Advice to aspiring airline pilots

[Mud Eagle]

Yea I think the military is great way to pay your dues, if you don't mind being gone from home for long periods of time. Being sent places you don't want to go, living with 5 other pilots in a 12 X 10 room, and picking up 3-4 years of non-flying duties. Plus you only get about 2000-3000 hours of flight time in your 10 years of obligated service. But the equipment is great, the training the best you will get anywhere, and the guys you fly with are remarkable.

In all fairness, in a (fighter) guy's 10-year hitch (2-3 flying assignments), he will probably only have 2 years not flying. Obviously that depends a lot on career flow.

Don't forget that those hours, at least for a fighter guys, are PIC turbine from the get-go. In terms of total time, it's not a lot, you're right...but it's quality time.

Regarding the deployed locations and living conditions, are those really much worse than living in a crash pad or hotel room-to-hotel room? Yes, they're often located in countries that suck beyond belief.

 

[Kugelblitz]

If you are now or ever plan on getting married and having children, DON'T BECOME AN AIRLINE PILOT.

You will be very, very sorry if you press on with this. This job is not what you think. Currently with CAL, around 10,000 hrs. and 6 different airlines including 3 majors talking to you.

 

[MATHEWS]

Thanks for the tip Kugelblitz....sorry to say many of us leave happy family lives, its about having realistic expectations.

 

[Goose Egg]

3) Goose - from your posts I'd have figured you to be more of a log rider, not one of them fancy Harbours. Had one - never felt right after the bottom turn.

You had me figured right. This is what I'd call "trying something new." Had a logish longboard, but ended up selling it to my roomate. As a replacement I picked up a 9'4" Harbour Terry Simms. I haven't had a chance to get out on it yet, seeing as the water temp is about 30 right now. But I'll let you know how it goes. I was looking to go "turny" and was even thinking about trying out something shorter, but they my current board showed up at the shop, and well, you kind of have to jump on used longboards--they don't stay around too long, and it fit the "turny" bill. Anyway, I kind of liked it because the tail is pulled in a bit, so it could handle a little more wave energy. I noticed my previous board started feeling a bit wierd at head-high and over--couldn't quite handle the juice. And it's got those fancy Harbour channels under the nose so it can still be noseridden, or so they say. But rest assured, I'm still planning on adding a single-fin noserider log type to quiver someday soon. Maybe a retro fish too. Those just look cool.

edit: I should be mentioned that if surfing skill were comapared to flying skill, I'd just be starting my instrument rating Lots of fun though. I love to get out whenever I can.

-Goose