I have a question for all airline pilots

[SWA/FO]

I was just thinking the same thing! With all the happenings going on in aviation, it sure is nice reading all these positive responses.

Its great to see young blood coming up the ranks!! Keep your dream alive, my friend!

 

[Tweetybird]

Nicholas,

And I also agree with pretty much all of the posts. This should give you that "warm fuzzy" that we're not leading you astray. I must add two comments:

1. I was a T-37 Instructor Pilot for 4 years in the USAF. The T-37 is the first jet student's currently fly in the Air Force (it's being replaced). I loved that job, and am returning to it for a while due to the current situation we face on our planet! Many times I saw a gung-ho shinny new officer right out of college/the academy get discouraged right off the bat when they made mistakes in the jet. It was due to many reasons. One of which was that they were generally Type "A" people (Type A = nearly always positive, correct, motivated, stubborn, and good at what they do). Often when these folks ran into a slight bit of trouble during their initial flying training they would beat themselves up so much that their performance would drop drastically. I used to always tell them, "Pilot Training is like a roller coaster ride. Just put your hands in the air and keep screaming!" What I meant by that is that one MUST stay motivated and not get down when things don't go your way (and they won't always go your way no matter how good you are). We always looked for these type folks and had to work to adjust their thinking to match that of an aviator. As a pilot you can't stop in mid air to abuse yourself just because things haven't gone your way. Save that for the ground. O.K, so this point is long, but I'm trying to say you'll have rocky roads while enroute to your goal (both flying and otherwise). Work through them!

2. You stated that your parents and teachers really don't know what you need to do to reach your goal. I know what you meant to say, but as a "33 year old – old man", please hear me out. Your teachers and parents have a great deal of knowledge on how you can reach your goals. I'm sure they're bringing you up to be an outstanding citizen and person. You need to listen to what they have to say man. Many pilots here have told you how important it is to keep your nose clean - and THEY'RE RIGHT! I've made plenty of mistakes in my life, but without my great parents I think I'd probably be dead right now.

O.K. Nicholas. Enough of my ranting. As you can see, we all love our chosen profession and care dearly about whom we hand it over to. I want you to know that I can't imagine having a job that's more challenging or more enjoyable. Flying is absolutely awesome! It sure sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders. I wish you the best of luck in all you do. I'll leave you with a quote I try to live by:

"A Superior Pilot uses his Superior JUDGEMENT to keep himself out of situations requiring he use his Superior skills."

 

[MLBWINGBORN]

Nick..

I am the exact opposite of most of the previous posts..

I am the first person in three generations of my family to make it out of High School..I have no college..non-military...Im too tall...Too old..Ive got less than perfect eyes,ect ect..

I had been told by a family member that the only way i would get near a jet would be to drive a fuel truck..

To say that my parents were less than supportive of my desire to fly would be a gross understatment..

But...Regardless of what was going on in my life one thing never changed..I loved airplanes..And i WAS going to be a pilot..Period..

So..One of the first things you have to decide is this.....Do you really,really love to fly?...Do you really want to be an airline pilot?Think about it..Your honesty with yourself may be the key to your success!!

I assume that you do..

Now that you have heard about flight schools,college,the military and every other path to the left seat of a jet...Let me tell you a little about mine..

On my last day at a well known flight school in Florida i had met a guy that had put together every cent he could to go to the school..I told him i would give him all my left over can goods if he could come and pick them up...After waiting for over an hour later than i had agreed to, i put the can goods in the dumpster and drove to the rental office to turn in my keys..As i drove out of the parking lot i caught sight of him jumping over the side of the dumpter to get the cans of food..I thought to myself "that guy really wants to be here"....

After leaving flight school with a pocket full of tickets,
I managed to drive to every airport with a flight school in every state between Florida and Virginia..No luck..I tried for two months in Virginia to find a job...I finally heard about a guy that owned an airport that knowbody would work for...I called this guy for a week straight and went to his office several times..He finally agreed to see me...We met at his airport...He walked into the lobby and asked who i was and if i could fly a C152..He pointed at one and told me to preflight it and i would give him dual in it when i was ready...

A soft field takeoff,power on stall,simulated engine failure,A low altitude transistion from a power off landing to a soft field landing to a full stop..All in one turn around the pattern..

I park the plane and he gets out and slams the door and walks off..Not a word..
I go into the lobby and there was a C-210 aircraft manual on the counter..I was told to be back there at three to take up a sight seeing flight in the 210 and to go check myself out in it..

I got ten bucks per flight hour on the Hobbs..Five for ground school...I had no students..But i had a job...A job that knowbody wanted..
I got my ATP at 310 hours...Airplanes,Tractors,and Packards..I washed them all..

The guy later told me he gave me the job because he thought that was the only way i would stop bugging him..

I went to one of three airports everyday for three straight years..I never missed a day..During those three years i taught a bunch of people to fly,chased forest fires,towed gliders,flew traffic patrol,hauled sky divers,and every other thing you can think of with a piston powered airplane...And ate an awful lot of peanut butter and tuna fish on wheat..

One day a guy was sitting on a bench at the airport and as i walked in i offered to buy him a Coke..He said make it a Cherry Coke and i had a deal..We got to talking and the next thing i know he tells me about a guy thats flying freight at night and hes looking for pilots...He writes down a number and tells me his name and hands me the number...My first 135 job..Flying night freight in a piston single over the mountains in winter...But i had a job...A job that knowbody wanted.. But a priceless job that taught me the true meaning of IFR..Ice..CG..Trim...Fear..and many other things..

After getting my ATP i took a job during the day driving a van to DCA/Washinton National Airport...My plan was to post my resume on every door on the airport..In every pilot lounge..On every desk.. Picture this..A guy walks in the pilot lounge at Signature Flight Support wearing a bus drivers uniform...Wades thru the group of corperate pilots fighting over popcorn and the WSI machine...And drops his resume on every table..Five days a week..Yep...Thats me...

No..I didnt get a job as a result of doing all this...I got the respect of someone who watched me do this day after day..Someone i didnt really know..Until later...

Some time later i get this call from a guy. He asked me if i wanted to take a ride in a Learjet...He needed to move one for some paint work and asked if i wanted to go....
Anyway..Remember the Cherry Coke...Turns out the guy was a Learjet pilot...Next thing i know im sitting next to the guy i had bought a Coke years before and he is letting me fly a Lear 35..My first jet time..

Years later this same guy would call me up one day and offer me one of the best jobs ive ever had...Not bad for a .50 Cherry Coke..

I guess what im trying to say in my own,long,drawn out way is this..

Dont be afraid to take a less than perfect job...What you may learn might be priceless.

If you really want the job..Dont be afraid of bugging people..

Be kind to everyone you fly with..Sooner or later it WILL be returned to you..

You have to love flying more than anything in the world..Otherwise the price will always be too high,the pay too little,the sacrifices too many..

Never,ever forget that the world of aviation is very small..The upper reaches of aviation are even smaller...Your reputation will always be questioned by your peers..Its part of the job..

Last..But not least..Never,ever give up..No matter what..DO what you have to do to make it happen..And make it happen now..Not tomorrow..

Oh..One last thing...

The guy i told you about that jumped into the dumpster after the can goods..

Well..Almost eleven years later to the day he and i were sitting together in the front of a Boeing 737-700NG..I was flying my first leg after IOE as a First Officer...He was the Captain writing my first line evaluation...

Yes..Its a very small world out there..

You have much to look forward to..No matter what path you choose,I hope you choose to enjoy every minute of it..

I have..And still do..

Be well..

MLBWINGBORN

 

[MachPi]

Good info and words of encouragement all around.

Let me put one thing on the other side of the scale, though. Being an airline pilot can be very rewarding, and most of us get paid for doing something we love to do. Plus, you eventually get more time off than you might know what to do with.

But be aware that that time off comes at odd hours throughout the month, which means it's much more difficult for pilots to do anything that has a set schedule than people who have classic 9 to 5 jobs. For instance, it will be hard for you as a pilot to go back to college later to try something else, or make a commitment to, say, be the coach of your own kid's soccer team.

What I'm driving at here is that you need to be sure that professional flying is what you want to do with your life. It sounds like you are, and that's great. But if, sometime between now and graduating college, something else piques your interest, sit down and take a hard look at what you want to do with your life before you make any decision that's hard to take back.

I'm a professional pilot, and I enjoy my life. My brother is a marine biologist who flies for fun, and he enjoys his, too. Make sure you know which kind of life you'd rather have.

Good luck!

 

[skydiverdriver]

Wow. I feel better just reading some of this stuff. All great information. For the guy that asked if Parker is near Cochise College, it is not. Parker is on the Colorado River on the West end of the state, and Cochise is south, near the Mexican border. I went to Cochise, and it was an excellent program. I don't think there are many community colleges with their own airports on campus, and you cant beat the price compared with the big schools. Get that degree, try the military, if that doesn't work, get a good job to pay for flying and just never quit. I like the part about marrying the right woman too. It's a strange career, but it's also a job you hate to love. Its a great ride, and welcome aboard. Good luck to you.

 

[RP 04]

Don't do drugs!!!

 

[HA25]

Best of luck to you Nick, I can give you the best bit of advise on what you need.... Commitment.

Hang in there, ask a lot of questions, take it all in and you'll figure out what to do when the time comes.. first get thru high school without getting into too much trouble!

PS.. and take MLBWINGBORNS words to heart, I agree with his take the most.

 

[coogebeachhotel]

Apply for the Cadet Program with Cathay Pacific Airways. 15 months to SO on Airbus 340. Competitive but they pay for everything. Training in Australia.

 

[freighthumper]

All the stuff on colleges and getting your ratings is great info. But I think the best advice given was by MLBWINGBORN. You need to be so so so aware of the people you meet and how you treat them. You will have so many more opportunities presented to you by people you know than the hours in your logbook. Find an FBO or a charter operator near you and bug them until they give you a job doing anything at all. Work your butt off, be good to everyone and try to keep in touch with everyone you can. Networking is so important, and its one of those things that in my opinion people seriously underestimate and neglect. Having 10,000 hours of jet time is great, but a having good reputation and knowing the right people is what gets you the job.

 

[flint4xx]

There was a kid doing odd jobs at the flight school I taught at years ago. He's a fighter pilot now.

 

[race#53]

. I like the part about marrying the right woman too. It's a strange career, but it's also a job you hate to love. Its a great ride, and welcome aboard. Good luck to you.

Here is some good advice from a pilot in Paraguy concerning marriage,
You can marry a poor woman or a rich woman they are all the same.
If you are still poor after you get married it is your own fault.
To all the qualities of the ideal wife add some money to help with
finances.

 

[Deerkiller]

i wondered what happened to him. He's now 19.

Nick,

I hope you found your wings!!!

dk

 

[snow-back]

Forget the airlines. Go corporate!

 

[AV80R]

Nicholas,

You got lots of great advice here, I agree with pretty much all replies. Just stay focused on your future, stay out of trouble and one day you’ll be flying airplanes for a living. Good luck to you! av80r.

 

[HA25]

Wow, talk about feeling like an idiot! I didn't realize this thread was so old when i responded.. I sure hope he's doing good. Maybe he's a Freshman at the U and in ROTC or something..