I need some serious advice guys

[BluDevAv8r]

Well said. And, these new-hires did not buy their interviews or jobs.

You titled this thread, Mr. Duck, "I need some serious advice." You are receiving it, though it may not be what you hoped you'd see.

Sometimes people say that they are asking for advice but really what they are asking for is some form of reassurance from the masses in order to rationalize a decision that has already been made (or subconsciously made). Also...what is it they say? "Don't ask the question unless you are prepared to hear the answer."

With that said, that may or may not be the case with Toiletduck. Just more 2 cents, which is worthless.

-Neal

 

[ToiletDuck]

lots of pennies add up. And I appreciate them all

 

[bobbysamd]

Cost of advice? Priceless - or worthless

lots of pennies add up. And I appreciate them all

As BluDevAv8r observed, it is all .02 advice, but coming from a cross-section of experience and backgrounds. And, again, it may not be what you expected to read.

I learned from my aviation experiences that it is important to consider each decision and each move carefully, starting from the moment one decides to pursue the career. It's important to look at the overall picture and plan several moves ahead. It's hard to recover from bad aviation career decisions, simply because of the hoardes of well-qualified pilots vying for very few jobs. Aviation is not like other careers, where recovery from mistakes is easier.

Good luck with however you proceed. And, please, consider the advice you have received about instructing seriously.

 

[ToiletDuck]

Also I see these courses available to get your type ratings such as the banner at the top. Waste of money, somethig to get burned in the town square for, or worth getting if possible?

 

[bobbysamd]

Type rating

Also I see these courses available to get your type ratings such as the banner at the top. Waste of money, somethig to get burned in the town square for, or worth getting if possible?

I would not, at this time. A type rating won't help you unless you have real time in the airplane. I got my CE-500 because I thought it would help me land a regional job. I figured it would show that I have learned crew concepts, turbine equipment, and can be typed. Also at that time, American Eagle was giving sim rides in a Citation sim. I spent a great week earning the rating in Carlsbad, California, but the only help it might have given me was getting some senior flight instructing jobs. I had an American Eagle interview, but the sim was much different than the airplane.

You might consider earning a B737 type when you have built enough experience to qualify for SWA, but that's a long ways away. In the meantime, you might get jobs where companies will pay for your type ratings. Earning one's ratings on the employer's nickel is the way to go.

 

[Alchemy]

Just Instruct, it's fun, plus it will look good on your resume and you will actually earn money instead of burning more of it. If you don't like Waco (and by god, who can blame you), move to Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, or somehwere out of state.....there are plenty of flights chools in and around all of those cities; with the regionals hiring like they are there's a pretty steady demand for CFI's right now, not many people hang around once they reach 1000-1200 hours.

Do yourself a favor and stay away from Gulfstream and TAB, if for no other reason than you will save a lot of money.

 

[ToiletDuck]

Yup looks like Flight instructing will be the way...... Glad someone understands why I want to get out of here. Waco makes you want to go crazy.

 

[bobbysamd]

Job search - it's a lot of HARD WORK but must be done

Yup looks like Flight instructing will be the way...... Glad someone understands why I want to get out of here. Waco makes you want to go crazy.

Good college football, notwithstanding.

Work up your resume and cover letter, and send them to any FBO, school, college, etc., that has flight instruction. Research these outfits so you can address the person in charge of hiring, e.g., the Chief Instructor, by name. Dress for an interview, hop in your car, and hand-deliver resumes and cover letters to any company within driving distance. Don't expect immediate responses. Keep it up, and someone will call. Once you get your first job, you'll be on your way.

 

[Huggyu2]

There are a number of Guard/Reserve units in Texas (Houston, Ft Worth, San Antonio). Go "rush" them an become a military pilot.

 

[Flechas]

Yup looks like Flight instructing will be the way...... Glad someone understands why I want to get out of here. Waco makes you want to go crazy.

I'm glad you decided to go that way, hope you have lots of fun, and count on us fro any questions, comments, concerns, complaints, and remark......

Good luck!!

 

[urflyingme?!]

GK is right!

You don't have to instruct, but it is a good experience builder. You will need to work harder to find a job other than instructing for a few hours. I found a cool gig for the summer by calling every Banner tow company I could find, literally! I think I found my job around call 20! HAHAHA

 

[ToiletDuck]

I'm sure this type of question had been asked several times over and I understand the bitterness. I just hope you guys can understand where I'm coming from. There are only 16 schools that offer a degree in aviation and Baylor was one of them. I loved the school and it was very challenging. However while studying there you don't hear the real world stuff. You have all these people coming in (military, gulfstream, ect) and they all sales pitch you on why they are good. And they make sense, but only because they never tell you the bad and EVERYTHING has the bad.

I'm glad I got flamed at for mentioning things. I've been all over the net to different places and most of them just had people that were crazy about flying but hadn't really done it (discovery channel wings addicts). They offered no criticism or anything of the sort. Everything I mentioned was "Yea man give it a shot" but no "Hell NO!"s out there and that made me not want to take their advice. I'm glad so many posted here. With such a high traffic site I was able to hear the opinions of a large group of people all who have more experience than I. If at any point I came off hard headed it wasn't because I was wanting someone to agree with me or because i was leaning in that direction. It was because I wanted stuff like "bobbysamd" said on the second page. After the few "it sucks" type comments I picked up on the general idea that people didn't approve but I wanted a reason why; and not some cheap "you have to earn it" and thats it reason. Through this post I have recieved some very valuable and well thoughout debates as to why something actually isn't a good idea and I would like to thank everyone for their response. Of course I still go to my normal job right now (Dell Computers) and pray to God that I don't end up staying there like so many others do. I want to move on and get the ball rolling. In exactly 7hrs 45min I'm going in to take my Commercial written. I'm sure once I do it I'll feel much better and like I'm moving forward still. Sometimes just going to the same job and back to the same apt. everyday makes me feel like i'm treading water and not going to make it yet on the inside I can't wait. Most of my friends are graduating to jobs and such which seems like I'm being left behind even though my education level is higher than there's lol.

Expect me to ask more debatable questions for time to time because these are important decisions and the knowledge I've found here is nothing short of amazing(except for whoever was accusing me of being some tard that was banned already).

Once again thank you everyone who posted.

**Now if anyone can post me to the joke thread I'd like to laugh a little and add a couple.

 

[NuGuy]

Ducky,

Take a really hard look at the aviation industry now, and make an accurate assesment of the chances.

In just a few years, if not already, there will only be a few places offering any kind of workable income or livable conditions. The major passenger carriers have seen their flying outsourced to cheaper regionals, which in turn have seen THEIR flying outsource to even cheaper places. Real working conditions for a majority of the industry is really in the crapper, with zero respect, and has all the charm of a low-rent, has-been, Vegas casino.

Most of the regional pax biz has ZERO traction for negotiating better conditions. They do not control their flying, and it can be outsourced in a New York minute. If and when the legacy carriers go bust, so do their regionals, because the LCC cost structure cannot support regional flying at ANY level.

The only hope left is cargo (UPS/FexEx) or a very few of the LCC's that pay livable wages (SWA, perhaps AirTran) comensurate with the investment, and time will catch up with them as well. Fractional outfits are alright, but even those guys are clamoring for better conditions. Corporate is doable, but it's a long road of networking to grab one of those gigs and decent, non- 24/7 beeper jobs are few and far between. These jobs represent VERY few jobs numerically, and with adding in all the military guys, competition will be insane.

Money and working conditions in General Aviation (including light cargo, charter, instructing or anything with pistons in the engine) is utter crap.

Do yourself a favor. Put the 50k or so of training costs in long term investment. Go back to school, do something else, make some real money. 10 years down the road, take the money you invested and pay cash for a plane of your choice and enjoy it.

Whatever you do, DO NOT LISTEN to any "pilot shortage" crap-o-la from anyone, most especially from anyone having to do with flight schools, academies, or universities. They are absolutely full of SH!T.

But this is just my opinion, I could be wrong....

Nu

 

[NuGuy]

An den? Air travel in the United States ceases to exist ? Or air travel only exists under the LCC blueprint with point to point flying from a select few major cities only ?

Air travel to those places that can support it at a price people are apparently willing to pay. Its the LCC model...skim the cream. Fly in the top 75-85 markets.

Everyone is trying to pull the same stunt. With the insane competition, fares don't support markets that don't pull their own weight.

If you live anywhere else, you take the bus.

Go Greyhound!

Nu

 

[ToiletDuck]

I refuse to believe that. Air travel will always exists. I've done many studies in this and know that it will always be there. My flight instructor was actually just hired by Northwest flying regional jets. He's about to be bumped up to captain. There's decent living doing a job he loves. Just because a few american airlines can't manage their money doesn't mean the market isn't there. It's a global economy.