Jared Ailstock

When you're working toward your commercial pilot license or building time for your ATP, every flight hour you log brings you one step closer to the cockpit job you've been dreaming about. But hitting the FAA’s 250-hour requirement —or even the 1,500-hour mark for an airline—takes more than just renting aircraft and flying aimlessly. It takes strategy, commitment, and smart decisions that give you both quantity and quality. You want hours that count—not just toward your logbook total, but toward the experience employers actually value. If you're serious about turning your private pilot certificate into a full-time flying career, here's how to build flight hours with purpose. Start Instructing and Log While You Teach If you’ve earned your Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) certificate, you're sitting on the best opportunity to build time while getting paid to do it. Teaching others to fly forces you to know your systems, procedures, and maneuvers inside out. You’ll sp...