Dream

[Skyline]

Dreams,

Last night I had a vivid reoccurring dream. Every few weeks it plays like a movie while I sleep. In the dream I am on my first day of IOE at Alaska Airlines. It is a cool early morning before the sun is up, but I am warm and comfortible in my brand new leather jacket. The ramp is dark wet and shiney from the misty rain that is falling. I am accompanied by a check airman who is very nice and patient. He takes me through the preflight of a brand new 737NG. After that we climb the stairs on the jet way and enter the cabin we pass by passengers waiting to board. They are very nice and happy. I am glad to be wearing a clean and crisp well made new uniform. In the flight deck we go through all the flows and checklists. Throughout the dream I am very excited and happy. Everything goes well and is fun. The dream usually ends with the aircraft lined up for take off and the check airman giving me a supportive go ahead for power up. While dreaming I am happy and excited. I feel proud and satisfied that I made it to my goal and could look forward to a great career at my dream job. I get to sample just a little bit of what the joy must be like to really have a first day at a good company like that. Then I wake up and my sore back reminds me that I have to swing a hammer today. After being awake for a few minutes more the haze of sleep recedes and then I remember that Alaska Airlines has cut its pay and everyone is grumpy, angry and sad. And that since 911 the pax are mean and pushy. It is a great dream though. So real, I can still smell that new leather jacket.

Skyline

 

[dseagrav]

I think this kind of dream is worse than the ones where the airplane is spinning and you can't break the spin, or whatever. You get a little glimpse of everything going right, then wake up to the disappointment that is reality.

Just makes you want to say 'Ferk it!' and go back to bed, doesn't it? (^_^)

 

[avbug]

In the flight deck we go through all the flows and checklists. Throughout the dream I am very excited and happy. Everything goes well and is fun. The dream usually ends with the aircraft lined up for take off and the check airman giving me a supportive go ahead for power up.

You find checkrides exciting and fun, and they make you happy? Or is it just reading checklists that make you happy and excited?

You try so hard to spin things to your skewed viewpoint, in every post. Cute, dramatic, but what is your point?

Flying is an art, a job, a way of life, whatever. It is what it is, largely whatever you make it to be or accept it to be.

So you're not flying for a major airline, so you operated blindly for fifteen or twenty years, apparently missing the light of day that everybody else saw, and you're just waking up and letting everybody else know you're miserable. Who cares?

There's far more in life than flying for a major airline. If swinging a hammer is what you want, then have a ball. You use that as an apparent counterpoint to the beauty of being one of the coveted glorious top feeders (you remember...the only ones on planet Earth that aren't "flying trashmen?") as though these are the only two polar extremes available to you or anybody else.

Garbage.

If you choose to quit flying and frame houses, or tack shingles and roll tarpaper, that's your choice. Don't blame september 11 for your troubles as you perceive them to be. Don't blame the industry. It hasn't changed. It's still there, work still goes on, people still fly, the clouds are still wet.

And you're slinging a hammer.

Don't hit your thumb.

 

[semperfido]

Dreams,

Last night I had a vivid reoccurring dream.

You and Tony Soprano. perhaps a little therapy is in order. imp:

 

[nitrogen]

An unique individual

The thing I love about the bug is that you never know how he's gonna respond to a post. Here's another one I can't figure. How he was able to turn this guys post into a criticism of his life views is beyond me.

To say the bug dances to his own toon (loony that is) is an understatement. In fact nobody else even hears the music. Well at least his posts make sense to him I guess. Since he's the only one that cares about what he says any more.

Bug, I think you might have forgotten to take your pills again.

You find checkrides exciting and fun, and they make you happy? Or is it just reading checklists that make you happy and excited?

You try so hard to spin things to your skewed viewpoint, in every post. Cute, dramatic, but what is your point?

Flying is an art, a job, a way of life, whatever. It is what it is, largely whatever you make it to be or accept it to be.

So you're not flying for a major airline, so you operated blindly for fifteen or twenty years, apparently missing the light of day that everybody else saw, and you're just waking up and letting everybody else know you're miserable. Who cares?

There's far more in life than flying for a major airline. If swinging a hammer is what you want, then have a ball. You use that as an apparent counterpoint to the beauty of being one of the coveted glorious top feeders (you remember...the only ones on planet Earth that aren't "flying trashmen?") as though these are the only two polar extremes available to you or anybody else.

Garbage.

If you choose to quit flying and frame houses, or tack shingles and roll tarpaper, that's your choice. Don't blame september 11 for your troubles as you perceive them to be. Don't blame the industry. It hasn't changed. It's still there, work still goes on, people still fly, the clouds are still wet.

And you're slinging a hammer.

Don't hit your thumb.

 

[A Squared]

How he was able to turn this guys post into a criticism of his life views is beyond me.

ummm because Skyline has been making a nusiance of himself for a couple of weeks, posting continually how much aviation sucks how badly his dreams have been crushed, how he's wasted the best years of his life, and has been overtly insulting anyone who does not fly for an airline (and some that do). I think he calles all non-airline pilots "garbage men" Avbug's response was not just out of the blue.

 

[pilotmiketx]

I think he calles all non-airline pilots "garbage men"

Obviously has no idea who they let fly on airliners anymore. Hasn't seen 90% of the $99 round-trip crowd. I flew freight that smelled better than any of the fat, sweaty, bad-breath having, shoe-removing, burping, farting, complaining, too much carry-on luggage having, sour old bastards that sit next to me on every cursed Southwest flight.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Obviously has no idea who they let fly on airliners anymore. Hasn't seen 90% of the $99 round-trip crowd. I flew freight that smelled better than any of the fat, sweaty, bad-breath having, shoe-removing, burping, farting, complaining, too much carry-on luggage having, sour old bastards that sit next to me on every cursed Southwest flight.

that is, by far, the best decription of Southwest cargo I have ever heard.

100% right-on.

 

[whaleroast]

Obviously has no idea who they let fly on airliners anymore. Hasn't seen 90% of the $99 round-trip crowd. I flew freight that smelled better than any of the fat, sweaty, bad-breath having, shoe-removing, burping, farting, complaining, too much carry-on luggage having, sour old bastards that sit next to me on every cursed Southwest flight.

My ex-wife sit next you last week to Burbank?

 

[Skyline]

Dear Bug

You find checkrides exciting and fun, and they make you happy? Or is it just reading checklists that make you happy and excited?

You try so hard to spin things to your skewed viewpoint, in every post. Cute, dramatic, but what is your point?

Flying is an art, a job, a way of life, whatever. It is what it is, largely whatever you make it to be or accept it to be.

So you're not flying for a major airline, so you operated blindly for fifteen or twenty years, apparently missing the light of day that everybody else saw, and you're just waking up and letting everybody else know you're miserable. Who cares?

There's far more in life than flying for a major airline. If swinging a hammer is what you want, then have a ball. You use that as an apparent counterpoint to the beauty of being one of the coveted glorious top feeders (you remember...the only ones on planet Earth that aren't "flying trashmen?") as though these are the only two polar extremes available to you or anybody else.

Garbage.

If you choose to quit flying and frame houses, or tack shingles and roll tarpaper, that's your choice. Don't blame september 11 for your troubles as you perceive them to be. Don't blame the industry. It hasn't changed. It's still there, work still goes on, people still fly, the clouds are still wet.

And you're slinging a hammer.

Don't hit your thumb.

Dear Bug,

You are my best friend here. Thanks again for coming to my rescue, however I disagree with you on a few points.

First of all this is an aviation forum and I am not to pleased with flying right now, so yea I will be a little bit of a sad sack here. Outside of this topic I am quite happy and have a growing and successful business. My family is well and I get to live in my home town.

Another point I would like to make is referred to in my original post. The industry has changed. It changed out from under me. It isn't the same anymore at all.

IOE isn't a check ride. It is flight instruction for airline pilots. The first day of IOE is the first chance you have to actually fly the plane after months of studying and training, so it is kind of fun and exciting.

And lastly most other jobs in aviation are a trail of abuse and self destruction.

Garbage men of the sky really isn't a fair comparison or title. Garbage men actually have a good job these days and are well cared for.


Great to hear from you,

Skyline

 

[Swede]

IOE's in general are pretty decent trips. Bad check airmen are generally weeded out in a darwinian fashion and the ones that are left, at least at my airline, are good.

Bad cargo is one of the reasons I went to, and will remain, international. The pax, especially foreign nationals, are appreciative, friendly, and cooperative. A far cry from the accurate description by Pilot Mike.

9-11 HAS changed airline ops for the worse, and it'll never go back. I can picture a scene from 2025 - Old skipper who flew right seat before 9-11... "Yup, waaay back before 2001, we actually had GOOD FOOD served with real metal eating utensils... not this soylent green crap. And get this - when you had to take a leak, you simply went back... ALL BY YOURSELF! There was only ONE of us in the cockpit! Best of all, HOT, YOUNG flight attendants would ACTUALLY come up unannounced, pop the door open, and sit and chat with us!"

NOOOO WAAAAAAY!!

(Already longing for the 'good ol' days)

 

[flydrummer]

Obviously has no idea who they let fly on airliners anymore. Hasn't seen 90% of the $99 round-trip crowd. I flew freight that smelled better than any of the fat, sweaty, bad-breath having, shoe-removing, burping, farting, complaining, too much carry-on luggage having, sour old bastards that sit next to me on every cursed Southwest flight.

Haha! Does anyone watch Airline on the A&E channel? I love that show. It's like COPS for the airline industry. Perfect examples of the typical Southwest pax. They should start allowing the flight crew to mix a little mace into the cabin ventilation system for those unruly flights

 

[Goose Egg]

Flying is an art, a job, a way of life, whatever. It is what it is, largely whatever you make it to be or accept it to be.

If I were going to choose a phrase to be cross-stiched, framed, and hung in a prominent place in my home, that would be it. 100% dead on, in my book.

There's far more in life than flying for a major airline.

That's what I keep trying to tell Skyline!

To say the bug dances to his own toon [sic] is an understatement. In fact nobody else even hears the music. Well at least his posts make sense to him I guess.

I don't always agree with "the bug," but when I'm dealing with one who has a knowledge base so extensive, I always want to hear what he has to say. If avbug dances to his own tune, then I'm playing with the radio dial to see if I can get a better signal.

-Goose

 

[FN FAL]

They should start allowing the flight crew to mix a little mace into the cabin ventilation system for those unruly flights

I could see nitrious oxide or something similiar, but mace would only start a riot back there.

 

[Skyline]

Major Airlines

Avbug, Mother Goose,

You guys keep bagging on poor old skyline about his airline dreams. Nothing else compares to having a schedule, good benefits, a raising pay scale, clean new and dependable equipment and a team of people who do all the work for you (Like, dispatchers, fuelers, baggage handlers, FA's ect).

Some of the pearls of wisdom that I have learned from you two.

Avbug,

"Aim low and you will never be disappointed"

"Expect to get pushed around by small time employers and they will not let you down"

"happiness can be found in being away from home for months on end on a thankless job with few rewards."

Mother Goose,

"Denial is your friend. As long as you keep your eyes closed your dream job will never not appear"

"If your finger gets stuck in a bottle don't fight to pull it out. Learn to accept its unity with your finger and soon it they will become as one."

The Dali Lama once told a story about the faithful ramper.

"Every day this ramper would end his shift being covered in human waste and filth since his job was to empty the septic tanks on the incoming planes. One of his friends offered him a job working in his clean office. The rampers reply was "WHAT !!! AND LEAVE AVIATION"? "

Soon those bald headed guys in robes who ask for money at the airport will be the pilots.

You forget that I have worked a wide range of pilot jobs. I know just what kind of misery awaits those at corporate, charter, medevac, bush flying, flight instructing, missionary flying, forest service contract flying and of course the airlines. I also have spent a career studying my co-workers to learn from thier mistakes and sucesses. The airlines are boring and will suck the life out of you but in the long run a job at SWA will be a benifit to you. All the other stuff will leave you broke sad and alone. Even the good corporate jobs don't last very long. Your best bet is to get on with a good airline as fast as possible.

Skyline

 

[ePilot22]

Thanks Skyline! Now that I know what to expect after all I invested to get this far, I need to quit before I lose any more! Yeah, I'll go break my back working constructions, or waste my life away going to the same buliding, sitting in the same cube day in and day out never seeing the sun rise or set because I need to leave two hours early for work to beat the traffic and then stay late to get some half assed project completed just to find out that nobody really knows how it should be done in the first place. Better yet, I find a good waiter job, or I know 7-11. Wait StarBucks treats their employees really well, I have enough education I sould be able to serve coffee ALL day long.

Nope! In the cockpit behind the yoke, aloft in the sky is where I belong. Don't get me wrong, I'm currently an independent contract CFI and my job hangs in the hands of the club manager. No funny looks from me! Do I like it, no. It is worth it! Every second and penny! Would I do it again? Yep!

Aviation will never be the "glory days" it was 40 or 50 years ago and we may never get the respect we deserve as pilots but don't let that distort you feelings or perceptions of what it is to fly!

Tom

 

[Skyline]

ePilot22

Dear epilot,

Don't get me wrong. At one time I was a 22 year old boy scout just like you. Times change man. Experience has a way of dulling enthusiasm. You still need to make a living for your self. I too started out doing those kinds of jobs and after almost 20 years of flying I am back to construction. Not by choice, but the pay and working conditions at most flying jobs are incongruous with a normal family life. Most of the people who I was a young pilot with and had shared flying dreams have quit and the tiny few who are left dream of quitting.
Go out there take a stab it it perhaps it will work out for you, but the majority fall by the wayside. I don't envy the ones who supposedly made it either. The price they paid was too high.

Skyline

 

[Goose Egg]

You forget that I have worked a wide range of pilot jobs.

Oh no. I haven't forgotten.

I know just what kind of misery awaits those at corporate, charter, medevac, bush flying, flight instructing, missionary flying, forest service contract flying and of course the airlines. (emphasis added)

But Skyline, I'm not miserable flight instructing. Anything but! And believe me, I've been at it long enough to have become miserable. Could I be making better money and having a better "QOL" doing something else non-flying? Of course I could, but I don't want to do something else. I want to do this. That's how I define my quality of my life.

I also have spent a career studying my co-workers to learn from thier mistakes and sucesses. The airlines are boring and will suck the life out of you but in the long run a job at SWA will be a benifit to you.

But if it bores me and sucks the life out of me, and if "misery awaits," how is that a benefit?

All the other stuff will leave you broke sad and alone.

That is a very broad and sweeping generalization. I personally know several people who are not airline pilots and do not fit the "broke, sad, and alone" description.

-Goose

 

[Skyline]

Goose

Goose,

No I haven't heard of the term "spurious correlation", I can imagine what it means, but I haven't seen any 60 year old career flight instructors either. Enjoy your CFI job. I don't care what you do. Someone has to do it I guess.

I don't accept your analogy that everything has to be fun and satisfying however. A plumber who is unsticking you toilet isn't having fun. The poor guy who picks up your garbage every week isn't having fun either. These are the hard choices that real people make to earn a living everyday. If I were to do exactly what I think is fun and satisfying everyday then I suppose I would sit on the couch with a 32 oz bottle of King Cobra malt liquor and play XBox.

Being a career CFI is an unrealistic asperation. Sure it is a means to an end, but to what end? That is the question. It dosent pay a livible wage. Perhaps you are financially independent. (you must be) Well that is great !! Good for you. Maybe you can also hand out blankets to the poor on your way home from work. However you can't deny that along with being low pay it is also dangerious. It is wise to minimise your time in the more dangerious areas of this profession. I probably would have enjoyed being a CFI more if I were not starving at the time.

I think it was Tony Robbins who said that all progress is made through dissatisfaction. If you truley love being a CFI then you will happily be there for a long long time. I hope you are rich and made of steel.

Skyline

 

[ePilot22]

If I were to do exactly what I think is fun and satisfying everyday then I suppose I would sit on the couch with a 32 oz bottle of King Cobra malt liquor and play XBox.

Skyline,

Trust me that gets old quick! I've worked construction, security, pizza shop, etc. and I've found that it's all the same. Currently I sit in that cube I described earlier just to earn money to build my flight time. Yep, I pay to fly the 152 to MCK just because (well, it's fun too!). But really choose something for the list below and seek some help man! You seem to have a gloom about life itself and that's not healthy.

Adapin, Anafranil, Asendin, Aventyl, Desyrel, Effexor, Elavil, Ludiomil, Luvox, Marplan, Nardil, Norpramin, Pamelor, Parnate, Paxil, Pertofrane, Prozac, Remeron, Serzone, Sinequan, Surmontin, Tofranil, Vivactil, Wellbutrin, Zoloft

I hope things work out for you where ever you're at!

Tom

 

[Skyline]

Flying is an Art?

Flying is an art, a job, a way of life, whatever. It is what it is, largely whatever you make it to be or accept it to be.

quote]

Man I don't know what kind of fantasy world you guys live in but it must be fun. You must be a well taken care of trust fund boys. Real people have real bills to pay and families to care for. That kind of logic is completely ridiculous.

I want to accept to be well paying with at least 20 days off a month. I wish to accept it to be safe and with good benefits for me and my family. I accept myself to be the president of the universe because I am good enough, smart enough and gosh darn it, people like me.

Try being poor and staring at a $452 pay check that has to last a family of four for two weeks. It has a way of undoing that artsy talk.

Skyline

 

[Skyline]

ePilot22

ePilot22

You guys just don't get my jokes. I am just kidding about that stuff. Isn't it you that has the avatar of Hunter Thompson? I do like XBox though. I am a really happy guy. I have a strong construction business a beautiful family and live a high QOL thanks to being laid off from the airlines.

I believe that I am a part of the silent majority. Currently there are over 600,000 active pilots listed with the FAA, but there could be another 600,000 or more pilots who let their medicals go. These people are the wreckage who went out there at 22 and blew a fortune to get a life that doesnt exist for most of us. These people let it all go and never picked up another flying magazine or went to another small airport. I run into guys almost daily who have a commercial pilots license and haven't flown in years. I still like aviation. That is why I frequent these forums. I miss being with pilots, but I also have a message to deliver.

Have fun. Fly your 152. Keep an eye out for a plan B.

Skyline

 

[ePilot22]

Life IS rough!

You must be a well taken care of trust fund boys. Real people have real bills to pay and families to care for.

I'm 26, I have a little more than 400 hours tt. The biggest, fastest most complex plane I've flown, oh yeah, is the PA-44-180! I owe a little less than $20,000 (with a variable interest rate). I live in my parents basement, no gf, for obvious reasons. I work in a cube (that I share with a Riddle grad!) and don't get to see the day pass. I drive a car that burns oil like Amercians were in Iraq, the heater and wiper fluid don't work. The windshield leaks water, bad! It's out of alignment and the wheels make funny sounds as they go around. I fly the 152 x-country to build time. I'm not even sure I get paid for the work I do. My parents are not wealthy, and I'm not just saying that because my other friends parents have more money than mine. Nope, the basement I live in is attached to a huge 900sq.ft. home.

I have no fantasy about who I am and what it is I want to do (135,SPIFR,piston). I love my life, could it be better? Yeah! But this is what I have, and there's no illusion about it!

I won't own a new car, my own house, a stable relationship, even my dog isn't mine anymore. But I will get to do what only a few people ever get to do.......fly and even more than that......be PIC!

Think about the opportunity you've had, the things you've done, most people will never even leave their hometown in their life time. What about the guy that never had a choice from day one? At least be glad that you can choose to leave aviation. The poeple I've worked with (in non-aviation) never had a choice to start with. Most will never dream of anything more that what could have been or what they had been (Al Bundy comes to mind).

We all don't have silver spoons, but we must accept life for what it is!

Tom

 

[A Squared]

I believe that I am a part of the silent majority.

Unfortunately, this is not true. The silent part, I meant

 

[ePilot22]

Skyline,

I work in a pilot boneyard. I see people everyday that hold some type of certificate that will most likely will never use it again. They have huge debts and make decent money and begin to have life styles that will never allow them the first year jobs at the commuters or regionals.

It's about the dream! Does making it a job kill the dream? Sure, work is work, if it wasn't they wouldn't call it that. I hope you enjoy what you do now and if not the job, your family. To some that is the dream. A wife and kids. Home every night, dinner, the 9-5 grind. To each his own.

I'm not trying to give you a hard time, I am still optimistic about aviation and a career in it.

You are right, it is Hunter Thompson!

Take it easy, and if it's easy.......take it twice!

Tom

 

[Goose Egg]

but I haven't seen any 60 year old career flight instructors either. Enjoy your CFI job.

Thanks, I will. What I probably should have included is that is that I don't plan on instructing forever. I love it, but I'm here to build time just like everyone else. I'm not in as big of a hurry to get out as everyone else, but I'm a time builder just the same.

But hey, at least you named my ultimate goal, even if it was in a list. Hint: not bush flying, and not missionary flying. But then again, you should already know that by now.

I don't accept your analogy that everything has to be fun and satisfying however.

It's not really an analogy. And where did I ever say that everything had to be fun. Parts of life are not fun, that's just how it goes, and there are parts of my instructing job that I definitely do not enjoy. But certainly one should find their life's work to be satisfying on the whole.

A plumber who is unsticking you toilet isn't having fun.

You don't know that. There are people out there that really enjoy that kind of work. (Not that I'd need a plumber to fix something so minor.)

The poor guy who picks up your garbage every week isn't having fun either.

So am I to understand that there's no difference between flying for a living and picking up garbage? Why aren't you a garbage man, Skyline?

If I were to do exactly what I think is fun and satisfying everyday then I suppose I would sit on the couch with a 32 oz bottle of King Cobra malt liquor and play XBox.

And I would ski, bike, and fly. Oh wait, I already do that.

Being a career CFI is an unrealistic asperation. It dosent pay a livible wage.

I agree to a point, which is why that is not my ultimate goal. However, I'm sure there are ways that it could be accomplished if that is what one desires. My particular instructing job pays a livable wage for this stage in my life (also health insurance, paid vacation, sick days, personal days, free grad school tuition, and 401k matching.) I have plans to move on eventually, but this is good for now.

Perhaps you are financially independent. (you must be) Well that is great !!

Yeah, that would be great. But I doubt my life would be that different if I was.

Maybe you can also hand out blankets to the poor on your way home from work.

So what if I did? Is that some sort of crime?

However you can't deny that along with being low pay it is also dangerious.

What do you reccomend? Curling up in the fetal position and never leaving your house? Your drive to work is dangerous, yet you still do it. Your construction job is dangerous, yet you persist! Life is inescapably risky. You are either delusional or in denial if you think that you can isolate yourself from hazard. Risk is best assumed rationally and incrementally.

(See "Red Mosquito" from Pearl Jam)

I think it was Tony Robbins who said that all progress is made through dissatisfaction.

I think that may be partially true, although it is a narrow mind indeed that believes dissatisfaction and happiness are mutually exclusive. Who's Tony Robbins?

-Goose

 

[Skyline]

ePilot22

ePilot22,

I hear what you have said and accept what you are saying. I just think back to when I was young and remember all the sacrifice and efforts that I expelled, and wonder "what if I would have put those efforts into another direction'? What if I were to have bought a house or gas station with the money I blew on training.

I spent most of my 20's living in a variety of bad places to keep the dream alive. Most of my 26th year was spent living in the back of my truck while I flight instructed in my own Cessna 150. What a huge wasted effort. I struggled and sacrificed a great deal for a long long time. Today I just shake my head. What if I were to have spent that energy at medical school? Just think where I could have been by now. Sometimes I think that aviation is like a bad drug addiction it has a way of sucking people in and robs you of your money and chances at a real life and career. We get lost in a selfish avgas high. Only focused on the dream to the expense of almost everything else. Why?

I lost my last flying job over two years ago. The experience has been like waking up from a deep sleep. I build houses now and without much effort have been doing better than during the last 10 years of flying combined. My family is happy and have good schools to got to. We have friends and family around us again. During my almost 20 year career I had over 12 different employers and moved on average every 6 months. We lived in some bad places just to keep my hopeless dreams going. At my age I have to accept defeat. There just are not enough years left to pull my career out of the dump. I still am an addict however. I love the dream. It carried me through some bad times. I miss it a lot but hate it at the same time for what it did to me and my friends. It sounds like you must work for an aviation related company. You probably have good exposure to the end game of aviation.

Maybe you should jump in all the way. Get it overwith while you are still young. Stop renting a 152 and buy a plane. A good 150 or Taylorcraft isn't that expensive. You could leave home for the big blue. That is what my friends and I did. Put all of your worldly belongings in the back of your 150 and pick a destination and go grab your own peice of the sky.

Skyline

 

[Skyline]

Goose,

You are a good friend. I wish we lived closer and could have a few beers together. It would be neat to show you my Taylorcraft as she sits collecting dust. I envy your advanced degrees. They will serve you well when you give up on this aviation foolishness. There is an old aviation saying that goes "those who can get out will" with a few masters degrees you might not get to far.

Another old saying goes "out of my graduating class of pilots I am the only one still flying, the rest are all happy and sucessful"

Enjoy your time as a CFI. It soulds like you have a great deal going.

Skyline

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

I could see nitrious oxide or something similiar, but mace would only start a riot back there.

Yes, and by starting that riot you would raise the ratings of "Airline" to untold heights. The American Public loves a good riot.