators, but a great thing for passengers (jumpers). As we select and evaluate drop zones, we should remember that not all DZ's have aircraft insurance, and thus not all DZ's are required to meet the same pilot requirements. Many small Cessna DZ's don't have insurance, and jumpers are assured only that a pilot meets the FAA minimums. I understand that some of the larger turbine DZ's are considering dropping their insurance due to the escalating costs, so we may face a reduction in pilot training and experience in this category. It's something to watch for.Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
calphoto 0 #11 September 18, 2004 From the limited view of flying skydivers, getting a commerical pilot's license without an instrument rating is functional, but a false economy. The knowledge you gain in working for your instrument rating will go far to prepare you for the commercial ticket. Many people get the tickets close together because they have studied and practiced up on the same things, so it is not as much of a price difference to get them both. Pilot wise, if people are paying you money to haul their parachuted butts into the air, they deserve the best trained, most proficient pilot available, given the level of aircraft. You may believe that with your minimal hours (you don't say how many you have or how long you have had your private license) that you can handle flying skydivers safely, but I have seen a 750 hour Comm/Inst/IA with several hundred jumps walk away from a 182 after only one day because it was too much for him. "It's not fun" he said. I have also seen a 6000 hour airline pilot, on active duty with the military but wanting to maintain his flying proficiency, take several weekends to get qualified in a 182 because flying from point A to point B with a box lunch in between is far different than flying from point A to point A 22 times a day. He eventually became an excellent jump pilot, but even experienced pilots (and jumpers who become pilots) have trouble dealing with the fast pace of a short, compressed skydiving flight. The fact that you would like to fly the plane also instead of just jump out of it is commendable. It will broaden your experience in the field, and expand your opportunities should you decide to stay in the wonderful world of skydiving. Many DZO's start off as pilots and expand their experience from there. But Dropzones all over the world are littered with the crumpled carcasses of aircraft flown into the ground by poorly trained, inexperienced pilots, hired by short-sighted DZO's who were trying to save a buck, who ended up paying for that decisions with lives and planes. Experience does not guarantee that every flight will be perfect, but inexperience and lack of training guarantees that, should everything not go perfect on every flight 22 times a day, the outcome of a delicate situation will be deeply in question. If you are going to fly professionally, BE professional. Get the training, tickets and experience you need. If your DZO is truly interested in having a trained, safe pilot flying his customers, he will pay for some or all of the training, and you will commit yourelf to his success because he has opened a whole new world for you. Flying skydivers is some of the best flying there is for a pilot. It is fast paced, challenging, and deeply satisfying after a long day of flying fully loaded planes out of short strips, with everyone landing safely back at the DZ. The beer seems especially cold, the quiet more profound, the friendships and trust very deep. It is great to be a jumper-dumper! Good luck for your future!Hartwood Paracenter - The closest DZ to DC! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
soignet 0 #12 September 18, 2004 So people know what kind of experience I have. i got my private pilot license in 2000 48 hours in a 152 192 hours in a 172 18 hours in a 182 (would get 50 more before flying jumpers) 31 hours in a BE-36 (bonanza) for a total of 289 hours i probably have another 300 hrs in ultra-lights but i don't count that as flight experience. I am a FAA Air Traffic Controller (tower and Radar) I probably know more about instrument approaches the most pilots. I helped draw up 3 of them when I was deployed to Iraq with the Guard. I would be flying out of a small strip that does not have any instrument approaches. secondly the plane is VFR only anyways. and in the worst case scenario the field was to go IFR and I Could not find the field I would just call my buddies I work With for weather info and vectors to another airport that is still VFR (there is 7 airports and 11 grass strips to chose from). ST Thanx for everybodys input. If i do start flying at the DZO and you would rather fly with the owner no hard feelings Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
