Ski Bird

Please don't. This has been such an interesting thread.

JohnBurke

I was going to reply based on PRSGuitar's post, and suggest that you've shown a good attitude here, but then I went back to read your posts a bit more thoroughly.

Your comments above strike me as ridiculous, though perhaps well intentioned. Poor idea.

Your plan, it seems, is to move into a turbojet aircraft as soon as you can. In your searching, you've probably encountered references to the "fork-tailed doctor killer" and the reputation of the Cessna 210 as the same. If you haven't, these were higher end single engine piston airplanes, more expensive and owned by doctors and lawyers, stereotypically. The reason for the reputation was owners who stepped into higher performance, attempting to run before they could walk, and who put broke up airplanes in thunderstorms, flew them into mountains, and spiraled out of the sky at night and in the clouds.

I was under the impression initially that you were seeking to begin a career as a pilot. A career is quite different than buying and flying. Pilots who progress through employment are put in controlled situations in which they receive regular training, checking, and compete to be hired. Constant evaluation, and a gradual exposure over time with increasing experience in years and hours is different than buying, owning, flying (even with a master plan to swap out instructors every hour and have a "mentor"). You're already taking a lot for granted, it seems, not the least of which is your ability to direct your training and future based on your own overconfidence in your ability to research and know.

You'll be far better off getting some training as directed by those who regularly train, than attempting to make that decision for others.

Based on what you've said, I'd refuse you as a student.

Ski Bird

Ha! I missed this little gem. I wouldn't have seen it if JohnBurke hadn't quoted it.

Perhaps this very same line of inquiry is being conducted on other forums as well?

Time to cross APC off of the list, I guess.

November Seven

No idea I'd run into this much envy in a forum dedicated to Airline Pilots. Amazing and unreal, both at the same time.

Like some of you, I was going to reply to the latter posts but decides its pointless. People who make up their minds based on false conclusions about others they don't know, have never met in person and clearly have not read in context, are probably not going to be the kind of skilled, knowledgeable and expert individuals offering opinions that are actually helpful.

Thus, I won't bother with this forum anymore, as assumption and rudeness seems to be more forthcoming than actual advice on the merits. That too many here cannot understand the need for someone without years of flying experience to be concerned about the manner in which they go about their Training and Time Building in preparation for single pilot in a VLJ, is quite shocking to say the least.

The audacity of someone to think they could possibly become a competent and safe VLJ single pilot pilot. How dare they. How dare they think about their Training and Time Building. How dare they even contemplate structuring and tailoring their Training regimen, or trying to understand what kind of aircraft would be the right Time Building platform before transitioning to a VLJ as single pilot. What's wrong with such a person. Why don't they just go grab the first flight instructor they run into at the local bar and start taking lessons! Unreal.

Wow. Are things done this 'loosely' in GA? Are things so disorganized that there is no path that someone in my position could take in order to arrived safely at their desired goal in GA? Are all the safe pilots already spoken for in GA, that nobody else is allowed to become one? I sure hope not. Who does Embraer sale the Phenom to? Pilatus' first customer was indeed a Part 135 operation, but who else is filled their open order book and eventually shut it down immediately because of so much interest? And, who does Cessna sell the CJ4 to? Single Pilots. People who have done what it takes to prepare themselves and who come from all corners of General Aviation in terms of PIC hours and aircraft flown prior. Yet, you would think that I just stated that I want to go to Mars riding a shotgun shell, given the ridiculous comments made herein and throughout.

To those who provide nothing but envious retort, to you I say, good luck in your flying careers and/or in your retirement. All the best to you in the future.
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However, for those who actually paid attention and read the OP in context with the other threads, replying directly and on the merits, I thank you.

I have a lot of work ahead of me and I'm anxious to finally get going on a different phase! Both your opinions and advice have been much appreciated during my short time on this forum. You've been informative, inspiring, helpful and insightful. Most importantly, you've conducted yourselves like adults. For that, I am grateful.

Keep the sunny side up (unless you are into aerobatics!) and your nose on the horizon.
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To all those in life who dream of doing what the naysayers say you can't or should not do, stay focused, stay hungry and learn that sometimes being comfortable requires first learning how to thrive being uncomfortable and uncommon. And, when the naysayers say you can't, or that your not good enough, or that your not qualified, or that your being ridiculous, or that you don't have the background, etc., just quietly echo back to them "Roger That!" Then get back to work, keeping your shoulder to the grindstone until you break through all the barriers and reach all your goals.

Roger That!


Your mind is both your greatest asset and your greatest enemy. Chose to use it wisely.

Ski Bird

Alright, I'll bite, although the word-to-content ratio is in need of adjustment.

Let me first apologize for taking the low road and making a snarky, unhelpful, short comment.

Most of the advice you received was pure gold.

So, back to the question at hand: What will you take for granted?

My two cents? That your intellect is as at least as much a hindrance as it will be a boon. Not an insurmountable problem, but one worth recognizing. I'll try to explain, although I may not do it justice.

I get it. The world gets it. You are terribly bright. Given time, you can chart mathematically how this is so, and can call to mind many different theories that support your claim.

There is one thing though that does not care how smart you are.

And that is the aircraft. Flying is inherently dangerous. It is likely (if not guaranteed) that one day your meticulous plan will be thrown out the window and you will have to deal with an inflight emergency, or some other unforeseen curveball that by all accounts should never have happened.

If you make a habit of this flying thing, one of these days the machine that you just strapped to yourself to will try to kill you. When it happens, you cannot quibble your way out of that problem. There will be no meticulously researched, well supported argument that will save your life ... it will come down to a mindset, and most likely, a split second reaction.

This is similar in some ways to how one might react after scaring themselves good and proper while driving on an icy road. There you are, just driving along, and boom ... the car is sideways ... you don't have time to think about it — not really — you just fix it (and then pull over to take a few calming breaths / change your shorts).

Maybe later, you can put into words what went through your head, and how you applied the corrections ... but the performing of the task and the recalling/explanation of the task are, I don't know, using different parts of the brain I guess. I don't know if that makes sense ...

I've seen it before — the hyper-intelligent types I mean — they can ace every test set before them, master every skill in a controlled setting.

If one locks down all of the variables for them, then these student can perform with the best of them. However, change just one variable of the plan (or ten) ... and they fall apart. They freeze up. It's like watching a record skip.

I hope it never happens, but there are plenty of ways to accidentally paint yourself into one of these corners. Not unlike the car on an icy road analogy from earlier; there you were, happy go lucky, and them boom ... the whole world is sideways. Fix it or you're dead.

This is the traffic pattern stall. This is the engine failure at liftoff. This is the electrical problem at night. This is the smoke that floods into the cockpit. This is the 'Uh-oh, I realize I should never have put myself here, but nonetheless, here I am. Oh dear Lord, I might not make it out' moment. This is the 'Holy cow, this is not in the book' problem that no one saw coming.

Brains are good. But the right mindset is better. You have one of these attributes in spades, but it is not enough. Now it's time to develop the other.

Right now, it strikes me that you are struggling with the temperament required of a serious student.

Now, I realize that I may not have made my point as eloquently as I would have liked ... but there you have it.

I'll pose a hypothetical, and leave it at that.

If, with little to no experience in a field, you have approached multiple instructors — some with decades of experience and tons of good stories to be mined for the 'there I was' instructional value — and you found in every single case that their attitudes, instructional methods, etc, were wanting.

Were they in error ... or were you?

So I guess what I'm saying is ... it's great to be smart, but recognize too that there are other assets (mindsets, attitudes, etc) can be just as life-savingly valuable to have. Some of the guys who you feel might not be using the optimal method of instruction have tons to show you. My advice? Let them. Be flexible, remain open minded, and give them a chance.

JohnBurke

You may be mistaking envy for experience.

This is possible if you lack experience.

November Seven

Mistaking envy for experience would be easy, if it were not for the continual nonsequitur reply that drips with envy, is off-topic and has zero logical connection with the question at hand and is rather more an outright expulsion of the notion that somehow, someone other than yourself is capable, even without just qualification for the absurd implication.


Roger That. too.

Rotors2Planks

So you think guys that flew F-16's and T-38's in the USAF are jelly of you? Your world view needs a complete reset if you think we're all here wishing we were a Bay Area tech executive/owner.

November Seven

A split second reaction based on what. A split second reaction based on the flying-by-the-seat-of-your-pants approach I took to my initial and advanced Training? A split second reaction based on the total lack of preparation I brought to developing a Training Outline? A split second reaction because I failed to take my Time Building seriously enough to dedicate myself to it?

A split second reaction. I make those every day of my life. Between 5 to 10 times a day in fact, with more than 10 million hanging in the balance for each split second decision made. I understand making split second decisions. What I don't understand is the continual mis-calculation that so-called "experienced" pilots have made in this thread.


Fix it with what. What do you fix it with? Do you fix it because you've Trained on how to fix it? Do you fix it because you took the time to build a training regimen that contained recovering from being sideways? Do you fix it because you researched the details of your Training and what it meant to Build Time the right way?

Fix fit. That's part of the reason why I came here. To find out what to fix in my Training and Time Building, such that I don't do either the wrong way. Yet, somehow, the most "experienced" around here could not discern that - even when placed directly under their nose.


That was useful information. That's what this thread was supposed to be about. Someone who is analytical will try to logically assess, logically deduce and logically solve a problem. That's their nature. That's who they are at the core. Wanting to know whether that kind of nature is good inside the cockpit or bad inside the cockpit, was the very point of this thread.

This thread was about trying to discover what I needed to change, fix or modify in my own personality, mindset, thought process, etc., in order to become a more efficient, proficient, safe and competent single pilot. Yet, somehow, the "experienced" crowed around here could not get beyond their own egos long enough see the truth behind the thread.

Being a systems designer, systems architect and systems engineer on one side of my business, I have to see the big picture. I have no choice but to pay attention to the big picture. I need to know when the variables are contained and when they are out of containment. I prefer getting ahead of the problem before it begins. I like to plan before executing. I prefer to see the full scope. However, when it gets sideways I also enjoy working the details. I like drilling down to root cause. I want to understand the problem at its core. I enjoy troubleshooting and solving problems that are Mission Critical, where failure is not an option.

If those are things that make a bad pilot, then I'll have to work on those things one by one. If those are things that make a good pilot, then at least I'm starting the process with some assets instead of a mountain of liabilities. However, you are the Expert. So, you will know (not me) whether these traits are Assets or Liabilities in the cockpit. That's why I came here - to find out.



Cause & Effect. What's the cause of the traffic patterns stall. Can that cause be mitigated entirely, or partially, or not at all. Can the cause be Trained out of existence. If not, how best to approach the matter of mitigation. Are traffic pattern stalls immutable law, or can they be reduced in occurrence. Are traffic pattern stalls recoverable once induced. If so, how reliably. Are traffic patterns stalls pilot induced, weather induced, aircraft induced or a combination of two or all three. Same for "engine failure," "electrical problems," "smoke," etc., etc..

This is why I came here - to find out what the Experts think and to better understand what my own thought process should be.



No doubt. It is time to develop the other. That's why I came here. Encouraging. Maybe not all on this forum are myopic. But, its hard to know who to trust in such an environment. Thus, I take the written word of others for face value. Nothing more and nothing less. Therefore, I have to appreciate this comment and I do. Thank you.


Define the temperament of a Serious Student. Is there an FAA document that outlines the attributes of a Serious Student. Is there a convention or standard that defines a Serious Student. Are there unwritten rules that highlight what a Serious Student looks like. Define terms.

I hear that a Serious Student should be open minded, wiling to learn, pliable and easily shaped like wet clay. Students are Students. They are not Teachers, nor are they Instructors. I get it. Students are humble, open to criticism, willing and ready to change attitudes, disposition and even their demeanor. Students have their eyes and ears open. Students leave their egos on a coat hanger at home. They do not bring egos into the cockpit or the classroom. Well understood. I was a good Student for many years prior to now - both in "academia" (which some here seem to think is a rash or some kind of disease to avoid) and in the corporate world where I learned from others far more experienced. Being a good Student is not new to me.

My "temperament" here has nothing to with being a good Student. I'm probably one of the better Students you'll ever encounter because I truly love learning new subject matter for the truth of it - not because I have some angle or agenda behind my learning. I enjoy discovering the Truth about things. I've taught Students like that in the past and I think they are the best kind of Student imaginable.

My "temperament" here has everything to do with people claiming to have read and understood a post when their replies clearly dictate otherwise. That shows a basic disrespect and no intention of ever truly replying on the merits. My response to that kind of behavior on this forum, has absolutely nothing in common with my demeanor as a good Student.

If my Flight Instructor continually disregarded questions I had as a Student, continually misrepresented my questions and twisted them into something I never stated or said, then I'd have to fire that Flight Instructor at some point, if they kept doing that. That would not be a reflection of my negative temperament as a Student. It would just be common sense. Just get rid of him/her and do it quickly.

So, I can be a Student when its time to be one. But, I don't necessarily lose my ability to discern when I'm in the presence of envious "experts" feigning to dispense "wisdom" and "pearls" while offering nothing but "insults" and "misplaced ridicule." I can be a good quality Student. But, I don't have to be a lame duck in exchange.

Students should be a respected component of the equation. If we are talking Military Training, that's a different horse. If we are talking being owned by the Airlines, then that too is a different horse. But, if we are talking about Private Flight Training and a CFI/Student relationship, that should come with a level of parity in personal respect, with professional deference given to the Instructor by the Student for the knowledge they have, the expert credentials they've already attained and their ability to properly educate the Student. I fully understand the Teacher/Student relationship.

However, the outright disrespect on this board and my response to it, was a whole different thing entirely. I know full well how to submit to the expertise of another while under their instruction. But, I also know how to recognize an insulting rude individual when I encounter one.


Nope. You've made your point very clear.




1) It depends.

2) It does not matter.

If they are willing to Teach and I am wiling to Learn, then I could hate their guts and they could hate mine. If we have a contract, then we have duty to perform and I can learn from that individual. That's worse case scenario. I've heard that such has been the case in Part 141 scenarios.
I'd be capable of the same in a Part 61 scenario as the Student in the equation, because I'm not going to allow my ego to get in the way of learning.

Having said that, given the private nature of Part 61 flight training, I would prefer to have an Instructor that I felt was a decent guy/gal and not some envious "expert" who thinks that someone is attempting to circumvent the "pay your dues" process that he/she may have had to go through in their flying career. Bottom line. Some feel that if you can buy a jet that you are circumventing the process. That's nutty thinking, but this attitude is not uncommon in General Aviation, very unfortunately.

Let's keep it real here. I'm not trying to circumvent anything. I'm more than likely going to spend the exact same 3+ years grinding on my skills exactly the way anybody else has before they started regularly flying their first Jet. The only difference will be the owner of that Jet. That's all. I'm going to pay my dues before I get to the Jet. I'm not walking into it before I'm prepared, merely because I can. That would be very foolish, indeed. I'm going to put myself through 3, maybe even 4 years of getting qualified, before taking on single pilot in a VLJ as a matter of routine course. I'm not circumventing the process here. I'm not stupid and I don't have a death wish.

So, I can love or despise my Instructor as a person and still Learn from them categorically. I much rather the former to the latter, however. Being a decent human being myself, it just goes without saying. I am 100% positive that I will find an Instructor who knows how to Teach and who has the kind of personal character that I won't find immutably intolerable, disgusting and void of humanity.


I get it. I'm wide open to it. I look forward to being that kind of Student, who soaks it all in. I'm ready to learn. I intend to come prepared to learn. I'll show up at every lesson prepared to learn. I take personal responsibility for my education as a Student and Pilot. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to learn, grow and develop the skills, knowledge, experience and expertise required to become proficient, competent and safe.

What I will not do, is allow myself to be disrespected or taken for granted without ultimately firing my CFI, or not hiring them in the first place. Ultimately, I have the responsibility for my education. I cannot later point the finger at my Instructor and claim that he/she caused my problems. So, I need to be responsible up front for selecting the right individual for the job at hand.

I can learn from anyone who genuinely has something to Teach. That's how I got this far in life. Learning from others who had something to Teach, until I had enough knowledge to prosper on my own.

Your post is duly recognized as being Friendly. However, that comes in the context of what has clearly been a hostile environment. So, if you see me firing back at off-topic drivel, that has nothing to do with my clarity as a Student. The two have nothing to do with each other. If the issue is Flying, I'm all ears - a big sponge. If the issue is attacking me merely because I'm able to buy a Jet, then @%$@! the one who thinks that way.

Hows that for being honest.

BTW - Arnold Palmer, was a single pilot in a Jet. He flew incident free into his 80s before giving it up. He had a professional life outside of General Aviation, but he loved GA and always stated as much. In fact, Arnold Palmer, flew a Lear Jet, single pilot. There is no Lear Jet in production today that is single pilot certified. So, for a professional athlete, Mr. Palmer, was cutting edge.

This is a great model to follow for people who love airplanes, want to fly themselves and who also have professional careers outside of aviation. In my case, the vast majority of my time will be spent focusing on flying. Even though I love golf, Mr. Palmer, was an inspiration to me because of what he did in General Aviation as a Single Pilot - not necessarily on the golf course. Yes, later in his career he began flying with another pilot in the right seat. But, he was a Single Pilot in many different high performance aircraft for a long time. Very inspirational.

November Seven

Absolutely, not.

I think guys that articulate rudeness, impoliteness, disrespect and a lack of understanding about that which has been spelled out clearly after claiming they've read and understood it, are guilty of some kind of Ulterior Motive. If that does not fit your world view, then I feel sorry for you.

Roger That.