Is this a good path to become a pilot?
Hi! For several years I've been interested in aviation, as my Dad is an insurance surveyor for the transportation industry, and deals with aircraft day-in-day-out, along with cargo ships, rail transport, etc. I also enjoy talking with the pilots I meet while waiting at the gate while at the airport, reading about aviation, etc. I especially enjoy the navigation aspect, as Dad used to be a supertanker captain, and taught me how to plot courses, adjust for wind, take bearings using a sextant, dead reckon, use RNAV, etc., and even though his info was for marine navigation, much of it is applicable to air navigation. I was thinking about becoming a mariner like he was, but then I realized it would be way more expensive and longer than training as a pilot, injury risk is too high, I'd be away from home way more than I'd like (I'm okay with being away for a few days or a week, but not months), and I could only travel to areas with a seaport.
Currently, I'm studying for a BSc in Microbiology with Immunology at University of Leeds in the UK. I picked that course because it's a field that interests me, and I'll have great career opportunities if being a pilot doesn't work out. After I get my first job with that degree, I plan on getting a class 1 medical certificate (hopefully I can get a SODA for my amblyopia due to retinopathy of prematurity; left eye is BCVA 20/20, right eye is BCVA 20/30; and according to an FAA medical website, my asthma shouldn't result in a problem, as it's mild and never required hospitalization) and get my PPL, to make sure I enjoy flying. If I do, I'll get my IR, CPL, and MEC, and join Alpine Air's First Officer program so I can gain the PIC hours for an ATPL. Then I'll fly for them for a while to make back my tuition, and then hold myself out as a contract pilot, get a job as a corporate charter pilot, or maybe get enough money to lease a Beechcraft Super King Air 350iER and start an air taxi service (my Dad knows a lot of freight forwarders that I could advertise myself to).
How do you think the aviation industry is looking? I know the recession is putting a dent in it, but we'll always need pilots to transport people and freight.
Thanks for all your advice.
Oh, and here's a few questions for you:
1. On September 10th, I'll be taking a flight from LAX to LHR. Would the pilot get on an initial heading of 341 after taking off, and then follow a great circle to LHR?
2. Since I know a good deal about flight instruments and the like, I'm worried that I might scare my CFI by keeping my head glued to the panel, never looking outside. Like, once my CFI believes I'm competent enough to pretty much fly the plane, but before s/he signs me off to fly solo, let's say we make a flight from LGB to LAX. After taking off, I'll tune into LAX's VOR on 111.10, set my HSI's heading bug to 101 (the radial connecting LGB and LAX) to remind me of the aircraft's course, and use my flight instruments to keep on the radial. Then I'll contact LAX's ATC when 5 nmi away, and request landing clearance, and follow their instructions to land.
3. Related to the above, let's say the aircraft has a TAS of 150 kts, and there's a 20 kt cross-wind at 045, causing our heading to be 095, causing the CDI to move 3 dots to the right. Would I apply right rudder to turn six degrees, and get the CDI centered again?
4. Let's say we were flying under NVFR, something caused the runway lights to go out, and we're running out of fuel. Would the proper procedure be to squawk 7500, inform LAX ATC we are almost out of fuel, and request an emergency ground-controlled approach landing?
5. Interesting question: since you can take-off, fly, land, and navigate an aircraft using only air charts and flight instruments, why does the FAA and military have a distance vision requirement? TCAS will help you avoid air traffic, so there's no real reason you should ever have to look beyond the instrument panel.