Conversion to Hobby Flying
 

I am having a hard time making the conversion to hobby flying. It just is not the same. In the past every time I flew a 150 the idea was in the back of my head that this was "one more hour towards my goal". As the undertone goal of a life in professional aviation slowly dissipates so goes a lot of the drive too. What is the point if there is not a 737NG at the end of it?

In addition hobby pilots are not the same as professionals. I don't recall ever having a dispute with other professional pilots about how to fly the plane. We debate plenty of other things but we all fly the plane as the company tells us word for word.

Hobby guys seem to be in a race to kill themselves to the point where they are uncomfortable to be around. Stupid thing after stupid thing. All of them think they are aerospace engineers and test pilots and want to argue their position when in reality all the have is a 20 year old King tape private pilot education and a handful of BFR's.

I went to an EAA meeting and it makes this place seem like a sand box. Those old timers were nearly coming to blows with each other over silly things like Marvel Mystery Oil and what kind of hot dogs to buy for the fly in. In addition the EAA guys like to criticize my Cessna 150 when their plane only amounts to a two thousand dollar pile of tubes in the garage.

I have a few more clubs to check out but I would really like to find a place for myself in aviation. Airport manager perhaps? Maybe a designated examiner? I don't know but I just cant walk away from 25 years of education, training, experience and effort.

Skyhigh

I would probably instruct in your shoes, if I could find adequate insurance. Or find an owner who needs a very-occasional pilot for his citation or king air. Some guys rather than retain a full-time pilot just use a pool of several guys, and hope one will be available when they need him. Or maybe a 135 guy who needs a backup pilot.

I have nothing to do with my club for the reasons you mention. I'll check back every year or two to see if anything's changed :rolleyes:

Sky it is obvious you need to be around pilots on their way up to the big league. It's a more professional mindset and I do not think you are wrong for missing their company. Isn't there a flight college near there? I know you want to remain close to home but there have to be better gigs than making sloppy approaches with ego maniacs. Maybe you could set up a flight school in your back yard and do ATPs and multi add-ons. Keep the 150 and get an Apache to go with it.

Thanks
 

Thanks Cubdriver!

I am considering all of those options. The university however is staffed largely by people who have never flown anything bigger than a Cessna 182. As far as I know none of them have any airline experience or professional flying to speak of.

I have applied a few times but they keep hiring academic types without any experience. You know, people who are good at the theory of flight but have never actually done it themselves. I probably would not fit in there either.

In regards to opening a flight school a friend and I are considering exactly that. He is acquiring a Red Bird flight simulator. We are considering trying a light sport academy of some kind. The big challenge however is the decline in flight students. It does not make much sense under the current conditions. A lot of time and money when the projections for the future are not good.

Skyhigh

The problem here is that he would basically be instructing in something that he is in an emotional dispute over. Not really the mindset of a good instructor.

He doesn't believe in the pursuit of professional aviation. So instructing any student wanting a career as a professional aviator (any - not JUST airlines) is against his deepest held beliefs.

I would have said that he should only instruct hobby pilots, yet the above post makes me feel that he has little more respect for future hobby pilots either - once again basically finding himself in a hypocritical position.

Sky - what do you care what those "old timers" think about your 150? You ought to jump in with both feet and debate with them on any and all issues. You like debate - admit it! ;)

I would actually have to wonder what a flight student would think if my instructor sat me down and spouted off a string of your most often used quotes describing aviators (especially *professional* ones). Now in your last reply, you are applying to University positions though you don't believe in college educations?
Sounds like a double agent type of lifestyle. :o

USMCFLYR

Thanks !
 

USMCFLR,

I agree with your assertions. As a flight instructor I do find myself largely talking my students out of learning how to fly. Some though are wealthy orthodontists and business owners who don't care what it costs and never want to fly professionally. They comprise most of my flight students these days.

In regards to the University if I were lucky enough to gain a position there would work to bring a dose of reality to the program so that those who want to be successful in life can have the opportunity to try something else before dropping 300K on dead end training and education.

However if after receiving a responsible discourse of the hardships of aviation a student still wants to continue to pursue the profession I whole heartedly provide the best instruction that I can. And who is better at helping others to negotiate the mine field of aviation better than I? I have had to suffer the worst luck and hardships in my career. My resume includes a long string of horrible jobs and unscrupulous employers.

I have several career hopefuls whom I have helped to minimize their suffering on their way to the airlines. And when the time comes (and it usually does) I will be there to help them to get out.

SKyhigh

Old Man Flight Students
 

Occasionally I am forced to encounter an old timer who with their wealth of experience amounting to 500 hours over 40 years of flying decides to argue with me the instructor. Usually it is during a BFR and often it is about how to properly enter the traffic pattern.

Upon reaching the moment where the old timer tells me that he does not care what I have to say and that he is going to do it his way only is when I declare the lesson to be over. Why would I give a BFR to someone who openly admits to breaking with the rules or conventional aviation procedure?

I don't want my name in that guys logbook. Why don't they just lie to me and get through the BFR? Not smart or professional. In many cases I think they just keep on flying without a BFR. Hobby pilots are hard to deal with.

Skyhigh

I had to copy it here too.
 

Dear Mr. USMCFLR,

Did you see this post? It is listed in the Flight Training Section.

Considering a career as an airline pilot? Read this

From somebody that in aviation is the other end of the spectrum from skyhigh, in that I was hired at a legacy at age 26 and have been a captain for twenty years and int'l widebody capt. for 14years . And I have to say that Sky High is right! Don't ping on him, he is correct, for all the decay to the profession that has gone on, what happens is you will pay a lot of dues and when it is your time to collect, corporate america will find a way to not deliver. Beyond that I doubt that your education will give you a decent return on investment.

-- Molon Labe

I am not the only one who holds these opinions about aviation. More are coming over all the time.

Cordially;

Skyhigh

That is certainly a tough situation. What RULES is he breaking about traffic pattern entries and can you give some examples of the conventional aviation wisdom that he does not follow.

Having had MANY conversations with you over the years, both on the forums and privately, you are certainly a stalwart when it comes to YOUR opinion and I wonder if you might be the kind of instructor who thinks that his way is the ONLY way to skin that particular cat.

Of course we are only hearing one side on the story here.
As this forum often does a good job of pointing out - there are MANY opinions out there on the simpliest of ideas, recommendations, procedures, regulations, laws, etc....

USMCFLYR

Airmans Information Manual
 

USMCFLR,

The Airman's Information Manual has traffic pattern procedures in it. Over the years some old timers either have picked up bad habits or are still using older procedures and do not want to change.

It is a common issue among VFR pilots. The AIM is not regulatory however if there is an accident or incident and the pilot in question was not using the procedures in the AIM it can be used to cite a violation. The use of standard pattern procedures is the basis for safe uncontrolled airport operations. When someone decides to stray and do a straight in or descending overhead left downwind pattern entry it puts everyone at risk.

The main point is the augmentative attitude of many older pilots. Pattern entry is but one issue I commonly come across. If someone is not willing to accept training then why am I going to risk my certificate?

Skyhigh