Flying for free...Don't do it.

Im sure the fault is all mine, but i was talking about the 421 that took off from the dallas area (ADS i believe) that crashed off the west coast of FL in a thunderstorm. I wish i could find the news story, or at least the NTSB prelim, but i dont have the motivation.

Sometimes $50,000 weather means the pilot getting paid $50,000 stays on the ground while the $30,000 pilot flies in to it.
 
Sometimes $50,000 weather means the pilot getting paid $50,000 stays on the ground while the $30,000 pilot flies in to it.

exactly, i cant say this was the case, but flying at FL210 in a level 5 doesnt sound like a good idea.
 
When I was a flight instructor there was another instructor who was part-time, he was a doctor doing it for the fun of it. He never bothered to pick up his paychecks. Hard to ask for more money when people are willing to do your job for free.

....

Or even better yet, Mom and Dad pays your bills, pays for your cool new iphone, and sweet new car...and flight instructing is just for beer money. We have a few of those....ugh

Out of curiosity, how does this make them a villain? I could see from a personal perspective there might be an element of jealousy/disdain towards their situation. Particularly if you are living from paycheck to paycheck, but blaming them for terrible pilot pay because of various business and economic drivers in aviation is a bit of a stretch....no?
 
exactly, i cant say this was the case, but flying at FL210 in a level 5 doesnt sound like a good idea.

Yeah, I don't have any idea what caused that specific accident.

But the logic behind paying a better wage is that you're buying a safer pilot--a pilot who has better judgment and more experience to get the job done safely. You're buying an intangible skill that the cheaper pilot probably lacks.

That's what stensonb meant with the "$50,000 weather" comment. He wasn't talking about the severity of the weather as much as the expertise needed to deal with it.
 
Yeah, I don't have any idea what caused that specific accident.

But the logic behind paying a better wage is that you're buying a safer pilot--a pilot who has better judgment and more experience to get the job done safely. You're buying an intangible skill that the cheaper pilot probably lacks.

That's what stensonb meant with the "$50,000 weather" comment. He wasn't talking about the severity of the weather as much as the expertise needed to deal with it.

Oh, i completely agree. Its the difference between the "nut up or shut up phase" and the "i know bad S when i see it and this it it" phase.
 
Out of curiosity, how does this make them a villain? I could see from a personal perspective there might be an element of jealousy/disdain towards their situation. Particularly if you are living from paycheck to paycheck, but blaming them for terrible pilot pay because of various business and economic drivers in aviation is a bit of a stretch....no?

When this health care plan goes into full action he'll be going back to get those pay checks I bet. :D

Another thought is that he knows what the other instructors are making so why not just split his check among the others or use it as some sort of achievement bonus? I believe that is what I would do if I was doing it just for the enjoyment.


I'm waiting for some positive responses to the guys with 325 hours just out of flight training. How would you suggest he get to 500 hours so he could get PAID? ...And he would rather fly for free until 500 then flight instruct any day. At this stage of understanding he believes there is much more to learn and experience before he can see himself teaching someone else how to fly. I never did understand that FAR rule. A 325 hour guy can teach a primary student how to fly but can't take a bag of groceries from point A to B for hire. Now, let's talk about you pay for what you get. I can't pay you as a pilot to take my bags of camping gear to my camp but I can pay you to teach me how to fly!!!:eek::confused::crazy:
 
When this health care plan goes into full action he'll be going back to get those pay checks I bet. :D

Another thought is that he knows what the other instructors are making so why not just split his check among the others or use it as some sort of achievement bonus? I believe that is what I would do if I was doing it just for the enjoyment.


I'm waiting for some positive responses to the guys with 325 hours just out of flight training. How would you suggest he get to 500 hours so he could get PAID? ...And he would rather fly for free until 500 then flight instruct any day. At this stage of understanding he believes there is much more to learn and experience before he can see himself teaching someone else how to fly. I never did understand that FAR rule. A 325 hour guy can teach a primary student how to fly but can't take a bag of groceries from point A to B for hire. Now, let's talk about you pay for what you get. I can't pay you as a pilot to take my bags of camping gear to my camp but I can pay you to teach me how to fly!!!:eek::confused::crazy:

Well, thats life. I dont dis agree with you, but you of all people know theres employers out there that will take people on 135 with VFR only mins. Theres plenty of gigs out there besides instructing, some people just dont wanna look for them.

That aside, do you think someone with 325 hours is more qualified to sit right seat flying pax than instructing in a 172?
 
Well, thats life. I dont dis agree with you, but you of all people know theres employers out there that will take people on 135 with VFR only mins. Theres plenty of gigs out there besides instructing, some people just dont wanna look for them.

That aside, do you think someone with 325 hours is more qualified to sit right seat flying pax than instructing in a 172?


Yeah that's life, but I think it would be easier to make some rule changes than to tell commercial pilots not to fly for free. I'm just trying to throw a different angle on things, after all it's not like we are anywhere near sort of pilots these days so I don't know why we are geared up still to keep pooping out commercial pilots. Not saying to make it harder to become a commercial pilot in a nutshell but make it harder to become a CFI than to fly a bag from point A to B and get paid to do so.

Yep, there are few 135 employers that take people on without pay (because they can't legally pay them) that have under 500 hours.

For your question, on a clear sunny day hell yeah I'd rather see the 325 hour guy getting paid to fly pax than getting paid to teach anyone how to fly. Students are pax + a workload. It takes more to overcome that workload rather than just flying point A to B.
 
Now, if i can play devil's advocate, if everything goes smoothly, the golden eagle wont tear him up. Fly the V speeds and you're golden. I dont remember which one exactly was labled the "widowmaker" but unless theres an engine failure or an exhaust AD that hasnt been complied with, I dont view the flight as all that difficult.

I think it was the Cessna 411 that was a much maligned airplane. Many people I have heard talk about it say what a "beast" it is and a virtual deathtrap. That of course sparked my interest and I spoke to a friend that wasn't prone to wetting himself and he said it was a great airplane, just had to figure out the single engine stuff that was a little more demanding than other planes. Without remembering (it was a long time ago), I think he said it had something to do with the relatively small tail/single engine/VMC issues.

He convinced me that a 411 would be a nice airplane. You could really get a LOT of value if you steer into airplanes that others hate. A Tomahawk is a much better airplane than a 150, MU2's are awesome, 411's sound neat (and are better looking than many 400 series Cessna's). All are cheaper too because people are afraid of them. Same with a Luscombe - their prices are generally cheap because they are supposedly "squirrely".
 
FB convo with one of my friends:

""lol single pilot, I have never flown either of those [navajo & be55], how hard could it really be though haha""

"I am ferrying for free, and they are paying my airline tickets"

"They asked me today if I would feel comfortable flying a 421B
Single pilot"

at this point I tell him that flying for free is bad and not to do it, lowering standards and all.

his reply:

"haha free multi time and I get to see my grandparents in FL?" and
"so what?I am gonna get either 10 hours of Nav time or B55 time"


Somewhere, someone has failed this person, but I think this mentality is common among new pilots.

I take it this friend of yours is pretty low time.

I've seen a lot of lower time pilots handle 400-series Cessnas, and if he's just thinking he's going to hop in without training and fly it safely with low time, he's gonna get a swift kick in the ass. The planes are absolute joys to fly, but it's not a Seminole or other low-powered training twin. It's about 50 knots faster in most flight regimes than a Seminole or a Duchess, and climbs at 2000-2500fpm when light. Not saying it's a widowmaker (it's certainly not), but he's probably going to be very behind for the first few hours. Enough to the point he shouldn't be cut loose as PIC until he's sorted out with someone more experienced for a while. Single-engine ops are no joke, either.

Never flown a Navajo or a Baron, but I followed a Baron after takeoff yesterday, and he pulled away from me pretty strongly even when I was climbing at 140 KIAS. Not a slouch airplane either. I'd be more concerned about him biting off more than he can chew than him flying for free (that sucks too, though).
 
I think it was the Cessna 411 that was a much maligned airplane. Many people I have heard talk about it say what a "beast" it is and a virtual deathtrap. That of course sparked my interest and I spoke to a friend that wasn't prone to wetting himself and he said it was a great airplane, just had to figure out the single engine stuff that was a little more demanding than other planes. Without remembering (it was a long time ago), I think he said it had something to do with the relatively small tail/single engine/VMC issues.

He convinced me that a 411 would be a nice airplane. You could really get a LOT of value if you steer into airplanes that others hate. A Tomahawk is a much better airplane than a 150, MU2's are awesome, 411's sound neat (and are better looking than many 400 series Cessna's). All are cheaper too because people are afraid of them. Same with a Luscombe - their prices are generally cheap because they are supposedly "squirrely".

Yeah, all those are great airplanes, just have bad reps. I think you're right about the 411. It was an issue of large engines/small rudder and no control authority. I was under the impression its been fixed though.
 
Yeah, all those are great airplanes, just have bad reps. I think you're right about the 411. It was an issue of large engines/small rudder and no control authority. I was under the impression its been fixed though.

My understanding was that it wasn't so much a "fix" as just adjust how people flew it and were trained. Hmm....off to controller to see if any deals can be had on a 411. Seriously - start in a Luscombe or Tomahawk, move up to a 411, into an MU2. Real capable airplanes that can be purchased for far less than their more expensive/less capable competitors. I love old wives tales and maligned airplanes!
 
My understanding was that it wasn't so much a "fix" as just adjust how people flew it and were trained. Hmm....off to controller to see if any deals can be had on a 411. Seriously - start in a Luscombe or Tomahawk, move up to a 411, into an MU2. Real capable airplanes that can be purchased for far less than their more expensive/less capable competitors. I love old wives tales and maligned airplanes!

The Cessna 401 was another maligned airplane, if not already mentioned.
 
It's not just limited to aviation.

"With job openings scarce for young people, the number of unpaid internships has climbed in recent years, leading federal and state regulators to worry that more employers are illegally using such internships for free labor. "

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/03/business/03intern.html?pagewanted=2&src=mv

I googled 'unpaid interns' to find this in case the llink doesn't work.
Long story short, these college students are having to work free in all different types of firms cause they need experience to land jobs.
 
Telling the kids they're being dumb isn't going to change their behavior any more than it does when you tell them drinking till you're nearly passed out and driving to the store for another sixer isn't wise.


some get killed, some wise up, and the majority continue to bumble through life indefinitely

unfortunately, as long as you dont kill yourself, theres not much distinguishing the good and the adequate...

hell, from first hand experience, even trying to distinguish myself as a proficient and skillful pilot, has got me NOTHING AT ALL as far as increased recognition, increased opportunities, or even any acknowledgement of "hey, maybe this guy can fly pretty well, we should give his resume a look"

only thing that matters in this job is hours hours hours (which, you cant get without a job or money...and cant get a job and money if you dont have hours), and who you know. and i dont mean "networking"...which means little to none... im talking good old boys club and my daddy knows so and so...

really fed up with this "profession" these days

about ready to move to costa rica permanently!
 
some get killed, some wise up, and the majority continue to bumble through life indefinitely

unfortunately, as long as you dont kill yourself, theres not much distinguishing the good and the adequate...

hell, from first hand experience, even trying to distinguish myself as a proficient and skillful pilot, has got me NOTHING AT ALL as far as increased recognition, increased opportunities, or even any acknowledgement of "hey, maybe this guy can fly pretty well, we should give his resume a look"

only thing that matters in this job is hours hours hours (which, you cant get without a job or money...and cant get a job and money if you dont have hours), and who you know. and i dont mean "networking"...which means little to none... im talking good old boys club and my daddy knows so and so...

really fed up with this "profession" these days

about ready to move to costa rica permanently!

Maybe you should drive to the store, grab a sixer, and try to keep things in perspective. I'm employed, and love my job, but i would also love to have your job. I've kind of accepted the fact that I sat in this chair when the music stopped, and I might have to deal with it for a while. If im going to be in a piston I might as well be going across the country.

Remember, the grass is always greener on the other side, because the other farmer feeds it plenty of S.
 
only thing that matters in this job is hours hours hours (which, you cant get without a job or money...and cant get a job and money if you dont have hours), and who you know. and i dont mean "networking"...which means little to none... im talking good old boys club and my daddy knows so and so...

100% incorrect. It's all about networking. Internal Rec's are everything in this industry. You don't have to be born into anything...don't be a tool, treat everyone you meet in this industry as a potential future employer and good things will happen.
 
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