jetcareers - View Single Post

jtrain609 · November 24th, 2006, 01:24

I think what most people don't realize is that flying is a VERY small part of the job that you do as a professional pilot. Like the other day I spent 8 hours at work and only blocked 1.5 hours of that. But out of that 8 hours, I also spent 2.5 hours doing pre and post flight with my trainee. It was a solid hour and a half to go and do the following:

-Figure out what we were going to today, discuss it briefly
-Figure out which planes are airworthy
-Go up to dispatch and figure out which one they want us to take
-Go back to MX to get the book for the plane, double check to make sure there is nothing that would ground the airplane
-Check the weather and make sure the aircraft is legal
-Do a full preflight
-Get a clearance to where ever it was that we were going
-NOW we can block out

Then we fly for an hour and a half. After that we need to come back, post flight the aircraft, finish up the MX logs, all the other paperwork, THEN talk about the flight and discuss what we need to accomplish next time.

Now given, I'm in a real low utilization job, but I'm paying my bills by flying none the less. I couldn't tell you what it's like at a regional, but actually flying airplanes is a VERY small part of what I do. I'm a ground instructor, a simulator instructor, a local area guide, a coach, a flight instructor, a captain and somebody that's supposed to know a heck of a lot about the aircraft I'm teaching.

Maybe it's different at the regionals, I dunno. Honestly though, if I were doing NOTHING but flying I'd probably get bored. I used to enjoy toying with computers until I started paying bills with computers. I also used to enjoy going flying to go flying, but not anymore now that I'm paying bills with it. The things I thought were interesting (instrument work, multi engine training, figuring out creative ways to work within the IFR system) are still all challanging, but there's much less fun factor.

Now what I'd LOVE to do is go get some time in a Pitts or get a Tailwheel endorsement. THAT'S fun flying. Jets? Freighters? Passangers? Boxes? Those just pay bills. Don't get me wrong, it's an interesting way to earn a living, but it's not mostly flying.

November 24th, 2006, 01:24	#2
jtrain609 Old Skool Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Park City, UT Posts: 13,292	Re: An uninformed opinion I think what most people don't realize is that flying is a VERY small part of the job that you do as a professional pilot. Like the other day I spent 8 hours at work and only blocked 1.5 hours of that. But out of that 8 hours, I also spent 2.5 hours doing pre and post flight with my trainee. It was a solid hour and a half to go and do the following: -Figure out what we were going to today, discuss it briefly -Figure out which planes are airworthy -Go up to dispatch and figure out which one they want us to take -Go back to MX to get the book for the plane, double check to make sure there is nothing that would ground the airplane -Check the weather and make sure the aircraft is legal -Do a full preflight -Get a clearance to where ever it was that we were going -NOW we can block out Then we fly for an hour and a half. After that we need to come back, post flight the aircraft, finish up the MX logs, all the other paperwork, THEN talk about the flight and discuss what we need to accomplish next time. Now given, I'm in a real low utilization job, but I'm paying my bills by flying none the less. I couldn't tell you what it's like at a regional, but actually flying airplanes is a VERY small part of what I do. I'm a ground instructor, a simulator instructor, a local area guide, a coach, a flight instructor, a captain and somebody that's supposed to know a heck of a lot about the aircraft I'm teaching. Maybe it's different at the regionals, I dunno. Honestly though, if I were doing NOTHING but flying I'd probably get bored. I used to enjoy toying with computers until I started paying bills with computers. I also used to enjoy going flying to go flying, but not anymore now that I'm paying bills with it. The things I thought were interesting (instrument work, multi engine training, figuring out creative ways to work within the IFR system) are still all challanging, but there's much less fun factor. Now what I'd LOVE to do is go get some time in a Pitts or get a Tailwheel endorsement. THAT'S fun flying. Jets? Freighters? Passangers? Boxes? Those just pay bills. Don't get me wrong, it's an interesting way to earn a living, but it's not mostly flying. __________________ <--- Obviously, only a private pilot.