Future freight dog

[Galaitoto]

Hello I just passed my commercial sel checkride. I'm starting to hit the books to get my CFI at this time. I'm excited about being able to teach someday soon but my final goal after teaching is working for westair flying boxes in the caravans. Freight is already in my blood because I have been driving it and delivering it for 10 years, now I want to fly it. So that's it for my first post here.

 

[MikeD]

Just build up time in at least some complex SEL; most places look for about a 2000 hr TT minimum, though that varies. Congrats and good goals there.

 

[Galaitoto]

Just build up time in at least some complex SEL; most places look for about a 2000 hr TT minimum, though that varies. Congrats and good goals there.

Cool thanks man. I've got a ways to go but ill get there, just not soon enough

 

[Cal Goat]

If you haven't started smoking or dipping, now would be an ideal time to perfect your habit.

 

[Galaitoto]

If you haven't started smoking or dipping, now would be an ideal time to perfect your habit.

Lol, does snus count?

 

[Cal Goat]

Lol, does snus count?

Only if you can accidentally spit it into your coffee cup some dark, cold morning in the cockpit.

 

[Galaitoto]

Only if you can accidentally spit it into your coffee cup some dark, cold morning in the cockpit.

As long as I don't spill my coffee

 

[Cal Goat]

As long as I don't spill my coffee

CORRECT. Sounds like you're ready.

 

[Galaitoto]

CORRECT. Sounds like you're ready.

I've got plenty of cup holders ready to go, you know the kind u make by stacking two rolls of packaging tape on top of each other then taping those to the dash?

 

[ppragman]

How much time do you have?

 

[Galaitoto]

How much time do you have?

I got a long long ways. 267 hrs and logging every second. What would u recommend between cfi and diver driver to get some hours?

 

[ppragman]

I got a long long ways. 267 hrs and logging every second. What would u recommend between cfi and diver driver to get some hours?

Probably CFI. Though if you could "diver drive" to 500hrs, you could probably find work up here in Alaska until you had IFR 135 mins.

 

[Galaitoto]

Probably CFI. Though if you could "diver drive" to 500hrs, you could probably find work up here in Alaska until you had IFR 135 mins.

Ok then cfi it is. Welcome to study nightmare

 

[ppragman]

Ok then cfi it is. Welcome to study nightmare

I'm not one to talk, I never got my CFI, but in terms of what will serve you well in the future, that's probably better than "diver driving" though arguably less fun, and you'll probably be less familiar with the stick and rudder portion of flying, you'll know more than enough to get a freight job by the time you hit 1200hrs.

 

[Galaitoto]

I'm not one to talk, I never got my CFI, but in terms of what will serve you well in the future, that's probably better than "diver driving" though arguably less fun, and you'll probably be less familiar with the stick and rudder portion of flying, you'll know more than enough to get a freight job by the time you hit 1200hrs.

I agree, my mind says take the more fun route but my gut feeling ( aka always the right one) says to instruct.

 

[Tommay85]

My 2 cents and it may be hard to get as well. Aerial survey is where it's at for the low time guy. As much as I say that I love freight dogs, I bow down and tremble at the knees to aerial survey pilots. Short of getting shot at in the military, I can thing of nothing more difficult than that as a pilot. That being said, there's only a handful of companies out there that do nationwide survey work and are very competitive to get.

After 700 hours of CFIing, I felt no better than the 250 hour students that were finishing up. Aerial survey will get you hours AND experience. I literally value NOTHING from those 700 hours as a CFI. Absolutely nothing. Which is a lot of the reason why I talk so much smack about the "normal" path to "success". To be honest, that survey flying(what I did at least) is WAY more difficult than anything the freight world will throw at you. From an operational stand point at the very least. Sure, the Metro(and many other airplanes under the sun) can be difficult airplanes, but ADM is a cake walk compared to ADM in a 172. If you can handle survey flying safely, legally, and efficiently. Nothing in the civilian world will ever be a challenge. For better or for worse... @z987k may or may not agree.

My opinion is based on my experience as a CFI, aerial survey pilot, and piston single/multi and turbine freight flying.

 

[nocturnalaviator]

My 2 cents and it may be hard to get as well. Aerial survey is where it's at for the low time guy. As much as I say that I love freight dogs, I bow down and tremble at the knees to aerial survey pilots. Short of getting shot at in the military, I can thing of nothing more difficult than that as a pilot. That being said, there's only a handful of companies out there that do nationwide survey work and are very competitive to get.

After 700 hours of CFIing, I felt no better than the 250 hour students that were finishing up. Aerial survey will get you hours AND experience. I literally value NOTHING from those 700 hours as a CFI. Absolutely nothing. Which is a lot of the reason why I talk so much smack about the "normal" path to "success". To be honest, that survey flying(what I did at least) is WAY more difficult than anything the freight world will throw at you. From an operational stand point at the very least. Sure, the Metro(and may other airplanes under the sun) can be difficult airplanes, but ADM is a cake walk compared to ADM in a 172. If you can handle survey flying safely, legally, and efficiently. Nothing in the civilian world will ever be a challenge. For better or for worse... @z987k may or may not agree.

My opinion is based on my experience as a CFI, aerial survey pilot, and piston single/multi and turbine freight flying.

Listen to this man. It's good advice. I've hired a few CFIs from ATP and a jump pilot. All value the experience and challenge that awaits them. They don't teach you the thinking or stick n rudder skills in school that are necessary for the job. Sometimes what you were taught not to do, you realize can be done safely. The instructor was just young and ignorant with SJS.

Ok then cfi it is. Welcome to study nightmare

And why CFI for the sake of instructing?! Please, don't just do it for hours. There are enough of those who really bring a bad name to the training world. Teaching is a dedication, not a means to an end. (especially since it takes a lot of work to keep that CFI) Do it because you want to, not because you think you have to. I'm doing my FIRC in a hotel room, yup still keep my CFI because I love to learn and teach others. PM me for more. I'm the CP of a survey company in PNE. I'm currently in Alaska flying lidar in a Navajo panther so if you're interested you can talk to my ass chief back in the office. Otherwise it may take me a bit to respond.

From Philly to Anchorage Alaska single pilot... how's that for adventure and IFR SRM?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[z987k]

My 2 cents and it may be hard to get as well. Aerial survey is where it's at for the low time guy. As much as I say that I love freight dogs, I bow down and tremble at the knees to aerial survey pilots. Short of getting shot at in the military, I can thing of nothing more difficult than that as a pilot. That being said, there's only a handful of companies out there that do nationwide survey work and are very competitive to get.

After 700 hours of CFIing, I felt no better than the 250 hour students that were finishing up. Aerial survey will get you hours AND experience. I literally value NOTHING from those 700 hours as a CFI. Absolutely nothing. Which is a lot of the reason why I talk so much smack about the "normal" path to "success". To be honest, that survey flying(what I did at least) is WAY more difficult than anything the freight world will throw at you. From an operational stand point at the very least. Sure, the Metro(and many other airplanes under the sun) can be difficult airplanes, but ADM is a cake walk compared to ADM in a 172. If you can handle survey flying safely, legally, and efficiently. Nothing in the civilian world will ever be a challenge. For better or for worse... @z987k may or may not agree.

My opinion is based on my experience as a CFI, aerial survey pilot, and piston single/multi and turbine freight flying.

I can't really say how worthless CFIing is from first hand experience, since I have none, but I generally agree with Tom on things. You will learn a lot crossing the country in a under powered aircraft in all weather. Opportunity to make bad decisions and fix them. ACTUALLY be a PIC, that's probably the biggest one.

 

[Galaitoto]

My 2 cents and it may be hard to get as well. Aerial survey is where it's at for the low time guy. As much as I say that I love freight dogs, I bow down and tremble at the knees to aerial survey pilots. Short of getting shot at in the military, I can thing of nothing more difficult than that as a pilot. That being said, there's only a handful of companies out there that do nationwide survey work and are very competitive to get.

After 700 hours of CFIing, I felt no better than the 250 hour students that were finishing up. Aerial survey will get you hours AND experience. I literally value NOTHING from those 700 hours as a CFI. Absolutely nothing. Which is a lot of the reason why I talk so much smack about the "normal" path to "success". To be honest, that survey flying(what I did at least) is WAY more difficult than anything the freight world will throw at you. From an operational stand point at the very least. Sure, the Metro(and many other airplanes under the sun) can be difficult airplanes, but ADM is a cake walk compared to ADM in a 172. If you can handle survey flying safely, legally, and efficiently. Nothing in the civilian world will ever be a challenge. For better or for worse... @z987k may or may not agree.

My opinion is based on my experience as a CFI, aerial survey pilot, and piston single/multi and turbine freight flying.

Would you know of any companies in the Socal area that I should look into? P.S.. My cats breath smells like a dead animal

 

[Galaitoto]

Listen to this man. It's good advice. I've hired a few CFIs from ATP and a jump pilot. All value the experience and challenge that awaits them. They don't teach you the thinking or stick n rudder skills in school that are necessary for the job. Sometimes what you were taught not to do, you realize can be done safely. The instructor was just young and ignorant with SJS.



And why CFI for the sake of instructing?! Please, don't just do it for hours. There are enough of those who really bring a bad name to the training world. Teaching is a dedication, not a means to an end. (especially since it takes a lot of work to keep that CFI) Do it because you want to, not because you think you have to. I'm doing my FIRC in a hotel room, yup still keep my CFI because I love to learn and teach others. PM me for more. I'm the CP of a survey company in PNE. I'm currently in Alaska flying lidar in a Navajo panther so if you're interested you can talk to my ass chief back in the office. Otherwise it may take me a bit to respond.

From Philly to Anchorage Alaska single pilot... how's that for adventure and IFR SRM?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Great points. Too be honest I really like the idea of teaching and teaching is what I wanted to do, but I started to feel that I don't neccesarily like the current system of the newbies such as myself teaching other newbies. To me teaching should be much more valued and something that should be attractive to veteran pilots. I want to really learn how to fly before I attempt to teach students, I want to have real flying experience before I attempt to teach someone. I am interested in your type of flying. Would I address my tiny resume to " ass chief"