A pilot in training's second thoughts..
#12
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jul 2013
Posts: 33
^^^^ This, and do a search of the OP's previous threads. Possibly Already has an Oops on the record related to landings..
My $.02 is to get a second opinion from a seasoned instructor and then decide. The data that exists suggests some things you have been taught in your primary training (landings) may need to be further evaluated for efficacy. Live to fly... Don't fly to live.
My $.02 is to get a second opinion from a seasoned instructor and then decide. The data that exists suggests some things you have been taught in your primary training (landings) may need to be further evaluated for efficacy. Live to fly... Don't fly to live.
#13
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Posts: 834
I'll be straight up honest. I had a hard landing incident in a piper back early this year. Which made me second guess myself, and the new instruction I recieved in the C-152. The training I had in my private , now that I look back, was poor as far as landings went. It's like trying to learn the "right" way again.
#14
Most of us have occasional doubts about our career and life choices. It never ends. So, if you have THESE kinds of doubts at THIS point so early in your career, then just quit now and get it over with. You'll regret it later, but it sounds like you are so focused on a singular destination that you have lost all sense of the journey.
Last year a local newspaper reader had the following exchange with a newspaper advice columnist:
READER: "I want to pursue my dream of becoming a full-time artist, but I am afraid I won't make enough money. What should I do."
COLUMNIST: "Don't do it. You are not a committed artist, since you are only willing to pursue your dream on the condition that doing so is financially lucrative enough. Someday you'll understand the difference."
Picture it this way: You are hiring one pilot and have two candidates. One guy explains that he has a variety of experience and he's done a variety of jobs, having a great time at all of them and making the most out of trying circumstances. Then there's you, who has thought of quitting since before your CPL and has always been uptight about not having "made it" yet. (What does that even mean, anyway?). Guess who you would hire?
Do yourself a favor: Change your outlook or pull the ejection handle now. (Note that as you drift back down to comfortable terra firma, you'll still be looking up at airplanes overhead and wishing you were there.)
Last year a local newspaper reader had the following exchange with a newspaper advice columnist:
READER: "I want to pursue my dream of becoming a full-time artist, but I am afraid I won't make enough money. What should I do."
COLUMNIST: "Don't do it. You are not a committed artist, since you are only willing to pursue your dream on the condition that doing so is financially lucrative enough. Someday you'll understand the difference."
Picture it this way: You are hiring one pilot and have two candidates. One guy explains that he has a variety of experience and he's done a variety of jobs, having a great time at all of them and making the most out of trying circumstances. Then there's you, who has thought of quitting since before your CPL and has always been uptight about not having "made it" yet. (What does that even mean, anyway?). Guess who you would hire?
Do yourself a favor: Change your outlook or pull the ejection handle now. (Note that as you drift back down to comfortable terra firma, you'll still be looking up at airplanes overhead and wishing you were there.)
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,391
Great post Seamus. The reality of the career is you will be poor for quite a while and more than likely will get furloughed at least once or twice.
If you're not willing to live like a pauper, look elsewhere for a career.
If you're not willing to live like a pauper, look elsewhere for a career.
#16
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,926
I got my first jet job in a corporate sabreliner, and I got it from an ad in trade a plane.
Airlines are one aviation career track. They are by no means THE career track in aviation.
#17
Line Holder
Joined APC: Sep 2014
Posts: 36
The regionals aren't for everyone! Don't feel discouraged away from aviation just because you don't want to go to the regionals. I don't want to either. It doesn't mean you don't love flying.
There are jobs outside of the regionals. Once hitting 1,200 hours you'll be eligible to fly 135 cargo for a company like Ameriflight. Their starting salary is 34,000. There's also Alpine, Keylime, Martinaire, ect.
As someone else mentioned, once you have 500 hours or so, sign up for a job board. With 500TT I was offered a job making 33k a year as an FO in a BE20. It wasn't through a lucky connection or anything, just sent in an app. Same thing can happen to you.
At around 1000TT my boyfriend got on with a survey company that pays 60k salaried.
Enjoy the ride and stick with it!
There are jobs outside of the regionals. Once hitting 1,200 hours you'll be eligible to fly 135 cargo for a company like Ameriflight. Their starting salary is 34,000. There's also Alpine, Keylime, Martinaire, ect.
As someone else mentioned, once you have 500 hours or so, sign up for a job board. With 500TT I was offered a job making 33k a year as an FO in a BE20. It wasn't through a lucky connection or anything, just sent in an app. Same thing can happen to you.
At around 1000TT my boyfriend got on with a survey company that pays 60k salaried.
Enjoy the ride and stick with it!
#18
Addiction
I believe that flying is more of an addiction then passion.
Passion Definition: (from the Latin verb patere meaning to suffer) A term applied to a very strong feeling about a person or thing. Passion is an intense emotion, compelling enthusiasm or desire for anything.
Addiction Definition: A state defined by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli, despite adverse consequences.
When one feels uncertain about following a passion that is your instinct of self preservation trying to alert you to what could be a bad situation. Pilots often advance even though they acknowledge to themselves, and others, that it is a difficult and life exploding proposition. That is why I believe a more accurate term is "addiction" in regards to following an aviation impulse.
In any case both terms disregard the application of logic or reason to the decision making process.
Perhaps we should apply the term "passion" to other similar life decisions? Example: "He was passionate about heroin". It seems to make lots of poor decisions seem less self destructive. Perhaps some people could be "passionate about adultery or alcohol"? I don't believe that passion or addiction should be a basis for choosing ones occupation.
"Don't follow your passion. Have your passion follow you." - Mike Rowe
Skyhigh
Passion Definition: (from the Latin verb patere meaning to suffer) A term applied to a very strong feeling about a person or thing. Passion is an intense emotion, compelling enthusiasm or desire for anything.
Addiction Definition: A state defined by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli, despite adverse consequences.
When one feels uncertain about following a passion that is your instinct of self preservation trying to alert you to what could be a bad situation. Pilots often advance even though they acknowledge to themselves, and others, that it is a difficult and life exploding proposition. That is why I believe a more accurate term is "addiction" in regards to following an aviation impulse.
In any case both terms disregard the application of logic or reason to the decision making process.
Perhaps we should apply the term "passion" to other similar life decisions? Example: "He was passionate about heroin". It seems to make lots of poor decisions seem less self destructive. Perhaps some people could be "passionate about adultery or alcohol"? I don't believe that passion or addiction should be a basis for choosing ones occupation.
"Don't follow your passion. Have your passion follow you." - Mike Rowe
Skyhigh
Last edited by SkyHigh; 11-26-2014 at 09:30 AM.
#19
It's always good to get both sides of a debate. No matter how dramatic and overblown. An intelligent person can figure out where the facts end and the fairy tales begin.
Getting established as a professional pilot is not easy. Which is why it takes a strong passion to get through the hard times.
Getting established as a professional pilot is not easy. Which is why it takes a strong passion to get through the hard times.
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