How's everyone doing??!!

[braidkid]

How\'s everyone doing??!!

This is just an attempt to pull everyone together and get our minds off Operation Iraqi Freedom.
So what's new in the flying department. I see a lot of new people on here. So where is everyone in their ratings? What ratings are you currently working on? When will you be finished? What is your timeline or plan to get where you want to go? What's your ultimate goal?

 

[davetheflyer]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

I'm working on not getting furloughed or fired.

The latest word from the MEC is that no further furloughs are expected unless UAL goes bust. Hopefully they can hang on. Dropping oil prices should help.

Other than that, I'm living the dream.

And you?

 

[sbe]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

Great topic, braidkid - what a novel idea, talking about flying!

Where am I in ratings? Currently working on IR. Hope to be finished late spring/early summer (I just recently started). Studying my rear end off for the written.

When will I be finished? Well, given the current economy I've made the decision to pay cash for all my ratings and keep my full time job as long as possible. I plan on spending the rest of this year finishing my IR and building time for my Comm ticket, and to start my Comm ticket by early next year. Then after that is finished, take a couple months off training to save and dig into the multi and CFI stuff.

I'd like to have some fun along the way towards the Comm ticket - get a tailwheel endorsement, maybe a couple aerobatics lessons - I got my ASES rating in December and that was the most fun I've ever had. Simply a blast. I'm in the process of scoping out 152s and the like in my area to use for some time building also - something cheap myself and my boyfriend can make runs in for dinner this summer. I'm planning on a trip up to Meigs, too, which'll take care of the long x/c req for my Comm.

Besides that, I'm marketing the crud out of my freelance graphic/web design co. to help pay for it all. I may even look into a part time ramp job or FBO office job too - I've come to the conclusion I'm not totally happy unless my schedule is impossibly full.

But this sure makes for one great adventure.

My ultimate goal? Fly for a living someday. Not sure where, what, or with whom - I'm keeping the options open.

Sarah

 

[braidkid]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

Urghh, I'm studying my brains out for my CFI checkride April 29th. I'm so nervous about it and trying to be as prepared as possible. I want that rating more than anything in the world right now and I'm terrified that I might fail or that it will take longer to get it. Anyway, if all goes to plan, I plan to have my CFI by end of April, CFII by end of June and then all of my multi licenses by end of summer. Then it will be 2-3 years of instructing. My plan is to get around 1500 TT and 100 multi time and then hopefully get a job flying freight or if I'm REAL lucky, a regional job. I think my ultimate goal would be captain for a regional. Of course the majors would be nice but the seniority of a regional and $80k-$100k/year sounds just fine for me!!!!

Actually it would be nice if I can make what I'm making in my current engineering job flying for a living.
That's my story, how bout the rest of you...

 

[braidkid]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

I know what you mean Sarah about keeping the full time job. It sucks because i wish I could just be a bum and hang out at the airport all day but unfortunately the finances won't allow that. I drive an old clunker but unfortunately made the decision to buy a house last year (big mistake doing flight training at the same time).
Anyway, at least the job is paying for the ratings and I'm not in debt YET!!!

 

[I_Money]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

Trying to remember how to do it.

 

[pilot602]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

Check my sig

Seriously, I've got my IA checkride tentatively scheduled - for the third friggin' time, no less - for mid April. Then it'll be a qucik transition to the Commercial (almost ready to take the written now and within in an arm's length of the hourly requirements). After which I'm going for my CFI-I - so I can give my brother his IA, and while we're working on that I''ll be workign on my CFI-ME (or MEI).

After that it's just a matter of finding a way to get the SE/COMM, CFI-SE add-ons and conning someone into paying me to do this stuff.

And, for now, that's as far as I'm planning ...

 

[FLYMcDoofer]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

Working on the Instrument but at the moment looking forward to the weekend!

 

[braidkid]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

wow, sounds like you got a lot of food on your plate pilot602. That sounds like a different way of going about things doing the CFII first and then adding the CFI ASEL afterwards.
I'm hoping the CFII goes smoother than the CFI. I've heard that the initial instructor's rating is the toughest and the ones after that aren't as bad.
Good luck on your checkride next month!!

 

[sbe]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

[ QUOTE ]
I know what you mean Sarah about keeping the full time job. It sucks because i wish I could just be a bum and hang out at the airport all day but unfortunately the finances won't allow that.

[/ QUOTE ]

I know, I hear you there. As I said, in addition to my full time position I have a small side business, plus am considering adding another part time job...esp. if it gets me around airplanes.

Given the current industry situation, I'm trying to take things slow and not give up anything I don't have to right away...see where things end up.

 

[pilot602]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

I do all my flying/training in a twin so it's only because of the aircraft that I'm doing it in the "reverse" order.

 

[braidkid]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

[ QUOTE ]
I do all my flying/training in a twin so it's only because of the aircraft that I'm doing it in the "reverse" order.



[/ QUOTE ]

Sweet, so how many multi hours do you have now?

 

[pilot602]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

As of Wednesday night I think I finally broke 200.

 

[jtrain609]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

I'm working on a whole lotta nothing right now. A research paper today and I'm not sure what's on my plate tomorrow. Simply put, I'm trying to get through my sophmore year of college before I get to the flying stuff this summer. Then going headlong into the commercial/CFI.

Cheers


John Herreshoff

 

[Virusss]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

[ QUOTE ]
Im working on my blah blah blah blah

[/ QUOTE ]
I wish I was working on something too

Too bad no one is hiring.

 

[flying_ME]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

nada, zip, zilch... 0 hours so far, but I have a plan.

My original plan was to drop the engineering and go all out right up to the majors, but that was before I found out how tough that path is. You Jetcareer's folks have really given me a ton of info which has helped me to form a new plan that unfortunately doesn't lead to a new aviation career. Now don't get me wrong, you guys didn't squash my dreams.. you actually helped me out quite a bit by exposing some of the realities of the civilian path to the cockpit (just want to sneak in a big thanks to Doug for the website).

My future wife has given me the go ahead to go for my ppl after we get married (can you believe she put the wedding before flying on the priority list??? I'll never figure women out

). But since we just bought a house and are planning on popping out some kids, the pay and hours in the early stages of an aviation career just wouldn't work out. She was also worried about the long hours away from home if I ever did make it to the majors.

So that leaves me as a full time engineer (good pay) with a ppl (fun and happiness). Now to help offset some of the cost of recreational flying, I was hoping to go for CFI and instruct part time. Does this make sense? Is there a preferred path, e.g. do I have to get my instrument first then CFI or can I hop right to CFI and use that to help pay for instrument and multi ratings?

Thanks

 

[ready2fly]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

Believe it or not (by reading my posts), I'm doing really well:

1. Great married life. Great wife. Two great dogs and a great cat. Great house. Coming up on my one-year anniversary next week and my birthday the week after. Life is good.

2. Have a great job with an aviation law firm - 18th floor - office has two "walls" that are window from floor to ceiling - incredible view - paid well.

3. Have a great instructor who has me chomping at the bit to take the Instrument checkride in about 3 to4 weeks after I've gotten to that magic 50 hours of x/c time.

4. Taking the Instrument-Airplane, CFII and IGI writtens on Sunday. Nervous as hell, but looking forward to having all three behind me.

5. Finally feeling confident in my abilities to fly.... which I have to admit ... took a while to arrive at.

6. Financially, never been better in my entire life! Better enjoy it now before I go broke next year (hopefully) when I begin instructing.

That's all I can think of.

R2F

 

[farwellbooth]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

I'm about 15 hours into my IR. Studying for my written and getting spanked in the air... lots of ice, turb, actual etc. in Oregon. That's my excuse for my inadequate performance anyways! I work outside of aviation and not sure what my future role will be but certain I will be going up in some capacity. The craziness of this industry just blows my mind. Sorry to be negative but US Airways losing their pensions? on and on

 

[braidkid]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

John- Sounds like you're pretty busy. I know how tough it is to do the flying and school at the same time. I've put off my masters until I'm done with my ratings and who knows when I'll be able to finish it.

Pilot602- Sweet deal on the multi time. I'll trade ya my 280 single engine hours for your 200 multi hours!!!

flying_ME- as for getting your CFI before your instrument?? I'm not sure if that is possible. I don't believe it is. The normal progression is student, private, instrument, commercial, CFI, CFII.

Glad to hear everyone is still chugging along.

 

[E_Dawg]

Re: How\'s everyone doing??!!

[ QUOTE ]
Better enjoy it now before I go broke next year (hopefully)

[/ QUOTE ]

You hope you go broke? I must be living your dream!

And Flying_ME; the instrument rating is a requirement for the CFI, and it might as well be one for the commercial if you plan on flying people.

----


I guess it's my turn:

Taking a few community college classes; I'm not exactly the type who loves running off to class but hey who is. Hope to transfer to UCSB... on the coast of Socal (great weather); away from the pollution; and home to the hottest girls on the planet. (majoring in Psych so I'll really stand out of the crowd if the flying thing dosen't work...)

As for flying: the instrument is a blast but a pain to study for; I've got a pile of books in my room that I need to study or at least flip through before taking 'the test'. Rumor has it my DE is a detail oriented guy; he asked my instructor what exactly they check for on an ELT inspection (BTW 1: shock sensitivity; 2: battery condition 3: transmission strength and 4: dunno but I better find out).

Job: work at a coffee shop making beans for a living (no, really). But hey it pays for flying so I'm happy.

Overall I can't complain about ANYTHING.... Lovin life and doing great!