How did you make it?
 

Inspiration. I admire professionals and wonder if they realise how much people admire them also. The girlfriend has gone to Arizona. I wish I was a pilot on that flight. The whole pilot thing gets me every time. It has been since I was 3! That was 16 years ago. Never looked back, never will.

How did you get into the flight deck? Captain or FO. Either way, I would do anything to get there. I guarantee it means more to me than anyone else here on PPRuNe who is a wannabe. I will get there. I am hoevever interested in the paths people took, and the tears shed for whatever reason.

I thrive on inspiration, so please take the time to give me some fuel :)

Smooth skies :cool:

Dan

Please read Pilot Pete's, my, WWW's and others' various missives on this topic in Wannabes - you'll need to use the Search facility.

Scroggs

Virgin/Wannabes Mod.

The one and only aeroplane 'nut'. Your reply is greatfully recieved. Yes, being an aeroplane nut is one thing, and there is the serious side to it of course. I am the nut, and a pilot at heart. I will go to the airport to watch the planes. I see them when im with my girlfriend in greenwhich park and I just daydream. Flying to me is not about the money. I know I could live on at least 22 grand a year. Im on only half that now working in a music shop and I manage it well let alone double that for doing what I was born to do.

Any other PPRuNers reading this will either be in the same boat. If you are, then good luck against me in the interviews as I do plan to get the jobs over anyone here. If others read the post and think I am a total loser, then go and join airliners.net where the wannabes and never gonnabes hang out.

SMooth skies,
Dan.

(p.s - scroggs, thanks I will search. Hows that A340 going for ya? Any spaces :O - teehe...I presume you remember me from the last xmas bash. Admire you and envy you with my life, you flying the A340 and all. God I would kill to be an airline pilot).

BRING IT ON. I will not fail.

I must admit that I regret that I became a pilot. Be very carefull. I got my FAA ATPL 1998 and I have still no work. I would never choose this profession again. I LOVE FLYING but its not worth all the money you have to burn and all the PAIN and sadness that follows.

Sorry for my spelling

Hi,

Can't resist replying to this one as it reminded me of myself once upon a time.

There are few professions that can boast of being as prestigious and glorified as that of becoming an airline pilot. The reality as many well know is rather different. Many of us doing the job admit it took a lot of hard work and a lot of luck at the end of the day. Unless your ‘e inspired, however, it can be seemingly impossible. Motivation comes from seeing others succeed and seeing your self achieve the same one day. It is easy to come on to this forum and moan and groan about this or that and how underpaid we all are etc etc. As has already been said, if you want the money then sit in an office for 8 hours a day. Lord only knows I did and hated it!

A lot of us succeeded by being inspired and keeping positive. Regardless of the obstacles we came up against. TP sounds like one of those rare types who can turn the negatives to a plus and win.

Be inspired...go for it!

Your right featherman, theres nothing more I love doing than coming on here and reading peoples story's on how they got to fulfill their dream. It gives me so much inspiration. I cant imagine the feeling you get when the airline says to you "you've got the job" after working for so long and hard for the qualifications, the exams and looking for a job. I bet you couldn't put it into words.
I hope in years to come I can be one of the lucky few who can say they have experienced that feeling of success.

So keep them story's coming guys.

RE

I think this is a really good post. Its great to hear some good stories for a change and help to understand why we are all putting ourselves through this MADNESS.

I just finished college this May and I am 30 hours into my PPL (Exams Passed also) and I am working in a really well paid job in the City. The job is interesting, the people are great but im severely depressed! All I can say is that it pays for the Flying and I will out of there soon. I see it as a means to an end.

But this is life, I think about flying almost 100% of my day. My train into work is right on the Approach into Dublin and I sit and just think about "WHEN" that will be me. It quite strange, but I sometimes find myself thinking about what it will be like wearing the uniform for the first time. Its such an amazing feeling, its hard to explain.

I try not to get too upset in thinking why im not there now and how all the airlines are against me, but I’m just quietly confident
that the day will come, maybe later rather than sooner, but it will arrive. At least then I can say the years of hard work and pain and probably tears were form something!!!

This is why I love this forum so much, I tend to know how all the others are feeling and how i'm not alone.
Stay confident and stay focused.

Cheers,
John

Stay inspired guys, be all you can be, and always strive and push that little bit harder. Its your own determination, tenacity and motivation that will get you ahead of the rest. I know it works and it works because by being like this you meet more people, you get to know much more useful information and you'll put yourself in the right place at the right time, it doesnt happen by chance you know!

I left a good career at the end of 2000 to follow what I know was right for me. Its taken nearly three years, the loss of money through a training provider post 9/11, lots of doubts, and a bill of around 80K. But i'm there, and its worth all the sweat and tears, but like I said before, its up to you. How strong you are mentally and the true strengh of your own belief in yourself will be tested and bent to breaking point, but if you hang on and grit your teeth, then no doubt you'll be among the few that make it soon after the basic training (frozen ATPL) is achieved.

Pure grit is and will always be an enormous bonus to have naturally. However be VERY aware that in the real world outside of the ATPL initial training, is a harsh working environment that is truly brutal and has no place for even the mildest arrogance. Remain professional at all times, choose your words carefully and always respect ALL others in the industry.

Good luck my fellow enthusiasts! It only seems like yesterday I was doing my night rating and hour building in Florida, ahhh happy days!

I've done a bit of a search for you. Try some of these threads:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...e+Story+So+Far

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...threadid=78587

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...threadid=74293

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...&threadid=7112

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...&threadid=8149

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...&threadid=8976

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...&threadid=7560

Hopefully this'll give you something to work on.

Scroggs