Aviation BS and Photo Thread

EAA shut down at 5:00. To give people time to leave or get to shelters.

 

Good airshow today.

 

Not sure how I’ve never seen this thread! Hello everyone, I’m a USCG helicopter pilot out of San Francisco. We fly Search and Rescue up and down the California coast from Point Arena to Los Angeles. I would love to connect with some local pilots and fly fixed wing again!

 

@JB

How close are you to Frisco, Justin?

 

E-City, NC - USCG FSR here

 

One of my guys had to take advantage of your services a few years back after having a series of strokes on board. It was a rough couple of days getting him into helo range.

 

I’m very happy to hear our people could get out to him. The fuel range is unfortunately a limiting factor for us but we’ll push it to the very edge for cases like this.

 

I’m just on the other sound of the Bay, but I haven’t flown a small plane in about 8 years. Hopefully I will get back into it in a couple years.

Welcome to the thread! I have always thought flying rescue helicopters for the USCG looked like an awesome job!!

 

Yea SAR if fun and rewarding. Right up until someone starts shooting at you. Then it gets down right “interesting”.

 

That goes for pretty much everything in life.

Taking a shit is fun and rewarding. Right up until someone starts shooting at you. Then it gets down right “interesting”.

Walking your dog is fun and rewarding. Right up until someone starts shooting at you. Then it gets down right “interesting”.

 

Damn you’ve had an interesting life. You should write about it.

 

It would have to be a picture book, I don't know my letters.

 

A buddy of mine (hes been in aviation since birth practically) has been telling me to get into the industry for years, what with all of the retirees and upgrades and such. Im 32 now, but my gf has brought up wearing the pants in the family while i go to school. Be it this, or something else. My buddy suggests atp, if i wanted to put in max effort and get my hours as quick as possible (working for the school as a CFI is the norm i guess?).

I feel like im pretty familiar with the art of flight(for a non-pilot anyways), i have my sUAS license which aint much, but at least i can read a sectional chart. i sure do play alot of DCS, thats like sim hours, right? My point; i could fly for a living and be syked on it.

My problem would be the "quit my job and pay for school"

I got a truck payment, rent, etc. My friend suggest student loans, he mentioned it would be rough until i got on at a regional? and started making decent money... as CFI's arnt going to be making alot. But with the retiree situation it would be worth it in the long run to get in early. Im considering it but im very skeptical of thr student loans (i mean fuck, 90k to ATP).

Personally ive been wanting to payoff debt using my current job (truck, personal loan) and THEN consider school... Which would still require a loan for something this costly (or part time job and local college?)

Thanks for reading my book.
Thoughts?
Is it worth it to get in a couple years early?

From what ive heard from my 3 friends with a collective 30+ years of experience in the industry, they all say yes. Jump on it, use loan for now and eat it for a few years. Because within 5 years of getting my commercial ill be making enough to pay it off super early if i wanted to again, put in max effort.

What say the tacoma pilot peoples? Roast my late night ambitions, give me food for thought.

 

Seemed like every military pilot I knew, whether they flew C-5’s or Hueys got their ATP. Then went looking for a job about a year before separation. They all ended up sitting pretty good.

I wonder if that still holds true. Id so that means someone coming into it from a purely civilian background would be at a disadvantage.

Being in your thirties with a military background and the associated hours is a different kettle of fish than being in your thirties and thinking about it because the pay sounds good.

 

Yes a few years can make a big difference in the long run. I've been told that every year you miss out on being at a major airline equates to about a million dollars lost over the course of your career.

Seniority is everything at the airlines. If you can make it happen financially, get after it as quickly as you can.

Yes the first few years suck and don't pay all that great. I made about 50-60k a year as an instructor but I worked my ass off. 14 hours a day 5 - 6 days a week at the airport. I did that for 18 months then went to the regional airlines, as a First Officer i made 40-50k a year. I upgraded to captain after about a year and a half in the right seat. As a captain I made about 75k a year.

On top of the financial part of it, is your family okay with you being gone from home 4-5 days a week? Typical regional pilots work 4-5 days on the road and then 2-3 days home. That improves once you get out of the regionals but, you will still be gone from home frequently.

As for being a civi, that doesn't really matter these days. 30 years ago it made a big difference but these days the airlines need butts in seats. The number of retirements plus growth means they're hiring like crazy.

The money is good, eventually. If you're just getting into it for the money, I'd recommend that you don't. Theres a lot of days that will suck by comparison to a regular job. You've gotta have a passion for it to be able to tolerate the down sides of the job. The money makes up for the negatives in the long run but the first 3-8 years will really test you at times.

 

Aviation industry booms are cyclical, so making a good living after pulling loans and spending the better part of 5 years training is not a guarantee without infinite patience and willingness to grind and make yourself more available than your peers.

I’m not sure what the current age limit is but I can’t say enough good things about military aviation. I left naval flight school with fixed and rotary commercial/instrument ratings. From there ATPs, multi engine, and CFII are simple and cheap add-ones.

I’ve been stationed in Miami and now San Fran, flown all over the country, the Caribbean and chased several major hurricanes for SAR. It’s hard work but incredibly rewarding and financially stable.

Just my quick recruiting blurb…

 

This is exactly what I would say.

 

@Motofox
I will add that if you love flying, then all of the hard parts of the job are made easier by doing what you love. And if you stick with it, you can read TacomaWorld between legs instead of being in a cubicle.

 

o7

 

Get out of the tupperwolf and fly a 60! *DUCK*