Old 'Ex'-Pilot Wants Back In
01-31-2018 | 08:31 AM
#21
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 44,908
Likes: 694
From: Engines Turn or People Swim
Some airlines accommodate new hires who are not current, but I wouldn't bet on it everywhere.
Also struggling in training is going to set you back as far as progressing to majors. regionals won't mind giving you a bust or two of it means they get to keep you longer..
Also struggling in training is going to set you back as far as progressing to majors. regionals won't mind giving you a bust or two of it means they get to keep you longer..
01-31-2018 | 09:23 AM
#22
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: Boeing 757 First Officer and Cessna 182H financier
Two things,
As someone in my early 50’s, I highly recommend going out and doing what you want to do and what you get a kick out of doing. Life is way too short to be “stuck” in a job you aren’t excited about.
Second, while AOPA’s Rusty Pilot programme is geared towards general aviation but it will guide you to get back into flying.
Good luck and hope to see you back on the flightdeck soon.
Siemprerojo
A330 FO and avid Cessna 182 driver
As someone in my early 50’s, I highly recommend going out and doing what you want to do and what you get a kick out of doing. Life is way too short to be “stuck” in a job you aren’t excited about.
Second, while AOPA’s Rusty Pilot programme is geared towards general aviation but it will guide you to get back into flying.
Good luck and hope to see you back on the flightdeck soon.
Siemprerojo
A330 FO and avid Cessna 182 driver
01-31-2018 | 07:20 PM
#24
On Reserve
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
My 2 cents. I was in a similar situation a year ago. I had been out of flying for 5 years. I was hired by a 135 operator and sent to school immediately for Gulfstream.
I struggled through four of my seven sims both with regaining my scan and situational awareness. I managed to pass my checkride but I was seriously scared to death when I walked in to the Sim that day.
If I could offer some advice, I would go find a local Sim trainer at local flight school and do a minimum of 10-15 hours shooting approaches conducting sids and stars plus regaining your scan and situational awareness. This allows you to concentrate on learning the aircraft and making the most out of your Sim training. After I got to the aircraft I spent at least 30 more hours continuing to improve my scan and situational awareness and finally joining my counterpart in the cockpit instead of hanging onto the tail.
A good read for improving basic aviation knowledge is "Everything Explained for professional Aviator" I installed it on my iPad and take it with me everywhere. It's good info and also good to put me to sleep.
I wish you guys the best of luck. I truly feel coming back is the best decision I have made in my life. I currently have a job offer with Frontier Airlines. Don't waste too much time down in the regionals or with the 135 operators do a year and then move onto the majors.
I struggled through four of my seven sims both with regaining my scan and situational awareness. I managed to pass my checkride but I was seriously scared to death when I walked in to the Sim that day.
If I could offer some advice, I would go find a local Sim trainer at local flight school and do a minimum of 10-15 hours shooting approaches conducting sids and stars plus regaining your scan and situational awareness. This allows you to concentrate on learning the aircraft and making the most out of your Sim training. After I got to the aircraft I spent at least 30 more hours continuing to improve my scan and situational awareness and finally joining my counterpart in the cockpit instead of hanging onto the tail.
A good read for improving basic aviation knowledge is "Everything Explained for professional Aviator" I installed it on my iPad and take it with me everywhere. It's good info and also good to put me to sleep.
I wish you guys the best of luck. I truly feel coming back is the best decision I have made in my life. I currently have a job offer with Frontier Airlines. Don't waste too much time down in the regionals or with the 135 operators do a year and then move onto the majors.
02-01-2018 | 06:58 AM
#26
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 454
Likes: 0
I am also in the same boat. Haven't flown in 10 years (other then a couple of joy rides) but have nearly 2500 hours and a 1100 of it was at a 121. I started calling all my buddies who are still flying commercially and told them I was going to get back into it and asked if they had any advice about currency, knowledge review etc..
They were told me not to bother spending money on getting IFR current, unless I really felt the need. They claimed was the regional's and corporate fractional's have changed there training around guys like us. The ones who bailed years ago and are getting back into it. I left because of a furlough as did many and now we are coming out of the woodwork for various reasons. There are a lot of guys who stepped away back in 02'-08 and want back in. They aren't going to get your general aviation knowledge back but they will work with you to get your IFR flying skill up to speed.
I am starting out by reading the instrument proficiency handbook and the FAR/AIM. I am going to go shoot a few approaches in an actual airplane to get my confidence back but that's about it.
They were told me not to bother spending money on getting IFR current, unless I really felt the need. They claimed was the regional's and corporate fractional's have changed there training around guys like us. The ones who bailed years ago and are getting back into it. I left because of a furlough as did many and now we are coming out of the woodwork for various reasons. There are a lot of guys who stepped away back in 02'-08 and want back in. They aren't going to get your general aviation knowledge back but they will work with you to get your IFR flying skill up to speed.
I am starting out by reading the instrument proficiency handbook and the FAR/AIM. I am going to go shoot a few approaches in an actual airplane to get my confidence back but that's about it.
You can use Skyvector to download the IFR charts on your Ipad for free in PDF. https://skyvector.com/airports
I typically fly the MS Learjet or Caravan because its got a good autopilot. you'll get your scan and procedures back. In addition, everything is computer based training (CBT) nowadays so it will get you tech savy. I went through a 121 AQP program that issued a laptop with the syllabus, FMS trainer, basic flight simulator and systems trainer loaded on the computer, so get used to it now!
Downside: MS does not update flight simulator anymore...sad! So make sure you use an airport that still uses the old nav freqs as published on your new charts. There are certainly other products available for regaining currency.
Last edited by 155mm; 02-01-2018 at 07:20 AM.
02-12-2018 | 12:45 PM
#27
On Reserve
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Pilot questions answered....
Is there a site that as I am studying along I can ask ridiculously easy questions any airline pilot can answer without being ridiculed (for forgetting a lot more than I should've)?
I know this site ain't it.
I googled for them...but no luck.
I've picked up some pretty good books you guys recommended, but they are not answering all my questions and I am trying to line up some interviews for ASAP.
Thanks
I know this site ain't it.
I googled for them...but no luck.
I've picked up some pretty good books you guys recommended, but they are not answering all my questions and I am trying to line up some interviews for ASAP.
Thanks
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