To all you guys who've made it already:

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

I hate people and I could loose a few pounds...hmmm, maybe this late night business of not seeing anyone for months and eating crap is the way to go for me???

 

[rumpletumbler]

Monster burgers and the biggest fries for brefass, lunch and dinner. A few candy bars in between. No exercise. In the winter you will look like your sweating but it will be grease. Then when you won't fit in the cockpit of your current ride, ask for an upgrade.

RT

 

[Mookie]

Three things that Pilots are obsessed with:

Sex
Seniority
Salary.....

Not necessarily in that order

-peace







"mookie wilson...luckiest man alive!"

 

[FL717]

I remember the first time I flew a light twin. It was a Beech BE-76 Duchess. Oh my god... it may has well been a 747-400. It was huge, had 2 engines and 4..count'em FOUR seats!! And my god... the weight. That thing had to weigh several thousand pounds!! I logged every tenth I could get. Hell... I logged everyday and flew when I could! Then it just wasn't enough.

Then came Pt.135 flying the C-402... wait not just a 402.. it was a C-402"B". Oh yeah, all those other guys flying little planes like a Duchess. I was in a HEAVY! I'd sit in Signature having a nutritious breakfast (yes.. popcorn is technically a vegetable) and see all the turbine equipment.. and the 402 wasn't enough.

Later on I got in to a ERJ-145... a REAL airplane. Oh yeah.. the Concorde had nothing on this airplane. Besides that I was an Airline pilot. Oh yeah... I wore a hat!! I had 3.. count'em THREE stripes. I found out later they meant :
1.) I
2.) DON'T
3.) KNOW.
After a couple years.. it wasn't enough.

Then the DC-9, B-717. I love it.. but you sit on the taxiway and see a B-777, whose APU looks like it puts out more thrust than our engines! Then you realize, enjoy every phase of your career, all the time. I'd love to get into a Duchess again someday. It would probably kick my @ss!!

And to spend just 1 week flying the 402 again.. single pilot through all that weather, and running barefoot through Signature to use the bathroom... because I just woke up!!

Those were the days!

 

[mckpickle]

You'll fit in here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[NJA Capt]

Wow, what memories this post brings back. Kind of like the things your parents told you when you were a teenager and you thought they were full of it! Only to find a few short years later they were RIGHT!

I once heard those statements as a freight dog. Now, I am the one saying it. I used to fly freight in C210s and Be58s. Now I am in the front left of a Citation X.

A few weeks ago, I was at ATL and what did I see in the corner of the ramp? Hey, that's my old 210! I walked straight over and looked her over. Same paint, same company, same interior (none). Man, it seemed like yesterday (7 years). I found the guy flying "my 210" in the FBO and struck up a conversation. I remember flying wet because I was rained on loading the plane. I remember weeks of 200 and 1/2, never seeing the tops. I remember gallons of sweat with no A/C. I also remember the FBOs that treated me nice. I remember eating vending machine doughnuts and milk out of my lap while watching the sun come up. And breaking out on top after days of nothing but rain.

I have never since flown so much IMC. I am grateful for the knowledge I gained then. I wouldn't trade the experience for anything now. At the time, I would have traded it for ANYTHING else.

In the grand scheme of things, your time as a freight dog is small. Use every minute to hone your skills, it won't be long until you are in our shoes. My hat is off to all of you that are flying freight now. I was there, I can relate.

Thanks for the memories,
NJA Capt

 

[rumpletumbler]

Your initials aren't DH are they?

RT

 

[sweptwingz]

Hang in there...

I remember a cartoon, the premise is old and tired, but it still fits...

1. A 14 year old pilot stares through the FBO fence at a J-3 Cub...
"Someday I'm going to fly that plane", he thinks.

2. He's now flying that same Cub, and thinking: " Someday,
I'll have enough time to fly a C-172 as a CFI..."

3. He's instructing in the Skyhawk, gazing out the window,
and dreaming: "As soon as I can, I'm going to get that
Multi rating!"

4. Next frame, our hero is driving a freight Baron and longing
for the day, when..."I'll have enough time to apply to the
Commuters!"

5. Our pilot is finally a Captain on the mighty Saab 340....."I'm headed
for the majors, and my goal is to fly the B-747!"


6. Last frame, our "hero" is now close to 60 years old, he surveys
the Star Wars panel of his 747-400 and sighs....."Look at this
thing...this is a computer, not an airplane! I really miss that
J-3 Cub....now THAT was a machine you actually FLEW! "


At the time you may not know it, but ALL flying is wonderful.
Treasure it.....and keep hanging in there. It IS worth the wait !

Good luck to you.

 

[ClearRight]

No way, I'll stay right here!

Single pilot IFR? Never getting through the tops? Praying the 40-yr old wing spar stays together as I'm yanking and banking in the Santa Ana's? Praying the vis gets better the further I get throught the pass? What was that? a shudder?

No way! I'll gladly leave it behind. Good learning experiences, yeah, sure! I'll stay with my fresh coffee delivered, cleared direct 600 miles away, AP on, newspaper out, 3 on 4 off, view of the Grand Canyon at FL310. It's a great job!

Yes, yes, yes. Keep on keeping on!!

 

[LR25]

Keep your positive attitude and you will go far.

As soon as your attitude go's, you dont have alot to fall back on.

Alot of you are right, When I made it out of the pistons and made it to a jet, we were flying checks in Lears having a ball. We didnt make much money but I hardly noticed becuase of all the excitement.

One night the capt I was flying with looked over at me, I think he was 27, and I was 25 at the time, level at 370 at 4AM and he said, " This will be most likely the most fun we will have in our career", he was right!!!

I think about those days often.

Keep plugging away.