Advice for young pilots

Boris Badenov

Boris Badenov

Fortis Leader
First off, this will insufferably preachy. If you can't hang, don't feel any obilgation, just hit "back". I would have thrown things at myself when I was your age, too. Second, it's meant to be an "add-on" thread. I'll say some insufferably preachy things, and then, with any luck, some others will do the same. With the boilerplate laid down:

1) You will always have to make political decisions, however minor they might be. Do not allow these political decisions to become yourself or your reputation. Whatever you think of who you're dealing with, they're a human being who has likely been through at least as much bad stuff as you have.
2) Whatever you think you know, you actually know way, way less than that.
3) If you're afraid in an airplane, stop doing whatever you're doing. Right now. Revisit later.
4) Maintain a healthy disrespect for the Conventional Wisdom, but never go against it just to show that you can. There's a difference between "free-thinking" and "being a self-impressed jerk", but it's a thin difference.
5) However mad you are about someone else's opinion, no matter how asinine it might be, take a step back and consider what's useful about that opinion. As in "OK, clearly it's dumb to say that VFR pilots should only fly in 5 knot crosswinds and CAVU days...but...why would someone say that?" There is always a reason, and there's always a perspective to hear.
6) Whoever is your Personal Boogeyman...they have pretty much the same biology that you do. They didn't drop out of the sky unbidden to make your life worse. For some, it's GoJet F/Os or RiddleAces. For others, it's Crusty A-holes failing to retire so you can move up. Regardless, they're a lot more like you than you think they are.
7) Don't fly in to the red. It's bad for you. Trust me on this one. It never gets any better.

I look forward to this thread turning in to a raging conflagration of various interested parties zinging each other on perceived slights. Because that's what will probably happen. But that's not what it's about, FYI.

Ok, Game on.
 
Clearly you are a crochety old man. Now hurry up and retire, ya fossil!
 
After reading all your posts i've decided i'm making you my god seeing how i don't have one. :D
 
"3) If you're afraid in an airplane, stop doing whatever you're doing. Right now. Revisit later."

I had to laugh when I saw that one. I'd agree, in general. But, many years ago I worked with this kid who seemed scared to death in the airplane (maybe intimidated is a better word) to the point it seemed to effect his judgement and ability to act as master of the machine. I came very close to telling him he should pursue another line of work. But I kept my mouth shut. Today, he is a Capt flying 121 and I think he's good at it....

I'm so glad I kept my mouth shut....

The moral of the story is, I guess you never know....


Boris Badenov said:
First off, this will insufferably preachy. If you can't hang, don't feel any obilgation, just hit "back". I would have thrown things at myself when I was your age, too. Second, it's meant to be an "add-on" thread. I'll say some insufferably preachy things, and then, with any luck, some others will do the same. With the boilerplate laid down:

1) You will always have to make political decisions, however minor they might be. Do not allow these political decisions to become yourself or your reputation. Whatever you think of who you're dealing with, they're a human being who has likely been through at least as much bad stuff as you have.
2) Whatever you think you know, you actually know way, way less than that.
3) If you're afraid in an airplane, stop doing whatever you're doing. Right now. Revisit later.
4) Maintain a healthy disrespect for the Conventional Wisdom, but never go against it just to show that you can. There's a difference between "free-thinking" and "being a self-impressed jerk", but it's a thin difference.
5) However mad you are about someone else's opinion, no matter how asinine it might be, take a step back and consider what's useful about that opinion. As in "OK, clearly it's dumb to say that VFR pilots should only fly in 5 knot crosswinds and CAVU days...but...why would someone say that?" There is always a reason, and there's always a perspective to hear.
6) Whoever is your Personal Boogeyman...they have pretty much the same biology that you do. They didn't drop out of the sky unbidden to make your life worse. For some, it's GoJet F/Os or RiddleAces. For others, it's Crusty A-holes failing to retire so you can move up. Regardless, they're a lot more like you than you think they are.
7) Don't fly in to the red. It's bad for you. Trust me on this one. It never gets any better.

I look forward to this thread turning in to a raging conflagration of various interested parties zinging each other on perceived slights. Because that's what will probably happen. But that's not what it's about, FYI.

Ok, Game on.
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I have a three-four hour layover in ATL on Monday. You better be available for a late dinner and beer.
 
I'll add a few things ive learned the hard way in my limited experience.

No matter how loose it looks, snow wont "blow" off the plane when you go to take off.

If a guy is giving you the stink eye on the ramp, his "problem" is probably the 500 approach plates you threw out your window that just fell off your horizontal stabilizer.

Just because you can go SVFR at 500ft and 1SM, doesn't make it a good idea.

If you ever have to justify something you did in the plane, you probably shouldnt have done it.

You might think you're the best, but theres always someone out there who wont have a problem humbling you.

Nobody really believes that you found a hole after 3 planes just went missed.

If your boss/Chief Pilot is wrong, you wont help yourself by proving him wrong, he probably still wont admit it anyway.
 
Roger said:
Clearly you are a crochety old man. Now hurry up and retire, ya fossil!
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I'm told that in order to retire, one must have a...Yob. You will be the first to know when I'm employed so that you can start marking the days till I get the hell out of the way. ;)

bksslc said:
After reading all your posts i've decided i'm making you my god seeing how i don't have one. :D
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Here at the Church of the Eternal Jackass, we accept Mastercard, Visa, and Diner's Club. Tithe often!

DE727UPS said:
I had to laugh when I saw that one. I'd agree, in general. But...
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Yeah, upon re-reading, that's the one Holy Scripture (haha) that I would revise. I did a lot of things that scared the poop out of me along the line, and I'll probably do a few more. I guess I meant...immediately. If you're not comfortable doing something, stop doing it. Doesn't mean you won't have to do it later, because you almost certainly will (assuming it's legal).

jhugz said:
I have a three-four hour layover in ATL on Monday. You better be available for a late dinner and beer.
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I'm afraid that I'm once again a nominal resident of the great state of Missouri, although I'm sort of in the wind ATM. If you should find yourself in Da STL, I will happily drink you under the table and write things on your face in sharpy, though.

Now, really, oracle though I am, I require further bullet points for the yunguns. Let's hear some wisdom from the JC.
 
Just because "it's always done that" or "all of these planes are like that" doesn't mean it's right.

Hypoxia and fatigue: by the time you scare yourself bad enough to notice that you have one, you're waaaay past dangerous.
 
Don't take advise from someone who is not where you are trying to be in life. The advise may be good but it may not get you where you want to go.
 
I'll add a couple from my personal experience:

1) Passenger connections and freight take a second place to safety. Neither is worth risking your life or certificate for.

2) When you're PIC, everyone else goes at your pace. Period. Operations, dispatch, ramp crew, gate agents, etc. will all try to push you to get out on time or early. Don't cave to them. Complete what you need to complete, be it checklists, reviewing weather, etc. You go when you're ready, not them. You might not make friends this way, but you'll be safe and they'll respect you for it.
 
Boris Badenov said:
I'm afraid that I'm once again a nominal resident of the great state of Missouri, although I'm sort of in the wind ATM. If you should find yourself in Da STL, I will happily drink you under the table and write things on your face in sharpy, though.
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Welcome back. Too bad you didn't bring some warmer weather. Stop by FLX some time.

As always great advice from Mr. Badenov
 
-It doesn't matter what you do, how you do it, how long you do it for, how much education you get, or what your experiences are: somebody, most likely a pilot, will tell that you're wrong because of any of the reasons listed in the first sentence. Once you get to the point they are/were at when they told you this, they will now tell you that you're STILL not good enough, and not as good as them.

These people have many colorful names, but largely they're known as pilots. The moral of the story? Know what you know, and KNOW THAT YOU KNOW IT. More importantly, know what you don't know. Having an idea of where you stand in an airplane is paramount, in my mind, to staying alive.

-Listen to the old dudes, they got where they are for a reason. At the same time, if they advocate you do something that is stupid/illegal/really stupid, then don't do it. This attaches to the whole "Know what you know, and know that you know it" thing.

-You're not as good as you think you are. You're not as good looking as you think you are. Just because you passed the checkride does not mean you're safe for line operations, it menas you passed the checkride. You picked up some valuable things in training and you need to remember these things and apply them; but at this point, it could be more important to know what you don't know in the airplanes.

-Oh and while you THINK you know what you'll do when the plane is falling out of the sky, you don't know what you'll ACTUALLY do until it happens a few times. This is why people say experience is so important. You can SIMULATE an emergency, but take it from a guy who thought he was going to burn alive in a freighter at 3:00 a.m. one night, it isn't the same until you see the fuel dripping into the cockpit.

Balancing these things out is an art, and you will screw it up. Take things in stride, and try to stay alive long enough to learn as much as you need to survive. It is an unfortunate fact that you or some of your buddies will not survive long enough to get the answers you need, but thems the breaks.
 
Never, Never, Never burn a bridge..........If you disagree walk away
Contacts are EVERYTHING in this industry, so see number 1
Never Blindly believe everything the managment tells you (they have an agenda)
Never Blindly believe everything the union tells you (they also have an agenda)
Never Blindly believe everything you tell yourself...you are capable of being wrong
You are entitled to absolutely NOTHING....despite what you were told somewhere along the way.
The whole truth is always somewhere in the middle.
You do not have to like every guy you fly with but leave your personal issues on the ground and off the flightdeck.
No matter how hard you think you had it getting here, someone else worked just as hard, you are not the first to sacrifice for a love of flying.
Airline Pilots tend to be Type A personalities, so someone eventually will piss you off, deal with it...
There are many more airplanes than the 777. Just because it isnt a jet, does not make it uncool to fly..."THIS IS A JOB", albeit a fun one. If you want to be cool, become an aerobatic pilot...:)

Always have a savings account, for it is not if you get furloughed, it is WHEN...it will happen in your career.

and finally, a little bleach, starch, iron and a hat make you look professional...so use them
 
jtrain609
-Oh and while you THINK you know what you'll do when the plane is falling out of the sky, you don't know what you'll ACTUALLY do until it happens a few times. This is why people say experience is so important. You can SIMULATE an emergency, but take it from a guy who thought he was going to burn alive in a freighter at 3:00 a.m. one night, it isn't the same until you see the fuel dripping into the cockpit.
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Is this a story I should remember hearing?
 
dvtpilot said:
Is this a story I should remember hearing?
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Probably haven't tossed that one around on the forum, though you may have heard it. I kept having airplanes break on me in really interesting ways, though it all had to do with bad luck, not bad MX. I think I had 5 air returns in 250 hours?

That was just one of them.
 
If I may add one...

When the weekend warrior says he does not have a visual but has you on TCAS, he does not have you.
 
I am young, and don't have much time (only 2700ish TT) but here's what I've learned.

The dude with the most PIC time is usually right.
Your friends will die.
You can fly through literally everything if you're properly equipped and willing, that doesn't mean you have to.
 
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