JetX,
couldn't agree with you more! As a fellow Gen Y, I've got friends of mine in the same industry, of the same age, who count down the days to their command, or plot out their life's story to the letter and get bitterly disappointed when it doesn't all transpire the way they wanted it.

It's a generalisation to say that every Gen Y wants everything yesterday, but its certainly true. As the general theme of this thread goes, stop and smell the roses, embrace the good people around you, enjoy the adventure of flying above the deserts and the coastal wonderlands of our sunburnt country and create memories that you will treasure into your golden years.

I'm extraordinarily lucky to be in an airline now (and still be employed!), but there are certain elements of GA that I miss. The face-to-face encounters with the refuellers, the customers; the hands on flying into the wide blue yonder; flying into salt lakes and desert strips, all the fun stuff of GA!

Sure, there are ups and downs, and there are moments when you wonder 'Why am I not at home?'. But thats the thing we call...what is it again? Oh yeah that's right, LIFE!

So I applaud JetX for taking a stand against all those nay-sayers, not just in this forum but in aviation industry itself. I say to all those ignorant, negative, bitter and twisted aeroplane drivers out there who are just in the job for the 'prestige' of being called a pilot - LEAVE. The industry doesn't need you and you won't be missed.

Enjoy the moments when you have air under your feet, because there are countless people out there, in more dire life situations than you...LIVE IN THE MOMENT!

Fuel-Off.

"I believe the romance of aviation has been lost".

No not lost, just misslaid, by the influence of all those around you who never appreciated it in the first place. Somehow we need to keep ourselves aloof from the negativity, politicking, one upmanship and egotism that abounds in GA. The pompous and smug attitudes of newly minted CPL's who suddenly think they're the bees knees.

I'm trying real hard to free my mind of the crap and rekindle the spirit of romance and magic that enticed me to get my PPL in the first place.

(CPL now with nearly 1000 hours, flying lighties in the mountains on one of the most spectacular short flights in the world and very much a newbie ......... best job in the universe)

One of the best posts I have read on this pages in many years. In fact, given the drivel that many choose to post within this forum, I only visit once or twice a year and was lucky enough to drop by after this thread was started.

I flew with an F/O recently and after completing four of our five flights for the day, offerred the last leg to this chap who simply replied "You're the enthusiast, you do it!" That says it all to me. Yes I am an enthusiast and have been since very young. Nothing to be ashamed of, but certainly a rare breed among the new breed I have to work with. My guess is that many are simply products of the student loan schemes - leave school and look down the list of careers you can borrow money to get yourself into. It can be seen by the attitude of many (not all) who present themselves having done no work at home to keep up with changes or simply know the systems well of the aircraft they fly. They have no pride in their work and in reality, should leave the industry and let those who have a genuine passion for this game do so without having to listen to the constant whining. It's already been said in this thread and I guess many times in this forum - the aviation industry owes none of us a living - if you think it does, best you find another career!

Im re-lighting this thread as its probably the post that will keep me having a bit of a look in on PPrune.I was about ready to give it up due to the useless one-upmanship and flat out abuse that I see going on here.I come here to share the passion and for information, not to sift through abusive waffle.

I have to say that Im really fortunate to do my training at a small but bustling regional school, where people hold doors open for each other and give gentle stirring but strong education if things go a bit haywire instead of an absolute ripping if you are to put a foot wrong.There is a genuine love for aviation and a willingness to share stories and information, and a lot of these guys have thousands of hours but make time to share.I could listen to them all day and often do except that I have a need to fly-an obsession to fill!

I think it is a relatively small proportion of these nuffer's who are making it hard for everyone.I have had the opportunity to work with some of these gen Y'ers and in the most part I have found them to be funny, intelligent, hard working and generous in their own way, and or course typically self obsessed as most of us were at 19 years of age.

:ok:

Here, Here JetX!

Fantastic post and a credit to the "younger" generation. I too am just starting out on the aviation career path, albeit a tad later in life than most... and yes, the road to your first job is a tough one, but as you so eloquently put... should be treated as a personal challenge and not wished away.

To be able to fly is indeed a gift!! Many thanks to those out in the industry who do share their wealth of knowledge and experience to us "newbies"... after all, how else do we climb the ranks??

:ok:

JetX, great thread. Get that man a New.:ok::ok:

Just found this thread and read it from start to finish. Didn't know that there were this many positive people on PPRuNE. I know many people in the industry that are happy go lucky, we still bitch and moan about the pay, the conditions, the remoteness like pilots of generations before us but we can afford to drink, or shout our broke mate at the end of the day cause we drink Tooheys, VB or XXXX, not imported or top shelf beer. We drive beat up **** boxes, not flash cars that mum and dad bought us.

I love my job and I love where I am. I've got friends in airlines and they all sit back and laugh with nostalgia as I tell them of my day. They all miss GA, but are happy they are out if that makes sense. One day I'll get to the jet(maybe) but until then, I'l plug along in the job I'm in, go fishing every afternoon down the river, try not to let that pesky croc get me and a beer in town when I'm there and try my luck with the backpackers.

Till then I get that jet job (or turbo prop), I'll just shake my head at the new guys that think they are owed the world.

As for the 5000hr apprenticeship that was mentioned, only 3 1/2 years left at the current rate.:ok::ok:

Gotta go, theres planes that need washing.

Stationair8;

But remember, once you are granted that privelege, you have a "right" to exercise it.

Just be careful which operators you decide to work for. Not everyone had a enjoyable time in GA and this is the determining factor.

Everyone who is qualified has the right to fly in our sky. It is not a priviledge that is granted to a few.

Great thread. Just found it - read it through. Great to know there ARE so many positive people on here.

good!
 

great posting... really appreciating it...
thought id share some of my great memories of previous jobs
departing koolan island WA
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...62012_3475.jpg
Rabaul PNG
http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...65921_8430.jpg

Gizo, solomon islands
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...65922_8771.jpg

Frieda river PNG
http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-...62317_6049.jpg

shnev
That is a fairly recent photo of Nusatupe strip on the island near Gizo.
The trees around the strip were cut back last December to allow the Vincent Dash 8 100 to operate early this year for a couple of months. Lovely looking down onto the reefs in the middle of the day, with the sun overhead penetrating right down into the clear water. The area was hard hit by the earthquake and tsunami a couple years ago.

Great post, every student at the sausage factories should be made to read it. when I did my flight training I thought I was going mad as all the other students used to gaze longingly at the Airliners landing and taking off and I used to gaze at the muddy C185 at the pumps again!

Then as soon as I got the chance went to Africa to fly, fantastic.:ok:

JETX

This thread should be kept alive. I started the same as you, by washing aircraft and hangars and helping on the hangar floor doing top ovehauls on lycomings. I spent many years in GA flying all soughts from 150's to bus jets, then finally airlines. Now having flown several Boeings and currently enjoying the 744. I had flown almost every continent in the world before going airline flying and still have my first and only wife (poor girl.lol).
Keep it up and you are inspiring many by your thread. I hope your career is as fun and rewarding as mine has been so far. Its obvious you will make it so.
I look forward to seeing you on the line.:ok::ok::ok:

An Aviation Career
 

My 43 years in active aviation, until I retired some years ago, did not disappoint at all, although there were a few "moments". Saw a lot of the world, lived in many places and met many good people.

I have always flown an aircraft with the most important person in mind and that is me, If I have the best ride then everone else in the aircraft has also the best ride.I recommend to the younger generation that they should think along these lines. Many years ago an instructor said to me " be your own instructor sitting on your own shoulder and listen to what he says".

Hope this helps.

Tmb

Ah,yes.....decades ago as a GA pilot having one day off per week & just wishing that day would soon be over so as to get back to flying & see what's news with your mates or what out of town aircraft had arrived.
Even going in to the crew room on a day off ('' Just going to check my roster,be back soon'')....then spending the next 2 hours talking with the incoming pilots.
Waiting 4 hours at a remote airfield for pax to return,then out of the blue another aircraft arrives & you make a new friend who you invariably cross paths with many more times in your career.
Rarely did we say 'I'm working Friday',usually 'I'm flying Friday'....because it wasn't work.....it was an extension of an obsessive hobby!!!

I just love the fact that I haven't worked a day in the last 6 years!

Just moved out of GA in the last 6 months into a regional airline in the Pacific and still love it - the view has changed somewhat, there are new challenges, but it is awesome!

TMB, how is France. The Duck days were great!!!!
I loved the Otter:ok:

JetX, well done, great thread!

Great advice Re: GA, its an awesome experience, so much fun. I'm in 'high end' GA at the moment and I miss what I was doing 18 months ago.

I miss bongos, I miss caravans, I miss beers with the lads in the hangar and talking about all the hot passengers. I miss shenanigans on legs with no pax and hucking freight. I miss jokes and music on company frequency, and the feeling of comrade-ship that we all had. I miss pulling up to the apron and as soon as you were shut down, the door would be opened and a beer passed in (pre DAMP). Did I mention I miss bongos?

To anyone considering a cadetship or something of that ilk, good luck but you are missing out, badly. Before you go galloping off to an environment highly regulated by SOP's and manuals, do a bit in GA. You will learn a lot about yourself, it is what you make it, either a waiting room or some of the best years of your life.

If someone were to say to me that I could go back to flying bongos or flying jets for the same paycheck, I'd choose a bongo in a microsecond.

So good luck everyone, I hope you get what you want out of your flying and I hope when you're 75 and sitting in an aero-club on day you can tell awesome stories of when all you had was a Garmin 530...how primitive :)

j3

I love your sentiments J3 and it describes the adventure GA has afforded many of us so far.

The only two problems with your adventure is a Caravan has a miserable PT6 and the Bongo Lycomings :E

To add some real sweet icing to that cake, add a Conty or two and a pair of Garretts :ok: