Re-think the barriers
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Singapore
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Re-think the barriers
Private does not equal sub-standard.
I have an excellent job, that has nothing to do with aviation, but takes me on travels to some of the worlds "interesting" spots, so much so that I reckon I spend more time inside metal tubes (OK drinking JD and sleeping) than many airline crew.
That however is not the point.
I try to get in +/- 200 hrs a year around my SE Asia base, flying multi single pilot IFR, CB dodging and trying to make the best of low radar coverage and indifferent (with the excellent exception of Singapore) ATC.
This takes quite a bit of practice and recurrent training to avoid problems, and don't forget the "steam driven cockpit" (OK I fitted a GNS430 and colour weather radar on my new-old twin last year) to contend with, or the often questinable maintenance facilities and maintenance budget balancing.
I am sure that there are more than a few professional pilots out there who would shy away from a GA trip from Brisbane to Singapore via Indonesia, preffering to cross the route higher, smoother and at the punch of a button, and I do not particularly blame them.
The point is that as professional pilot ranges from Eurofighter/Concorde to freight dog to sightseeing trips around the Sydney Harbour, so there is a variety of GA private pilots who have a healthy interest in more than a 100 Euro baguette or five times round the pattern on a Sunday.
While not de-crying the activities of our gentler (or poorer) GA pilots, those of us exploring some of the further limits of GA probably value our "professionalism" in what we do as a life saving tool, even though we pay,rather than get paid !!!
I would like to open this subject for discussion on the satisfaction of exploring the boundaries of our imagination (and wallets) and the skill and ultimately professionalism that this develops.
Rob
I have an excellent job, that has nothing to do with aviation, but takes me on travels to some of the worlds "interesting" spots, so much so that I reckon I spend more time inside metal tubes (OK drinking JD and sleeping) than many airline crew.
That however is not the point.
I try to get in +/- 200 hrs a year around my SE Asia base, flying multi single pilot IFR, CB dodging and trying to make the best of low radar coverage and indifferent (with the excellent exception of Singapore) ATC.
This takes quite a bit of practice and recurrent training to avoid problems, and don't forget the "steam driven cockpit" (OK I fitted a GNS430 and colour weather radar on my new-old twin last year) to contend with, or the often questinable maintenance facilities and maintenance budget balancing.
I am sure that there are more than a few professional pilots out there who would shy away from a GA trip from Brisbane to Singapore via Indonesia, preffering to cross the route higher, smoother and at the punch of a button, and I do not particularly blame them.
The point is that as professional pilot ranges from Eurofighter/Concorde to freight dog to sightseeing trips around the Sydney Harbour, so there is a variety of GA private pilots who have a healthy interest in more than a 100 Euro baguette or five times round the pattern on a Sunday.
While not de-crying the activities of our gentler (or poorer) GA pilots, those of us exploring some of the further limits of GA probably value our "professionalism" in what we do as a life saving tool, even though we pay,rather than get paid !!!
I would like to open this subject for discussion on the satisfaction of exploring the boundaries of our imagination (and wallets) and the skill and ultimately professionalism that this develops.
Rob
