Can I get some general comments please
03-30-2006, 05:16 PM
#22
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Position: A320 CA
Posts: 973
Originally Posted by FL350
reddog25 yes I thought about the military, airforce to be exact. one morning I was up at 6 something and had the tv on, saw an air force reserve ad, thought it was my calling! 
Fact is I will probably not make it through basic training. never much of a workout person. plus af reserve basic is in Texas.. i HATE hot weather.
Fact is I will probably not make it through basic training. never much of a workout person. plus af reserve basic is in Texas.. i HATE hot weather. Probably a good call as I spent 1 year in a tent surrounded by sand....it was hot there too
03-30-2006, 05:49 PM
#23
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Posts: 292
Originally Posted by FL350
Packer Backer.. uhh.. for a person terrified of the dentists?.... 
Hmm.. Probably true, what you said.
Hmm.. Probably true, what you said.
03-30-2006, 06:07 PM
#24
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Joined APC: Mar 2006
Position: DHC-8 SIC
Posts: 634
never thought about it
For me, it's almost like a love affair like UGBSM said. Although I have heard and well aware of ups and downs of the industry, it matters to me the least. Flying is not just a "job", it is indeed a fantasy. Sure it requires hard work, but you cannot give it up just because the industry might not be doing well in the present. For a true lover, it is the only career option or the only way of life. That's just me. I mean, people have told me to consider other options, but it's just way out of my reach. I can't even imagine what I would do if something ruled me out of flying. So my advice is, it all depends of how much you want it. Be ambitious, and stick to it, and don't be discouraged. Hard work will pay off!!!
03-30-2006, 07:53 PM
#25
Self Employed.
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Fl350
Thank you all for the wonderful introductions. Sorry for the tardy entrance but my wife was downloading the latest Norton antivirus program and therefore I was off line for most of the evening.
FL350 down to business. To answer your question. You must ask yourself if you love flying enough to put aside all dreams of friends, family, financial security, home and community. IF you feel strongly enough that you can turn your back on all than then you might actually have a chance. Keep in mind that you most likely will have to pony up nearly 100K in flight training and college expenses plus a decade of life endangering low wage suffering for the privilege of being qualified enough to fill out an application. An application that most likely will be tossed out, but might actually result in an interview and in that interview you most likely will have to almost pull your pants down while they crawl all over your log books and interview every person you ever met. Now if you are alright with all that you might actually get hired. And. if you get hired then you can start worrying about the furlough.
SkyHigh
Flying is great though.
FL350 down to business. To answer your question. You must ask yourself if you love flying enough to put aside all dreams of friends, family, financial security, home and community. IF you feel strongly enough that you can turn your back on all than then you might actually have a chance. Keep in mind that you most likely will have to pony up nearly 100K in flight training and college expenses plus a decade of life endangering low wage suffering for the privilege of being qualified enough to fill out an application. An application that most likely will be tossed out, but might actually result in an interview and in that interview you most likely will have to almost pull your pants down while they crawl all over your log books and interview every person you ever met. Now if you are alright with all that you might actually get hired. And. if you get hired then you can start worrying about the furlough.
SkyHigh
Flying is great though.
03-30-2006, 07:58 PM
#26
Stethoscope
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Posts: 308
just my 2 cents
FL350 I can totally understand where you are coming from. I too posted a thread in the cargo section asking for information about some career advice. I am currently in college, and plan to graduate in the next 2 semesters. I have been extremely lucky, I have incurred absolutely no debt!! As far as the advice that ryane gave you on saving 50k I don’t think that I will be able to do that. My plan is to graduate, work for the company that I am working for now, making around 35-40k a year, and fly as much as possible on my free time and time off and weekends. (if anyone out there has any idea how long it will take me at the pace that I just described to get all my ratings to qualify for the regionals, please weigh in). Ryane, I don’t know how accurate the 40k a year sounds as a new flight instructor, that’s why I am not too sure about that route.
As far as sky high is concerned, you really do need to listen to him. He speaks the truth, it may be the bad of the industry, but it is the truth. After listening to him and you still feel that you are ready to do it, then follow through with your dream plan. I myself have come to accept the good with the bad, life is not perfect, you will always find a disgruntled employee or former employee who will tell you to stay away from any industry no matter what they do for a living. The best I can do is to tell you that if you select to fly for a living, expect the worse, but hope for the best.
On a personal note guys, I am an African American, and I understand that there are very few of us in this industry, can anyone tell me if I have hell waiting for me or are pilots a pretty close group and don’t practice in discrimination. I am aware that you will always have @#$% in this world.
As far as sky high is concerned, you really do need to listen to him. He speaks the truth, it may be the bad of the industry, but it is the truth. After listening to him and you still feel that you are ready to do it, then follow through with your dream plan. I myself have come to accept the good with the bad, life is not perfect, you will always find a disgruntled employee or former employee who will tell you to stay away from any industry no matter what they do for a living. The best I can do is to tell you that if you select to fly for a living, expect the worse, but hope for the best.
On a personal note guys, I am an African American, and I understand that there are very few of us in this industry, can anyone tell me if I have hell waiting for me or are pilots a pretty close group and don’t practice in discrimination. I am aware that you will always have @#$% in this world.
03-30-2006, 08:14 PM
#27
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2005
Position: Retired
Posts: 2,934
FL350,
Nothing is predictable. If you want to do it, go for it. Just make sure you have as much info as you can before you take the plunge. I love flying, even with students trying to kill me every day.
Cargo Hopeful,
As with anything, I think you will find those that seem to think that it's still 1950 and equality isn't something that should be had. But what it comes down to is this. Most will judge you on your qualifications, your abilities, and your personality. If you meet the qualifications, are a good pilot, practice proper hygine, and you're a nice guy (or gal) I'd love to share the cockpit with you.
Nothing is predictable. If you want to do it, go for it. Just make sure you have as much info as you can before you take the plunge. I love flying, even with students trying to kill me every day.
Cargo Hopeful,
As with anything, I think you will find those that seem to think that it's still 1950 and equality isn't something that should be had. But what it comes down to is this. Most will judge you on your qualifications, your abilities, and your personality. If you meet the qualifications, are a good pilot, practice proper hygine, and you're a nice guy (or gal) I'd love to share the cockpit with you.
03-30-2006, 08:54 PM
#29
Self Employed.
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: Corporate Pilot
Posts: 7,119
Youthful emotional rhetoric nonsense !!!
You guys sound like a bunch of religious zealots. This isn't a movie that you guys are staring in it is your life and there are some very real consequences for the decisions that you make. The costs are high and the best that anyone will offer is a weak "maybe". Living without regrets for even a short time can leave one very regretful.
SkyHigh
SkyHigh
03-30-2006, 09:02 PM
#30
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: B777/CA retired
Posts: 1,483
If you have had problems flying a trainer and it has taken you 80 hours to solo then you might not want to waste 50k plus to buy into this career.
If flying is last on your list then you definitely don't want to do this. I have been in the business since 1978 with a couple of years in IT as a programmer out of college while I built flying time. It's cost me 2 marriages (that would have gone south anyway) and lots of holidays away from home but it has given me a satisfaction that I could have never found elsewhere. I still have 12 years to go and I like going to work almost every time. (still can't get up for those 6 am east coast departures).
Cargo Wannabe - being Black will open more doors than you may think. My friends that are Black pilots have not had an easy road by any means but once you get here you will not find a more congenial group. I had a jumpseater on the leg to Maui the other day, one of our reserve Captains who grew up in Nigeria and he was very happy he had made the decision to come here and fly. Most others have had mentors or encouragement from family members to assist in making their flying dreams a reality. Airlines are always looking for diversity and it helps if you are enthusiastic and competent.
If flying is last on your list then you definitely don't want to do this. I have been in the business since 1978 with a couple of years in IT as a programmer out of college while I built flying time. It's cost me 2 marriages (that would have gone south anyway) and lots of holidays away from home but it has given me a satisfaction that I could have never found elsewhere. I still have 12 years to go and I like going to work almost every time. (still can't get up for those 6 am east coast departures).
Cargo Wannabe - being Black will open more doors than you may think. My friends that are Black pilots have not had an easy road by any means but once you get here you will not find a more congenial group. I had a jumpseater on the leg to Maui the other day, one of our reserve Captains who grew up in Nigeria and he was very happy he had made the decision to come here and fly. Most others have had mentors or encouragement from family members to assist in making their flying dreams a reality. Airlines are always looking for diversity and it helps if you are enthusiastic and competent.
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