Lost the dream

[cessna_driver2]

Ok flight instructors, jet jocks, and anybody else's .02 is needed.

How do you guys help students who have lost the will to continue to fly?

I've been plugging away for way to long, and feel like it's getting absolutely nowhere fast. I've got 400+ hrs and think I am a competent pilot.

When do you know when to quit?

 

[ClassG]

Getting nowhere quick?

Yes, but where is it you are going?

Anyone willing to share advice with you needs to know what your goals are.

Do you want to be an ATP for an airline? A Freight Dog? A flight instructor? How soon?

Are your 400 hours mostly joy-rides? Are they dual received? Are you in training for your commercial?

It's hard to tell where you are or how things are really progressing without background info.

 

[cessna_driver2]

all my time is mostly dual recieved or training time.

Racked up about 300 at a 141 school. Got hosed. Working on commercial ticket since last may.

Future plans. I would have like to go corporate. Not much intrest in airlines. Frieght, charter, hell even sight seeing tours would be good. Anything that has wings and flys.

Guess I'm just wondering if flying is still worth it......

 

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

wow, the 141 part sux, dude...I know plenty of people who took that route and got hosed too...live and learn, and stay the hell away from places like that...in regards to keeping the dream alive? hmm, try going back to basics, and relearn it...that's what I am doing now, and it keeps it interesting while the weather's crappy

 

[banned username 2]

I hate to say it, but if you need to be talked into flying as a career, it is probably the wrong career choice for you. I am not trying to discourage you, but give you some clear light on it... Most people who make a career as a pilot have a passion for flying that doesn't need any extra encouragement....

In a way you can say professional pilots are over-achievers in motivation...

What do you mean by you got "hosed" by a 141 school? What happened? Schools like this try not to make a habit out of "hosing" their customers, for if they do, they soon have no customers.

Give us a little more insight on how you got to where you are today and maybe we can help...

You show interest in Corporate Aviation... I'd be glad to answer any questions you might have in that field also...

 

[fletch717]

Lost the Dream

Cessna,

If this is truly the path for which you desire, then this is only a set back on the road to living your dream. I don't know where you are with the commercial training but it's not a hard rating to get. Find a new instructor, figure out what you need to do and move forward. If doing what you love for a living was easy then everyone would have the perfect job. Stay focused on your goals an you will achieve them.

Good luck,
Fletch

 

[172driver]

How did you get 300 hrs at a 141 school and no commercial ticket? 100 more and still no ticket? Sounds like maybe you "hosed" yourself. The school can't make you into a pilot. You must do the work yourself.

Most students at the 141 school I work for are done with commercial in 120-150 hrs. If they were pushing 300, I would suggest they move on. 141 is too expensive to be inefficient in training. Some people need more flight time to be proficient, nothing wrong with that but it's much cheaper at the FBO. 141 only works out if you can take advantage of the reduced time requirements by working your a$$ off.

You must have all the requirements met, you say you are a proficient pilot...go take the checkride.

The profession is worth it if you want it bad enough. The pilots who are where you want to be certainly worked for their jobs and there are plenty more in waiting. If you want it, you have to work harder than the rest.

 

[Caveman]

Hey CEO,

What happened to the Two Chicks avitar? Bring it back.....please......

 

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

Hey CEO,

What happened to the Two Chicks avitar? Bring it back.....please......

I didn't want anyone failing their EKGs because of irregular heart beats...so the ladies took a lil' winter break...more like a permanent vacation though

And lets keep it on topic, gents...this guy needs motivation

 

[cessna_driver2]

Thanks for everyone's input. The good, bad and the ugly are all needed. I understand that this a hard industry. It takes perseverance and commitment to get through. For little return. But then I guess we all deciede on our own rewards in the end.

I guess I'm starting to realize what That united captian told me down in New Orleans a few years back. It's all coming true now. Thanks again for everyone's input.

Keep the blue side up and fly safe.

 

[350DRIVER]

If you want something bad enough then go get it. Aviation is not for everyone nor do things come easy in this business. If YOU truly "love" flying and have the desire then everything else will fall into place. If Y O U don't have either then you probably are not going to be the happiest guy in this game and should look elsewhere. If you are second guessing your choice now I would suggest not continuing since it will be a costly mistake that you may regret in the future.

Seems from your above posts that you enjoy flying so keep at it and accept the fact that things will not come as easy as you would like and you may not have as many breaks early on as you would want.

IF aviation was easy then everyone would do it-

good luck

3 5 0

 

[172driver]

190 hours is required for a commercial under part 141.

Make that 120.

 

[toneal]

Thanks for everyone's input. The good, bad and the ugly are all needed. I understand that this a hard industry. It takes perseverance and commitment to get through. For little return. But then I guess we all deciede on our own rewards in the end.

I guess I'm starting to realize what That united captian told me down in New Orleans a few years back. It's all coming true now. Thanks again for everyone's input.

Keep the blue side up and fly safe.

Um...what did he tell you?

 

[Unchilled]

Make that 120.

To be clear, the Part 141 Commercial Certification Course itself must be 120 hours, but an applicant needs 190 hours total time to receive the license.

I think.

 

[bobbysamd]

Finishing

all my time is mostly dual recieved or training time.

Racked up about 300 at a 141 school. Got hosed. Working on commercial ticket since last may.

Future plans. I would have like to go corporate. Not much intrest in airlines. Frieght, charter, hell even sight seeing tours would be good. Anything that has wings and flys.

Guess I'm just wondering if flying is still worth it......

I, too, don't quite understand how you could rack up 400 hours and not finish, even in the worst 141 ripoff school. Just the same, your instructors cannot spoon-feed you into being a pilot. You have to put forth the effort. Learning is an active process.

Once you finish your ticket and you've been at it for, say, 2000-4000 hours and are getting nowhere, then you can raise doubts. In the meantime, finish. Good luck with your efforts.

 

[skyking1976]

I agree with Bob. You are at the waking moments of your flying career and my guess is you haven't been exposed to the REALLY fun stuff like turbine and heavy twin flying (at least that is the fun stuff for me). Once you accomplish your commercial, ME, CFI, etc. I think that you will realize why you became a pilot. See what things are like after someone starts paying you to fly their airplane for a change. If you feel then that flying is not for you, chalk it up as experience and a lesson learned and become a paralegal... Right Bob....

Hang in there,
Skyking

 

[bobbysamd]

See what things are like after someone starts paying you to fly their airplane for a change. If you feel then that flying is not for you, chalk it up as experience and a lesson learned and become a paralegal... Right Bob....

Correct. I always loved flying for its own sake but sometimes things don't always go the way they're planned and circumstances force you into decisions you must make. In other words, you have to get up the gumption to finish and to get a job and work. At that point you can decide if the career is for you.

Once again, good luck.

 

[Speedtree]

the reasons for your high time with little results could be few or many.

how much fun have you had in your flying up until now? what did you enjoy about your training? ifr, x-countries, shortfield t-o's & landings? talk to your cfi about your problem. any cfi worth anything should be able to understand and help you learn while getting your interest back up. make sure you set goals and realistic achievement deadlines. lots of timebuilding cfi's would love to go out and "play" without teaching you much. make sure his/her goals are the same as yours.

aviation is career of attrition. there will be more times like this for you, hopefully not so bad. i've worked in the industry for 7 years now and only make around $25,000/year, but there is hope and i enjoy what i do.

God bless you in your endeavors.

Also, find some local students/friends and hang-out and talk with them. maybe look into Civil Air Patrol or somewhere you can do some flying for less cost.

 

[Toploader]

I fail to see how you got "hosed" at the 141 school.

After my private license, I attended a 141 school, and in less than two years I had up through an MEI and was instructing there!

Friends and students that I saw feeling "hosed" were usually either not catching on, or were suffering from rapid instructor turnover. Some were just not motivated.

Hope things get better for you.

Toploader

 

[Flyguy5432H]

i know many, including myself that got discouraged cause of all the training. i went 141 from instrument through commercial multi, so once you finished one rating you started another, all training and no real time for yourself. it kind of gets to a person after a while.

what can help though is just taking some money and renting for yourself or friends, especially if you can find some that will help with the cost. go out and take a cross-country to pick up lunch somewhere, or go and do some maneuvers, just have fun with it. it'll remind you of why you wanted to fly in the first place.