As a GA buff, and a life long lover of airplanes, part of the reason I wanted to be an airline pilot all these years was so I could afford a plane of my own. That said, I wanted to pass on a few things I've seen that might be pertinent for all those airline wannabes out there….

The biggest rule I want to emphasize is we cannot be part time professionals. If you are safe and disciplined in your airline or military job, but forget those same principles when flying GA, you can quickly derail an airline career even before it starts, or lose your livelihood once you do get the job.

Let me share a couple quick examples….

First--I have lost count of the FedEx pilots killed in GA mishaps since I got hired a dozen years ago. We have had a warbird crash, an LSA crash in a river, an apparent suicide by plane, an engine failure at low altitude in an aerostar, and a host of other fatal mishaps. The fact GA planes go only high enough and fast enough to kill you should not be overlooked, but that's not really the thrust of this post.

Second, air discipline issues can get any of your tickets--including the ATP--yanked. I have spoken to two pilots--one civilian and one military--both who I thought had better "hands" than I will ever have. Both enjoyed flying low. In one case, it was a case of showing off and goofing around. In the other case, it was simply a pilot who enjoyed flying over the countryside (in relative safety) but lower than the 500' /1000' indicated as a minimum altitude in the FARs. In both cases I felt nobody was going to crash, but I did remind them that in this day of iPhones and youtube you could quickly find yourself a lot more famous that you wanted to be. If you want to make 6 figures as a airline guy, you have to fly with the same discipline and ROE that allows you to make that money at the airline. You may get by for a career and get lucky, but it only takes a bad afternoon and one video to potentially change your life. Don't be paranoid, but have a reason for whatever you do in an airplane.

Next, if you end up in an accident and are casual, your certificate could be in peril. Push your gas and and run out of fuel? Ding a wingtip on a landing and not have the required landing currency? What was a wrist slap to a private pilot might be a bigger issue for an ATP.

Not trying to sound like anyone's dad here, but I've seen a few things that have made me wince lately and wanted to vent this here. Our goal should be to be the old man flying at the airport well into our 80s and 90s. We need to be in one piece to do that, and we need a good job to build up our retirement war chest to keep playing with these toys. Be smart out there brothers….