Oooooohhhhhh - handbags at fifty paces DicksonsCider !!!!

I don't think anyone is bragging but even if they were I think a bit of pride in ones professional achievements is healthy.

Dammit I get fed up with people mumbling about "only being an instructor" or hastily adding that they will be looking to join an airline soon.

Straighten your back man and look 'em in the eye. I've been an instructor for a few years now and I'm damn proud of it.

WWW

So what?

Many of us would have been doing what we're doing much earlier in life if we hadn't had to go out into the world, go to uni, get some qualifications, and work hard to earn the money first.

Access to the necessary funds at an early age doesn't necessarily make you a better pilot. There's a lot to be said for maturity and people skills learned in the big wide world, especially in instructing.

Don't forget those people who have held down several jobs for several years to pay for it all, whilst studying for exams and trying to fit it all into leave from work and other commitments; things that the lucky younger ones with the means to pay for it don't have to consider.

Sour grapes? Yeah, maybe. I couldn't afford my first flying lesson until I was 26.


------------------




[This message has been edited by Charlie Foxtrot India (edited 22 November 1999).]

I have also heard of a young guy who jumped into the right hand seat on the DC-9 with BMA when he was 19. He got his command with Virgin on the 747 classic when he was 25.

I have heard of people instructing when they were 18, many of them flying bigger and better things now!!!!

Quite a tough act to follow!!!!!!!!

Happy flying everyone!!!!

On the other end of the spectrum, I just issued a helicopter licence to a chap who just turned 71!
Talk about 'old dogs and new tricks'!
Good onya Jim! Way to go!

There's a chap at my school did his PPL after his 80th birthday and very good he is as well. Handled a recent emergency very well in point of fact.

WWW

I started instructing when I was 20 loved every minute of it. I taught students ranging from RAF cadets at 16 years to my oldest student of 72. I'm now flying jets with the airlines and keep my currency on my dads plane, but I loved every minute of it, it made moving onto the larger a/c easyer for me than for the 250hr guys. Unfortunately my current company won't let me instruct part time - Real bummer!!

I know of one Instructor who at 22 is CP and CFI of a school doing over 3000 hours per year. Not bad,eh?

3000 hours per year? Thats an average of 8 hours for every day of the year! I personally would classify that as bad!

As long as we are all bragging!

I got my CPL/IR ME and CFII at 18. Am now 20 with 2000 tt, 950 as QFI, 1000 me, and 800 turbine.

Beat that!

Perhaps I should qualify my last message. This man is 22, has over 2000 hours, is Chief Flying Instructor, Chief Pilot and Testing Officer for the School which does all training up to and including Instructor Training. I think that's not all that bad.

I think every here deserves a HERO FAX.

good work.

whats next?

we all unzip our pants and compare size?

22 is (IMHO) old to just qualify as an instructor.

I could tell you my hours and feats of achievement.......but I won't.

Apache,

Your kind of attitude is just the one that irritates every flying instructor:

Quote: "..to qualify JUST as a flying instructor"

Secondly - why is 22 too old to qualify? Read CFIs post earlier in this thread, he didn't have his first lesson until the age of 26!

Just get a life.

Localiser, I don't think that apache meant to demean instructors with his inclusion of the word "JUST" in his sentence. I think he was referring to this particular girls very late start as an instructor...(she was JUST starting out).

What a crazy thread anyhow. Everybody would be instructing at 18 if they had the money. By boasting about starting early you are bloating about spending Mommy's and Daddy's money. Starting late at least suggests that you made some of the money yourself. I know this isn't always the case so don't go boasting now about the fact that you started instructig at 18 and made all the money yourself as well...

I am suprised everybody is so touchy about this subject. Its hardly a boast to have got a rating at a particular age as we all have that rating. Nothing wrong with being proud of that fact though.

It is a dangerous trap to think that everybody who trains young does so with parental money. It is possible to work from age 16 you know and pay your own way...

Happy flying,

WWW

Well said WWW. We have many young men and women who are either working full time or spend many hours working after school or at weekends so they can pay for their flying lessons. Very few are paid for by parents and those that are usually are not as motivated as those who work hard to pay for lessons. The man I spoke about worked for and paid for his flying lessons from a very young age

LOCALISER....you ignorant git!!!

DO NOT EVER twist my words around into some other meaning!I have a wife who does a fine job of that thank you very much!

I did NOT say "to qualify just as a flight instructor"
I said "to just qualify as an instructor"

The difference is that one is derogative to that fine fraternity of brother and sisters that teach...the other is a remark on the fact that a lot of people qualify for entry to this fraternity and 22 is nowadays reasonably late to have just qualified!

Do you know the difference between land and landing?

whogivesa.

I was issued an ATPL at the age of nine, and have an enormous manservant.
So there

Oh....and an IR at twelve


[This message has been edited by Fast Erect (edited 10 December 1999).]