rickair7777

My last paragraph was totally tongue-in-check, making fun of what we in the industry call "shiny-jet-syndrome".

Turboprops airliners are just fine, and will make you a better pilot although eventually it will be prudent to get some glass/jet time to enhance the resume.

However...BUYING an airline job in a turboprop (or anything else) will probably blacklist you in the eyes of many folks who worked their way up through the ranks.

gardnerjc

not BUYING friend. Just happen to know someone who knows someone who just bought one and wants a copilot. Nothing major, no airline gig.

Alright has far as the rest of you who seem to not want to help out the new guy and just want to hate on me, I'll provide some clarification. I'm sorry but "flying for food" is a euphemism that means money is not my first priority. It always will be, and I would never be stupid enough to screw over the industry by working for nothing. I was simply trying to make it clear money is not what will make me happy it is the flying.

Just trying to get help and advice, geez.

rickair7777

You may not have gotten exactly the response you wanted or expected because of the nature of the piloting profession.

To progress in this profession, you have to be "good enough" to pass training with no (or very few) failures, and fly well enough not to scare the poop out of your crew very often.

But once you achieve "good enough" there is no career benefit to being the best-of-the-best-of-the-best-of-the-best. There's not any career benefit to being better than average.

A interest in aviation and ongoing study, and doing things like tailwheel flying to maintain stick and rudder skills once you reach the automated glass airplane stage of your career might save your life some day. But the odds of ever needing extreme skills are so remote that most people can get away without them. Sully is a guy who would NOT have gotten away without above-average skills on that day, but as luck would have it, he had them.

Once you crack the code of passing training events, career progression is determined by seniority, networking, hours of flight time, types of flight time, timing and luck.


There are a few jobs which place a premium on highly developed skills...test pilot, some specialty jobs, some military flying, and NASA of course. But for most airline and corporate careers it's all about running the clock out (building seniority and flight time) and networking.

chrisreedrules

You sort of came in with the wrong demeanor if you were just looking for help and advice. You want advice? You have a turboprop gig lined up... Do that for a couple years and see if you feel the same way you do now about your career. Yes, the views from the office are great. Yes, the places you see and the people you meet can stay with you for a life time. But make no mistake, this is a job. You still have a boss, and he most likely has a boss. And there are standards that are to be maintained. I just got done working 3 14 hour days in a row. By the last few hours of a long day, you just want to go home... Trust me.

tomgoodman

Conventional wisdom on the perfect end to a long airline career:
The Chief Pilot shakes your hand and says "Congratulations on your retirement, Captain ... uh ... what was that name again?"

Dougdrvr

Tom hit the nail on the head......even better....they don't even realize you left.

gardnerjc

You're right, maybe came off a little strong, over eager. And you couldn't be more right about the perspective of the job and career. It will be tough, guess I'm just ready for a challenge and job where I can derive at least some satisfaction, and maybe an once of excitement once in a blue moon. Definitely, respect what you guys are saying and will take it to heart. Appreciate very much the time you spend responding to my craziness!

gardnerjc

Thanks mate! Excellent expression of proper perspective. Guess I needed some of that! And tailwheel flying, I've heard it is quite the challenge I'll definitely be on the lookout for such opportunities. I would assume that the same applies to opportunities to fly in all kinds of weather?
Am I crazy to want to experience the challenge of flying in severe turbulence and storms. It is really something that I want to accomplish, safely though! I guess what I'm trying to say is, that I want to be "good enough" to beat whatever is thrown my way while up there. Or does that ability simply come with more hours and not necessarily the crazy experiences? And thanks again to all of you for helping me get started on the right foot!

USMCFLYR

The "best" pilot that you mention would try VERY VERY hard to avoid situation like those which you seem to want to find yourself in for the "challenge"

If you are going to speak in aviation terms, you will need to know the definition of such terms as *severe*:

Quote:

AIM 7-1-39

2.

For obvious reasons of safety, an IFR pilot
must not deviate from the course or altitude or flight
level without a proper ATC clearance. When weather
conditions encountered are so severe that an
immediate deviation is determined to be necessary
and time will not permit approval by ATC, the pilot’s

emergency authority may be exercised.

Does that sound like an environment in which you would purposely fly into "safely"?

Decision Making is one of the aspects of being a good pilot which is very hard to train. Some have it, some do not. Experience (let's say measured in total time) is not always a guarantee of the ability to make smart decisions - especially under stressful conditions.

USMCFLYR

shfo

Superior pilots use their superior aeronautical decision making to avoid having to use their superior skills.