My first flying job was with a company called Gulfstream Academy. It was great, I got to fly (sit) right seat in a 1900. They even let me pull the gear up once and three times I got to tell ATC we had the numbers. You can't beat that kind of experience. CFIs are just scared to fly a real airplane. So while they were flying Cessna's, I was flying, I mean sitting in, a Turbo Prop.
My first flying job?
Well, I was literally approaching the end of my finances, having just finished college and spent massive amounts on flying. I wasn't making enough to cut it as an instuctor. Then out of the blue, a good friend called me and wanted to know if I would like a job flying a Caravan. Are you kidding me I asked? H*ll yeah, I'd LOVE a job flying the Caravan! So off I went to the interview then on to fly the best plane I will likely ever fly.
How much did I make? 17,500 that year, but it led to bigger and better things... and hopefully all the way to SWA in the not too distant future!
Never give up!
For all those youngters out there, there are many different flying jobs out there. My first was during the summner of my sophmore year of college. I spent the summer flying a fire patrol in Northern Maine in a CE140/Sea. Started with 300 hours and since it was the hottest summer on record, I managed to end the summer with 1100 hours Total time. I was a great summer, learned a lot about flying and how to survive in this business. Didn't get my CFI until I had almost 1400 hours.
It really starts to irritate me when all these youn'ens out there start complaining when they don't have a jet job by the time they have 500 hours total time and they start whining when you aren't upgraded to Captain when they reach 1500 hours.
They are many different jobs out there and they each have their own lessons to teach. And each step makes you a better pilot. They help you fill out your grab bag of tricks that you need to survive this business we are in.
And they also teach you things like how to overcome, perseverance, and patience.
Remember, there is a whole lot more to this business, than just getting into one of the pilot seats, strapping in and flying from point A to point B. And these so called low class jobs are the stepping stones of learning that teach these things.
My first flying job was with a company called Gulfstream Academy. It was great, I got to fly (sit) right seat in a 1900. They even let me pull the gear up once and three times I got to tell ATC we had the numbers. You can't beat that kind of experience. CFIs are just scared to fly a real airplane. So while they were flying Cessna's, I was flying, I mean sitting in, a Turbo Prop.
My messageboard name states my first job. I got about 1000 hours in a year and a half all in formation flying chasing unmanned aircraft. It will be tough beating the fun time I had doing that job, quite a unique experience. It's ALL about networking and meeting the right people to talk to no matter how many hours you have.
Instructing in C-150's and 172's at a great little school on the West Coast. Took me almost a year after graduating from college to move out there, get a job washing dishes so I could scrape together enough $, finish my Instructor Rating and wait for a spot to open up at the school.
Within a month or so I was checked out in a PA-34 Seneca II and flying charters into places like SEA.
In some ways, that was the best job I ever had, and that's saying something. The first one's always the hardest to get. Keep on truckin'
My first flying job was with a company called Gulfstream Academy. It was great, I got to fly (sit) right seat in a 1900. They even let me pull the gear up once and three times I got to tell ATC we had the numbers. You can't beat that kind of experience. CFIs are just scared to fly a real airplane. So while they were flying Cessna's, I was flying, I mean sitting in, a Turbo Prop.
Well, when it comes to luck I think I was at the right place at the right time. A few years back, after their accident, a friend was trying hard to get me an interview for an FE position at Fine Air. He called me one morning and I was making a delivery at Cocoa Beach and told me to get to the CHief Pilots office in Miami asap. I hauled anus back to Miami and was sitting in his office with my friend next to me listening to the CP, with my resume in hand, say how the next class was full of FEs. I figured in a month or two maybe I could get in. I was so excited I did not know what to do with my self. He left the room and I was thanking my friend for the opportunity when he returned. He looked at me and mentioned my "very low time" and turned to my friend and asked him, "So you think he can handle being an FO?" I nearly crapped my pants. He asked me the same thing and I can muster out of my drooling mouth was "I'll give it a hell of a try." Went down the hall and got an ID. Now with barely 3500 hrs, 2000+ have all been DC8, I can't think of a better job. Since it's freight I love it when people approach me and ask me if I ever want to be a commercial pilot, you know fly people?
All I can say is keep doing what you are doing and one day you just might get lucky!
I love that one too. It's almost as funny as being tapped on the shoulder by one of your charter pax, while flying a 414 into a busy airport and your passenger asks, "You mean we can land at a COMMERCIAL airport?".
My first flying job (and I'm already wearing my Nomex, cause I'm sure no one's going to believe me) was as a 727 Flight Engineer. I had a whopping 309 hours total time when I got hired in the office of a Part 121 Supplemental. A few months down the road I managed to make a deal and get into the training department with the promise of an F/E class after a year. I got to fly for about 20 months on line and was furloughed for the third, and last, time a few months after 9/11 when they went Tango Uniform.
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