No onee said it would be easy Part II

mrivc211

Well-Known Member
No one said it would be easy part I:
Part I



This is an update to my previous post dated Feb 10. I guess you could call it a 6 month update.

Well, it's been six quick tetter-tottering months. In the little amount of time that I've now been instructing, things have become a little more stable. Times are still tough, and it becomes ever so evident when people with three or four times my experience are waiting in line. I've learned what instructing has given me. Take the best parts of it, and try not to let the bad parts take over your life.

Since I last posted this topic I had roughly 300 hours of flying in, and sometime in August I should hit the 700 hour mark. I've been keeping busy, or at leasts trying too. I've faced a few different problems along the way that have been hard to deal with. For example, when I first started instructing I would sit in the office day and night trying to pick up the students. Other instructors would just walk in after never showing up the whole day and the students would just be handed down to them. I tried not to take it personally, and used my prior experience working in sales to help me through it. In my prior job, many times big sales would be determined by you being at the right place at the right time. And if you weren't there you were mightly upset with yourself. I learned that if you don't let that anger go, you can't move on and progress.

The girlfriend is still around. I can say this much, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. And no that doesn't mean we're set in stone by far, but we're still together. About 3 years ago when I was first getting into this industry we were under the assumption like many other unknowing newbies that I would get my ratings, begin instructing and get hired a year or two after that. If so, then I would be able to move about the country with relative ease because my girlfriend had planned on applying to the 17 optometry schools around the country. Well, 3 years have passed, she's beginning to apply, but I'm most likely not going to be with an airline anytime soon. Thats a whole other issue unto itself. We will face that issue when the road comes to a split. i learned that line through many sleepless nights of thinking about what will I do in a year when this or that happens. Leave it alone until the time comes.

Much in the industry hasn't changed since I last posted. Many of the people I talk to that are FO's or Captains for various airlines are always telling me to stick with it and the time will come. Boy do I ever look forward to that day. When getting the good news that I've actually been hired. And then to have sleepless nights once again, worrying about whether I'll pass all the training.
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I've had one other opportunity to fly other than instructing and that is through my dad. It would involve me flying B727's as FO in Afghanistan to routes across Europe and the Middle East. Everyone around me calls me a fool for not going over there to do it. But not everyone is in my shoes. The airline wants a three minimum committment. I don't think I can handle a backwards way of life for three years. yes, the flying would be great and there would be much of it, but I would basically be leaving everything behind here in the states for three years. Still contemplating it though. My dad came out of retirement at the ripe old age of 62 and is now in sim training in Jordan, and doing observation flights on the A300-600. I call him crazy for going back into it, but I guess I would probably be doing the same thing if I were him.

I'm starting to see other opportunities opening up the more experience and flying that I'm doing. People I'm meeting own airplanes and want me to instruct them and also just need a flying buddy to go with them. At first I told myself that I would not fly unless I was being paid, then a voice in the back of my head said, would you rather fly and not get paid, or not fly and not get paid. So I quickly came to my sense and jumped on board. I found that it opened up a few doors for me.

I've also learned to better budget my checking account. I eat more at home these days instead of heading out for a $10 lunch. Beleive me, it makes a differnce at the end of the month.

Whats next? Most likely the CFII and MEI in about a month. I've got a few students finishing up their privates and will probably be neeeding to begin working on their IFR ratings.

by the way, I've just put up a new website, its basic and needs work, but let me know what you guys think thus far?
http://www.royal-aviation.com
Thanks
Omar


And as A300Captain said in Part I, keep your chin up!

Thanks A300 and Doug. You guys make a difference!
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I've had one other opportunity to fly other than instructing and that is through my dad. It would involve me flying B727's as FO in Afghanistan to routes across Europe and the Middle East. Everyone around me calls me a fool for not going over there to do it.

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The only fool is the one that flies in and around Afghanistan without an armed aircraft, period.

"Everyone around" haven't the first freaking clue about getting shot at and what the area, air and ground, in Afghanistan is really like.

You don't want to be an American and get captured there, pal.
 
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I've had one other opportunity to fly other than instructing and that is through my dad. It would involve me flying B727's as FO in Afghanistan to routes across Europe and the Middle East. Everyone around me calls me a fool for not going over there to do it.

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As they should. After all, judging by your record of posts to these forums, that part of the world sounds like its exactly where you belong.

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its exactly where you belong

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Hey Paul, don't forget your white hat, suit and nouse on your way out the door!
 
Mrivc,

thanks for the info on your post that really shows people what its really all about vs. the fancy glossy brochures you get in the mail saying be a FO in 1 year at a regional. I m currently a student pilot workin on my private license right now and it really seems like a heads up for the long road that is ahead.


Kelly
 
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I've had one other opportunity to fly other than instructing and that is through my dad. It would involve me flying B727's as FO in Afghanistan to routes across Europe and the Middle East. Everyone around me calls me a fool for not going over there to do it.

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As they should. After all, judging by your record of posts to these forums, that part of the world sounds like its exactly where you belong.


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COMPLETELY uncalled for.
 
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I've had one other opportunity to fly other than instructing and that is through my dad. It would involve me flying B727's as FO in Afghanistan to routes across Europe and the Middle East. Everyone around me calls me a fool for not going over there to do it.

[/ QUOTE ]
As they should. After all, judging by your record of posts to these forums, that part of the world sounds like its exactly where you belong.


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COMPLETELY uncalled for.

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yep Sure is a good way to sound like a total jerk.
 
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yep Sure is a good way to sound like a total jerk.

[/ QUOTE ]Which, as we've long established, is the exclusive province of either me or Chunk (I forget which). So BACK OFF, BUDDY!!
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Keep ya head up and do what you gotta do!!!!!!!!!!!!
After all, play the cards dealt and read the signature!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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