Hello

[chris6387]

Originally Posted by Doug Taylor

It was all about the Warcraft a few years ago.

Warcrat II was awesome. Never played the first one and I thought the 3rd was pretty stupid.

[Kristie]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned studentpilot.com....you can really learn a lot about becoming a private pilot over there (as well as here)!!

[Brent.Inc]

Originally Posted by chris6387

Warcrat II was awesome. Never played the first one and I thought the 3rd was pretty stupid.

I agree warcraft 3 is no good, but you should play a custom map that some person created that is surprisingly becoming the "fastest growing e-sport" right now, it's called Defense of The Ancients (Dota) it's a pretty fun map

[Doug Taylor]

Your local airport is your friend. Just go try and meet people.

True story. I rode my bike down to the airport one day when I was in high school to go look at airplanes. This random guy let me sit in a Stearman and participate in a "taxi check".

Just imagine. 15 years old, not even driving yet, sitting in a radial-powered Stearman taxiing around the airport. It doesn't sound like much but it left an impression on me.

I was hooked on the airport and even helped go out and 'flag' for training cropduster pilots for spare change after class.

Now fast forward 20 years and I get this last weekend:

Hi Doug, My name is Jim Householder. I just read your article "Perspectives" and found it very interesting, It's unusual I ran across your page on the internet with the billions of pages available, as I was the last Instructior in that Stearman at Tulare. I was the crop dusting instructor in 1987 1988 and in all the years and hours I have flown these were the best of times of my flying life. You have made may day Great knowing I may have helped someone that really wanted to become a pilot suceed.

I have now lost my medical and no longer fly but of all the memories those in Tulare are at the top and I do remember the "kids on bikes" watching when I was instructing a flat slip turn between those three big oak trees off the Tulare end of the runway, don't know if it was you but I will think it probably was. My best to you and your in the future JIM

THAT'S THE GUY that gave me the 'taxi ride' in the Stearman. I don't even know how the hell to say "Dude, you helped me get to where I am today". I haven't even replied yet because I'm too awestruck.

[Emergency]

That's an amazing story! It's a small world afterall. Really an amazing happening event right there. Too bad he lost his medical. I'll be going down to Leesburg this weekend to see if I can help out at the community airport.

[Doug Taylor]

It's a VERY small world, trust me.

[ryanmickG]

Originally Posted by Doug Taylor

It's a VERY small world, trust me.

Best advice in avation! Try to never burn bridges.

[frog_flyer]

my free 6 months was done in june and I still get a letter from AOPA weekly.


keep wasting the paper and postage, beeches, I'm not forkin over any cash!


in response to Don's unprovoked and unnecessary low-blow, who are you going to trust: a lowly private pilot or an ATP that is the captain of a 757/767 of one of the most successful airlines in the world? No brainer. FF!

[ryanmickG]

Originally Posted by Emergency

I'm about 30 minutes away from Dulles International, sounds like a great idea! By the way, what is a gofer?

A gofer is someone who does odd jobs around the airport. Cleaning airplanes, washing winshields, cleaning tools and maybe learn to do some oil changes. The best thing to do is watch and observe. You can watch the mechs change starters and magnetoes, and maybe assist in a 100 hour inspection. I know your not interested in being a mech, but the more you know about airplanes the better. I have met some flight instructors who dont even know what a bendix or vacuum pump looks like......its very sad. Flying the airplane is the easiest thing about avation...trust me.

We had a gofer at my school and he pimped us for like 50 hours of flight time. I used to take him on ferry flights and mx flights.

Go hustle kid.

[DE727UPS]

"in response to Don's unprovoked and unnecessary low-blow"

Frog, if you can't be nice to a 16 year old newbie, like answering his questions rather than jumping on him, then there is no point in you even saying anything to the guy. He'd have been well served to just use the ignore function. I'd like to, myself, but someone needs to follow you around JC as your personal babysitter, so I can't.

It's a tough job but somebody has to do it.

[Emergency]

I apologize for asking so many questions. But I have been surfing through some of the webpages you have given me, and this forum as well. What does CFI stand for? I'm guessing Captain Flight Instructor.

On another note, would it be better to attend an aviation academy, or a local flight school.

How fast do hours come? I've been reading and i've read about 22 hours in 2 months? Is it just me or is that incredibly slow?

Why do airlines or other companies not give you a lot of airtime? Don't they want you to fly more? More business for them? More money? Because 22 hours in 2 months is about 11 hours a month, which is a little moe than 3 a week...

After you graduate from an academy or flight school, the average pay i hear is unliveable, about $18,000. More than McDonalds with $5.50 h/r. Are there any benefits? How is $18,000 liveable?

Also, after a graduation from academy/flight school I have read you can become a flight instructor. Do you get a lot of hours that way? Whats the average hours per year?

I read somewhere on here, that 7000 hours can probally get you a job on a Boeing 737+ On average how many years is this? 10? 15?

Back to the rest of the topic. How should I apply to help out at my local community airport? Ask for an application to work there? Cleaning windows etc...? Or find a mechanic and ask him questions etc...?

I plan on going to a community airport this Saturday.

[killbilly]

Doug, just out of curiosity, is there a FAQ somewhere?

[DE727UPS]

CFI is certificated flight instructor.

If you're 16 and can fly in the summers, you'd be better off at a local flight school. Don't think you're parents would ship you off to Dallas for two months.

Most flight schools should be able to work with you at an accelerated rate if you tell them that's what you want. 25 hours a month and more when you can build time on your own.

It's not easy to live on 18K, but people are doing it. It's easier when you're young and single.

Who knows how long to a 737. Maybe never, maybe 10 years, maybe five if things turn around in a big way. There are no guarantees in this business and the airlines aren't the only game in town.

[wheelsup]

Originally Posted by Emergency

I apologize for asking so many questions. But I have been surfing through some of the webpages you have given me, and this forum as well.

Let me start out by saying I was YOU 10 years ago. Almost the same age (15) and I had taken my first "discovery" flight at 14 and was "playing" MS Flight Sim and Flight Unlimited any chance I got at home.

You have a TON of questions, you are a bit nieve (sorry!) but concentrate on learning the basics of the industry at this point. All these questions you have right now are pretty hard to explain via an internet forum without you having a common core of knowledge.

Go to Borders, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com or Half.com and BUY THIS BOOK:
http://www.amazon.com/Professional-P...496714?ie=UTF8

I started with that when I was 15/16 and it really helped me understand the basics of what I was getting into. You REALLY need to have a basic understanding of the industry before asking pointed questions like you are. You are lucky to have found this forum at your age (back when I was 15/16 the only thing around were newsgroups).

I'd give you my copy but I've already given it away to another pilot-hopeful.

[Emergency]

Originally Posted by DE727UPS

CFI is certificated flight instructor.

If you're 16 and can fly in the summers, you'd be better off at a local flight school. Don't think you're parents would ship you off to Dallas for two months.

Most flight schools should be able to work with you at an accelerated rate if you tell them that's what you want. 25 hours a month and more when you can build time on your own.

It's not easy to live on 18K, but people are doing it. It's easier when you're young and single.

Who knows how long to a 737. Maybe never, maybe 10 years, maybe five if things turn around in a big way. There are no guarantees in this business and the airlines aren't the only game in town.

First off, I only asked about the flight academy's because I want to get a good idea of what I am going to do after high school (I dont want to do it like this summer, maybe just my privates). (Not doing so well with ~3.0 GPA unweighted with ~5 Advanced Placement courses (by the end of next year).

Since two of my older siblings have already gone off to universties such as University of Virginia, and American, my parents feel that I have to get prepared for college. I've already toured Pennstate, UVA, University of Florida, and Georgia Tech. Time flys bye in high school.

So 25 hours a month is a lot? Compared to a 40 hour work week, does not seem so.

Originally Posted by wheelsup

Let me start out by saying I was YOU 10 years ago. Almost the same age (15) and I had taken my first "discovery" flight at 14 and was "playing" MS Flight Sim and Flight Unlimited any chance I got at home.

You have a TON of questions, you are a bit nieve (sorry!) but concentrate on learning the basics of the industry at this point. All these questions you have right now are pretty hard to explain via an internet forum without you having a common core of knowledge.

Go to Borders, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com or Half.com and BUY THIS BOOK:
http://www.amazon.com/Professional-P...496714?ie=UTF8

I started with that when I was 15/16 and it really helped me understand the basics of what I was getting into. You REALLY need to have a basic understanding of the industry before asking pointed questions like you are. You are lucky to have found this forum at your age (back when I was 15/16 the only thing around were newsgroups).

I'd give you my copy but I've already given it away to another pilot-hopeful.

I ordered that book, and it will arive in about 3-5days.

I saw the microsoft flight simulator X on the TV and will drive out to bestbuy tomorrow to purchase it :P

I agree that I have been asking questions that I should not be asking atm, since I still haven't even got in the cockpit once. I apologize for that once again.

But in all honesty thanks for all the help so far. I promise no more stupid little questions (for the time being)

[wheelsup]

Originally Posted by Emergency

I ordered that book, and it will arive in about 3-5days.

I saw the microsoft flight simulator X on the TV and will drive out to bestbuy tomorrow to purchase it :P

I agree that I have been asking questions that I should not be asking atm, since I still haven't even got in the cockpit once. I apologize for that once again.

But in all honesty thanks for all the help so far. I promise no more stupid little questions (for the time being)

They're not stupid questions, just questions that are hard to answer because one has to use "jargon" that you are unfamiliar with. I probably read that book 10 times before going into the first school to look around.

I think you'll have a pretty good basic understanding of how this all works once you start digging into that book.

[frog_flyer]

If your parents are paying for American then they had better put you through flight school if you want!

isn't it like 50k a year?

[Emergency]

Originally Posted by frog_flyer

If your parents are paying for American then they had better put you through flight school if you want!

isn't it like 50k a year?

something like that, really expensive...

[scramjet]

Originally Posted by GUNIT

Coming from someone around your age who has done the same thing, I have to say it is one of the most rewarding and fun things I have accomplished. I would have to say if I could do one thing over I would have saved money and done more flying in a shorter time span. In other words do the entire private in a summer like you may do. If you really want to do it I would start reading up and get a little ahead in the knowledge areas. Oh, and don't forget to have a great time doing all this.

Yes, don't be like me: practically broke college student whose has been working on PPL part time for a year and half and counting.