new to the site...introduction and some questions

bigbadboblittle

bigbadboblittle

New Member
hi everyone. I've been perusing through jc and the forums for about a week now and finally decided to make a post. First of all, thanks to Doug for creating this awesome sight. There seem to be a lot of members here who genuinely care about helping fellow aviatiors. Anyways, I am a fourth year aerospace engineering student at cal poly, san luis obispo. I did my primary training my senior year in high school at my hometown airport (OTH) in North Bend, OR. I am currently trying to finish up my commercial so i can get my initial CFI sometime early this summer (hopefully!) I've been trying to figure out what i want to do when i finally finish this degree for the past few years. The more I fly, the more I think I want to do it for a living. This site has really helped answer a lot of questions for me regarding that. Some questions though: I am considering sticking around for about 6 months after getting my BS to also get a MS in aerospace engineering...what kind of advantage am i going to have(if any) by getting the extra degree when it comes to various flying careers? ...also, i have always been interested in perhaps someday being a test pilot if given the opportunity...does anyone know if i would have a better chance at being a test pilot somewhere if i had the advanced degree?
 
HOWDY!
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The aero engineering degree will help if you want to get into test pilot school. I belive the military requires a M.S. in aero engineering for their test pilots.
 
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There seem to be a lot of members here who genuinely care about helping fellow aviatiors.

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That is what makes this the Best Aviation site on the web.

Welcome aboard and please don't ask anything too technical ... you'd be embarrassing me. I believe you will have alot to offer ... so speak up.

Jim
 
Welcome, Bob!

This is definitely the best flight forum out there, bar none; I challenge anyone to find one better.

Cool! Another musician/pilot on board. What do you like to play?
 
Welcome aboard!!

well, I can tell you that if you decide to pursue commercial airlines, you only need the 4 year degree.. getting the extra degree won't do much of anything...except if you need to find work outside of the airlines, if you get furloughed or ever need to stop flying for some reason.. then the MS would come in handy for finding other opportunities...

I bet the military does require a large background of edumacation to be a test pilot.. I highly doubt they just let any pilot get up there and test their planes...

I wonder what boeing requires for their test pilots?!
 
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Cool! Another musician/pilot on board. What do you like to play?

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I play guitar when I have time...acoustic, electric, and classical. I just mess around with the classical though, nothing serious. I like acoustic a lot too...nothing like sitting around a campfire strummin on the acoustic and wailing out (my version of singing) some Willie Nelson
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I take it by your photo that you play guitar as well? My electric is a 1996 Fender Delux Plus Strat that I've babied since I bought it new when I was a freshman in high school...i love it!! Now if I just had more time to play it....
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As far as the Master's Degree, it's not necessary, but it certainly would look good on a resume.

a '96 Fender Deluxe Plus Strat? <drool>

I'm getting into classical (just got the tab for "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams, if that counts
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), but I still love playing Metallica, Guns n Roses, Van Halen, and Iron Maiden.

Currently playing a Floyd Rose ESP on electric and a Takamine for acoustic.
 
Welcome.

Yes, if you pursue the test pilot route you'll need that degree. There is a civilian test pilot school, at least one, that you should be able to find on the web.

There are other types of test pilots. At the FBO I started at we used to draw straws to see who would fly the airplane after Larry the mechanic had worked on it. No degree required.
All the best.
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I'm getting into classical (just got the tab for "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams, if that counts ),

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Stop it, my fingers are hurting..... I like playing classical, but that song is torture.

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but I still love playing Metallica, Guns n Roses, Van Halen, and Iron Maiden.

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Hey, my kinda playin'! I broke out the ole hair band tunes the other night, actually.
 
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There are other types of test pilots. At the FBO I started at we used to draw straws to see who would fly the airplane after Larry the mechanic had worked on it. No degree required.


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I feel that way flying some of the planes i rent. Also, i've been experimenting with different blade angles on the kitfox my roommate and i have just to see the different performance we can get out of it... Nothing too exciting so far. There is a flight test class offered here at Poly that i am going to take. The instructor is the current aero engineering dept. chair. He also teaches out at the National Test Pilot School in Mojave, which is probably what you've heard of. I think that it is uber expensive though
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I'll have to talk to him more about it.
Thank you by the way to all of you that have welcomed me and/or answered my questions
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