I need some serious advice guys

[Alchemy]

hired by Northwest

That's just the thing, he doesn't even work for Northwest, just a company which contracts cheap labor to northwest airlines to operate their airplanes. That is part the problem with the airlines right now. Doesn't mean he's wrong for doing it, I'm doing the same thing, but you'll find out more about this as you go along.

 

[ToiletDuck]

yea i know that most airlines don't own their planes and such. But it's a job and I'm going to need one and I might as well get one I like. At this point in my life I have no other options than to continue forward. Aviation Sciences does't exactly earn a business realted job too easily.

 

[Duderino]

Toilet duck. I don't know if this has been recommended, because I am not about to read the whole thread. There is no way there isn't stink bait in one of those 5 pages or so. I flew jumpers, and cargo, and never instructed. It was hard but, I finally got it done. Be prepared to move. I would try to get on with the guy in San Marcos this summer. You could probably pick up 300 hours this summer down there. Or there are several Drop Zones in Houston. Once I got my time up, I flew right seat for a company out of Dallas or Denton called Texstar Airfreight. Eventually you will move on to fly left seat, with much lower hours than 1200, if you play your cards right. If these options don't work out, I highly suggest moving to South Florida. There are so many opportunities for low timers to move along at an accelerated rate down here. Whether its flying a 402 or Baron VFR, flying charter, or working your knuckles off in the hangar of a Lear Operator like Florida Jet, and getting into the right seat of a Business Jet. A friend of mine who is my age 28 and had 600 hours, flew with me in a Lear 35, and then got on full time for a 35 and 55 company and is now at the same place in a 60.

All of the jobs above require one thing. An ambitious attitude and hard work. You won't make much money, but it will be liveable, especially more in South Florida(stay away from A-OK). You will be required to become totally selfless, and be expected to look 100% profesional at all times. Don't joke around or get to comfortable anywhere, always maintain a professional attitude. Another thing you will need is a positive attitude. There is some really hard work ahead of you. If you justr focus, don't complain about it, and Press On, it will be behind you very soon. Good Luck my friend, and let me know if I can offer any helpful advice to you.

Dude

PS if the next few pages have turned into a PFT discussion, you must understand that Paying For Training is a very bad subject. If you pay to sit in the right seat of a plane that requires two pilots, you are taking away a job from someone that pays. I was passed up getting into a Metroliner in South Florida because of one of these Programs, and it sucks(little f'ing *&(boy, whose daddy was a United Captain).

 

[Goose Egg]

So many new pilots don't want to be flight instructors, probably because it means a temporary end to having their hands on the controls all the time, meaning the fun is over and now they have to work.

Hey ToiletDuck... (Cool username, btw...)

I guess I'm one of those rare guys that likes instructing. When a student of mine "gets it" or does something as well or better than I can do it, that's just as fun for me as when I am at the controls myself.

I've heard many times that this is a "tough" industry and that I should "rethink" my career goals. To that I say, if my worst case scenario is that I work full time outside of aviation and instruct the rest of my life on the side, then the study, schooling, and pain will still have been worthwhile. If the truth will be told, if I could buy a house on an instructors salary, I'd probably just stick with that.

Does instructing have it's sucky moments? Oh yeah. Will being a regional FO be sucky in its own way? I'm sure it will. But you've just got to consider the whole scenario with the idea that nothing will be perfect, and that pilots will never be compensated like rock stars. But all I ever really cared about was flying, eating, and paying the mortgage. If I have those bases covered, than I'm good. Consequently, I'm not willing to do things such as selling my soul to a PFT outfit. I have high expectations as far as work goes. I want it to be fulfilling, and let's face it some flyign jobs are more fulfilling than others.

The point of me saying all this is that you need to define your expectations for work and life. Make sure that they are high, but also make sure that they are realistic. I highly recommend instructing.

-Goose

 

[say again]

Hey toilet- welcome to flight info!


Good luck with the instructing or whatever else you decide. I cant keep up.