WestWind Airlines

Yep Matt you need to fly out of a busy airport and get used to the chatter and procedures on the radio.  I soloed out of BNA and was a teacher there too so the radio procedures were a piece of cake for my students.

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Scott Williams
WWA 1404
Senior Command Captain-Madrid hub
Commercial ASMEL Instrument-CFI

wolfrunner:

Yep Matt you need to fly out of a busy airport and get used to the chatter and procedures on the radio.  I soloed out of BNA and was a teacher there too so the radio procedures were a piece of cake for my students.

I learned to fly at Memphis International and I have always been glad I did. I was very used to busy airspace by the time I had about 3 hours of flying.

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EVP Hub Operations, Sr. Test Pilot
Senior Command Captain +4
RWP SEL Instrument Rating (almost)
FSX-SP2 + Radar Contact
Orbiter, FaceBook

I know we shared some airspace in the 1980s Mike.  Especially at Lazy 8 just off of Winchester in Memphis and wish I could remember the name of the guy who ran that. He later died in a crash.  I know his first name was Ted and he flew fighters in World War two.

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Scott Williams
WWA 1404
Senior Command Captain-Madrid hub
Commercial ASMEL Instrument-CFI

 Hello:

I would recommend going to a college and taking a major in something other then aviation.  What I am saying is this.  If you couldn't fly for a living, what else would you like to do?  Be a lawyer, high school teacher (math or science), some form of health worker.  How about being an accountant (CPA) or doing something in finance?  Please note that all the vocations I just mentioned are really in need and some are especially useful during a recession.  What if you lost your medical or just found out that aviation wasn't for you or had an airline (or corporation) go out of business?  Some other avocation now, might be your "meal ticket" later.

If you are like me, and nothing else but airplanes have appeal, how about getting an A&P license?   When pilots loose their job it might be a long time until another one comes around.  Mechanics always have it easier to find work,  and an A&P / IA with a college degree can find work, even in hard times. 

I don't have a crystal ball but looking back at it all, those are my thoughts for better or worse.

Regards,

Ed

 

Ed you brign up an interesting point. Befor Aviation, being an educator was what I was into for a job, and I would still be into it as a backup job as if I end up making a living there I wouldnt be upset. So what would be then the best carrere path that allows me to have the back ups to be a teacher.

When ATA went out alot of people were out of the job, and now that I think about it, I need something to fall back on in case it happens.

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-David Givens
WWA2276

As always Ed has some very sage advice.  Particularly with the state of the world wide economy right now.  If my company were to fold, I'm not quite sure what I would fall back on right now (my degree is in business management).  There are times when I wish I would have either gotten my ATP, or worked on something involving fixing cars (I actually enjoy working on my own cars, most of the time ).  I think auto mechanics are also pretty in demand right now.

There is nothing that says your degree has to be in an aviation related field to be a professional pilot......

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EHAM-YSSY B772LR
ATP, CFI, CFII & MEI, CL30, 727, 737-200, DC-9
FS9, Active Sky 6.5 w/ASG, FSPax

You have the ultimate gift Kim.  You are a skilled pilot but you enjoy interacting with people and sharing your thoughts.  Not too many real world pilots enjoy the banter of our forum.  In addition, not too many IT tech types enjoy the forum banter either....you seldom hear a peep from anyone.  I suspect you could land a job in high dollar sales in any industry if you lost your pilot job.

Now I know this post has cruised off topic.  I think you got my attention with the fact you like to mess with cars which is a passion I share..   

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Scott Williams
WWA 1404
Senior Command Captain-Madrid hub
Commercial ASMEL Instrument-CFI

Thanks Scott.  One of the captains I flew with last month is doing a frame off resto on a '69 Corvette.  We had a 5 hour break at IAH, and he took me to a restoration shop right near the airport, man it was amazing.  They had a '68 Corvette, an old Cougar, Mustang, Chevelle, a couple of British cars, a late 50's Buick Roadmaster, it was great.  We got to explore the shop, although being in uniform prevented us from getting to up close and personal with anything.......We even bumped into a retired Continental pilot who has been restoring old cars in his retirement..........

Ok, now the thread is definitely way off track........

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EHAM-YSSY B772LR
ATP, CFI, CFII & MEI, CL30, 727, 737-200, DC-9
FS9, Active Sky 6.5 w/ASG, FSPax

Just as a follow-up.

"My dream is to be a commercial pilot. I'm currently looking at colleges like Daniel Webster in Nashua, N.H. Everyone I talk to about beoming a pilot says that it's not a good job. I realize the risks but now I'm full of uncertainties. If there are any real world commercial pilots that read this, can you give me any tips, truths, or fictions about the road to becomming a commercial pilot. (I mean flying for an airline or for a good living, not just getting a commercial pilots liscence) If you want to, send me an e-mail at scote1992@gmail.com  Thanks! "

Some advise.

1. Go to college and major in your avocation.

2. Hang out at the local airport.  Look towards joining a flying club that has a training aircraft (Cessna 150 / 152) with a club instructor

3. Start an on-airport business (with permission of the airport authorities).  The best one is starting your own aircraft detail shop.

4. Trade off time detailing for flight hours.

5. Join the CAP with the goal of being a pilot.

6. Fly with your new airport friends as much as you can.  The hours will start to build up.  Before long you will have that PPL and be working on advance ratings.

7. Do not forget your college studies!

emwardjr:

Just as a follow-up.

Some advise.

1. Go to college and major in your avocation.

2. Hang out at the local airport.  Look towards joining a flying club that has a training aircraft (Cessna 150 / 152) with a club instructor

3. Start an on-airport business (with permission of the airport authorities).  The best one is starting your own aircraft detail shop.

4. Trade off time detailing for flight hours.

5. Join the CAP with the goal of being a pilot.

6. Fly with your new airport friends as much as you can.  The hours will start to build up.  Before long you will have that PPL and be working on advance ratings.

7. Do not forget your college studies!

Regards,

Ed

Yeah, thats my plan... I plan to go get my degree in Geography and then go and hopefully either get a cadetship with the Irish Air Force or Ethiad Airlines... Its a 3 year course, but I'm extending it to 4 so I get a year in Lexington University... I get to enjoy the college life, keep working on the PPL and have a degree to fall back on... 

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Eoin Coates,
VP-Hub Ops-E&P

David Givens:

Guys I have 1 questions,

Whats is it like living out of a suit case all the time?

I'm not a pilot myself (I do want to head that way) but one of my friend's dad is. He has it pretty good. He is currently flying for UPS and is paid pretty well. (I can't remember exactly how much but it's up there.) How ever the best part is he works only one week a month! He says the worst part of being home is getting sick of it and wanting to get away. However he doesn’t have a schedule and can be called up to fly at any time. He was flying the 757 and just advanced to the 747 even though he didn't want to advance because he liked the 757 he says he still loves it. Any way I guess my point is that things can get pretty good for pilots. But they can start out bad with a low pay check and high amounts of time away.

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Kam
HM Rio de Janeiro

guys,

 related question:  currently I'm sort of unemployed.  biochemist (sensors) by education, chemist (formulations) by experience and flat out tired of driving a tow truck because I got laid off and need to make ends meet.

 Any ideas on how to get a bite into aviation of some sort.  having had much time on the road to just reflect, and having an income while job hunting has left me with a sort of mid-life crisis at the age of 26.  I just want to do something I would love and I think being around planes would be really great and perhaps eventually lead to me getting a real pilots license.  Even if it is until that ultimate science job comes around (no more making shower gel for me, or being some professors [female dog] in their research laboratory)

 Anyone have any network contacts perhaps at republic in New York.  I don't think flying a airliner would ever be for me, but perhaps smaller planes with more exotic destinations would be the ultimate career for me, besides finishing my pet sensor project or making things go boom.  Something that might get me on the road to that someday, or at least off of 495 in a flatbed.

Keep driving the truck; you will make more money.

Seriously, you will need to hold an ATP and have about 2,500 hours and turbine time to be competitive to fly executive aviation either directly for a Fortune 500 or for a fractional. You are better off going the Regional route, but they are still fairly well stocked with downsized 737 Captains looking to now fly RJs. Whereas the hiring minimum was 700 hours TT in the past your also looking at 2,500 hours and turbine time to be competitive for a Regional. Cheyennes in Alaska? You are still looking at about 500 hours of multi time to get in and be prepared to live off Raman Noodles. Just getting a Commercial and CFI SEL will cost you ~$31,500.

The airplane industry has been hurting since 9/11 and last year’s gas prices followed by this year’s downturned economy have not helped matters. Be lucky to have a paying job as now is not the time to chase dreams. I know lots of highly qualified pilots currently warming the bench with the most secure current employer of pilots being the military. I still fly King Airs as it is hard to swallow leaving a $120,000 a year job as a Director of Flight Operations and Instructor Pilot for a $30,000 a year First Officer job just to move over to RJs.

 

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-KenG
A358 (Retired)

Has anybody considered going to Europe? I'm doing a Integrated ATPL course at Oxford Aviation Academy at the moment (just finished my ground school and I just flew to Arizona for my practical flying). After I finish (1,5 year course) I will have a frozen ATPL license with MCC and IR rating. I can directly apply for a first officer job on a 737 or A320 or similar aircraft. No need for hour building and stuff like that.

 I know it might be a long way away for American people but if you realy fancy a carreer in aviation it might be an option. Oxford is concidered a one of the best flightschools in the world and they have direct connections with British Airways. A lot of students end up flying for them. I centainly don't regred choosing them.

 just my 2 cents.

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Wiek Schoenmakers, WWA2351, Command Captain,
HM KATL hub
2x 25 hours in one month
6 x 50 hours in one month
2x 100 hours in one month
100 hrs in A/C type: A306, A320, A332, A343, B763
2 million pounds
P001
Longest Passenger route

Europe has always had a very good apprenticeship program with some of its airlines of the like that the U.S. only aspires. (Many of the U.S. schools are only guaranteed interviews, not jobs and there are many caveats to those guaranteed interviews.) For Europe, I have not looked specifically into the various partner airlines of those programs but I have noticed that many of these guaranteed jobs are with "national" airlines. I do not know how well received a U.S. citizen would be when attempting to earn a spot on an apprenticeship program for an airline in which they are not a citizen of the government who is funding at least part of the airline's bill.

I guess if you pay the 66,000 quid to Oxford they will happly train you just the same as any other pilot. Then again for the money you can get a degree and a license from Embry-Riddle.

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-KenG
A358 (Retired)