Advice???

[purdue1014]

Any advice for a 14 year old soon to be student pilot, who wants to go on to Purdue's flight program, and eventually, maybe, fly for the airlines? Anything besides the basic, stay in school, be responsible, no drugs alcohol? Also my dad is fine with me wanting to be a pilot, but my mom is not so, shall we say "enthusiastic (sp) about the idea." She, putting it nicely, hates the idea of me "flying an airplane by myself at 16."


Your advice is greatly appreciated!!!

 

[spudskier]

Check your PMs

 

[GravityHater]

Let me offer a new suggestion, which I have yet to see anywhere but needs to be said. It is not pointed at you, just something I have experienced with others who have all the other things such as academics, clean nose, aviation experience:

Develop some social skills so that you can converse with coworkers, the public, strangers amicably!

 

[Lead Sled]

She, putting it nicely, hates the idea of me "flying an airplane by myself at 16."

Why wait until you're 16. Go find a soaring school and start now. You can solo a glider at 14 and get your PPL-Glider at 16. You be a much better pilot when it comes to power flying. (Not to mention it's a lot of fun.)

As for how to handle your mother? I can't help you much there. Mothers are well, mothers and they're always going to worry about their kids. Be mature in your dealings with the family might help. I soloed a couple of days after my 16th birthday (The weather was bad on my birthday.) and got my PPL a few days after I turned 17 (Ditto with the weather.) My mother used to drive me to the airport for my lessons - I didn't have my driver's license when I started.

When it comes to schools, there have been many heated threads on the subject. Where to go and what to study are individual choices. My personal opinion is that you really ought to get a degree in something that you can fall back on should your aviation goals not pan out. No one needs a degree in airplane flying, er... Aeronautical Science. Also, you don't need to go to a formal aeronautical school to get quality flight training. Remember, it's not the school, it's the instructor. Good instructors are where you find them.

Good Luck.

 

[purdue1014]

delete

 

[purdue1014]

Check your PMs

check email

 

[purdue1014]

Thanks for all the advice, it is greatly appreciated, and will be heeded!!

 

[check6]

Law School

 

[NW_Pilot]

Any advice for a 14 year old soon to be student pilot, who wants to go on to Purdue's flight program, and eventually, maybe, fly for the airlines? Anything besides the basic, stay in school, be responsible, no drugs alcohol? Also my dad is fine with me wanting to be a pilot, but my mom is not so, shall we say "enthusiastic (sp) about the idea." She, putting it nicely, hates the idea of me "flying an airplane by myself at 16."


Your advice is greatly appreciated!!!

I can give you advice on how to deal with an unsupportive mom! Say hey mom, I have been thinking about what I want to do when I grow up? Can you please show so support in one of my choices?

You could say, I want to be a:

For Example!

1, A Career welfare recipient & be a dope dealer
2, A Porn Star (Gay or Straight Your Preference)
3, An Alaskan Fisherman
4, A Logger Or Timber Cutter
5, Join the military
6, An Airline Pilot

Ps: for this to work you must chouse things that really disgusts your mom, thinks is very, very dangerous or a non respectable job. Just chouse things that make a pilot look like it has a “0” risk factor. If it don’t work there are other psychological way to get her to support you in what you want to do unless she is a brain shirker then your screwed, and she will catch on to what your doing. They do it to you so why not toss it back at them 14 is a good age to start!


Use This Advice At Your Own Risk!

 

[pilotyip]

Remember a college degree has nothing to do with flying an airplane. If you want to be a pilot you fly airplanes, and do the degree on the side

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Remember a college degree has nothing to do with flying an airplane. If you want to be a pilot you fly airplanes, and do the degree on the side

Kid, you dont want to do this....go to college now. Get at LEAST a Bachelor degree in something - anything. Think of what can be useful in case flying does not work (it very well may not). Highly consider grad school also. Go into this game PLANNING on falling back on something.

Just dont ever delay school to fly airplanes. You might wind up living in some $hithole Detroit suburb flying car parts in trashy airplanes with your sub-standard employment hinged on the the US automakers business plans.

Not pretty.

 

[NW_Pilot]

You might wind up living in some $hithole Detroit suburb flying car parts in trashy airplanes with your sub-standard employment hinged on the the US automakers business plans.

Not pretty.

Dam! that sounds like fun, how much dose it pay? What more could you ask for live in Jerry Springer / Robocop Land, & alway have entertaiment! + geting to fly!

 

[pilotyip]

And by flying out of YIP you will be a great instrument pilot, it is always IFR, it is a real man's airport for real men that fly real airplanes. None of sissy FMS, Heads up displays, and coupled flight. Anyone can program a modern airplane, but real men learn the basics first. It is an unbeatable experience. Plus in the winter months you will really understand the meaning of "Clean Airplane", you are always getting de-iced, and last but not least you will learn to get out of the house in 3 minutes to make your call out time.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

And by flying out of YIP you will be a great instrument pilot, it is always IFR, it is a real man's airport for real men that fly real airplanes. None of sissy FMS, Heads up displays, and coupled flight. Anyone can program a modern airplane, but real men learn the basics first. It is an unbeatable experience. Plus in the winter months you will really understand the meaning of "Clean Airplane", you are always getting de-iced, and last but not least you will learn to get out of the house in 3 minutes to make your call out time.

I rest my case! Heck all that stuff scares me!

gimmee 3 FMSs, HUD, autobrakes, autothrottles, and time to take a dump before my trips anyday!

 

[BoilerUP]

Are you from Indiana? If so, go visit the school and talk to Larry Gross and Brian Dillman about the aviation program. Go to our website (www.tech.purdue.edu/at) and get info there, but be advised its not accurate and kept up-to-date. If you are from around Southern Indiana, look into the Prosser/Shawnee aviation program.

I'm from Kentucky so out-of-state tuition was costly, but I wouldn't trade my time at Purdue for anything. To get in, a good high school GPA (3.5+) and good test scores (26+ ACT) will make you a near-lock for admission. The program loses 3-8 pilots per semester for various reasons, so there are limited opportunities to transfer in if you don't make the cut the first time.

As a recent grad, however, I would suggest a few school-specific things:

1. Get involved in at least one aviation club. I was involved in Flight Team and Alpha Eta Rho, but there are lots of good choices.
1a. Get involved in at least one NON-aviation club; I did swing dancing. It will keep you sane and away from aviation dorks the whole time. A beneficial side effect is you will see more women this way.
2. Don't live in McCutcheon because its close to the airport, stay in Shreve or Wiley - they are closer and more convenient to campus.
3. Keep a car your freshman year at the airport, you'll want wheels on the weekend to get around.
4. MINOR IN SOMETHING NON-AVIATION! You don't have to do Management (although it is popular), but give yourself some skills outside of "flying airplanes" as a fallback option.
5. Work on your CFI the same semester you do your commercial training. Fly your tail off during summers & semesters, because hustling while in school will provide a much better payoff come graduation. The money is nice, too.
6. Do the CTI program (air traffic control), its good to have the option.
7. Don't do anything stupid, but you are in college once - HAVE FUN while you are there...but keep your grades up!
8. DO AN INTERNSHIP!
9. For the love of God, have fun. Its an expensive but excellent program, and you will have opportunities you could never imagaine (I did). Rent a plane and go to Rick's Boatyard in Eagle Creek or Vince's in Muncie for dinner with your friends, fly to an away football game. Its training and flying for a grade, but don't take it for granted. Enjoy yourself...
10. See 1 and 1a.

GOOD LUCK! PM if ya want more specific info.