Interview a Current Airline Pilot

744combi

Well-Known Member
Hello,

My name is Devin and I'm currently an aspiring pilot in my junior year of high school. For the career unit in my English class, each student is required to interview someone who currently has the job you want to have in the future. Unfortunately, I do not have contact to any pilots in person, so I have to consult this forum for valid answers to the questions.

If possible, may I have someone answer the interview questions below? The responses will only be used towards my project, and it will not be reproduced nor reused in any way. The responses do not have to be candid if you are unwilling to provide too much information, its fine. Also, feel free to private message me.


Occupation:
Name of Person Interviewed:
Name and location of where they work:
Work phone number:

1. Describe your typical work day
2.Where do you usually work? What kind of hours do you have?
3.What are some things you like most about your job?
4.What are some things you least like about your job?
5.What are some of the typical tasks you perform?
6.Do you have a college education or technical school training?
7.In what ways do you find your job stressful?
8.Do you need any special licenses or union membership?
9.In what ways do you find your job satisfying?
10.How do you relax in your off time?
11. How did you get started in your current position?
12.What are some other related jobs you have held in this career field?
13.Is there something else you would rather be doing instead of this job?
14.Are you working toward additional advancement in your field?
15.What recommendations would you make to a student who is considering your career field?

Once again, I respect your privacy, so feel free to provide any amount of info you want to share. This interview will only compliment my entire research paper on this career.
Thanks for taking the time to help out. I greatly appreciate it!

Devin Morgan
 
Oh, I want to see the answers to 4,6,7,11, and 13.

I know my answers and I was only flying day in and out for 4 years. Doug, you should almost put your answers up in the lav.

Devin, if you don't get a ton of answers PM me and I'll get you some of my flying buddies phone numbers. You can choose between new and hopeful or old and disgruntled. Most are basically on a linear average between those two points. Good Luck!
 
I'm sure you will get lots of responses, but maybe not the responses you are looking for. The forums tend to be "downers", but you can generate quite insightful information when you dig under the right rocks. Shoot me a pm with a little more info about your project and we can get in touch to draw out some good answers.
 
I'm sure you will get lots of responses, but maybe not the responses you are looking for. The forums tend to be "downers", but you can generate quite insightful information when you dig under the right rocks. Shoot me a pm with a little more info about your project and we can get in touch to draw out some good answers.

Ironical man say, "Man who complains about forum full of 'downers' make only 'downer' post in thread..."
 
Just in relation to this thread! :) Awww man, you got to admit that you left me some low-hanging fruit to pick there! :)
Yeah I know. But it's true. Some of the stuff on here gets pretty low. I'm willing to help the guy out, and give him good info! I had to do the same thing when I was in high school. It's all part of the reason I am where I am.
 
Hello,

My name is Devin and I'm currently an aspiring pilot in my junior year of high school. For the career unit in my English class, each student is required to interview someone who currently has the job you want to have in the future. Unfortunately, I do not have contact to any pilots in person, so I have to consult this forum for valid answers to the questions.

If possible, may I have someone answer the interview questions below? The responses will only be used towards my project, and it will not be reproduced nor reused in any way. The responses do not have to be candid if you are unwilling to provide too much information, its fine. Also, feel free to private message me.


Occupation:
Name of Person Interviewed:
Name and location of where they work:
Work phone number:

1. Describe your typical work day
2.Where do you usually work? What kind of hours do you have?
3.What are some things you like most about your job?
4.What are some things you least like about your job?
5.What are some of the typical tasks you perform?
6.Do you have a college education or technical school training?
7.In what ways do you find your job stressful?
8.Do you need any special licenses or union membership?
9.In what ways do you find your job satisfying?
10.How do you relax in your off time?
11. How did you get started in your current position?
12.What are some other related jobs you have held in this career field?
13.Is there something else you would rather be doing instead of this job?
14.Are you working toward additional advancement in your field?
15.What recommendations would you make to a student who is considering your career field?

Once again, I respect your privacy, so feel free to provide any amount of info you want to share. This interview will only compliment my entire research paper on this career.
Thanks for taking the time to help out. I greatly appreciate it!

Devin Morgan

UPS pilot/Don Eikenberry/UPS flight ops, Ontario, CA/classified

1. Describe your typical work day

I'm on call from 4am to 4pm, for two weeks at a time. So, I just hang out at my condo in San Clemente and wait for my cell phone to go off. If I get called in to work, it will start with a deadhead to somewhere and then a three to six day trip flying around. Could be to Seattle or could be to Singapore, though, if I go to Asia, it's likely to be at least a 10 day trip. A work day can be anywhere from start at 430am and end at 630am, to a 10 hour duty day going from LAX to Louisville to Jackson, MS, to a business class ticket on Delta getting sent out to fly in Asia. It just all varies so much it's hard to say. Of course, since I'm on call, my favorite "work day" is when they don't need me and I still get paid for being on call.

2.Where do you usually work? What kind of hours do you have?

I'm based in Ontario, CA but stay in San Clemente when I'm on call. If they call me in, I have two hours to get there. I'm already packed and the car is gassed up. I don't just sit around waiting for the phone to ring, though. I can be out for a walk or on my bike and still have time to get to work if they call me. Like I said before, if they call me in I could get sent to anywhere in the US or Asia to start a trip. Last week I was on call for eight days and on Tuesday they called me to commercial up to Seattle, layover, fly Seattle-Spokane, layover, and fly Spokane-Seattle-Ontario. All that took 61 hours away from my base. I flew about 4 hours during that time. The rest was layover or crew rest time.

3.What are some things you like most about your job?

The money and the good schedule are my two favorite things. I work for one of the better paying airlines. My schedule is two weeks on, two weeks off, which I like. You have two full weeks off each month to forget about your job and do what you want. Some people would hate that schedule but I love it. I also like the satisfaction of moving a big jet from point A to point B. Seems like some little thing happens each flight I learn from and no flight is exactly the same. It's a constant learning process. You get something new out of each copilot you work with, too.

4.What are some things you least like about your job?

Sometimes we work long hours and fly at night. UPS's overnight air package delivery depends on flights that leave around 8pm, go to a hub (big hub is Louisville, KY) sit for four hours during the sort, and then takeoff again landing around 5am. Can be pretty brutal. I have a hard time sleeping during the day, so each duty period I get more and more tired until my body clock finally gives up and I sleep fine during the day. This one seems like a small deal, but I HATE waiting for hotel vans. The airline shows you as "off work, in crew rest" 15 minutes after you shut the engines off. After that, you just want to get to the hotel and go to bed, but sometimes the hotel van is late and you sit around for 30 to 45 minutes during your time off waiting for hotel transportation. The FAA has addressed this issue in the new duty time regs but, sadly, the cargo companies don't have to follow the new rules.

5.What are some of the typical tasks you perform?

I check the flight paperwork and make sure the weather is okay, we have enough gas, ect. I do the pre-flight to make sure all the big pieces are there. Then I check the F/O's work in the cockpit to make sure the computer is programed and all the switches are in the right place. Then we blast off and hope nothing too exciting happens.

6.Do you have a college education or technical school training?

A four year degree is almost always a requirement for the best jobs in aviation. I graduated from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University with a BS degree in aeronautical studies. A degree in aviation is not required, or even desired, but some sort of four year degree will help you get your foot in the door.

7.In what ways do you find your job stressful?

The most stressful thing is being the guy in charge of the jet. It's a big responsibility. Sometimes there are three things going on at once and you have to learn to prioritize the most important and deal with it. Sometimes you have to make decisions that won't be popular with your employer. Pilots serve two masters. One is their employer, who signs their paycheck, and the other is the FAA, which makes all the rules and grants us all the privilege of moving large objects through the air. Of course, the company wants the boxes moved at all cost, but sometimes the Captain of the jet has to make a safety decision based on his experience and best judgment to park the jet somewhere other than what was planned. This can be very stressful because you know the company will be greatly upset that the packages are in Des Moines instead of Rockford. There will be much gnashing of teeth. But in the end, the pilot has to do what he thinks is safe, and not worry about the consequences.

8.Do you need any special licenses or union membership?

Yes, you need your pilot ratings and years of experience working your way up the ladder. I had 4000 hours and had been out of college 8 years before I got hired at UPS. Most airlines are union and you'll want to be a part of it.

9.In what ways do you find your job satisfying?

Honestly, mostly when I see my bank account increase every two weeks, and all the wonderful things that affords me. But I love a great layover in Honolulu or Kona or a longer layover somewhere in Asia. Being able to fly for free anywhere is cool. I guess successfully moving the jet from point A to point B leaves me with a sense of satisfaction, as well, call me old skool. A smooth landing is always nice.

10.How do you relax in your off time?

I do a lot of bike riding, walking, hiking, and play racketball. I like to watch and play basketball. Big fan of Gonzaga U and the Lakers. I'm active in church, support a couple youth ministries, and do mentoring.

11. How did you get started in your current position?

You could see my profile on the perspectives link on the home page of this site. But I started out when I was 17 with my PPL and worked at the local airport pumping gas. Went to college. Got my ratings. Instructed. Grand Canyon tours. And flew freight for a small, medium, and now a big cargo airline.

12.What are some other related jobs you have held in this career field?

Aviation fuel transfer tech in high school and worked as an assistant in Air Traffic control for a year at LAX.

13.Is there something else you would rather be doing instead of this job?

No....that one was easy.

14.Are you working toward additional advancement in your field?

No, I'm pretty much at the peak. I'm 51 and have 8 to 14 years to go. Would like to retire sooner rather than later. Part of me says I'd quit now if I could draw a full retirement (which I can't) but I think I'd be bored stiff if I walked away from the job. We'll see.

15.What recommendations would you make to a student who is considering your career field?

Well, I'd say make sure you love flying and travel if your going to pursue the job. Don't be in a big rush to get your ratings but take your time to enjoy flying and your training. Part of your training is using the skillz you got on the last rating in real life flying. I call that seasoning and it's very important in what you bring to the cockpit down the road. The career is a big crapshoot and you can hardly plan anything, so just take it one step at a time and continually try to improve yourself. Stay healthy and don't get into trouble with the police. Read this site and see what people are saying. I think it's easy to be negative (human nature) at an anonymous message board. At the same time, it's easy to be positive when your a senior UPS Captain, so...YMMV.

Good luck on your report!!
 
Name of Person Interviewed:

<----------Doug Taylor

1. Describe your typical work day
http://www.jetcareers.com/a-day-in-the-life-major.html (domestic narrow body)

2.Where do you usually work? What kind of hours do you have?

JFK to all points over the ocean. See above

3.What are some things you like most about your job?

Travel. Working with other motivated professionals and the ability to "leave work at work". Ample time off. Pay isn't too bad.

4.What are some things you least like about your job?

High personal "cost". Missing holidays and other events. Inability to plan more than a few months out. The "stigma"

5.What are some of the typical tasks you perform?

Flying, navigating, trying to figure out mindless acronyms.

6.Do you have a college education or technical school training?

BS in AS from ERAU

7.In what ways do you find your job stressful?

See the answers in #4 and add in stresses involved from people who willfully choose not to do their best when situations arise.

8.Do you need any special licenses or union membership?

http://www.jetcareers.com/becoming-an-airline-pilot.html

And there are union and non-union carriers. I work for a unionized carrier and HAVE worked for a non-unionized carrier as well. I prefer the protections of a union.

9.In what ways do you find your job satisfying?

See answers to #3

10.How do you relax in your off time?

I like to run.

11. How did you get started in your current position?

As a 727 flight engineer.

12.What are some other related jobs you have held in this career field?

Flight instructor. Corporate pilot (for a hot second)

13.Is there something else you would rather be doing instead of this job?

Nope!

14.Are you working toward additional advancement in your field?

Sure. It'd be nice to upgrade with some seniority to enjoy it.

15.What recommendations would you make to a student who is considering your career field?

Find mentors and STAY IN CONTACT with them. Do lots and lots of research. Be flexible. If you see the career as a journey, you'll do fine. If you see it as a destination, it will eat you alive.
 
Hello,

My name is Devin and I'm currently an aspiring pilot in my junior year of high school. For the career unit in my English class, each student is required to interview someone who currently has the job you want to have in the future. Unfortunately, I do not have contact to any pilots in person, so I have to consult this forum for valid answers to the questions.

If possible, may I have someone answer the interview questions below? The responses will only be used towards my project, and it will not be reproduced nor reused in any way. The responses do not have to be candid if you are unwilling to provide too much information, its fine. Also, feel free to private message me.


Occupation:
Name of Person Interviewed:
Name and location of where they work:
Work phone number:

1. Describe your typical work day
2.Where do you usually work? What kind of hours do you have?
3.What are some things you like most about your job?
4.What are some things you least like about your job?
5.What are some of the typical tasks you perform?
6.Do you have a college education or technical school training?
7.In what ways do you find your job stressful?
8.Do you need any special licenses or union membership?
9.In what ways do you find your job satisfying?
10.How do you relax in your off time?
11. How did you get started in your current position?
12.What are some other related jobs you have held in this career field?
13.Is there something else you would rather be doing instead of this job?
14.Are you working toward additional advancement in your field?
15.What recommendations would you make to a student who is considering your career field?

Once again, I respect your privacy, so feel free to provide any amount of info you want to share. This interview will only compliment my entire research paper on this career.
Thanks for taking the time to help out. I greatly appreciate it!

Devin Morgan


Erik Myrom
Colgan Air - IAD
See company interwebs homepage

1. Anywhere from one leg to seven legs a day in a turboprop flying around the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern US. Occasionally a jaunt down to Texas/Louisiana.

2. Normally start from Washington Dulles, from there, any of our exotic destinations such as Beckley, WV, Altoona, PA and Clarksburg, WV.

3. Flying the airplane, ability to travel for free or at a relatively low cost, in general we have good crews, work gets left at work. The airplane is a blast to fly, I always wanted to fly a turboprop and I love having the opportunity to do so. Sometimes our schedules allow for half the month off, or more, including up to a week and a half off at a time if you bid between months right. It is a job where you can constantly learn and better yourself, be it something big, or something small, there is always room to improve. I enjoy the challenges associated with flying as well.

4. Being away from home, and my fiance. There is a lot of extraneous nonsense associated with Part 121 flying. The bickering, finger pointing and selfishness some pilots can exhibit at a time when we need to stand together. The way management has eroded what used to be a top notch profession into what it is today, and more so that we as professionals haven't done enough to stop or change this.

5. Just upgraded so I'm learning to run the show, ensure the safety and legality of the flight, coordinate the crew and keep people in the loop when it hits the fan. Also, flying the airplane.

6. College education.

7. Long days, poor communication, airplanes that break, weather, potentially exhausting schedules with a lot of pressure to remain on time, making sure safety and legality aren't sacrificed no matter what is going on.

8. For my company you must hold at least a Commercial Pilot Certificate, Instrument Rating, Multi-Engine Rating, 1st Class Medical, and hold an FCC Radio Operator Permit. We do have a union, and things are much better with them on property.

9. See #3, in addition, it is all I've wanted to do for as long as I can remember.

10. When I'm home in San Diego I'll surf a lot, but I live in base now so I usually try and spend as much time as I can with my fiance, occasionally exercising, and hanging out with friends.

11. Started as a Flight Instructor for an FBO, got hired here and thats as far as I've made it so far.

12. Customer Service Representative/Line Guy, Aircraft Cleaner/Washer, Flight Instructor, a little bit of corporate flying.

13. If I could make a billion dollars a year sitting at home in a nice house, surfing for fun every day and spending time with my family and friends I would! More realistically, I can't come up with any viable alternative to flying. If the right offer came along I could be persuaded to leave flying.

14. Absolutely, where I am now is not my career stop. One way or another, I'll move on.

15. Make an honest assessment of the good and the bad. Consider what it will take to get into the field, what you will get back. Don't chase the money, it will be a while before you make decent money. Learn to relax and just go with the flow. You can't control 99.9999% of what happens so don't stress. Always keep your options open, make contacts and get to know them to enrich yourself as a person and a professional. If they can help you down the road, thats icing on the cake. I guess I'll close with my favorite quote, from WIll Smith's character in "The Pursuit of Happyness."

"You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want something, go get it. Period."
 
Occupation:
Name of Person Interviewed:
Name and location of where they work:
Work phone number:

Rich Praser
jetBlue Airways
A320 Pilot – Based in JFK (New York)
Work Number – N/A (but, if you need mine or some sort of follow up, PM me)

1. Describe your typical work day
Getting to work: I’m a commuter – I live in Southern California, so at the beginning of any assignment I need to travel across the country to my ‘base’ – the location that I am assigned to fly out of. There are provisions for airline employees to travel at discounted rates (space available – in empty seats without revenue passsengers) and there are special seats in the cockpit called ‘jumpseats’ that pilots are allowed to occupy. (subject to availability, security considerations, and agreements between my airline and other carriers that allow us to use each other’s jumpseats) Once I arrive in base, I typically go to my crashpad… which is an apartment that I share with 14 other commuter pilots. It is there that I await my assignments.

At work: I am a reserve pilot, the best analogy is that I am a spare part on the shelf waiting for something to break so I can be inserted in and fix the problem. During irregular operations, when other pilots are ill, or if there is an assignment that doesn’t have a pilot assigned… that’s where I come in to play.

While on reserve I am on call and I will be assigned a ‘shift’ – hours during the day where the airline can all me. If an assignment needs a pilot, then they call and activate me. It can be anything from a simple out and back to our closest destination to a 5 day trip where I have multiple layovers. You never know when you are on reserve… you end up flying every and any possible trip that we have available. (because you never know who is going to call in sick – they could have an undesirable assignment or a fantastic one) Again, I could fly to Buffalo and back to New York… or I could fly to Jamaica… or Seattle… or Cancun… or Chicago… you never know.

2.Where do you usually work? What kind of hours do you have?
I’m currently assigned JFK (New York’s Kennedy Airport) as my domicile – or base. All of my trips originate and end out of New York. We co-domicile with LGA – which means that they can assign me a trip from that airport also.

As a reserve pilot I am assigned a reserve shift and a rest period. Once on reserve, when they call me for an assignment I have a pre-determined time to get to the airport and report to the aircraft. Then I can theoretically work to the FAA maximum duty day – which includes the time I spent on call. This is important because at one of my prior places of employment – your 'duty day' began once they called you and then you could work up to the maximum hours in the duty day. Imagine being up all day (say you got up around 9 am) then being called (at 10 pm) and working a 16 hour day flying all night into the next day. (at 2 pm the next day for instance) That would involve being up for 29 hours before being released from duty. Not easy to say the least.

Just to reiterate… my current employer does not do this. We are assigned a shift, (say at 9 am) if we are called (at 3 pm) the time we spent on duty – 6 hours in this case – are credited to your duty day.

3.What are some things you like most about your job?
I love my office… I sit in a chair in the sky. I have a better view than Donald Trump – or any Fortune 500 person fighting for the corner office in Manhattan.

I love flying people to where they need to go – and interacting with them. I like knowing that I am helping people go on vacation, or taking them to important life events. Or bringing business people to meetings helping commerce. I also love the flying itself… the individual missions, the challenge of saving fuel, fighting headwinds, avoiding weather, and the takeoffs and landings.

I love that I don’t have to take my job home at the end of the day. (Unless I choose to) At the end of my duty days, I go home. Unless I choose to, I don’t have to think about work for even one second until I am back on duty. (Unless I have training, or something that I have to study during my off hours.) When I take off my uniform… the job comes off with it. Not a lot of people can say that.

4.What are some things you least like about your job?
Being away from my wife (and this will also apply to my kids when we have them) for long stretches of time. Right now, it is not so bad. Other than my commute across the country – my life is good right now. My reserve schedule has not been very bad. Also, I am going to be based at home in the near future, which will increase my quality of life a lot.

But, at previous positions – there were things that I did not like. For instance when I worked for Mesa Airlines, during my typical month I would only be home 8 days. As a High School student, this is probably not a big deal to you… who cares if someone pays you to travel all over the world. (I loved it when I was in my 20’s and single… the only reason I wanted to come home was to work on my flight training at the time – otherwise I would have been content to be hanging out in the Netherlands with my girlfriend.) Now that I am married, I miss my wife a lot and would like to sleep in my own bed as much as possible. I paid enough for it… I’d like to use it.

I could also stand to get paid more. But, I don’t think that you will find anyone who won’t say that they would like to make more money.

5.What are some of the typical tasks you perform?
Let me quote from one of the resume’s I did once:

Providing superior customer service for our customers and guests. This includes interacting with customers throughout the boarding and deplaning process – greeting the customers and giving cockpit tours to our young flyers. I also present our flight information in the cabin standing before our customers in the cabin. My technical duties include aircraft preflight inspection, flight plan and weather review, inputting information into flight management system, weight and balance, verifying completion of pre-flight, inflight, and post flight checklists, destination weather verification, calculation of landing data, radio communication and coordination with air traffic control, and operating the aircraft throughout all phases of flight.

Very official sounding.

6.Do you have a college education or technical school training?
I have a degree in Film Production (Communications) with a minor in Philosophy from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. I attended there from 1994-1997 and graduated in 2004. (after completing my last semester and thesis project)

My flight training was conducted via ‘Part 61’ – private flight schools. I earned all of my certificates from 2001-2004. (Private, Instrument, Commercial, Single and Multi Engine… and Flight Instructor)

I will say that for most positions in the Flight Operations (pilot) world a college degree is required, but any will do. (Look at mine… qualified to make movies, argue with people about ‘deep philosophical’ things, and fly commercial aircraft) In my opinion… the college degree doesn’t have anything to do with your flight skills or aptitude, it is just something that companies require. So, as an aside… it is a good idea to get a degree in another marketable skill other than flying. (again… just my opinion) Right now in this market, you have to have the degree. (Except at a few major airlines)

7.In what ways do you find your job stressful?
We are responsible for the safe operation of large equipment, there is built in stress because of the possibility of something going wrong. This is balanced by the training that you receive, and your own dedication to learning your equipment inside and out and performing to the best of your ability.

We are also responsible to many different ‘masters’ – the Company, the FAA, the customer. Balancing safety, efficiency, regulation, and profitability can be stressful. We have standard procedures and extensive flight manuals to combat this – and of course, safety is always the number one value you carry in your toolbox to work.

8.Do you need any special licenses or union membership?
My employer is non-union, so I don’t currently belong. I am a ‘furloughed’ member of the AirLine Pilots Association due to my furlough from Mesa Airlines.

Special licenses… yes:

• Airline Transport Pilot - Airplane Multi Engine Land
• Commercial Pilot / Instrument - Airplane Single Engine Land
• CE-500 Type Rating (Cessna Citation Jet)
• A-320 SIC Type Rating
• DC-9 SIC Type Rating (with MD-80 Differences Course)
• CL-65 SIC Type Rating (CRJ 200/700/900)
• BE-1900 SIC Type Rating
• Certified Flight Instructor – Airplane (Exp. Mar. 2009)

And to earn my “ATP” license I had to hold a Private license, followed by a Commercial license with an instrument rating and have flown a whole lot (1500 minimum) of flight hours before I could even test for the license. All of the qualifications, flight hour, and ground instruction requirements are a simple Google search away.

9.In what ways do you find your job satisfying?
When I have a good landing, when I’ve saved the company fuel, when I’ve flown the optimum route… basically, when I’ve done my job to the best of my ability. Also, and maybe most importantly, when I’ve helped a customer. (help them find a gate, fetch a stroller, made their day by giving a kid wings)

I love my job – now don’t get me wrong, it’s a job… they compensate me for these things and they also compensate me to do my best each and every day. But, I do get great satisfaction when I have utilized my gifts and abilities, with excellence, to the best of my ability at the end of the day.

10.How do you relax in your off time?
These days I’m trying to get back into shape… so I am walking a lot. I read all of the time and am always trying to learn something new. I’m planning on doing some volunteer work – I’m just waiting till I’m based in SoCal to start to be able to dedicate more time to it.

I also spend time with the wife, we go hiking. (and a bunch of other stuff together)

11. How did you get started in your current position?
Ah, the life story… ok let me dig up another old document and do some cutting and pasting:

My aviation career started when my career in Hollywood came to a slow close. Being broke and in my mid 20’s I took a job at a third party cargo handling company (Mercury Air Cargo) where I worked my way up from ‘box slinging/paper pushing cargo agent’ to office and warehouse lead supervising a medium sized crew and I was specifically in charge of individual export flight operations. From there I took a job as evening freight manager with Pacific Air Cargo. I only worked at Pacific for a few months because I was offered a dream job due to what I attribute my easygoing but very professional personality, and a shared interest in the Civil War with the Chief Loadmaster of Southern Air. Working as a traveling Loadmaster for Southern Air… I flew with Southern Air for a bit over two years circling the globe (20 days on and 10 off) and basically living in the back of a 747 for days on end. (12 was my record… but I did get a shower on day 6 of that stint. I did 9 straight once without getting off the plane at all. I really needed to get cleaned up after that.)

When I was a Loadmaster the direction of my aviation career became focused. Most of the crews that I flew with told me that my talent was being wasted doing ground operations – and that I should apply myself and work my way into the cockpit. I agreed wholeheartedly and starting six months after I was on the line as a Loadmaster and continuing up to my furlough date at Southern Air while deployed on trips I worked the flight line. While on my days off I flew as much as I could and earned both my Private and Instrument licenses. Continuing to study and build flight time, I had my Commercial and Instructor (CFI) check rides both scheduled and I was busy writing lesson plans when Southern Air went into bankruptcy in 2003. The furlough was disappointing, but it enabled me to concentrate solely on flying and building experience.

I spent the next 4 years building my time as an independent flight instructor primarily in Los Angeles, CA while at the same time working full time for a freight forwarding company. (I also completed my Bachelors Degree in May of ’04) While working as a flight instructor I built myself a small base of clients - I also advertised my services as an instructor on the internet and built up a small primary student base.


Six months prior to having the minimums for part 121/135 operations I transitioned to instructing full time and began sending my resume out to the regional carriers. It was my goal to build a well rounded resume with a variety of experience in different planes. When faced with the choice of regional carriers to be employed at I chose to go to Midwest Express (Skyway Airlines) flying the Beech 1900 Turboprop. It was my hope that I would fly the 1900 for approx. a year in the right seat, upgrade, build PIC time, upgrade into the other airframe that Skyway flew – the Dornier 328 Jet – gather EFIS/Glass Cockpit/FMS and etc. and then transition to a job somewhere else after ‘paying my dues’ at the regionals for a few years.

After a few months on the line at Skyway all of the flying was being outsourced to another regional – Skywest Airlines. Skyway was destined to go out of business a few months later. I however made the transition over to Mesa Airlines a couple of months before they closed the doors. At Mesa I was assigned to the CRJ. (-200, -700, and -900 models) I was qualified and (I thought) ready to upgrade at Mesa, but due to the economic downturn I missed my opportunity by 3 days due to the company canceling all of the upgrade classes and eventually downsizing by furloughing 400+ pilots over 2009 and 2010.


While at Mesa I became very proficient in all aspects of flight operations. I strove to be the best First Officer and best pilot that I could be while soaking up as much information as I could from the various Captains that I flew with knowing that one day my turn would come. It is a testament to my time at Mesa that after each and every trip that I flew with a Captain they were disappointed to see me go… just about every one of them told me that they would have to go back to being ‘stressed out because now they have to go back to doing their job and watching the guy in the other seat like a hawk.’ They all felt that with the exceptional level of knowledge and positive attitude that I brought to the cockpit that they could ‘relax’ while knowing that the job was being done, and done well from the right side. (As a side note, I knew that I was really ready to upgrade once this started happening after every single trip I flew)

Ok… this is where the old document breaks off since I wrote it a couple of years ago. Let me catch you up…

I was furloughed from Mesa in January of 2010. During my furlough I was able to earn my ATP license (the PhD of flying) and a type rating in the Cessna Citation. This, along with all of the networking that I had done over the years, opened up a lot of doors and I had multiple interviews. I was able to secure a position with USA Jet Airlines later that year. I flew with them for about a year, flying both the DC-9 and MD-80 – doing mostly high profile charters and some cargo flights. Very exciting flying and an opportunity to learn a different side of flight operations than what I was previously exposed to.

I interviewed and was hired with jetBlue this past year.

12.What are some other related jobs you have held in this career field?
Back to my Resume:



ClearedForTheOption.com Flight Training
Flight Instructor
Performed primary flight instruction from the private throughout the commercial level. Administered FAA remedial training programs for pilots in lieu of suspension or revocation of license. Developed training material for private pilot, commercial pilot, and over 15 individual remedial training programs. Maintained and developed a client base through internet marketing. Instructed Aircraft Owners in the safe and efficient operation of technically advanced piston aircraft.

Euro Cargo Express
Agent
Responsible for the west coast operations for an international freight forwarding company specializing in the transportation for the footwear industry. Handled all aspects of over 20 air and ocean shipments per day including shipment tracking, writing of waybills, coordinating customs clearance and local transportation, invoice writing and billing, light sales, and other various customer service functions.

T&G Flying Club
Flight Instructor
Provided primary instruction to club members and walk-ins. Administered flight reviews and pilot proficiency programs. Performed scenic flights and photo flights. Light office duties as assigned by management.

Southern Air Inc.
Instructor Loadmaster / Air Cargo Station Manager
Coordinated and supervised all cargo-related functions associated with assigned flights. Performed Weight and Balance operations on 747-200 aircraft. Supervised all contract cargo buildup and aircraft loading and unloading operations, operated loading equipment as necessary. Worked as an Instructor/Check Loadmaster. Perfumed duties as a traveling crewmember as needed.

Pacific Air Cargo
Evening Operations Manager
In charge of cargo import/export operation for 747-200 freighter flights. Supervised and coordinated operations between all aspects of flights. (Dispatch, catering, ground service personnel, warehouse personnel, fueling, and cargo documentation personnel.) Acted as a sales agent, quoting rates and selling space on flights. Managed flight data database tracking on time performance and flight characteristics. Supervised cargo buildup, breakdown and loading of aircraft.

Mercury Air Cargo
Operations Lead
Supervised cargo export operation for over 400 Cathay Pacific Passenger/Freighter flights. Supervised warehouse crew. Scheduled operation. Tracked revenue and interacted with clients on a daily basis. Extensively downsized and streamlined operation. Coordinated unitization of cargo. Handled and supervised all document preparation/customs clearance for the individual flights.

13.Is there something else you would rather be doing instead of this job?
Nope. That’s an easy one.

14.Are you working toward additional advancement in your field?
Always. There is always something new to learn… it can be as something as simple on how to program the computer of the airplane more efficient. Revisiting basic concepts of flight. Training for the duties that you will perform as the aircraft commander. Anything.

15.What recommendations would you make to a student who is considering your career field?
1.) Do as much research as you can about the aviation field – and take the good news with the bad. There is both… there are people who are very bitter, and there are people who are overly happy. (people have accused me of this…) Learn everything that you can.

2.) Have a backup… or a Plan B. And a Plan C. This doesn’t mean that you have to have an ‘out’ for aviation… it means that you should have some other marketable skills. Like a business degree – or something in the sciences. Maybe computer skills and graphic design skills. The pay is VERY BAD during the beginning of your career. That is a fact of life… if you have a way to supplement that low pay, you will be half way towards getting to your goal. Other skills also equal career advancement… jobs in management, maybe.

3.) Go to college, but get life experience. Research your options and try to start this career as close to debt free as possible. This may mean serving your country – or some other option.

4.) Read Ernest K. Gann. (and other aviation books) Remember, seniority is everything. (and nothing… if you have to start over)

5.) Network, make friends, and network some more.

6.) While young, do some line service jobs… see this profession from the dirty side. Sling bags, gas up aircraft, whatever… the perspective later in life will be worth it. (when you are in a warm cockpit and your co workers are freezing their keister’s off in the snow – you’ll be less inclined to complain from your high horse)

7.) Don’t do anything stupid. This is a job that looks back at your life and asks – ‘have you been responsible?’ Be able to say yes. Don’t drink and drive!!! (ever… that’s good advice for anyone) Don’t get a record.

8.) Pass all of your checkrides the first time… study. (Also, learn the tests… know the examiners – don’t go to an examiner who likes to give out pink slips) Study some more… it’s ok to not know one thing… it’s not ok to not know what you need to demonstrate. And, then study some more.
 
Thats what it's like to work at JetBlue!!!?!?!!? :aghast: How do I get there? My app has been in forever, with current updates every 2-3 weeks. What am I doing wrong Rich?
 
I noticed a couple pilots mentioned having supplemental income to help out with the low pay. My question is do some of you guys have a part-time job when you're not acting as a reserve pilot/on duty, or perhaps a part-time job on your non-flying days? I would think this would be the only way to supplement your income.
 
Computer stuff like programming and graphic design an be done away from home. Some people are descent at playing the stock market game. Others own their own businesses.
 
I am gla to see people are actually helping this student out with honest answers!! Wish I was a airline pilot to put my two cents in!
 
Computer stuff like programming and graphic design an be done away from home. Some people are descent at playing the stock market game. Others own their own businesses.

I was thinking more along the lines of holding some mindless retail job, but those work, too!
 
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