New pilot, need advice

flyboywbl

flyboywbl

3rd regional in 1 year
Hi every one. I just got my private license in December of 07 and now i'm working on my instrument and multi engine add on in a diamond star DA-42. I'm currently enrolled in the Montana State University COT aviation program. It's a two year associates degree program where i will have my Commercial rating, instrument rating, multi rating, CFI, CFII, and MEI. I'm also going to school to get my Bachelors in Business. My ultimate goal is to fly jets for hire. I really don't care if it's for the airlines, cargo, or charters. I was just wondering what my options are right out of school in the spring of 09. I'll probably have close to 300 hours at that point if i keep flying like i am. I would love to avoid doing the CFI thing and jump right into the right seat and log hours that way. until i can get my 1500 hours and get an ATP. I've been doing some research on places like Jet U that garintee a job after graduation. I've read alot about staying away from places like those. I guess in a nutshell i'm asking whats the fastest way into the right seat of a jet (not going the military route that is).
thanks for the info
-Matt
 
Congratulations on your private pilot's license and your commitment to obtaining a 4-year degree. That's quite admirable, and I would first suggest that you do not allow flying to interfere with completion of your bachelor's degree.

Since you asked for advice, I will immediately make a second recommendation: Enjoy the journey! Do not get terribly caught up in attaining that sacred right-seat in a CRJ. If your goal is simply to "get a job" immediately after graduating, you can do that in almost any field without the expense and risk that comes along with a career in aviation. If you want to fly for a living, learn to love flying in and of itself. Jets are overrated, and when you start flying them for money you're just another monkey. Unless you love the flying, you'll hate the job.

That's all I've got. Plenty of others will chime in on JetU and the likes. You might also find some good advice by using the search function on this site.

Good luck and welcome aboard.
 
I'll start it off and tell you what everyone else will.

#1. Get you education, preferably a 4 year degee if you want to make it to a major.

#2. Don't be in such a rush, your not gonna miss the hiring boom. Get your CFI's and INSTRUCT! I was nervous when I first started instructing and wasn't sure if I would be any good, but it is a very rewarding experience and builds a solid knowledge base upon which to start you professional career in aviation. The experience you get as an instructor is INVALUABLE!! You don't want to be one of those 250hr wonders that so many captains just LOVE flying with...

#3. Research airlines that you want to apply to. You might be there for just a few years or get stuck there for a while so knowing as much about a future employer is benefitical to you and your QOL.

#4. Build your time for a bit until your competitive at a place you really want to work at, dont jump at the first to offer you a place in the right seat.

I'm sure more folks will add to this. Use this site to learn as much as u can about the industry. It'll help big time instead of going into it blind like I did.
Hope this helps
 
Congratulations on the private.

I would second (and third etc) everyones advice on here about instructing. I would have to say it is some of the most rewarding flying I have done yet. I've only been an active flight instructor for about 5 months now and it is great to see the students develop (and the hours build rapidly)
 
Hey Matt Welcome to JCs

Check this out, I am almost done w/ my PPL and not to trash talk fast track academies or anything, but I use to want to go to a fast track academy. They are great places to go, however, after an experience I had one night, I decided to become a CFI and take my time no matter what the hiring is. There are good pilots on here that would say that the Academies are great, which I don't disagree but, after I learned that most of the learning about "flying" comes when your a CFI, I decided that I wanted to become a CFI and instruct for a while (not for 3 mo and leave). I'm young like you, I am almost done with my BS degree in Finance, and I have 40 some years to fly. But hey, ultimately, its your decision. Do your research, look around the threads here and decide, and maybe one day you'll experience something that might lead you to the right direction. Good Luck. :rawk:
 
Well thanks for the info guys. I've got info coming in from all angles. I've had the chance to talk to someone who flies for FedEx. He is based out of Memphis and he flys to Asia. He absolutely loves it. He used to fly for an airlines (not getting into airline bashing here so i won't say witch one) and he hated it. He just did not like carrying passengers, especially after 9/11. I know another guy who flies for northwest based out of MSP and flys to Europe. He says he would not have it any other way. I know these jobs are lucrative and take many years and hours to obtain but i think i would be happy flying a company jet. My grandfather was the CEO of Reliance electric and i remember picking him up on the tarmac when i was young and getting to sit in the cockpit of the company jet with eyes wide open asking the pilots what every switch and button did. I think i was about five then and from that point on i new i wanted to be a pilot. I do agree that being a CFI is valuble trianing but i'm about 1/2 through my IFR trainging and coming up on my Multi add on checkride and i'm already getting sick of flying small planes. You are just such a slave to the weather. At 4500 ft field elevation you are at the freezing level at pretty much any altitude with visual moisture. The DA-42 i fly has deicing but is not allowed to fly in known icing conditions. I just watch the CRJs, the -8's, the hawkers, and gulfstreams going in and out while i'm grounded. I know i should take my time and enjoy the experience but i so badly want to cruse at 250+ kts in the Flight Levels. Any way thanks for the replies! this site is a great resorce and i'm learning alot and i understand i have a long road ahead of me.
-Matt
 
I am in the same boat as you. I am currently working on my private (.5 hours logged so far:)). It's alot of fun but I am debating rather to go on to anything else after the private. Pilotless planes are coming soon and they will probably hit cargo first so passengers cant object and if that is successful, it will move to passengers. I guess we will have to wait and see. Just my opinion. I am sure others will disagree.
 
DreamPilot i would say get your instrument rating. I'm half way through the rating and I can already see the difference in my piloting abilities. Also i've heard that if you own your own plane your insurance premiums can go down. Plus if you ever decide you want to get your commercial you will already have your instrument rating. A commercial rating is pretty pointless with out the IFR rating if you ask me. You can't fly at night with passengers and you can only fly 50 miles from base. I think when i was fly fishing in Alaska some of the pilots where not instrument rated but they had their commercial. They told me they could not do much but fly people to their fishing sight for the day. Plus if the weather gets sketchy you are camping out with the brown bears. Not my choice. Any way once you get over that hump of soloing the private is not to bad. Keep at it!
-Matt
 
Yeah man,

I would like very much to get all my ratings but with all this automation in the airliners and new planes; its only a matter of time before these suckers become fully automated. Maybe some airline people could chime in and actually let us know if any flying at all is done or is it actually needed. Are you seriously able to auto-takeoff with new jets? Engineers are saying within the next 10-20 years, fully pilotless planes. I guess we will just see.
 
Dreampilot said:
You will need that degree for when Pilotless airplanes come in the next 10-15 years.
Click to expand...

Keep dreamin'...

Can you see 200 people getting on an airplane with no human in the front?

Even most friggin trains have someone riding in the front and they never leave the ground...
 
Hello,

Yeah, I know nobody knows for sure the exact time frame but the day will eventually come. Has anybody done any reading on the subject?
 
Dreampilot said:
Yeah, I know nobody knows for sure the exact time frame but the day will eventually come. Has anybody done any reading on the subject?
Click to expand...

I'll be dead and gone well before it happens.. No point in wasting the time to read about it...
 
Get your time and get a job teaching and going to school, but more than anything, keep flying. Despite what some of these guys are saying, the boom is not going to last forever.
 
Tram said:
Keep dreamin'...

Can you see 200 people getting on an airplane with no human in the front?

Even most friggin trains have someone riding in the front and they never leave the ground...
Click to expand...

Cue that one Youtube video....
 
You're sick of flying small airplane? haha, that is the most fun of flying!! you think you'll be hand flying those jets? Think again.

Enjoy your time flying those small plane because you'll miss it once moved on.
 
i should of stipulated better. I'm not sick of flying the small planes. they are a lot of fun. It's just that you are just a huge slave to the weather. even with an instrument rating you can't always go into IMC. I also sort of went into this not knowing how to active the goal of being a jet pilot. I'm just trying to figure out the best path to follow to achieve that goal. I'm not worried about losing a job to a computer because i'm always going to be flying no matter if i'm getting payed or paying to fly. call me stupid but even if i knew that next year there was going to be no need for pilots i would still get my ratings because flying the little planes is ALOT of fun and i'm pretty sure general aviation is going to be around for a while!
-Matt
 
flyboywbl said:
call me stupid but even if i knew that next year there was going to be no need for pilots i would still get my ratings because flying the little planes is ALOT of fun and i'm pretty sure general aviation is going to be around for a while!
-Matt
Click to expand...

Dreampilot said:
You will need that degree for when Pilotless airplanes come in the next 10-15 years.
Click to expand...


If I understand correctly, you guys believe that pilot-less airliners are more likely to happen than the recession of general aviation activity due to fuel prices and user fees?

Or did I miss something?
 
Dreampilot said:
Yeah man,

I would like very much to get all my ratings but with all this automation in the airliners and new planes; its only a matter of time before these suckers become fully automated. Maybe some airline people could chime in and actually let us know if any flying at all is done or is it actually needed. Are you seriously able to auto-takeoff with new jets? Engineers are saying within the next 10-20 years, fully pilotless planes. I guess we will just see.
Click to expand...

I agree that it will happen. Anyone with a brain does.

But the timeframe is what varies wildly.

You say: ten to fifteen years, no pilots on an airline flight.

I say:
- I can't even get my brand new laptop to make it more than a few hours without locking up.
- The computer system my work schedule is on is FUBAR.
- The computers in the plane I fly are sub-standard (they are a decade old, but completely unimpressive nonetheless).
- The onboard entertainment systems on the last five airline flights I've sat in the back on were beyond unacceptable.
- Deviating around weather?
- Braking action fair to poor reported coming down the approach -- judgement call?
The list goes on.

It will be more than fifteen years.
 
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