Why shouldn't I PFT?
Background:
I have spent 4+ years in this biz. I finished college and yeilded a money making job to follow my dream to fly and begin my training as a pilot. This was just at the end of the roaring 90's when things were looking very optomistic in the Aviation Biz.
I have begged, borrowed, and scrapped up every dime I could to put into this career, waiting tables by day and bartending at night to pay for ratings up to the commerical ticket.
I initially bought some hours ASEL and AMEL to try to accelerate my entry into a job, since there was so much opportunity at the time. Despite my efforts I always came up short of the right amount of flight hours needed to secure the job (1200 + some magic number of multi). After this I decided to pick up my CFI and build more time and experience. I had hoped to use the money from my CFI-A to feed myself and pay for CFI-I and and MEI.
No sooner than I got my CFI-A along came 9-11. Since that I have moved around continually and in pursuit of employment as a CFI and still have netted less than 200 hrs dual given.
To further aggravate this situation each site I went to had no shortage of cronies who were more than willing to remind me that I would be last of the last to get an opportunity for dual given in the multi, while at the same time professing to rapidly train me and get my MEI ticket punched (what on earth for if I can't use it?)
Forging forward through the toughest of times I took the pennies from my budets and used them to buy as much additional flight time as I could, all ASEL, block time, and shared. My thoughts were that as the folks with weak stomachs were leaving the biz I could load up on flight time at a cheaper rate due to low demand for A/C rentals.
At this point I am all pooped out. Having an accounting background from college I have
planned to begin saving for the golden years at age 25, and absolutely no later than 30. I recently just came into some money (property inheritance) and want to use it wisely.
I have long stood aside those who are against PFT, both by reading this board as well as talking with others pursuing the same goals as me. (Even though I bought most of my flight time ASEL and AMEL recips, I do not consider this PFT).
My current stance is that I am just about ready to turn my back on this dismal money sucking career. My last chance is if I can PFT my way into the industry and start generating some income, otherwise I will have to leave.
If no job appears in the next couple of months then I plan to jump into the financail world with this Springs college grads (something that maybe I should have done 4 years ago). This way I can start saving rather than perpetually spending every dime I come across. Ideally if I am successful enough I would buy an ASEL and fly it for pleasure and CFI from time to time as the opportunity presents itself.
Before passing judgement consider the two facts below and ask yourself (honestly) would you do it if you had the money to spare.
FACT 1:
Then money I have spent buying 800+ hours ASEL/AMEL recips rivals most of the PFT I have seen to date. My moral stance was always the justification for not PFTing earlier even though it would have made more economical sense.
FACT 2:
BobbySamD is man whose comment I respect. However when I think about how he did everything he could, ratings, cfi-ing, networking and pounding the pavement to no avail. Yet I have met airline pilots who I would consider to be half as knowledgeable as Bobby yet they have jobs because they were willing to PFT. I must conclude that if Bobby would have PFT he would be a Capt on the line imparting his knowledge to FO (future Capts) rather leaving it in the vacuum of this space. This coupled with the recent capital I have gained puts me in
a dilema.
Don't mistake me I am glad you are here Bobby but I desire to fly so much that I would like to give it one last shot before walking away, and PFT may be my last ditch effort.
For anyone who has stuck with this post long enough to reach this point please fire away love it, hate it, lets hear your thoughts. Most helpful though would be some of the
unintended not so obviouse bad consequences of PFT. I am not really worried about the one or two guys who wouldn't hire me if they were chief of pilots at some Major because the found out that I PFT. In reality I would love to sue the heck out of them, as I am sure this practcice would be illegal.
touche.
Background:
I have spent 4+ years in this biz. I finished college and yeilded a money making job to follow my dream to fly and begin my training as a pilot. This was just at the end of the roaring 90's when things were looking very optomistic in the Aviation Biz.
I have begged, borrowed, and scrapped up every dime I could to put into this career, waiting tables by day and bartending at night to pay for ratings up to the commerical ticket.
I initially bought some hours ASEL and AMEL to try to accelerate my entry into a job, since there was so much opportunity at the time. Despite my efforts I always came up short of the right amount of flight hours needed to secure the job (1200 + some magic number of multi). After this I decided to pick up my CFI and build more time and experience. I had hoped to use the money from my CFI-A to feed myself and pay for CFI-I and and MEI.
No sooner than I got my CFI-A along came 9-11. Since that I have moved around continually and in pursuit of employment as a CFI and still have netted less than 200 hrs dual given.
To further aggravate this situation each site I went to had no shortage of cronies who were more than willing to remind me that I would be last of the last to get an opportunity for dual given in the multi, while at the same time professing to rapidly train me and get my MEI ticket punched (what on earth for if I can't use it?)
Forging forward through the toughest of times I took the pennies from my budets and used them to buy as much additional flight time as I could, all ASEL, block time, and shared. My thoughts were that as the folks with weak stomachs were leaving the biz I could load up on flight time at a cheaper rate due to low demand for A/C rentals.
At this point I am all pooped out. Having an accounting background from college I have
planned to begin saving for the golden years at age 25, and absolutely no later than 30. I recently just came into some money (property inheritance) and want to use it wisely.
I have long stood aside those who are against PFT, both by reading this board as well as talking with others pursuing the same goals as me. (Even though I bought most of my flight time ASEL and AMEL recips, I do not consider this PFT).
My current stance is that I am just about ready to turn my back on this dismal money sucking career. My last chance is if I can PFT my way into the industry and start generating some income, otherwise I will have to leave.
If no job appears in the next couple of months then I plan to jump into the financail world with this Springs college grads (something that maybe I should have done 4 years ago). This way I can start saving rather than perpetually spending every dime I come across. Ideally if I am successful enough I would buy an ASEL and fly it for pleasure and CFI from time to time as the opportunity presents itself.
Before passing judgement consider the two facts below and ask yourself (honestly) would you do it if you had the money to spare.
FACT 1:
Then money I have spent buying 800+ hours ASEL/AMEL recips rivals most of the PFT I have seen to date. My moral stance was always the justification for not PFTing earlier even though it would have made more economical sense.
FACT 2:
BobbySamD is man whose comment I respect. However when I think about how he did everything he could, ratings, cfi-ing, networking and pounding the pavement to no avail. Yet I have met airline pilots who I would consider to be half as knowledgeable as Bobby yet they have jobs because they were willing to PFT. I must conclude that if Bobby would have PFT he would be a Capt on the line imparting his knowledge to FO (future Capts) rather leaving it in the vacuum of this space. This coupled with the recent capital I have gained puts me in
a dilema.
Don't mistake me I am glad you are here Bobby but I desire to fly so much that I would like to give it one last shot before walking away, and PFT may be my last ditch effort.
For anyone who has stuck with this post long enough to reach this point please fire away love it, hate it, lets hear your thoughts. Most helpful though would be some of the
unintended not so obviouse bad consequences of PFT. I am not really worried about the one or two guys who wouldn't hire me if they were chief of pilots at some Major because the found out that I PFT. In reality I would love to sue the heck out of them, as I am sure this practcice would be illegal.
touche.
