To all you guys who've made it already:

[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.

 

[KingAirKiddo]

Falcon Capt.

Just curious to hear the story about your passengers being late 6-1/2 years ago leading to your current position...definitely sounds like a "right place at the right time" cliche Good thread everyone...right up there with "Unrealistic Expectations"...keep up the good work.

Regards,
KAK

 

[enigma]

Strikefinder

The money gets better. The schedule gets better. The accomodations get better. IOW, the job gets better. Life gets better. But the flying you're doing now is probably the best you'll ever get. Along with the big money, schedule, nice motel rooms, etc., you get: Flight attendents to tolerate, more vice-presidents than flight crew, push crews who never can find their headsets, gate agents who try and push every problem past the boarding door, and much much more.

I will try and follow honor your request. I will encourage the pilots in entry level jobs. I will also tell them to enjoy being able to yank and bank at will, because once they're dragging around a hundred fifty people they can't do that anymore. Once you reach the big show, all you'll see is 9000ft runways, radar vectors for a ten-mile final on an ILS, and 30 minute waits for a motel van. Your largest challenge will be the occasional slam dunk approach or a tight crossing restriction. The most challenging part of my flying day is taxiing around ORD, LAX, LGA,etc.

That's what those pilots mean when they say you'll never have as much fun. They've progressed to the point where they can separate the flying from the job. They probably think that their words are supportive. I have said the same words and didn't realize that they could be taken another way. Thanks for giving us your perspective.

Now here's a little something to motivate you. Once you get caught up on your bills, (we all went into debt to get ahead), then you can buy yourself a B55/Pitts/RV6,etc, and yank and bank on your own schedule. That's my plan, I haven't gotten there yet, but I'm working on it. In the mean time, I've got the best part time job I ever had. (I usually manage to hold a 15 day off line.) I get to work with good people and fly decent equipment. And even though hand flying a light twin is about as good as "flying" gets, the first time that you pass thru 10000ft and notice that the IVSI still shows over 5000fpm climb I guarantee you that you'll get goose bumps. No that climb wasn't in the Douglas, it was in a Lear. I do miss that airplane.

Hang in there. Life does get better. Remember to cherish those moments when you the only one who knows you made a bad landing is you.

regards,
8N

 

[empenage]

Strikefinder:

It is f$%k'en cool. Remember where you came from when you "make it". Be patient.

Just some advice from an old frieght dog.

Press on.

 

[dsee8driver]

Boy can I relate..

Brownies???!?!?!?

Strikefinder,

A few years back after getting my dream break, I found myself furloughed after groundschool. Between the furlough and a family tragedy I got a 135 job in NC flying for Tarheel Aviation. I flew a Caravan for UPS and a Navajo for Airborne. But I got a chance to fly the check run for a few weeks on a B95 TravelAire that went from Rocky Mount-Manassas-Rocky Mount in am and Rocky Mount-Baltimore-Rocky Mount in pm in 7.9999999999 hours. I had the same experience in BWI signature. I slept in their couches and ate their popcorn, but can't remmember the brownies. I remmember loading my Travelscare on the hot days and barely getting off the runway. I actually had the fields around the departure end ready in case anything went wrong.

Anyway, I remmember when I was told to study ard and go to college. I was told I was gona wish I did later in life. Well, now I wish I did then and now I go to ERAU distance learning program.

I was told when I get to the big jets I would wish I can return to the Cessnas. Now that I fly a big jet and have a family, I'm trying to find the time and dough to fly the small ones just for fun.

As hard as it is to believe this, you have already made it. Although you have higher hope and expectations for your career. I get the feeling you get up and look forward to flying your Baron around. I know I did back then and I still do now. You have the right attitude and you will succeed.

 

[TurboS7]

I say a lot of things on this board that really ticks people off. I really try to get guys to think outside of the box. People find security in being a certain way and playing a certain part without thinking why they are doing it. Now is the time to think about your career and what you really want to do with it. Yes right now you are experiencing the better part of aviation. I still remember well the days of flying checks in an Aztec (Baron is a better check hauler but you use what you have) fighting the ice, checking with a flashlight over and over again. Shooting approaches right down to 1800 RVR, and taxing in vis so low it was really tough single pilot. It does get easier from the flying perspective, jets are simple they get above the weather and with the automation now days they are a pleasure to fly. The worries of loosing an engine right after takeoff are replaced with labour disputes, contract negociations, senoirity, furloughs, marriage problems. Then they are laced with EEOC complaints from FA's, or worse your other gender first officers. Combine that with the occasional crew member that makes life miserable for you and welcome to the airlines. Being a real professional pilot is great but there are several rules for a succesful career.
1) The airlines are union for the most part, support your union and fellow pilots, stick together you can solve problems together. You don't have to be an activist just a realist.
2)Accept your fellow pilot and crewmember for who they are and what they are right now, always give them the benifit of the doupt.
3)What goes around comes around, if a crewmember goes out of his/her way to screw you, smile and live with it, their turn will come.
4)Always give unput to your captain, and if you are a captain always listen to your fo,no matter how bad the personal conflict becomes. Never just sit there.
5)If you have a crewmember that is doing something you don't like or you feel is unsafe. 1)sit down with him/her in a non-threatening enviroment and discuss it one on one. 2) If the problems persist get another crewmember if your an FO even another captain that the guys/girl respects and discuss it. 3)If that doesn't change the behavior go to your union standard committee. If you feel safety is a factor and time is of the essense submit a report to your safety people in writing , and give a copy to the offender. Basic stuff but you will have do deal with all those issues at least once in your career as a professional pilot.
6) Learn how to spell or always have a spell checker.

 

[GopherEvertt?]

Despite the usual complaints we all have about contracts, schedules, pay, etc., etc., rembember this:

Nothing can beat an office with a view that changes by the minute, chasing sunsets at 37000 ft.

 

[skytrucker]

2 more cents...

... now I can get a corn dog!!

Still doing the freight thing and some days it really sucks.

Just remember one thing. Somewhere, there is some guy that cleans toilets' for a living. When you put things in perspective, it's not so bad.

 

[FearlessFreep]

I would have to say that the big picture doesn't change. I don't know too much about what it's like to fly something heavily automated, I haven't been that lucky. From what I have seen things don't change much, all the basics apply no matter what the size of the aircraft.

As you move along in your career the biggest challenge that you might have is staying awake.

I have been freight doggin' for a while and performing while very fatigued is the hardest thing to do. When you move to multiple crew aircraft, you just have more company. Most everyone I fly with hand flys all approaches in all kinds of weather even though there might be a small modicum of automation installed in the aircraft.

Aviation is always challenging, there are just too many variables that change constantly to make it any other way. It is all what we want to make of it.

Good Luck & Have Fun!

 

[Freight Dog]

Strikefinder,

You know, we may have run into the same SWA pilot. When I was still at Ameriflight, I remember jumpseating on a SWA flight and the captain turned to me and tells me:"You know.. fly the sh*ttiest airplanes, have the sh*ttiest schedule, and the sh*ttiest pay, and some of the best flying you could ever do." I laughed it off thinking... "RIGHT! You got 3 outta 4 right." However, when I got to the regional of my choice, I had the schedule I wanted, I live where I wanted to live, and I still laugh about my freight hauling days with best friend who flies for the same airline whom I chased down so many ILS's in some of the crappiest weather at times of night when the normal world is asleep. Looking back, I wouldn't change it for anything. I treasure every single 135 hour in my book - from flying VFR in a C-210 to flying a Chieftain into 100-foot overcast and 1/2 mile viz. I was so ripe to get outta there and get into a regional, I couldn't wait to get outta there.
I look back on it, and I have to say, I kind of miss those days - they were the good ol' days. Now, I'm sitting in the left seat of a Dash 8 where everything is automated, I have an autopilot that will actually do everything except land the plane for me - functioning one at that too. Whaddya know!!
I have a first officer there to back me up. I just sit back and smile. I still miss the good ol' freight days. So right now, looking back and remembering what that SWA captain told me makes absolute perfect sense.

Hang in there buddy!

 

[Clownpilot]

Good Old Days

I never had any good old days.

All I can remember is hoping the toilet would get fixed so I could go.

And I liked the subs at the deli across the street.

And that Oprah seemed to have large weight fluctuations.

And birds never sing if its cold outside.