FeDont

I'm a high school student going into my senior year. I've been thinking of a potential plan for my future involving aviation, and I'd like to see what you think of it.

So I'm deeply interested and engaged in the arts -- music, theater, and writing in particular. It's something I want to continue pursuing. But I'd rather not attempt to make a full-time career out of my artistic pursuits. I'd be unstable financially and I'd have to compromise my artistic endeavors in order to make them profitable. Being a broke artist is no fun.

I was doing some thinking about this and recalled that the American composer Charles Ives worked full-time in an insurance firm throughout his time as a composer. This way, he wasn't dependent on his music to make a living. Ives believed that an artist should separate his artistic and financial aspects of life.

So, my idea is that I might become a commercial pilot, and use my free time (which I've read pilots have more of than an average office worker) to pursue artistic endeavors, and I'd have no pressure to attempt to make these artistic endeavors profitable. I'd be able to write music, plays, blogs, and so forth without needing to make a penny from my work. I'm quite interested in aviation -- I recently joined a local glider club and have been doing research and flight simulation on my computer. I'm not just considering the career of a commercial pilot because it would afford me free time -- I love flying and I could see myself going down this career path.

One question I have is how much time I'd have during cruise flight to do some writing, composing, or thinking. While you're in cruise flight, what portion of the time are you free to read a newspaper, or do a similar leisurely activity? I know my primary focus while in the cockpit needs to be the flight, but I imagine I could use some of this time for writing or composing (while also checking aircraft systems and flight plans). I'm just not sure how much of the time I'd be able to do so. Also, I'd have a pretty darn inspiring view for doing some creative work!

I'd also appreciate input on how much free time pilots have outside the cockpit. Do you feel you'd be able to take up a hobby with the time you have on your hands?

Also, a difficulty with this plan is that a pilot spends much of his time away from home. My artistic pursuits would thus need to be freelance -- it would be difficult for me to work with a musical group near my base, for example. However, a pilot on these forums did mention that he is able to teach two days a week as an adjunct professor at a nearby university. So, perhaps it would be possible for me to do some local artistic work. However, I'm not sure if it's common for a pilot to be able to work his schedule so that he has consistent free time (for example, Monday and Wednesday free every week). Does it require a lot of seniority to be able to schedule consistent free time, or would I be able to do so as a junior pilot?

So all in all, what do you think of this roughly sketched career plan? It's just an idea for now, and I'd greatly appreciate your input.

tomgoodman

Airline pilots have also been authors
(https://www.amazon.com/Books-Ernest-...st%20K.%20Gann)
Painters
(https://www.pinterest.com/kgriffin19...lor-paintings/)
Musicians
(Pilot has second job as lead singer of British rock band Iron Maiden | Travel News | Travel | Express.co.uk

Of course, all good pilots are artists!

METO Guido

Pretty sure that was Lady Gaga.

El Pilot

I say go for it and don't sell yourself short on both career paths. My father has a talent for drawing but never pursued it because it was considered "useless" during his era and joined the military instead. Point is, do what you love and don't look back.

awax

Go be a full time artist, don't consider becoming a pilot.

What you're trying to work through is "how do I use the airlines to be an artist."

That's not fair to you (because you want to be an artist), and certainly shows zero integrity on your part for the commitment required to become a pilot. There are enough guys willing to bust their asses to be the best pilots they can be and commit their entire focus to the profession.

If you want to be a pilot, then go all in, and commit yourself to being a damn good one. That said, lots of established pilots have side businesses and hobbies.

CRJ700Master

Being a broke pilot is no fun either.

rickair7777

I would disagree. Becoming a pilot takes focus and effort over a period of time, and being a good requires more than just doing the minimum company training. But remaining a good pilot is not quite as intensive an effort, and many of us do that and live a fulfilling life outside of aviation.

I think an established major airline pilot would have plenty of time for art.

That said...you'd better have some degree of interest and passion for aviation before you go down the road. You actually can succeed without it, but most of the rest of us wouldn't want to fly with you.

tomgoodman

A famous artist's opinion on flying:

Ewok

While there is plenty of math and science to study to become a pilot, there is a very large artistic aspect of being a good pilot. If you are starting in gliders you will soon realize the science of reading the winds but the artistic aspect of translating that knowledge into the controls to take advantage of the winds and smoothly maximize the performance out of the glider.

IMO, the most obvious part of flying that shows some artistic merit is the landing. You can be perfectly on speed, on centerline, on glide path and have a terrible landing. You can also be slightly off on any of those parameters and with subtle movements that happen in less than a second, kick in a little rudder, level the wings and complete that flare at just the right time to grease it on in the touchdown zone. It's especially apparent in strong gusty crosswind conditions when the pilot cancels out the wing rock going into the flare and times the power pull just in time for a smooth landing. By following the scientific parameters for a good safe landing, a landing in those conditions could be very rough, but an artist makes it look easy and smooth.

As you progress in gliders, you may realize that you can feel the artistic aspects of flying and aviation might be satisfying as an art form in its own right. Look on youtube for some aerobatic gliders and see if you can recognize the art in their craft. Good luck and when you feel a passion for something you'll know it.

pilotwife32

I very much look forward to this pilot's comic every week. I would consider him an artist. Here's his instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/monday_pirep/

PIREP Cartoon - airlinefiles