| Airline experience: |
yes |
| Corporate or fractional experience: |
no |
| Cargo experience: |
yes |
| Military, government, or law enforcement experience: |
no |
| Mentor profile: |
Like most pilots, I wanted to fly since I gazed at them in the sky as a child. My sophomore year of high school I joined the local aeronautical chapter of the Boy Scout Explorers, sponsored by American Airlines in Tulsa, OK. My Father attended their ground school with me. Learning to fly was a romantic and challenging dream, which at that time turned out to be too daunting for a 15 year old like me. I took six exhilarating lessons in a Cessna C-150, and I decided I should wait a couple of years to finish.
It was a good decision, and three years later at Oklahoma State University I earned my Private Pilot's License and have never looked back. I joined the aviation club, the Flying Aggies, and participated with the Flight Team in Air meets; I have many great memories with 'the Aggies'. At OSU I earned my Instrument and Commercial license as well, and graduated in December 1992.
I wanted to make a career out of Engineering and fly for fun, since I had earned a four year degree after all. I had two great jobs which I enjoyed greatly, first at Flight Safety International, designing simulators, and then at a company call Aeromet, designing special mission aircraft modifications. I could have made a career in engineering but there was something missing: not enough days off, not enough windows, etc. It was not enough flying that was missing!
In July '99 after much talk, thought and prayer my wife and I decided it was time for me to resign from my position with Aeromet and become a full time Flight Instructor. Six months later I got on with Great Lakes Airlines, flying in the Rockies out of Denver.
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| Favorite thing about flying: |
| Meeting and overcoming the the daily challenges it presents can be very satisfying, whether you do it for a job or for fun. |
| Disadvatages of being a pilot: |
Obviously, being away from your souse, family, and friends for extended periods of time is difficult. Everyone sacrifices a lot for you when you're a Pilot, yourself included. It is a high price to pay, but for most it is worth it. I've learned I need to make the most of my time at home, and that's something I aspire to perfect in the future.
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| What you would have done different: |
| I would have changed careers sooner and instructed for a longer period of time. I would have networked and persued other flying opportunities at my level of experience.
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| Advice to aspiring pilots: |
| If it's your dream, don't give up. If you can visualize it there's a good chance you can do it!
It's VERY beneficial to network with people you know and meet to obtain flying and flying jobs, starting at even the Private Pilot level.
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| Problems encounterd along the way: |
Three checkride failures (CFI, MEI, ATP), mainly stemming from lack of confidence and unpreparadeness on my part. Your Instructor may have confidence in you, but if you don't there's a good chance you're not really ready to pass the checkride. Training presents many challenges, one after another, and you may have to overcome the fear of failing.
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