Career Crossroads.

[Tonic Please]

Hi :)

As most of you know, I want live and be a professional pilot in Canada. I know about the aviation industry out there, so no negativity please.

At 9:30 am I want to be an Airline Pilot. Then, at 9:40 I want to be a flying Instructor, working up to Class One, and onto Chief Flying Instructor, yuo get the drift...

Each time I think I want to do one more than the other, I say how good it is and takl negative things of the other, but then later, it will be the opposite about the jobs and start talking good things about the one I was just negative about! Yes, my head is spinning :confused:

I have read many many posts on this fantastic website, and have noticed that many pilots want to change their airline job for jobs with more money. Surely you want to be a pilot for the sheer excitement and thrill of flying, and all the great views and thnigs that come with it, right? I dont quite understand such people to be honest.

THe, you get those who live to fly, dont worry about the money, and would not change anything for the world. Is there a chance someone could give me some more pros and cons as to be an Airline Pilot?

Now, I want to be a flying instructor (for sake of argument). I like to watch people achieve things, and I love to be a part of their success. It means however, flying around at 2,000 feet, at 90 knots, showing them how to turn, and this that and the other. I am not saying this is boring, but it is showing them how to fly, which is fair enough! I am not complaining about that. But then I compare it to being an Airline Pilot (agian), and think about how much I would be missing...

I want to do both, and they are floating 50/50, 49/51, 51/49 and I just do not know what to do.

If anyone knows what I should do, or at least give their opinions, I would be so greatful. I dont see why I cannot get my Instructors ( and all the others), and then be a flying Instructor while doing the ATPL in MY spare time ? Is that a bad thing to do? Then, if somehting comes up, and I have an airline oppotunity, I can take that? Is that using the flying instructor business even though I would enjoy the work I do when I do it?

Thanks for any replies. They will all be most helpful I am sure :)

Of course, airline pilots and flying instructors replying would be quite handy :)

Smooth skies,

Dan :cool:

[Wireless]

Hey there Dan

You'll probably find that it isn't a case of one or the other. Perhaps you'll end up being an instructor for a few years in order to gain some flight hours necessary to apply for an airline job. On the way to your airline job you might fall into banner towing work or air taxi.

You might love being an instructor so much that you can't entertain the idea of the airline way of life. When I first started out I did just as you're doing. I had it all mapped out. Well things change and 6 years later I'm not a Pilot flying for heavylift as I had hoped! Instead I have had lots of small jobs in aviation (flight planning, ops and tug Piloting) as well as all sorts of other jobs to pay flor flying such as HGV driving and working for a law firm. My aspirations have changed in accordance with what I have learnt along the way.

You can get your head spinning worrying about career paths. Far better to concentrate on getting the licences first and let everything happen as it does whilst keeping a gentle eye on where you are heading in life.

Bill

[Easy Glider]

You say that you don't understand why any pilot would want to change his /her job for an alternative form of employment paying more money. You also say you can't understand why pilots don't just fly for the thril of flying. Well, I can honestly say, that having been a pilot for many years now, and having flown many different types from C 152s up to B757 / B767s, I am now ONLY interested in how much I get paid at the end of the month.

Believe me, the thrills, excitement, views and everything else wear very thin very quickly.

What many people do not seem to realise on this forum is that flying for a living is just a job and nothing more. Like other jobs, it has good points and it has bad points. Likewise, you will have bad days and good days.

For me, the bad points seem to out weigh the good points as the bad days seem to more and more out weigh the good. For this reason I, along with many others are actively searching for alternative forms of employment.

If you do end up flying for a living, I would not be at all surprised to see a similar post written by yourself in years to come.

[rotormad]

I agree with Wirless, most pilots use the flight instructor position to build hours and experience to then be put in the position to apply for right hand seat jobs. This is not always the case however, a lot of pilots just instruct and find great fulfilment in that..

Unless you are one of the very lucky few and get on a full sposorship programme, you will more than likely become a flight instructer anyway..

My advice, dont worry about it too much, just get the ATPL's done, get some air time under your belt and go from there.:)

Rotormad

[Tonic Please]

Thanks for the replies so far people! Easy Glider, I suppose you are correct. But bad days and good days come to us all. I, however, accepting your words of experience, will continue to want to fly for the thrills etc, and not grow up too fast. I dont particularly want to be 18, saying what you are saying. I am not judging your age by any means, I am just saying I dont want to say 30/40, and say "well, the job is good, but you get used to it' or something to a similar effect. I hope you understand, however, your words are recieved whole-heartedly.

Wireless and rotomad: Perhaps I will end up as a flying instructor. I shall do that, then do my ATPL's whilst I am instructing in my own time like i previously suggested. Thanks for your imput!

In conclusion, I dont want to grow up too quick. I would like to remain in the sense that an airline job brings many good things and adventures, but not live in a fantasy world.

Smooth skies all....

Dan :cool:

[redsnail]

Thrills and adventure of flying? SOPs are designed to take out those very things. If you want thrills etc best not worry about the airlines.
Although the other night, we got a gear unsafe warning and then "terrain terrain" on the GPWS on final approach... That was enough thrills and adventure for one night I can assure you!

:eek:

[Tonic Please]

Hi :) I didnt mean thrills as in doing aerobatics at an airshow, I just meant the whole Airline business as a job. Getting up at some garstly hour to be on your way to Gatwick to fly a nice A320 or Boeing 757 down to the Canary Isles or something like that. I do not know about anyone else, but I find that quite a thrill. Then to fly back. Perhaps I am the most hocked on flying in here, but I very much doubt it. Appears that way though :confused:

Smooth skies,

Dan.

[mumraaa]

with you all the way tonic. i think it is very easy to become complacent in whatever you do. I used to work on a tropical island, surfing nearly every day for some years and but got complacent/bored and ended up back in blighty (missed pubs/ales/roaring fires)!

Go for it!!!! Dont be like half the people I'm working with at the moment who have no life except for pushing a pen and keyboard on the 9th floor. Airline pilot/instructor or office geek: no comparison for me.