Losing my drive

[Maximilian_Jenius]

One of the big things is that I went to a university with a small aviation department. There was only 110 flight ops students. So the rest of the university was all other different type of majors.

I was the guy who put on the music that got the girls up and dancing. Oh hell I'm still that guy!

Yea, it's mostly at the big aviation universities, or a big school with a large aviation depatment.

coa787 will see, hahaha..

 

[TheresaPilot]

Yup. Been there before, pretty sure I'll be there again. The key is to change things up. Go fly for fun. Fly a new airplane. Fly somewhere you haven't been before. Or maybe even take a break, and before you know it you'll start feeling that itch again...

:yeahthat: Go fly for fun. It'll help bring the drive back.. Grab a $100 hamburger!!

 

[nocturnalaviator]

Answering "14 amps!" and having a instructor say, "technically, it's 14.7 AMPS, we're going to have to XT you on electrical systems" has a way of sucking the life out of you at 0530 when you'd rather be mountain biking or recovering from beer funneling from the previous night.



CFI'ing? Loved it. If the job market was better (don't want to take up a spot for a guy wanting to build some flight time because I've got more than plenty) and I CFI was still valid, I'd be all over that during my days off.



Would I do it all over again? Absolutely.

Oh god! I went to PRC and I couldn't take it after 2yrs there. I hear DAB is worse! Golden egos. "Fuel burn looks to be 20 gal." "Actually, it's 20.2" "Preskit tower, riddle 75 15 out to the west with hotel, full stop 21L." "We're technically 15.5 out" Get out of my face with that crap! While i was there i NEVER thought the CFI or MEI for that matter was even attainable for me. So much oppression and XT for irrelevant crap that didn't matter. 3 types of people in aviation, those who make em, fix em, break em. I made a vow to myself after I left. "When I become an instructor I will never treat my students the way I was treated. I will never act like I am a higher entity, and never allow any position to interefere with being true to myself and others." Some people I knew who were cool and laid back kind of people, all of a sudden they see a wind sock and they turn into a complete idiot. Another thing that erks me while we are on the subject... lol. Why does aviation tend to take over certain individuals lives?? Seems they can't function without having to speak pilot lingo in every situation they face. For example,if you are not listening to them they'll be the ones to say, "Why are you squawking 7600 man, you got lost comm?" or when driving in fog, "Man i'm driving in minimums." Seriously, are you that much of a tool? Or the best one! Placing your pilot certificate infront of your credit card for the cashier or anyone else to see. Things like that just make me walk away in disbelief that its actually happening. What other profession do you know of to which it's "language" can be incorporated into everyday vernacular? ONLY IN AVIATION... sigh.

CFI'ing I love it too! There are times I get pissed off flying the same circle, saying the same old rhetoric. But give me a hard-working, determined student, like I was, man they really make the job the best in the world, so rewarding and gratifying to see them with a temporary in hand, moving up and moving on. If and when it becomes too blah and dull i'll do this...

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[coa787]

...it was more a joke guys. But, I know a lot of Riddle, ASU and UND grads and current students.

Besides most of them calling their aviation departments "the gayviation" depatment due to all the gay in flight training they always tell me that the dorks join the flight team. And that those dorks are the ones that live and breathe aviation. I'm not sure if it was Jace or maybe Angel but I heard stories about dudes on the flight team who were actually invited to parties and were talking aviation to their fellow classmates and also to new chicks at a party...

Lol, lame..

Yeah, talking about aviation like that all the time is rather pathetic, and I do realize you were joking. All you do is joke around when you talk about me because, well, you are a joke.

I'm kidding, I'm kidding. :laff:

Yea, it's mostly at the big aviation universities, or a big school with a large aviation depatment.

coa787 will see, hahaha..

Yeah, perhaps.

 

[nbv4]

Why does aviation tend to take over certain individuals lives?? Seems they can't function without having to speak pilot lingo in every situation they face. For example,if you are not listening to them they'll be the ones to say, "Why are you squawking 7600 man, you got lost comm?" or when driving in fog, "Man i'm driving in minimums." Seriously, are you that much of a tool? Or the best one! Placing your pilot certificate infront of your credit card for the cashier or anyone else to see. Things like that just make me walk away in disbelief that its actually happening. What other profession do you know of to which it's "language" can be incorporated into everyday vernacular? ONLY IN AVIATION... sigh.
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I know what you're saying. Theres just something about this industry that attracts the 'bags.

You know how some sports stars sign their autograph with their uniform number? Well the cheif pilot at my last job (a recent career changer) used to make a little airplane tail with the loop in one of the letters in his name. He would even write the tailnumber of the plane he got his private in on his little drawling. Can you say "toolbag"?

Also I remember a few years ago when I was getting my CFI, me and a few other CFI-trainees were standing at the school library waiting for our instructors to show up for a group ground school session. We were standing in a big silent study room filled with people working and studying. The other two guys who were waiting with me started talking loudly to each other, making a point to use as many aviation terms as much as possible. "last week when I was FLYING THE BONANZA I had to PULL THE THROTTLE IN, because my AIRSPEED was low", etc. Making sure everyone heard him so they'd know he flew planes. Thats in case they couldn't tell by the guy's Cessna hat, his Boeing shirt, FlightSafety totebag, etc.

Aviation is full of these kinds of people. If I ever leave the industry, it will because of people like these.

 

[nocturnalaviator]

I know what you're saying. Theres just something about this industry that attracts the 'bags.

You know how some sports stars sign their autograph with their uniform number? Well the cheif pilot at my last job (a recent career changer) used to make a little airplane tail with the loop in one of the letters in his name. He would even write the tailnumber of the plane he got his private in on his little drawling. Can you say "toolbag"?

Also I remember a few years ago when I was getting my CFI, me and a few other CFI-trainees were standing at the school library waiting for our instructors to show up for a group ground school session. We were standing in a big silent study room filled with people working and studying. The other two guys who were waiting with me started talking loudly to each other, making a point to use as many aviation terms as much as possible. "last week when I was FLYING THE BONANZA I had to PULL THE THROTTLE IN, because my AIRSPEED was low", etc. Making sure everyone heard him so they'd know he flew planes. Thats in case they couldn't tell by the guy's Cessna hat, his Boeing shirt, FlightSafety totebag, etc.

Aviation is full of these kinds of people. If I ever leave the industry, it will because of people like these.

Not to mention, most of these individuals are the ones who will work and fly for free, complain they aren't getting hired with 500tt, complain they work too much, and get paid so little, always look for the easy button, fast upgrades etc.. I'll never leave the industry because of these d-bags, without them where would the entertainment be? Here's another one for ya, when I was at Riddle I witnessed two idiots wearing their david clarks while driving. Some people just never take them off, physically, and mentally. Here's another thing i ponder... When other pilots are telling me their flying stories why must they insist on speaking proper radio phraseology while conversing with me on the ground? Just get to the point, tell me what happened. I don't need to hear your tail number, or that traffic was 12 o'clock and 3 miles type unknown. Take the green machines off already!:rotfl:

 

[flyer2]

I have friends that are docs, lawyers and financial gurus and pretty much it seems everyone is going through the same thing right now. It is tough with cutbacks, furloughs, etc. But its comforting in a sick way to know its not just aviation. There are days I cant imagine being away from home one more night then the next trip I am looking forward to checking out some sightseeing spot.

Was it Michael Jordan that said something along this line? 'A professional is someone who does what they love to do even on the days they don't really feel like doing it.'

Or at least close to that.

 

[granlistillo]

I hear you brother. After about 35 my drive started going down a little. You develop other interests. I got back into flying.

 

[ahsmatt7]

the way i see it is this. No one likes to practice, but the games are always fun. Well, that was what my track coach told us in high school. Except, he said meets and not games.

 

[nocturnalaviator]

I have friends that are docs, lawyers and financial gurus and pretty much it seems everyone is going through the same thing right now. It is tough with cutbacks, furloughs, etc. But its comforting in a sick way to know its not just aviation. There are days I cant imagine being away from home one more night then the next trip I am looking forward to checking out some sightseeing spot.

Was it Michael Jordan that said something along this line? 'A professional is someone who does what they love to do even on the days they don't really feel like doing it.'

Or at least close to that.

Thanks for the education! :beer:

 

[ChrisH]

I feel like over the last week or two I've experienced a huge decrease in my age old desire to fly. It is quite an unfamiliar feeling as I haven't changed it in about a decade. It just seems like I'm not as motivated as I used to be , and it comes as a shock to me. Have you guys ever experienced temporary downfalls, or mini depressions, as far as flying is concerned? It's like I don't care anymore, maybe its because of all the bad times and hardships and furloughs and stuff, I don't know.

I feel lost. Like the thing I've admired so much for so long, isn't really what I thought it was.

Any Ideas?

I know exactly how you feel. I have lost a lot of my desire for flying, at least right now, and it has been months since I've last flown. It just seems like every time I get into high gear with flying, the industry tanks, and it is just hard to keep motivated.

I remember in high school, a story about Mark Twain. He was always fascinated by the river, and would sit along side the bank and just observe, and was in awe of the river. He decided to get a job working on a tug boat (I believe it was), figuring it would allow him to be on the river, which he loved so much. After awhile, he began to learn the ins and outs of the river, and it lost it's mystique. Quickly, the river lost what it once meant to him. I feel the same way about flying. There was a time when I was younger, and just was absolutely fascinated with flying, and airplanes in general. I would get extremely excited to go to the airport to pick someone up, such as my grandmother, or drive by the airport on the way into town. Since starting flying, and working for an airline now, for almost three years, it just does not mean what it once did to me.

 

[Socal321]

I feel like over the last week or two I've experienced a huge decrease in my age old desire to fly. It is quite an unfamiliar feeling as I haven't changed it in about a decade. It just seems like I'm not as motivated as I used to be , and it comes as a shock to me. Have you guys ever experienced temporary downfalls, or mini depressions, as far as flying is concerned? It's like I don't care anymore, maybe its because of all the bad times and hardships and furloughs and stuff, I don't know.

I feel lost. Like the thing I've admired so much for so long, isn't really what I thought it was.

Any Ideas?

Are you depressed because you don't like flying or because of the bleak future of being a pro pilot?

 

[JordanD]

If I ever leave the industry, it will because of people like these.

Srsly? Come to think of it, there's a lot of dbags on the road that cut me off. I think I'm going to give up my passion for driving because of them. And the fact that Nickelback exists makes me want to quit enjoying music.

 

[Tangodelta29]

I know exactly how you feel. I have lost a lot of my desire for flying, at least right now, and it has been months since I've last flown. It just seems like every time I get into high gear with flying, the industry tanks, and it is just hard to keep motivated.

I remember in high school, a story about Mark Twain. He was always fascinated by the river, and would sit along side the bank and just observe, and was in awe of the river. He decided to get a job working on a tug boat (I believe it was), figuring it would allow him to be on the river, which he loved so much. After awhile, he began to learn the ins and outs of the river, and it lost it's mystique. Quickly, the river lost what it once meant to him. I feel the same way about flying. There was a time when I was younger, and just was absolutely fascinated with flying, and airplanes in general. I would get extremely excited to go to the airport to pick someone up, such as my grandmother, or drive by the airport on the way into town. Since starting flying, and working for an airline now, for almost three years, it just does not mean what it once did to me.

Yeah that's exactly how I am now. I mean at one point just picking someone up was an EVENT, because I had the chance of seeing one of these babies (just parked even)

Are you depressed because you don't like flying or because of the bleak future of being a pro pilot?

It might be a little bit of both. I've always told myself "it'll be different for me" and "since I LOVE flying, any job will be okay" and "ill get by, because I'll be happy"

Well I feel like I've grown up a bit, and maybe I'm looking at what I've told myself to see whether its truly valid.

There is a small part of me that feels like the job just is not the same it used to be, and I don't even mean like 30 years ago. It's confusing, because I guess I really don't know what is causing this mini depression. I got on and off planes like it was anything else, and I didn't find myself in awe of the process.

I'm not that little kid glued to the terminal windows anymore if you know what I mean.

 

[ChasenSFO]

Aviation is full of these kinds of people. If I ever leave the industry, it will because of people like these.

I know a guy exactly like that. And last time I hung out with him he hooked up with 2 girls at the same time. True story, say what you want, but the tool bags I know have figured out a way to work it in their favor with people who are impressed by ones ability to fly.

 

[mtsu_av8er]

. . . stories about dudes on the flight team who were actually invited to parties and were talking aviation to their fellow classmates and also to new chicks at a party...

Lol, lame..

Max, you're my brother, but I gotta call you on the silliness of that statement.

Would they be equally as lame if they were in the Fine Art department, and they talked about fine art at a party?

What if they were pre-med, and they talked about medicine at a party?

What if they were on the football team, and they talked about football at a party?

What if they're involved in student government, and they talked about student government affairs at a party?

Oh, but because as pilots here on JC, we like to call people lame for loving aviation, it is unacceptable for others to talk about aviation at a party?

Come on, man - that's just silly.

 

[ahsmatt7]

Yeah that's exactly how I am now. I mean at one point just picking someone up was an EVENT, because I had the chance of seeing one of these babies (just parked even)



It might be a little bit of both. I've always told myself "it'll be different for me" and "since I LOVE flying, any job will be okay" and "ill get by, because I'll be happy"

Well I feel like I've grown up a bit, and maybe I'm looking at what I've told myself to see whether its truly valid.

There is a small part of me that feels like the job just is not the same it used to be, and I don't even mean like 30 years ago. It's confusing, because I guess I really don't know what is causing this mini depression. I got on and off planes like it was anything else, and I didn't find myself in awe of the process.

I'm not that little kid glued to the terminal windows anymore if you know what I mean.

dont give up the dream. You never know what could happen. Get some ratings like your IFR ticket and multi. At least you can fly bigger planes for fun and what not. When the airlines start hiring again go full speed and see what happens. If you loved flying then you willl most likely regret not ever giving it a chance. Also since you are growing up, seeing airplanes isnt all it used to be because you have other concerns such as school and bills to pay and what not. That makes any job look bad if it cant help you with bills. Or any dream look bad. Hang in there and remember why you started flying. Take time to be a passenger and not a pilot. Emjoy the pure act of flying rather than always having to worry about busting regs or pising someone off. Have fun with it and just be positive.

 

[ahsmatt7]

Max, you're my brother, but I gotta call you on the silliness of that statement.

Would they be equally as lame if they were in the Fine Art department, and they talked about fine art at a party?

What if they were pre-med, and they talked about medicine at a party?

What if they were on the football team, and they talked about football at a party?

What if they're involved in student government, and they talked about student government affairs at a party?

Oh, but because as pilots here on JC, we like to call people lame for loving aviation, it is unacceptable for others to talk about aviation at a party?

Come on, man - that's just silly.

well then in that case all those types of ppl are lame lol just kidding. Its good to be proud and love what you do but you cant make it your life....especially in college. Branch out a little bit. just my .02 for these types of ppl.

 

[Tld]

Yup. Been there before, pretty sure I'll be there again. The key is to change things up. Go fly for fun. Fly a new airplane. Fly somewhere you haven't been before. Or maybe even take a break, and before you know it you'll start feeling that itch again...

:yeahthat:

Agreed, I think a lot of people experience it at somepoint. I'm in a flying rut right now as well, sitting at the airport all day watching planes come and go, with no time to go fly one...hard to get motivated, but I'm starting to feel the itch...

Maybe go fly one of these...it'll give you your flying mojo back with the first aileron roll...

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

I feel like over the last week or two I've experienced a huge decrease in my age old desire to fly. It is quite an unfamiliar feeling as I haven't changed it in about a decade. It just seems like I'm not as motivated as I used to be , and it comes as a shock to me. Have you guys ever experienced temporary downfalls, or mini depressions, as far as flying is concerned? It's like I don't care anymore, maybe its because of all the bad times and hardships and furloughs and stuff, I don't know.

I feel lost. Like the thing I've admired so much for so long, isn't really what I thought it was.

Any Ideas?

Quit. Save your money.