Barriers to Aviation Careers
 

Hi Folks,

Just a short post to find out what barriers some of you have had to overcome or are still overcoming in your pursuit of an aviation career. Does not have to nescessarly be airline orientated, it could be personal, financial or anything you have had to put up with. I am currently writing a book on the industry and am very keen to here of a few real life, modern aviation facts.

Thanking you in advance.

Money :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

As a 19yo who also goes to uni, finances is always the problem for me. Got my PPL about 3 months ago and doing my CPL and IREX theory now but no cash for any more serious flying till about Jan.

However i do have a great job that pays really well and one where i can study at work as well though i am generally working about 28 - 35 hours a week.

Something i thought was a great idea at the time was to get my uni degree at the same time as doing my flying. I now realise that it is quite hard to do uni study, flying and flying theory as well as work and try and have some sort of social life. I am considering deferring next year (my final year at uni) but that only adds a year on and it simply means that it would be very hard to get a flying job while at uni so i may just get it over and done with.

However i am determined to do it. I love the flying and i have great instructors who are happy to help me in whatever areas i may need.

Money is still a problem though i strongly recommend having a budget and making sure you stick to it. Thru that i will have my CPL theory and IREX done in about 3 months, having another decent long trip, a holiday with my girlfriend, my MECIR by end of July and my CPL by this time next year. That budget took me about 3 weeks to work out but once this time next year comes around it will all be worth.

Another piece of advice was to be wary of using accounts and the like at flying schools. Initially i thought they were great if i was a few dollars short coz i went around instead of landing or something similar but all those few dollars add up. Currently im paying off quite a large account that just kept accumulating and from now on all my payments will be made in cash, because at least then i know that i can afford it and i wont be heading into debt. For some people it works, for others it can lead to trouble. Its just like a credit card and i also dont have one of those.

Barriers, or rather confirmations of commitment
 

Apart from the loan repayments on an instructor's "wage" from 2 to 28 hours per fortnight *smile*? Just the power hungry individuals who permeate flying schools; the personality type that belongs in a private boys school, and instructs just to have an opportunity to yell at and otherwise assert a dubious authority over a student. Don't get me wrong, it's all worth putting up with just to go for a fly

In my opinion the biggest barrier to a career in aviation are relationships. They play with the mind and before you know it you are turning down flying to spend time with them. My ex-girlfriend was the worst thing that ever happened to my career.

Cheers

I fully agree with ya structural failure, my flying training has been on the back burnner ever since I found myslef a gf!! Dont really know what to do about it. It almost seems like its a choice between someone u love and a flying career. But thats just aviation for ya :) Just hope its all worth it in the end.

Wow. I am lucky!
 

Finances... definatly... go bankrupt after ever Nav exercise.

Girlfriend.. I must have the best, not only does she occasionally help me out financially.. she pushes me to study, enjoys going flying with me, and knows that I may or may not get the returns (employment wise) in the future for our invested money now.

Originally posted by Structural Failure:
In my opinion the biggest barrier to a career in aviation are relationships.

IMHO, I think you're picking the wrong types of girls, my friend.

My fiance is GoldenEagle, I met him the day I took my very first flying lesson. He's now an instructor (I'm STILL a student) and our combined love of flying is instrumental to our relationship. He proposed to me whilst I was flying a TravelAir r/hand seat at 4,000ft AGL 3/4 the way across Bass Strait, enroute to YMLT.

He's going to end up flying with the big boys one day, and I'll be there right next to him, wherever in the world that is, even if it means I have to give up my career.

If you're reading this babe, I love you *always*

Pilotgal, thats beautiful. Theres so much love in the room, mine was airsickness, took a couple of years but I'm styling now;)

Structural Failure,

You are definately picking the wrong girls.
My Fiance is currently flying in the Territory while I am still in Sydney, and I fully support his move. I see it as an investment in our joint future, because if he is not happy and always wondering if he could have made it as a pilot, then that will surely affect the rest of our relationship.
Try picking a girl who is mature in more than just her physical appearance. It sometimes helps ;)

[Edited because I forgot my spelling lessons]

PILOTGAL, that was definately worth becoming a member for, and the best first post I have ever read! :) :)

It would truly have been an unforgetable, and uncomfortable flight if you said no :D

Biggest barrier for me was eyesight getting into the RAAF. Of course, its all rumored to change now! Interesting how some things end up working out though...

Lancer

Well, must say - finances were a huge hurdle. Took me nearly 5 years to get my CPL / CMIR / ATPL subjects and many odd jobs to save for that next lesson.

Because there were quite a few weeks in between each lesson,
becoming rusty was easy, and therefore very time consuming. :confused:

Getting jerked around by instructors all vying for hours into their newly acquired logbooks initially. :mad:

Realising that a fair majority of pilots that i've encountered along the way are egotistical D'heads that think their 'God's Gift'. - (It really is quite embarressing being around them at times) :o

Having to make the difficult choice (but the right one in hindsight) to end a relationship after 18 months because she was applying the pressure for marriage. If i ended up married, that meant i could not pursue my intended career (which afterall was my plan from 5yrs of age!) :(

Travelling around all over the countryside being misled by dubious operators in search of work and taking advantage of you and the current climate of GA. ie- too many pilots / not enough jobs etc etc. :eek:

Further realising that, because there are not so many jobs out there, alot of pilots (NOT ALL mind you, i have met a few great one's) are very shallow, selfish and self centred individuals, whom are very friendly to your face. (Beware of those one's kiddies!!!) :mad:

I'm sure i'll think of a few more, but it's late and i do have to FLY! :D

And that's the key - FLY - it's pretty much worth it all in the end. As long as you stick at it, don't be pulled down by the heap of negatives that one encounters along the way, learn from it all, and try to put back into it, the 'good' that hopefully you do have left in you after experiencing it all. (It is easy to become very cynical in this industry.) :rolleyes:

Important Note: - If you can 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you', then really - you can't go wrong in aviation, - and LIFE! :)

KARMA EXISTS !!! and hindsight IS a wonderfull thing! :p

Oh and BTW, 'PILOTGAL' - how old are you? - roughly?

RYAN TCAD, I'm in my 30's - roughly!:D

RYAN...not wrong about the 'egotisticle d*ckhead' bit. What is it about this industry that attracts so many? Funny how you can usually pick them from their radio manner.

Having said that, aviation also produces some of the most interesting, intelligent and motivated people around.

Pseudonym,

Thats great of you to support your Fiance's move, but what would happen if he lost sight of the big picture and didn't want to go because he would miss you too much? It happens

You wrote:
" Try picking a girl who is mature in more than just her physical appearance. It sometimes helps "

Yeah, very true. I watched the movie "She's All That" yesterday. Does anyone know where I can get my own little Laney?

Pilotgal - that's great. To know that ur kind are out there.

Towering Q - yep, right on the mark about hearing them on the radio. Its even more embarressing hearing them right in front of you in public - at the bar!

Structural failure - Yes those 'little Laney's do exist, i have one of them now, and have full support from both her and her folks 110%.

:) :) :)

biggest hurdle: money!

Theres something about being 20 with 50 grand of debt that seems tricky

actually Ryan Tcad's remarks echo my sentiments (the early stuff, not the later stuyff, i'm not up to that yet!)

I disagree that the aviaition world is full of self centred individuals, its the same everywhere, just a bit less noticable. The vast majority of people i've flown with, both other students and instuctors, i wish nothing but the best for.

It's easy to get jaded and to be brought down by others who are jaded, but theres plenty of people out there whose support and enthusiasm makes up for any negativity.

I only discovered pprune a few months ago, but have been very inspired by many people here, particularly one person who shall remain nameless, but sent me a message that reaffirmed my beleif most people are decent supportive people.

anyhow, thats enough out of me for now

Couple of basics not yet mentioned (I think)

attitude and commitment

Then we consider the options together (and this has happened). I am not saying it is easy. It is Bl00dy hard! But, if you work hard at both the relationship and the flying then it can work.
I was already with my Fiance when he decided to pursue his aviation dream from scratch, so it was a mutual decision for him to continue after he gained his PPL. I am not a pilot, but I have my own interests, some of which he shares, others he just lets me go my merry way. :)

True Aussiebert - the great guy's do exist in aviation. I understand your at the early stage at the moment, but i must point out, that you will start to run into those self centred, egotistical D'heads once you start looking for work in GA. It unfortunately seems to go with the territory.

When one thinks about it, it really can be put down to the state of the industry where there are too many pilots / not enough jobs etc.

This breeds competition. Who's the strongest / who will survive / who is the weekest etc. It starts to get very aggressive out there in GA. The one's who appear to dominate, (ie - the loud, egotistical macho one's) are the one's to look out for. BEWARE!!!

Anyway, sounds like you're on your way - and good luck.

:)

thanks ryan!

I'm sure the job hunting experience will open my eyes a fair bit, but i look foward to it. I'm working my ass off at the moment to save up enough maney to go at it with gusto