To all Professional Pilots
- Thread starter bwade210
- Start date
Captain_Bob
Well-Known Member
:yeahthat: ROFLMAO!!!!!
Classic Tim! I second that!
Classic Tim! I second that!
Maximilian_Jenius
Super User
Doug Taylor said:
Then they will just think that your gay!
FlyOrDie
New Member
That it will be a job no matter how much you currently love dreaming, talking, sleeping, eating, about flying. Granted I have yet to become a grumpy old pilot but I know understand the knowing looks that older pilots used to give me.
But that's more career advice about the reality of flying....
Read all of the FAA books, Airplane Flying Handbook, Aeronautical Knowledge and the other important ones. It'll make your CFI training much easier and provide a good mindset for keeping your knowledge up for those interviews.
But that's more career advice about the reality of flying....
Read all of the FAA books, Airplane Flying Handbook, Aeronautical Knowledge and the other important ones. It'll make your CFI training much easier and provide a good mindset for keeping your knowledge up for those interviews.
tonyw
Well-Known Member
Maximillian_Jenius said:
Dude, as I found out tonight, that ain't necessarily a bad thing. Then when they find out you aren't, they're all over you, maybe it's guilt, maybe it's that you're no longer on the other team...
I think I need to talk to more gya dudess about movies more often. Or maybe I've got beer foggles on. But it wasn't beer, it was a boatload of shooters.
FlyChicaga
Vintage Restoration
I would have studied harder. Read more books, gotten my nose in the AIM more, and paid more attention in some classes. I feel pretty knowledgable, but when I look at the AIM and what not I sometimes feel like there is so much to know in the depths of it that could help someday. Besides that, I would have enjoyed the journey to where I am now more, and tried to make and keep more friends along the way. Sometimes I think I worked so hard to achieve my goal that I neglected to have as much fun as I could have while working to get here! I feel that way also about moving from the regionals to the majors... this place is fun. Yeah, the pay is crap. But this is a good time, and I don't want it to end too soon.
Purdue_Pilot
New Member
Coming from a small FBO and not a collegiate flight school, I wanted to know more about the airlines and what they desired from an applicant.
Now I've found this great forum with knowledgable people to help. I love my flight training background and think that it was phenominal. But i chose my training location and type of training because it was the closest and not based on any research into what was the best...
Now I've found this great forum with knowledgable people to help. I love my flight training background and think that it was phenominal. But i chose my training location and type of training because it was the closest and not based on any research into what was the best...
Bandit_Driver
Gold Member
How fast this industry was going to turn to S&!t. Secondly, I would not have attended a Major University for an aviation degree. I would have gone after a degree in another field as a backup and done my training part 61 and saved a bunch of cash. But hindsight is always 20/20. What the heck can you do with and a BS in Aviation Flight Science besides fly planes?:banghead:
Chris_Ford
Well-Known Member
Bandit_Driver said:
:yeahthat: :yeahthat: :yeahthat: .
wheelsup
Well-Known Member
bwade210 said:
I would not have gone to college. (schreeecch...
Ok, now that I have your attention, a college degree isn't even needed, required, or looked at upon by most of the regionals doing the hiring these days, or even pre-911 (think Mesa, Colgan, etc.). I just got done flying with a 25 year old CA at AWAC (was hired @ 21 w/ no college Pre-9/11) because he started flying in highschool, instructed, did 135, and had competitive time at the age of 21. He is 4 classes away from finishing up his 4-year by doing it online at a TOTAL cost of $8000. I paid $8000/semester...
He will be at UPS/FedEx/whatever soon, most likely in the next 2-3 years. In the meantime, he rapidly climbed the ladder here which allowed him to purchase a home, start a family, etc. etc. all because he started flying professionally ASAP instead of going to college right off the bat.
If I could do this again, I would:
-Get private in highschool
-After highschool, attend ATP
-Instruct to build time for a 135 company (approx 1 year)
-Fly 135
-Make a decision from there as to where to go, but I'd be only 20 at that point
-Upgrade at 23, 2000 TPIC by the age of 24-25
OR an alternate (more viable) career path:
-Start a business (or)
-Win the lottery (or)
-Mooch off of parents (some pilots still do...)
Timbuff10
Well-Known Member
I agree with wheelsup for the most part... It seems to me that any dumbass can get into a plane and fly it these days. I don't know if a pilot's job these days is just easier now or what? I used to think that all these airline pilots out there were diverse and highly and educated but now I find that is rarely the case.
As for an online degree to equal a 4-year degree... That is a shame! That isn't college, that is just wrong. Probably the greatest part of college isn't the classes, its the "college experience". I took one online class in college and I can easily say, I got absolutely nothing out of it. I never met the professor, never talked to anyone in that class, and got nothing out of it other than a credit that was required to graduate. To me, it was nothing but a waste of my money!
It is (I guess) PC to say to go get a degree before you start flying and yeah, if you want to feel good about yourself, go for it. But if you just want to be an airline pilot, and you still have the blinders on, your best bet has got to be to just go and fly and get hired ASAP. Afterall you don't need a fallback if you just want to be a pilot.
I really do think that regionals prefer people who don't have a degree. If I were hiring pilots and my attitude was, "people will probably pay to fly my plane" or "Lets get the cheapest legally qualified pilots possible" I would be totally inclined to hire a person with the flight time and just a HS diploma. I mean, who would be better for that job? The person will work cheap, they have no other real options and most likely will not leave, thus keeping your training costs down. Plus, when they do get to the point where they can move on to the majors, they have no degree and are stuck working for you.
The more I read about this industry, the more I am considering just getting a non-flying job and keeping flying and instructing as a hobby to do on the weekends and evenings in the summers. I mean I like instructing and flying but I am not willing to give certain things up to live in a crash pad for little pay. I am not to that point yet but I have other options and I could see it happening.
As for an online degree to equal a 4-year degree... That is a shame! That isn't college, that is just wrong. Probably the greatest part of college isn't the classes, its the "college experience". I took one online class in college and I can easily say, I got absolutely nothing out of it. I never met the professor, never talked to anyone in that class, and got nothing out of it other than a credit that was required to graduate. To me, it was nothing but a waste of my money!
It is (I guess) PC to say to go get a degree before you start flying and yeah, if you want to feel good about yourself, go for it. But if you just want to be an airline pilot, and you still have the blinders on, your best bet has got to be to just go and fly and get hired ASAP. Afterall you don't need a fallback if you just want to be a pilot.
I really do think that regionals prefer people who don't have a degree. If I were hiring pilots and my attitude was, "people will probably pay to fly my plane" or "Lets get the cheapest legally qualified pilots possible" I would be totally inclined to hire a person with the flight time and just a HS diploma. I mean, who would be better for that job? The person will work cheap, they have no other real options and most likely will not leave, thus keeping your training costs down. Plus, when they do get to the point where they can move on to the majors, they have no degree and are stuck working for you.
The more I read about this industry, the more I am considering just getting a non-flying job and keeping flying and instructing as a hobby to do on the weekends and evenings in the summers. I mean I like instructing and flying but I am not willing to give certain things up to live in a crash pad for little pay. I am not to that point yet but I have other options and I could see it happening.
EatSleepFly
Well-Known Member
Nice. That is one of the biggest loads of bull$hit I've ever read. I just love you holier-than-thou degree thumpers. :whatever:Timbuff10 said:
B767Driver
New Member
wheelsup said:I would not have gone to college. (schreeecch...
Ok, now that I have your attention, a college degree isn't even needed, required, or looked at upon by most of the regionals doing the hiring these days, or even pre-911 (think Mesa, Colgan, etc.). I just got done flying with a 25 year old CA at AWAC (was hired @ 21 w/ no college Pre-9/11) because he started flying in highschool, instructed, did 135, and had competitive time at the age of 21. He is 4 classes away from finishing up his 4-year by doing it online at a TOTAL cost of $8000. I paid $8000/semester...
)
I did all that and had a master's by age 25. I'm not sure I'd advise skipping college while doing all that. Why not do it concurrently?
B767Driver
New Member
bwade210 said:
1. The difference between real ifr and training ifr (i.e. 180 kias to the om slowing to 135kias by 500', moderate icing, moderate tbc, to low ceilings and vis)...that type of flying is just not found in most training environments.
2. The difference between a good crewmember and a bad one (i.e. is this captain exhibiting normal professional behavior? or is he out of normal professional behavior?) This may sound obvious...but when you are a new crewmember it can be difficult to judge, easy to succumb to unprofessional behavior, or difficult to challenge a more experienced crewmember .
Cheechako
Well-Known Member
As one who actually does some of the hiring at a regional, I know for sure, first hand that this is not the case. I like seeing a college degree on a resume. If I had to choose between two equally qualified pilots, one with a degree and one without, I'll choose the college graduate. I think online degrees are fine. A college education involves reading (something other than Maxim), critical thinking, writing (without
's) and meeting deadlines. It exposes you to a world view and history that you wouldn't otherwise interact with or care for. I am a proponent that college makes you well rounded person- Aviation degree or not. ----
Back to the original question:
Two words: BLACK INK.
I would have spent more time learning how to log my flight time accurately and neatly. My early logging is atrocious, sometimes wrong, and untidy. Better yet, start electronic. It'll simplify filling out the rediculous flight time grids that all employers seem to want to see!