Some Pilot advice.

Bluekurfew

Bluekurfew

Well-Known Member
Hey fellas, well I'm going to be starting school next year at HSU to get my 4 year degree and start my flight training.
I was wondering if you guys could tell me what I can do from here tell I go to school to better prepare me for it ( Such as things I could study and or buy etc.)
Also any advice is more than welcome!
I can't tell you guys how thankful I am for all the help you have giving me. If it wasn't for this community I don't think I would have ever considered being a pilot and fulfilling my childhood dream, and I just want you guys to know that you helped with that! Also took another introductory cause I couldn't shake the urge to fly again! Here's some pictures from that!
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Congratulations on your first flight!

Here's what I wish I did before anything else when I was in your position:

First go to this link http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/media/faa-h-8083-27a.pdf and read all 27 pages.

Then visit this page http://www.faa.gov/pilots/become/and read through all of the links.

That last link has free PDFs of the handbooks you will need to read. There are lots of books you can buy from Jeppesen or Sporty's, but they all basically just repeat in different words the same information. The most important to start with are the Airplane Flying Handbook and the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. As mentioned, these are free on the FAA website, but if you already have an ipad I would go ahead and spend the $75 to get a year subscription to Foreflight. It has a documents section where you can download all of these handbooks as well as the FAR/AIM and it's an extremely useful tool for a multitude of other things.

I did all of my training part 61 and got a lot of mileage out of ASA's ground school DVD's and ASA Oral Exam Guides. I bought a bunch of other stuff before I realized I could have gotten all of those FAA handbooks for free, and would never suggest anyone do that. But come to think of it I think I did buy Sporty's instrument course...and I think I liked it but can't really remember how much of an impact it had except for with DME arcs.lol

I also used MS flight simulator to practice procedures early in my training, as well as shoot approaches, and I used ASA IP Trainer at the beginning of my instrument training. My advice is anecdotal but I believe those saved me some time and money in the plane. Run checklists, practice radio calls and "chair fly" at your desk and it will happen that much faster in the airplane when the Hobbs meter is running.

Now get to studying! It's not only free but will save you (possibly) thousands of dollars compared to someone who half asses it or expects their instructor to spoon feed them. Good luck!

Edit because I can't internet today.
 
I'm an HSU alum! Say hi to Troy from Delia.

The program has changed a great deal since I graduated 13 years ago. The only advice I can offer is - make friends. I'm still in touch with the folks I went to school with, and at some point, we've all helped each other out in one way or another. Your networking begins here. Don't be a jerk. Have fun, but keep up your grades. By all means SHOW UP to your 8am flight lesson.

You're going to have a blast! Good luck, and GO REDDIES!
 
^^^ this This THIS!! ^^^
Most of this is for after you get there, but for now, take bonanzamans advice. It'll help like you wouldn't believe.

Don't be an ass. ( You can totally say ass on here!)
If you must be an ass, be a funny one.
Ask questions. Hang out with everyone in the program and talk about flying. As wildfreightess said, you'll do well to make connections with everyone you can. I've gotten two jobs, basically sight-unseen, because of people I went through HSU with vouching for me.
Study. Seriously.
 
Bluekurfew said:
Hey fellas, well I'm going to be starting school next year at HSU to get my 4 year degree and start my flight training.
I was wondering if you guys could tell me what I can do from here tell I go to school to better prepare me for it ( Such as things I could study and or buy etc.)
Also any advice is more than welcome!
I can't tell you guys how thankful I am for all the help you have giving me. If it wasn't for this community I don't think I would have ever considered being a pilot and fulfilling my childhood dream, and I just want you guys to know that you helped with that! Also took another introductory cause I couldn't shake the urge to fly again! Here's some pictures from that
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Best advice I can give is to not get sidetracked by a woman :)

The second best advice would be to look at the military as an option for flying after school. Realistically you are going to miss this hiring wave as best case you could get on with a major in 6-7 years from now (if airlines are your goal). Do a military stint and wait for the next hiring wave. The advantages down the road are huge in stability, security, insurance costs, and hireability (is that even a word?).

The third is don't limit yourself geographically. Be willing to move for the right jobs.



Typhoonpilot
 
typhoonpilot said:
"The third is don't limit yourself geographically. Be willing to move for the right jobs."



Typhoonpilot
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Like Indonesia??? Lol ;););)
I'm in the Army National Guard as of now been thinking maybe trying to go active again I just don't how that'll workout being in the military full time and trying to work toward on my flight time also. Wish I would have done something different in the military but me being 17 at the time I joined I went "full hoah" and did infantry like a dumbass. Still working on going over to the aviation side of things and get me a slot as crew chief on the UH-60s but that's another story.
 
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Bluekurfew said:
Like Indonesia??? Lol ;););)
I'm in the Army National Guard as of now been thinking maybe trying to go active again I just don't how that'll workout being in the military full time and trying to work toward on my flight time also. Wish I would have done something different in the military but me being 17 at the time I joined I went "full hoah" and did infantry like a dumbass. Still working on going over to the aviation side of things and get me a slot as crew chief on the UH-60s but that's another story.
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Sounds like you're semi-set on completing a 4-year aviation program. If you're starting soon, I wish you luck and second all the advice above. I would just consider this, since you mentioned possibly going back to active duty and if you still want to be a career pilot:

Stay Guard and finish earning your degree (ANY bachelor degree). Guard pay, and a part-time line gig at an FBO would help to satisfy your flying bug. Study for ATSB/AFOQT and go see officer recruiter during senior year. I'm sure you're aware of opportunities in the Army/Guard, but don't let anyone tell you that certain services won't guarantee you a pilot slot prior to you raising your right hand. That holds true for ROTC/Academy guys, not if you go to OCS/OTS. Unless things have changed recently, this holds true for Navy, USMC and USAF.

A good friend of mine from my first squadron had done Army Guard through college, then went to Navy OCS. By the time he finished flight school and the FRS, he was an O-2E > 6yrs and his paycheck was buying a lot more beers than mine was.

Either way, sounds like you've got a solid plan for now. Good luck and have lots of fun!
 
You see I would have never thought about that so do the guard while going to college then maybe go off to OCS and try and be a pilot in the military?
 
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wildfreightess said:
I'm an HSU alum! Say hi to Troy from Delia.

The program has changed a great deal since I graduated 13 years ago. The only advice I can offer is - make friends. I'm still in touch with the folks I went to school with, and at some point, we've all helped each other out in one way or another. Your networking begins here. Don't be a jerk. Have fun, but keep up your grades. By all means SHOW UP to your 8am flight lesson.

You're going to have a blast! Good luck, and GO REDDIES!
Click to expand...

This is very true.

Create a "success circle" because those are the people that you will have for the rest of your career and they're all going to disperse through different levels of aviation.

Some of my drinking partners in college are chief pilots, my former students are managers of pilot selection, fraternity brothers end up CEOs, make friends and maintain the friendships.
 
If you're looking into a professional aviation career, I would buy the FAA instrument flying handbook, or maybe some videos if that's easier, and focusing on IFR flying. Not to say the VFR stuff isn't valuable, but 99.99% of you're career will be IFR.
 
While probably not as fun, consider majoring in something other than aviation, and doing your training on the side. That way if something happens, with your medical or there's a downturn in the industry, you may have a back up.
That being said, there are some things you can do if for some reason you couldn't fly without that second degree. I'm talking about management and training positions.
Have fun in college and remember, a cab will always be cheaper than a DUI.
 
Bluekurfew said:
You see I would have never thought about that so do the guard while going to college then maybe go off to OCS and try and be a pilot in the military?
Click to expand...

Sorry if I was taken out of context here. You had just mentioned going back to active duty but said you didn't know how you would build flight time in that situation. Forgive me, but I've just met a lot of people that have been given bad gouge in their pursuit of a flight slot. I had the best intention of just trying to pass on advice. Didn't mean to insult your intelligence.
 
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