Flying the Line (2)
- Thread starter Tommay85
- Start date
Mr_Creepy
Well-Known Member
I would define a professional pilot as one who:
a) Is for hire.
b) Does not fly for "free" when the job should be paid.
c) Maintains standards to those of Commercial or ATP certificate.
d) Is current and qualified in his aircraft.
e) Maintains integrity.
"e" has a lot of room for interpretation there
a) Is for hire.
b) Does not fly for "free" when the job should be paid.
c) Maintains standards to those of Commercial or ATP certificate.
d) Is current and qualified in his aircraft.
e) Maintains integrity.
"e" has a lot of room for interpretation there
[ QUOTE ]
I would define a professional pilot as one who:
a) Is for hire.
b) Does not fly for "free" when the job should be paid.
c) Maintains standards to those of Commercial or ATP certificate.
d) Is current and qualified in his aircraft.
e) Maintains integrity.
"e" has a lot of room for interpretation there
[/ QUOTE ]
I'd agree with that.
Guys that fly for free make it hard for us all.
When I was a CFI in California, there was another CFI who borrowed some cash from his parents, purchased a Cherokee 180 and started a one-man, one-aircraft flight school.
At first, he'd offer free flight instruction and a $20/hr rate for the aircraft and students flocked to this guys business. But the quality of the instruction was so poor and maintenance so lax that we'd end up getting a lot of his current and former students at our flight school.
More or less, XXX was taking a loss, just in order to build flight time quickly and really didn't care whether or not his students were prepared or not.
When we'd tell them that the C-152s were $41/hr and the C-172's were $59/hr with a $25/hr rate for an instructor, I've never heard "Waa waa waaa, XXX charges $20/hr for everything, why do you guys charge so much?"
$41 for a 152, $59 for a 172 and $25/hr for flight instruction were among the lowest prices in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1995!
It got to the point where I stopped trying to defend our rates and tell the students, "If you think you're getting such a smoking deal, don't let me stand in the way!"
Turns out that XXX wasn't doing required maintenance on the aircraft, never passed a single student. He made enough flight time and borrowed some more money to pay for Twin Otter training in the Carribean for a "pay for training" outfit, but after his check cleared on the second day of ground school, the owner closed up shop, locked the doors and disappeared.
I would define a professional pilot as one who:
a) Is for hire.
b) Does not fly for "free" when the job should be paid.
c) Maintains standards to those of Commercial or ATP certificate.
d) Is current and qualified in his aircraft.
e) Maintains integrity.
"e" has a lot of room for interpretation there
[/ QUOTE ]
I'd agree with that.
Guys that fly for free make it hard for us all.
When I was a CFI in California, there was another CFI who borrowed some cash from his parents, purchased a Cherokee 180 and started a one-man, one-aircraft flight school.
At first, he'd offer free flight instruction and a $20/hr rate for the aircraft and students flocked to this guys business. But the quality of the instruction was so poor and maintenance so lax that we'd end up getting a lot of his current and former students at our flight school.
More or less, XXX was taking a loss, just in order to build flight time quickly and really didn't care whether or not his students were prepared or not.
When we'd tell them that the C-152s were $41/hr and the C-172's were $59/hr with a $25/hr rate for an instructor, I've never heard "Waa waa waaa, XXX charges $20/hr for everything, why do you guys charge so much?"
$41 for a 152, $59 for a 172 and $25/hr for flight instruction were among the lowest prices in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1995!
It got to the point where I stopped trying to defend our rates and tell the students, "If you think you're getting such a smoking deal, don't let me stand in the way!"
Turns out that XXX wasn't doing required maintenance on the aircraft, never passed a single student. He made enough flight time and borrowed some more money to pay for Twin Otter training in the Carribean for a "pay for training" outfit, but after his check cleared on the second day of ground school, the owner closed up shop, locked the doors and disappeared.
mrivc211
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
It got to the point where I stopped trying to defend our rates and tell the students, "If you think you're getting such a smoking deal, don't let me stand in the way
[/ QUOTE ]
Everytime the rates go up for the airplanes and I hear people complain naturally, all I have to say to them is, "if you don't like it, you can go across the field where they charge $10 more for the same plane". That usually shuts them up.
It got to the point where I stopped trying to defend our rates and tell the students, "If you think you're getting such a smoking deal, don't let me stand in the way
[/ QUOTE ]
Everytime the rates go up for the airplanes and I hear people complain naturally, all I have to say to them is, "if you don't like it, you can go across the field where they charge $10 more for the same plane". That usually shuts them up.
IrishSheepdog
Sitting in the median
[ QUOTE ]
I would define a professional pilot as one who:
a) Is for hire.
b) Does not fly for "free" when the job should be paid.
c) Maintains standards to those of Commercial or ATP certificate.
d) Is current and qualified in his aircraft.
e) Maintains integrity.
"e" has a lot of room for interpretation there
[/ QUOTE ]
f) Has a big watch.
I would define a professional pilot as one who:
a) Is for hire.
b) Does not fly for "free" when the job should be paid.
c) Maintains standards to those of Commercial or ATP certificate.
d) Is current and qualified in his aircraft.
e) Maintains integrity.
"e" has a lot of room for interpretation there
[/ QUOTE ]
f) Has a big watch.
ClipperPilot
New Member
I work at my flight school as a customer service agent, the response most customers have regarding our prices are usually good, thats because we do have low rates, but we do maintain our airplanes beyond what is required, i vacuum each plane everyday, windex the instruments, we even make the seat belts in a nice pattern on the seat. We do take pride in our aircraft (2 C152, 1 IFR, - 2 C172, 1 RG) Four in total. Occasionally ill get the, why so expensive, but then again, i am paying also for my training, so its a view on both ends of the spectrum, but i get lower rates and my CFI takes me up just for the hell of it a lot so i build free time.
ClipperPilot
New Member
P.S. Doug, please tell lain to remove this retarded pic from my name, i just wanted a regional turbo prop or regional jet, anything but this thing. lol
