http://forums.jetcareers.com/blogs/ an online community of airline and corporate pilots en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:42:37 GMT vBulletin 250 http://forums.jetcareers.com/images/misc/rss.jpg http://forums.jetcareers.com/blogs/ http://forums.jetcareers.com/blogs/number1atnumber2/74-dont-say.html Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:09:33 GMT Ok to anyone that's planning on getting into aviation and is about to start training: Don't say you've got your ppl or instrument training on flight sim!

When I was a CFI and I had guys come up to me and utter phrases like that just made me groan. A video game IS NOT FLYING! The tools that said junk like that were often my biggest headache because I had to get them to unlearn a lot of things they didn't really understand in the first place.

Primacy is a bitch enough as it is, when your
knowledge is flawed and re-enforced repeatedly over time, that will make life hell on both you and your instructor. And your wallet will hate you.

I remember a guy telling me "I beat flight sim so this shouldn't be hard." :banghead::banghead::banghead: You may as well get "I'm a moron" tattooed on your forehead.

Not sure why I feel the need to write this since I was a CFI 4 years ago and don't plan to go back to it. Maybe it's because I don't think anyone should pursue aviation as their primary job considering the state of the industry. Dispelling the romantic illusions of this job would probably save a lot of people a crap ton of debt, and bitterness in a lot of cases.
Do I regret getting into flying? For the most part, no. But I sure wish I had a reality check and an actual understanding of what I'd go through.

I suppose it's one thing to be told, but it's altogether different to experience a life lesson.

I think I need a beer. ]]> Number1atNumber2 http://forums.jetcareers.com/blogs/number1atnumber2/74-dont-say.html http://forums.jetcareers.com/blogs/number1atnumber2/33-whirlwind-jobs.html Wed, 02 Jul 2008 06:30:14 GMT Well yesterday I get called in to the Chief Pilot's office and find out that one of the owners has decided to stop having us manage his plane. Apparently since we were now overstaffed, the CEO told him to lay me off. Makes me wonder what goes on in dude's head since the company now had 2 Lears instead of 3, and to crew them they have 3 Captains and 2 FOs.

The good thing: the chief was pissed at the situation and he got me an interview with another charter company on the field, and 2 hours later I had a new job! This definatly goes to show how having an endorsement from the right person can mean a hell of a lot more than flight time, as I doubt I would have been able to get on there just by myself since I'm still shy of 2000 hours total time. ]]> Number1atNumber2 http://forums.jetcareers.com/blogs/number1atnumber2/33-whirlwind-jobs.html http://forums.jetcareers.com/blogs/number1atnumber2/30-job-posting.html Sun, 29 Jun 2008 02:56:34 GMT Ok I'm a little pissed off here. I was just viewing a the jobs available thread and there was a Lear position posted on there.
I sent a message to the person to get a bit more info and it didn't sound too bad.

There were some negatives, such as no health insurance, and having to be reimbursed for training. However, the pay wasn't bad, certainly better than some of the places I've worked at that did provide heathcare and pick up the bill for training.

What bothers me is how everyone tore into the guy over these issues. Hey guys, if you don't like it DON'T APPLY THERE!

Part of me sides with the pilots: I wish some companies got it through their head that health insurance is something they should provide. I do have major issues with paying for training places, but if you get reimbursed for expenses, is it as much of an issue? Granted, no one wants to drop the money, and then have the job disappear out from under you a month later.

I guess what concerns me is that this could drive people to not even post jobs at all. Hey guys and gals, we're here to network as well as shoot the #### about flying and make new friends.

I'm just kinda bugged by the situation. This kind of thing discourages others from post jobs online here. ]]> Number1atNumber2 http://forums.jetcareers.com/blogs/number1atnumber2/30-job-posting.html http://forums.jetcareers.com/blogs/number1atnumber2/26-first-aviation-blog-here.html Thu, 19 Jun 2008 04:03:23 GMT I figured it was time to put something up here.

You know, it never ceases to amaze me on how the whole job interview process in avation works. Right now I'm happy to have the job I do. Espically after working for some of the a-holes that I have. I've had guys from Lakes come up to me and say, "Wow I'm just amazed you actually worked for those guys!"

Well now I'm living in Chicago, not by choice exactly. I really hated leaving Colorado, but good gods that job market sucks. For awhile I limited my job search to Colorado, or some places nearby. However I eventually had to expand my search since it was taking so long. It took 6 months to find my current job. And I had about 1900 total time, 800 multi and 345 hours in Lear 25s, 35s, and 55s.

Having worked for Mesa for a short time, and with what I read on here and from what I hear from my friends in the airline world I want NOTHING to do with them. But, I wasn't able to find anything that paid 30k or more.

It was amazing, I hardly got ANY calls, and probably about 6 job interviews. Most of which seemed to go well. Although I did break down an interview at Republic and promply screwed that interview up. Ever have one of those moments when you tell yourself NOT to do something, and then you do it anyways? Yeah that happened to me. I generally interview pretty well, but I just couldn't get anything to fall into place. My resume was professionally done, I've read books on how to interview (Checklist for Success is a good one btw) and I've had some interview tips from job placement companies.

This all happened while the industry was (supposedly) hiring everyone and anyone.
Funny thing is, my interview here in Chicago I thought went poorly, but here I am!

So the lession learned here, and I hope anyone reading this realizes is: jobs are never a certain thing, and be grateful when you get one. It's okay to be picky, but you have to balance that with being open to going where the work is.

Sounds pretty basic huh? Most people I figure would say, well DUH!!! And normally I'd have said that as well, but when you find yourself in a situation like that one, it's easy to think "Well that won't happen to me! I know better/have different experience."

When you start thinking: "that will never happen to me" is generally when the #### is about to hit the fan.

Now the industry has turned yet again, and the job market sucks and the competition is about to get fierce. Hell my company here just hired a Captain from ATA and Comair (I think) as First Officers. I'm lucky I have my job, and that I got it when I did

If any of you guys that pay for those jet courses, or go to Riddle, or FlightSafety, etc and think you're entitled to a job for just completing their training you better wake the #### up. ]]> Number1atNumber2 http://forums.jetcareers.com/blogs/number1atnumber2/26-first-aviation-blog-here.html