Hey, I just ventured into this message board. I've been trying to find one with a large volume of posts/day and total posts...and I think I found it.
I've been browsing through threads, and I noticed the number of pilots on this board with thousands of ours and basically every single rating available out there! I'm a little overwhealmed as a 28 hour student pilot...are there any student pilot members here?
Well I would like to start off by telling of my story and my dreams as a pilot.
I've always had a huge fascination and interest in flying since my childhood. Some 9 or 10 year-olds will say they want to become firemen, or policemen, or soldiers or pilots. Then some of them decide that what they really wanted to do was getting an MBA and working for an investment bank. Yet some do become pilots, firemen etc.
I've always wanted to be a pilot of some sort. I love airplanes, spacecraft and anything that flies. I always have.
Until 9th grade, my goal was to become a fighter pilot. But at that time, my inherited (through my father) need for correction glasses shattered that goal as airforces don't accept vision less than 20/20.
So I went to high school, and tried to think of what to do with my life. I knew I loved planes and spacecraft, and that I would like to deal with them in some way or another. So if I could not fly these superb human creations, I could at least help design them.
So, after some further confusion in my first year in college (I was considering Electrical Engineering) I decided to go into Aerospace Engineering.
Now I'm happy with what I'm studying, yet, as that guy from the movie "Independence Day" said...."my heart belongs in the air"...I think that statement is true for me.
I had always contenplated learning to fly, yet I was afraid of it since it was a little alien...(btw, I don't have a drivers licence, yet I'm about to get my PPL)
Well, after my demo flight, and my first few lessons...I became less afraid of it, and relly began to love flight.
Now that I'm on my way to the PPL as a student pilot, while at the same time being on my way to a BA (and eventually MA) in Aerospace Engineering...I've got this internal conflict within me.
I love planes, and that is a fact for me. I get excited whenever I see a picture or video of an SR-71 or F-15 in flight...or a space shuttle launch.
Yet I can either design air/spacecraft or fly them. Flying thouch is restricted because of my vision problem.
So I was considering a compromise. Become an engineer, and yet, have part time jobs as a pilot, or even start my own little fun flight business.
I've probably been in about 20+ transatlantic flights, and some 200+ airline flights. Yet, I've come to realize that I would never like to fly as an airline pilot, not for a living at least, maybe to try it out (if such a thing was possible). Big planes are not for me. I rather like smaller, more maneuverable planes...liek jet fighters, small piston singles and twins or light turboprops/business jets.
So my interest in flying is limited to a maximum capacity of 10 to 14 passengers or so at the most.
I wouldn't like to fly anything bigger. The smallest of King Air's or business jets comes to mind. All kinds of piston twins and high performance singles. Those are the planes I'd love to fly the most.
I also don't like flying as a regional airline of any sort. My interest would be to be a pilot that flies people around in piston twins or singles for sightseeing tours, or for some other sort of job in such small planes. Even charters don't interest me.
Well, to get to the point, I was wondering if a Commercial Certificate would allow me to work as such a pilot of a light twin or turboprop.
Some people said you would need a CFI to do any "real professional flying for hire" of any sort... to build hours without paying a couple billions bucks...
and CFI has never really been a certificate I would want...Instrument, multi, Commercial, aerobatic, type ratings and endorcements are what I was interested in.
Also, the expected starting salary for me as a Aerospace Engineer with a Masters is about 60,000 bucks. Now, I know money is not everything in life, but it sure makes it a hell of a lot more comfortable and secure. And I see that the pilot/aviation industry is not doing all that well as there seems to be an excess supply of pilots and not enough positions, and starting salaries seem to be around half that mark...i.e. about 30,000 bucks.
One thing I was considering was getting an MBA and starting my own flight business...and be one of the pilots as well as the CEO or whatever...to get to fly and make a little more money...
it seems that the best realistic solution for me would be going into corporate flying as they are smaller jets...but I don't really like the lack of flexibility of that job...hauling business men here and there...
well...these are all dreams and guesses...I'm in my Junior year in college...and I started flying a couple months ago...so I'm a little late for a degree in Aviation (i.e. Flight Major)...though I was considering switching...
well, this is probably the longest post...too many questions and you guys problably already hate me
congrats if you have not fallen asleep...I would appreciate some input on this whole pilot's life/job issue...
Thanx
Archer
I've been browsing through threads, and I noticed the number of pilots on this board with thousands of ours and basically every single rating available out there! I'm a little overwhealmed as a 28 hour student pilot...are there any student pilot members here?
Well I would like to start off by telling of my story and my dreams as a pilot.
I've always had a huge fascination and interest in flying since my childhood. Some 9 or 10 year-olds will say they want to become firemen, or policemen, or soldiers or pilots. Then some of them decide that what they really wanted to do was getting an MBA and working for an investment bank. Yet some do become pilots, firemen etc.
I've always wanted to be a pilot of some sort. I love airplanes, spacecraft and anything that flies. I always have.
Until 9th grade, my goal was to become a fighter pilot. But at that time, my inherited (through my father) need for correction glasses shattered that goal as airforces don't accept vision less than 20/20.
So I went to high school, and tried to think of what to do with my life. I knew I loved planes and spacecraft, and that I would like to deal with them in some way or another. So if I could not fly these superb human creations, I could at least help design them.
So, after some further confusion in my first year in college (I was considering Electrical Engineering) I decided to go into Aerospace Engineering.
Now I'm happy with what I'm studying, yet, as that guy from the movie "Independence Day" said...."my heart belongs in the air"...I think that statement is true for me.
I had always contenplated learning to fly, yet I was afraid of it since it was a little alien...(btw, I don't have a drivers licence, yet I'm about to get my PPL)
Well, after my demo flight, and my first few lessons...I became less afraid of it, and relly began to love flight.
Now that I'm on my way to the PPL as a student pilot, while at the same time being on my way to a BA (and eventually MA) in Aerospace Engineering...I've got this internal conflict within me.
I love planes, and that is a fact for me. I get excited whenever I see a picture or video of an SR-71 or F-15 in flight...or a space shuttle launch.
Yet I can either design air/spacecraft or fly them. Flying thouch is restricted because of my vision problem.
So I was considering a compromise. Become an engineer, and yet, have part time jobs as a pilot, or even start my own little fun flight business.
I've probably been in about 20+ transatlantic flights, and some 200+ airline flights. Yet, I've come to realize that I would never like to fly as an airline pilot, not for a living at least, maybe to try it out (if such a thing was possible). Big planes are not for me. I rather like smaller, more maneuverable planes...liek jet fighters, small piston singles and twins or light turboprops/business jets.
So my interest in flying is limited to a maximum capacity of 10 to 14 passengers or so at the most.
I wouldn't like to fly anything bigger. The smallest of King Air's or business jets comes to mind. All kinds of piston twins and high performance singles. Those are the planes I'd love to fly the most.
I also don't like flying as a regional airline of any sort. My interest would be to be a pilot that flies people around in piston twins or singles for sightseeing tours, or for some other sort of job in such small planes. Even charters don't interest me.
Well, to get to the point, I was wondering if a Commercial Certificate would allow me to work as such a pilot of a light twin or turboprop.
Some people said you would need a CFI to do any "real professional flying for hire" of any sort... to build hours without paying a couple billions bucks...
and CFI has never really been a certificate I would want...Instrument, multi, Commercial, aerobatic, type ratings and endorcements are what I was interested in.
Also, the expected starting salary for me as a Aerospace Engineer with a Masters is about 60,000 bucks. Now, I know money is not everything in life, but it sure makes it a hell of a lot more comfortable and secure. And I see that the pilot/aviation industry is not doing all that well as there seems to be an excess supply of pilots and not enough positions, and starting salaries seem to be around half that mark...i.e. about 30,000 bucks.
One thing I was considering was getting an MBA and starting my own flight business...and be one of the pilots as well as the CEO or whatever...to get to fly and make a little more money...
it seems that the best realistic solution for me would be going into corporate flying as they are smaller jets...but I don't really like the lack of flexibility of that job...hauling business men here and there...
well...these are all dreams and guesses...I'm in my Junior year in college...and I started flying a couple months ago...so I'm a little late for a degree in Aviation (i.e. Flight Major)...though I was considering switching...
well, this is probably the longest post...too many questions and you guys problably already hate me
congrats if you have not fallen asleep...I would appreciate some input on this whole pilot's life/job issue...
Thanx
Archer