Hello

[LiamClarke]

Hey all,

My name is Liam and I have just finished year one of my degree in Aviation/Piloting at Swinburne University in Melbourne. I thought I should start to network with other pilots and learn some thing or two about the career I am headed towards.

I am about to go on my first navigation solo which is pretty nerve-racking but also really exciting.

I hope I posted this in the right location.

-Liam

[exeng]

Best of luck with your training and subsequent career.

[PA39]

After 35 years in Aviation i have switched to UFC. You don't get beat up as much!!

Good luck mate, its an exciting, interesting and yes sometimes a very rewarding career.

[Jabawocky]

So its you doing all these Unofficial Flying Charters is it PA39? :E

[Exaviator]

Liam, I assume that your first navex will be made without the luxury of GPS - to learn the basics of cross country navigation - so a word of advice young man, never loose track of your D.R. position and make a positive I.D. of the towns you fly over by checking against all the indicators on your chart.

Good luck and safe flying. :ok:

[eocvictim]

Is it possible to do another course at Swinburne while continuing your flying? It'll give you something to fall back on and more options while you search for work.

[Atlas Shrugged]

Just rememeber, being "lost" is all in your head. If you knew where you were 6 minutes ago, you cannot possibly be "lost"

[LiamClarke]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

@Exaviator Yeah we have the G1000 equipped in the C172s but we arent allowed to use them while training, we are shown how but when doing nav we have to use maps.

@eocvictim Yeah there is an aviation/aviation management course available but my hands are full enough with one. Thanks for the tip though and perhaps I should start practicing pizza making or something ;)

[frigatebird]

Liam
Its been my experience that you don't end up doing for a career what you trained for and thought you would be doing when you left school. So whichever way life takes its twists and turns, the main thing is to enjoy the ride..
Cheers

[eocvictim]

I meant is there a way to take your credits from the course you've started and do a course outside of aviation. If you're already going to uni you might as well get a degree that is worth something. That pizza making course might be worth considering.

[LiamClarke]

@Eocvictim

Nah there isn't unfortunately. If I go through the university I can put all my fees (including flying) on FEE-HELP which is where the government pays it up front and you pay them back over the course of your career.

This is the cheapest way for me to accomplish my flying quickly, the degree is just a bonus (I know it doesn't hold much weight in job applications but there is no harm in having one)

[Jack Ranga]

It's good advice. Over the course of my 25 years in aviation I've seen probably 15% of the people I've known aiming for airline flying make it. And if you don't reach your aviation goal an aviation degree is not very usefull (hoepfully one day it may be but now?). A business/accounting/construction degree however, very usefull!

[onezeroonethree]

Over the course of my 25 years in aviation I've seen probably 15% of the people I've known aiming for airline flying make it.

And the rest?

[sms777]

The rest stays in GA for a while thinking there has to be better ways of making money unless daddy has left a large fortune to waste. The rest of them move on to become politicians or work for CASA where high income will be guaranteed without worrying where to go next :E

[mcgrath50]

Don't burst the poor kids bubble sms! He seems to nice to be a CASA stooge. More likely to give up on the industry entirely than try to destroy... sorry help, it. :p

[goldypilot]

Haha I like that you knew Your location 6 minutes ago but know your lost. I think this afternoon I will be lost for about 30 odd minutes until the gps tells me I am approaching waypoint and I will watch the bloke in the seat next to me tell a lovely person in Brisbane our position. Then I will know our location again. Haha Thanx for the laugh

[Jack Ranga]

onezeroonethree,

The rest simply go onto other things, some related to aviation some not. Me ATC. I've got one good mate now coming to grips with knowing that he's not going to make it into a job with reasonable conditions (baby on the way). His wife is supporting him and happy to continue so but he's had a gutfull.

The reality of his situation is that he put all of his resources into aviation and has to now start 'all over again' at age 35, no other quals.

Mate, there are now so many traps in this 'game' they call a career. Most of the older blokes know them. The traps are a whole lot more costly than when I started and have the potential to bankrupt you and keep you that way for a long time (cadetships etc)

Think about this:

If you do an accountant/business degree
If you do a medical degree
If you do a construction degree

You are virtually GUARANTEED a job on graduation. And your starting salary will be higher than some of my fly mates are on 10-12 years in. It's not about money but about common decency and there is precious little of it in this industry.

Some of the above degrees or a trade will give you the financial resources to get your avaiation fix (aircraft ownership etc). There's nothing like doing it on your own terms, being able to walk away from a crap situation and have other options (qualifications) I know this because I've done it myself and had a few mates who have done so!

My other mate above, he gave it his best shot, he put everything into it and didn't make it. And you should be aware of this before you start :ok: