Dockside Chat - Pilots and Aviation enthusiasts in here?

It seems to be I am reading through many of people posts these days and it looks like there are a lot of pilots in here.

Are you a pilot or work in the aviation industry? What are you aviation back grounds?

Me:
24 years old. Just recently graduated Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University here in Daytona beach. I majored in Air Traffic Management with a flight minor. I was all pumped up when I first attended school here and wanted to be a career pilot. The way the industry has changed has defiantly changed my mind!

Current:
A year ago I started and aviation marketing company with a friend of mine I met at school. My partner in this business moved back home to the Czech Republic. I now buy mostly small piston planes here in the states and ship them over to him to sell and it works out nicely (exchange rate :) ).
I am looking to get into purchasing wrecked Bell 206 jet rangers to sell as parts and am currently doing my research!

So whats your background in Aviation?

Don't really want to go there BUT.

Private pilot at 16.
Commercial, Multi and A&P at 22.
First airline at 24. B-727. Furloughed in one year.
Hired following week at cargo carrier. B-727. FE, FO then Captain at 28. Furloughed 5 years later.
Hired following week by National Airline. MD-80. Left six months later for Major Airline.
At Major Airline at 30. Took voluntary furlough 6 years later. Writing was on the wall. They were out of business two years later.
In the midst of this the FAA comes calling and states the designated examiner that I took my A&P test with had been indited for issuing certificates to unqualified foreign students during a three year period. Therefore anyone that took the examine during said period has to surrender their certificate. No longer an A&P.

Took the leave of absence to get involved in other business ventures and never looked back. Financially, as well as quality of life has been WAY better than an airline career at this point in my life. Currently working towards a Pilatus for myself.

Best of luck to you.

Took the leave of absence to get involved in other business ventures and never looked back. Financially, as well as quality of life has been WAY better than an airline career at this point in my life. Currently working towards a Pilatus for myself.

Best of luck to you.

So are you still dabbling in the business aviation side or have you moved on and now making money elsewhere?

I fly for an airline. Started flying the DC8 in 1996 right out of flight school for an ad-hoc carrier in MIA with 310 hours TT. Got my FE ticket and moved up from there. Did the rounds at many of the ad-hoc charter companies in MIA flying worn out 727's and DC8's. Now 15 years later I have been hired by a large operator of 747 cargo jets as FO. Still waiting for a class date which has been pushed back 5 times now. Until then I fly as crew support and instruct in the 727 sim. Hopefully class starts in September. Thinking about doing a 6mo contract with a Las Vegas 747 charter operator flying to asia and the middle east but really really not looking forward to doing that.

Being an airline pilot is a difficult profession. Furloughs, low pay, being away from home for long periods, companies that abuse you for their own enjoyment. It gets old, but I still couldn't imagine doing anything else.

I am embarassed to post because i am just a private pilot.

I'm a travel agent for Brown Boxes, I mean an International Freight Forwarder:grin:

I fill the Bellies of the passenger aircraft and the main decks for you cargo guys.
Keep my freight moving!

Thank you !:thumbsup:

"So are you still dabbling in the business aviation side"
No

"have you moved on and now making money elsewhere?"
Yes



"Did the rounds at many of the ad-hoc charter companies in MIA flying worn out 727's and DC8's. "

Ever fly for Amerijet?

It seems to be I am reading through many of people posts these days and it looks like there are a lot of pilots in here.

Are you a pilot or work in the aviation industry? What are you aviation back grounds?

Me:
24 years old. Just recently graduated Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University here in Daytona beach. I majored in Air Traffic Management with a flight minor. I was all pumped up when I first attended school here and wanted to be a career pilot. The way the industry has changed has defiantly changed my mind!

Current:
A year ago I started and aviation marketing company with a friend of mine I met at school. My partner in this business moved back home to the Czech Republic. I now buy mostly small piston planes here in the states and ship them over to him to sell and it works out nicely (exchange rate :) ).
I am looking to get into purchasing wrecked Bell 206 jet rangers to sell as parts and am currently doing my research!

So whats your background in Aviation?

Congrats on the exporting company I would be interested in hearing more about that.

Careful on parting out stuff that can get tricky unless your basically stealing the 206's in the first place. Make sure you do your research I think you will find it's not so simple. Actually I think you'll figure out that anything that involves the FAA is simple:banghead:

Did you also get your pilots license thru ERU?

Oh and I ride around in a G550.

^^^^^I hope the 550 treats you better than the boat in yer sig did.:grin:


Big Al

My office.

^^^^^I hope the 550 treats you better than the boat in yer sig did.:grin:


Big Al

It will, I promise. Good times:grin:

Yes I did receive my privates only at ERAU. I then woke up and figured out I am not paying these crooks this kind of money. I then bought a PA-28R-200 with Garmin GNS 530, auto pilot, and a/c. I then hired a flight instructor buddy of mine from riddle and got my other ratings that way. I then sold the Arrow and bought (Stole lol) a C-310 with 0 time engines and did my multi.

Well I have been doing my research on the parting out. You can pick up a wrecked 206 for around 70k. I have a turbine heli a&p already that can do a overhaul for cheap and then I already make my initial investment back on the engine right away. I then have the rest of the 206 and all avionics for the gravy :).

O yea, if you know anybody looking for a beautiful Falcon 50 for sale with AMSG, Glass cockpit, new interior, and 750k in recent certs let me know!

I got my feet wet in a C172, then went to a PA-32 (Saratoga) for my Instrument. After that I jumped up to a C310 for my multi and flew that for a bit before swapping it for a PA-31-350 (Chieftain). I loved that Navajo but the need for a new challenge and MORE SPEED led me to my current ride, a King Air B200. I also have a Maule MTX-7-180 (Tri Gear) for fun flying and short fields. I'm currently toying with the idea of buying something small and fast, as the KA is kind of a pain and very expensive to tool around in if it is just myself and maybe one or two others. I like the Turbine Legend, but don't know much about them besides having seen one awhile back. Anybody have any other suggestions? A Lancair may be worth a look as well.

I got my feet wet in a C172, then went to a PA-32 (Saratoga) for my Instrument. After that I jumped up to a C310 for my multi and flew that for a bit before swapping it for a PA-31-350 (Chieftain). I loved that Navajo but the need for a new challenge and MORE SPEED led me to my current ride, a King Air B200. I also have a Maule MTX-7-180 (Tri Gear) for fun flying and short fields. I'm currently toying with the idea of buying something small and fast, as the KA is kind of a pain and very expensive to tool around in if it is just myself and maybe one or two others. I like the Turbine Legend, but don't know much about them besides having seen one awhile back. Anybody have any other suggestions? A Lancair may be worth a look as well.

I have a friend over here that has a 600tt beautiful lancair for sale. He is trying to get out of it as he is in financial trouble. His R44 is also for sale. I believe he wants 250k or somewhere around that. Let me know if you are interested I have a link if you would like to take a look.

Enthusiast and hobbiest here...Got my private in high school and flew a lot into my 20's but priorities changed. My old man was an Easter Airlines captain so I got a front row seat at the tipping point in the industry...ended up changing career paths in college.

Home ownership, kids & career kept me grounded for a long time but I started flying again about 3 years ago.

I have a friend over here that has a 600tt beautiful lancair for sale. He is trying to get out of it as he is in financial trouble. His R44 is also for sale. I believe he wants 250k or somewhere around that. Let me know if you are interested I have a link if you would like to take a look.

Sure! If nothing else I always love looking at beautiful aircraft.

http://www.clearwateraircraft.com/434DK.html

I have personally flown this plane with him. It is a quickie!

http://www.clearwateraircraft.com/434DK.html

I have personally flown this plane with him. It is a quickie!


That paint is awesome and that thing is a rocket!!! What's the difference between the IL550 and the IO550? Did they mean an IOL?


Check this out:

http://gizmodo.com/5809436/exclusive-cockpit-video-of-the-craziest-flyby-ever

What's that saying about "old, bold pilots"? :grin:

I fly for an airline. Started flying the DC8 in 1996 right out of flight school for an ad-hoc carrier in MIA with 310 hours TT. Got my FE ticket and moved up from there. Did the rounds at many of the ad-hoc charter companies in MIA flying worn out 727's and DC8's. Now 15 years later I have been hired by a large operator of 747 cargo jets as FO. Still waiting for a class date which has been pushed back 5 times now. Until then I fly as crew support and instruct in the 727 sim. Hopefully class starts in September. Thinking about doing a 6mo contract with a Las Vegas 747 charter operator flying to asia and the middle east but really really not looking forward to doing that.

Being an airline pilot is a difficult profession. Furloughs, low pay, being away from home for long periods, companies that abuse you for their own enjoyment. It gets old, but I still couldn't imagine doing anything else.

This sounds like an interesting history...

What ad-hoc carrier did you fly DC-8's for?

What was it like flying DC-8's?

I would love to see some photos of the cargo planes you have flown...

Arrow Air DC-8-62F; N802BN@MIA;24.01.1998
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5045/5327320722_62ac9fe836.jpg

I flew the DC8-50/61 for Fine Airlines/Agro Air in 1996-1999 before they merged with Arrow. I flew the 727 100-200 for Custom Air Transport/Charter America, Express.Net Airlines and DHL. Never flew for Amerijet. I'm going to be going to Atlas/Polar on the 747.

I didn't like the DC8 at all. From an FE's standpoint it was hell. When we got to the hub or outstation the FO and captain went into the crew room and cafeteria as soon as they gave me the fuel upload. The DC8's fueling valves cannot be operated by the fueler. So the engineer has to sit at the panel and fill 8-10 tanks with fuel. Sometimes the fuel truck would show up an hour later and then fueling took about 1/2 hour. The fuel gauges were often unreliable so we also had to stick the tanks with drip sticks which drenched you in fuel. The 727 has external fuel valves on the fuelers panel. You just give him the fuel load and the distribution and head in with the rest of the crew.

The DC-8 steered like a sailboat. Turn the wheel wait fo the plane to turn. If you weren't stabilized on your approach (on localizer/on glideslope) before the outer marker the approach would likely be ugly hunting for the GS or LOC. The engines were slow to spool to the point it was kinda scarry sometimes. Pratt & Whitney = Push and Wait. The JT3D-3B engines were essentially bulletproof. They compressor stalled all the time on takeoff if the interstage bleed valve failed to close but you just pushed on if the bleed closed. I never had any question that the engines would be the last thing to fail on that plane. You could burn AVgas or diesel through them too if JET-A could not be found.

The DC8 was a tank. Literally. Overbuilt in every way. Many still flying today. Not because they wore out, but because of Stage 3 noise regs. There were no successful hush kits for the DC-8 50/61 series. The 62/63 series was stage 3 compliant with the long duct nacelle and the -7 engine. UPS just retired their 70 series planes last year. I'm sure they will go somewhere else.

A DC-8 flying for Kalita got off course on an approach and hit a guy wire to a tower which took off 12 feet of the wing. The plane landed safely at it's destination and the crew had no idea what happened til they got out of the plane.

The 727 is a hotrod. Better flying machine in all aspects than the DC8. I really enjoy the 727. never heard another pilot say anything bad about it. Simple autopilot and the steam gauges. You really have to fly the 727. Not like the newer automated cockpits with FMS and an autopilot that goes on at 500' with LNAV and VNAV capability.

I have a good amount of time in the 747-400 sim and it's a different machine. Autothrottle, LNAV/VNAV autpilot, LCD displays, FMS. I don't know if I'll like it. But we'll see. The workload is certainly less.

"I'm going to be going to Atlas/Polar on the 747."

Good for you. I have several friends there from my last carrier ATA, I was on the 737-800 there. My buddy at Sky Lease on the MD-11 has an interview at Atlas on the 16th.

I remember Fine Air very well. I was standing on 36th street in line at an ATM when the one aircraft was lost off the end of the runway.

I was at Amerijet. Here's a video flying the 727 into Dominica, runway length was 4777ft. We also flew into St Vincent at 4500ft. The 727 is a fantastic airplane.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tevFXGKtoQ&feature=related

These are just some neat aviation pics. I flew the B-17 and B-24 a little bit.

Private, flying a Hawk XP for fun, spotting tuna and getting back and forth to the Cape in a timely manner. Want to get into a turbo-prop when I have the time, preferably a TBM 850...

CMP

I have been flying UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopters for the last 4 years. I have time in a Bell 206, UH-60A/L, and one of the few people in the states with time in a S-70L. I'm currently in Iraq on my first deployment.

I have my Commercial Helicopter with Instrument Rating.

?

13yrs corporate, 25 yrs and still getting beat up with an old mainline.

I still favor the MD-80 though they are long gone. Most of thier RON's were south FL and we had 4 flight attendants back then. Wonderfull memories from the old days but real tired now.

First real job, MU-2, F model.

Air Traffic Controller for the last 16 years, and still going. Dad is a retired pilot, lots of friends are pilots, so I have done alot of flying, but never pursued any formal training or licenses, other than MS Flight Sim :)

Air Traffic Controller for the last 16 years, and still going. Dad is a retired pilot, lots of friends are pilots, so I have done alot of flying, but never pursued any formal training or licenses, other than MS Flight Sim :)


Always thought you folks were as professional as they come.

Always thought you folks were as professional as they come.

Thanks! I am prior military and now DoD, I avoided the FAA like the plague. I did work FCT towers for a short stint, but DoD is where its at :thumbsup:

Private.

Nothing exciting to tell. Gave up flying 9 years ago, then I couldn't help but outfit my boat for instrument proficiency. After that didn't cut it, I got back into flying.

I'll never decide.

1958-61 U. S. Navy E-1 to E-5 Radar Tech/Operator (AQF 2-P1) & Flight Pay - P4M/P2V/WV-2Q with VQ2, NAS Rota Spain - several missions over/near some very highly classified locations

1961-‘62 NavCad Program – T34 @ Saufley; T-28 @ Milton; A1 @ Corpus

1962-‘65 A1 RAG FRP (VA-45 JAX); then A1’s with VA-35 JAX – Two Med Cruises out of Mayport in Saratoga

1965 With my flight leader, after crash landing in the northern Sahara (in a couple of USN attack aircraft), was illegally incarcerated incommunicado at an Algerian military outpost, then tx’ed to their military prison in Algiers...prior to flawlessly planning and executing our escape in less than one week…successful escape incident very much covered up by the US Gov’t

1965-’66 Lemoore - TAD VA-127, Jet Transition, TF-9J’s; TAD VA-125, Jet Transition, A4’s; then A4’s with VA-95 - combat tour in Intrepid - 105 missions, both “Dixie” and “Yankee” Stations

1966-’68 Lemoore – VA-122 - A7 RAG IP - NBC (Nuclear/Biological/Chemical) Instructor/Walleye Air to Ground Glide Bomb Instructor - Frequent deployments to Yuma/Fallon…separated 05/68 - (Lt USN)

1968-’84 United Airlines: B737, B727, DC-8 - EWR, LGA, JFK, MIA, SFO, MIA in that order; medically retired

1986-2002 Small Business Owner, (Self Published Photography) – Palatka and St Augustine FL

2003 RETIRED: to boat & fish!!

Published some years ago:

http://a4skyhawk.org/?q=2d/tins/tins-glider_ron-marron.htm

rondebmar---sounds like a fun ride.
Your close by I live in Ocala.

1958-61 U. S. Navy E-1 to E-5 Radar Tech/Operator (AQF 2-P1) & Flight Pay - P4M/P2V/WV-2Q with VQ2, NAS Rota Spain - several missions over/near some very highly classified locations

1961-‘62 NavCad Program – T34 @ Saufley; T-28 @ Milton; A1 @ Corpus

1962-‘65 A1 RAG FRP (VA-45 JAX); then A1’s with VA-35 JAX – Two Med Cruises out of Mayport in Saratoga

1965 With my flight leader, after crash landing in the northern Sahara (in a couple of USN attack aircraft), was illegally incarcerated incommunicado at an Algerian military outpost, then tx’ed to their military prison in Algiers...prior to flawlessly planning and executing our escape in less than one week…successful escape incident very much covered up by the US Gov’t

1965-’66 Lemoore - TAD VA-127, Jet Transition, TF-9J’s; TAD VA-125, Jet Transition, A4’s; then A4’s with VA-95 - combat tour in Intrepid - 105 missions, both “Dixie” and “Yankee” Stations

1966-’68 Lemoore – VA-122 - A7 RAG IP - NBC (Nuclear/Biological/Chemical) Instructor/Walleye Air to Ground Glide Bomb Instructor - Frequent deployments to Yuma/Fallon…separated 05/68 - (Lt USN)

1968-’84 United Airlines: B737, B727, DC-8 - EWR, LGA, JFK, MIA, SFO, MIA in that order; medically retired

1986-2002 Small Business Owner, (Self Published Photography) – Palatka and St Augustine FL

2003 RETIRED: to boat & fish!!

Published some years ago:

http://a4skyhawk.org/?q=2d/tins/tins-glider_ron-marron.htm

Ron,

You have an awesome resume sir, and I read your article online, it was a fantastic read. Awesome career. Brings back memories for me, my dad was an A-4 driver, I grew up in alot of the places you were stationed, and then was stationed at some of them myself. Thanks for the good story! :thumbsup:

2003 RETIRED: to boat & fish!!

Published some years ago:

http://a4skyhawk.org/?q=2d/tins/tins-glider_ron-marron.htm

Great Story! Thank you for sharing.

"I ease the nose over a bit, back into solid IFR. OK, I'm STILL flying"

Words to live by in our environment. If only we walked the walk, many of our Friends would still be here telling stories.

Never aspired, but always admired you pro's. I have only a private ticket, but I do have about 20 hrs left seat time in a C-123 :).

I've had had LOTS of fun flying SEL on both coasts. Always had wanted to get seaplane rating, but family & business got in the way. Boating has taken over the last 20 years (geez.. wher'd the time go???). Still would love to have a Citabria seaplane.

"I'm going to be going to Atlas/Polar on the 747."

Good for you. I have several friends there from my last carrier ATA, I was on the 737-800 there. My buddy at Sky Lease on the MD-11 has an interview at Atlas on the 16th.

I remember Fine Air very well. I was standing on 36th street in line at an ATM when the one aircraft was lost off the end of the runway.

I was at Amerijet. Here's a video flying the 727 into Dominica, runway length was 4777ft. We also flew into St Vincent at 4500ft. The 727 is a fantastic airplane.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tevFXGKtoQ&feature=related

I have a friend over at ATLAS as well. His name is Brian "Elvis" and does the best Elvis impersonation you have ever seen. It's a shame what happened to ATA. You guys became a major and then a few years later you were gone. I flew the jump seat with you guys many times out of LGA on the 757. Dated a few of your flight attendants too! That was fun. Did you guys expand too quickly? Loved the L1-0-11.

That Fine Air flight that crashed was terrible. I had dinner with Glenn Millington the FE the night before the crash. He had a 10 year old son and a beautiful girlfriend. I was at the crash site about 20 minutes after that happened. I was at ops on 36 st when it happened.

I also know someone at Amerijet. John Benisch. We went to flight safety together. He is flying the Zero-G jet now. Amerijet is Fine Air with 727's. Good to see another Freight Dog here. We had a lot of fun in the cokpit eh? Good times.

I see you guys did a flaps 40 landing into Dominica. I never landed flaps 40 in the 727. Did you have the Raisbeck hush kit on those planes? 727 is awesome! That's a cool approach.

Corporate guy. Fly for a global insurance company. Globals and Falcons. Make the smart choice, turn right, you want to be sitting in the back of the aircraft.

Proppedup, looks like a 550 there? Just spent 27 days in SAV. Waiting for our aircraft (450's) to show up. Where are you out of?

Yes I did receive my privates only at ERAU. I then woke up and figured out I am not paying these crooks this kind of money. I then bought a PA-28R-200 with Garmin GNS 530, auto pilot, and a/c. I then hired a flight instructor buddy of mine from riddle and got my other ratings that way. I then sold the Arrow and bought (Stole lol) a C-310 with 0 time engines and did my multi.

Well I have been doing my research on the parting out. You can pick up a wrecked 206 for around 70k. I have a turbine heli a&p already that can do a overhaul for cheap and then I already make my initial investment back on the engine right away. I then have the rest of the 206 and all avionics for the gravy :).

O yea, if you know anybody looking for a beautiful Falcon 50 for sale with AMSG, Glass cockpit, new interior, and 750k in recent certs let me know!


What are the specs on the 50. Know a guy that just bought one. Those things are going for cheap these days. He picked his up for around 1.8m. Seems as the 50's have taken a bigger hit than the rest in the class.

Yes Tom it's a five-five-oh:grin:

I'm out of ATL.

"Good to see another Freight Dog here. We had a lot of fun in the cokpit eh? Good times."

Good to see you too. Yes those were good times.

You'll enjoy the 747-4, the 737NG has the same automation. Except for making it a pain in the ass for the PNF when you want to hand fly, the information, and tools available to you are pretty awesome.

ATA had poor managment once the founder left. Then they jumped in bed with the wrong allies. Fedex was actually the demise of ATA by convincing the military to shift our flying to Northwest.

ATA was truly a great place to work. Wide diverse range of flying and great guys to fly with. Once they closed I felt as though I flew for one of the best and was done.
Keep me updated on your progress at Atlas. There are a lot of ATA guys there.

These are just some neat aviation pics. I flew the B-17 and B-24 a little bit.

How did you get that opportunity?

What are the specs on the 50. Know a guy that just bought one. Those things are going for cheap these days. He picked his up for around 1.8m. Seems as the 50's have taken a bigger hit than the rest in the class.

Yes Tom it's a five-five-oh:grin:

I'm out of ATL.

One I have for sale is a 81 falcon 50 with 11k TT. Needs 200k in certs and I can get it for 1.5

Also have another 84 falcon 50 with 7k tt msp gold, all glass cockpit, 150k in interior refrub and 750k in recent maint and certs. Ready to go for 2.5

Private, Instrument, Multi, Seaplane pilot since 1995.

My favorite destination ... Belfast, Maine.

Here is a nice little clip from our Memorial Day flight in the Beechcraft Baron. 7000 ft, 198 knots, 1 hr 56 min from Belfast, ME -- nice boomer to the port side showing on the radar ... sweet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcQYESWIeUE

I figure this post is a great "first post" opportunity ;-)

There are some colorful flying careers on this post! I have all the respect for freight dogs...hard work, but my friends who haul boxes absolutely love it.

As for me...

- I grew up around airports, private pilot at 19.
- Beech 1900s for a couple of years...then..
- US Navy - F14D Tomcat, F18E Super Hornet, F5N Tiger II (Adversary Instructor).

The F-5 gig had me based in Key West of all places...avid boater/diver/spearfish(er?).

Leaving active duty after 10 years to fly F-5s as a Navy reservist...in Key West (of course!). I just recently started a seaplane charter company (Tropic Ocean Airways) flying people all over South Florida and the Keys in a 206 amphibian (ever shot a fish off of the floats? Good times...) and are offering flights to the Bimini and elsewhere in the Bahamas starting this month.

The seaplane rating was a ton of fun...there is nothing like flying around barefoot in a J-3 cub with the door open spotting alligators!

You know my story; freight dawg...MD11. Previous 757/767. Previous 727 plumber. Previous driver of various RJ's and turbo-props.

Haven't burned 100LL for more than 15 years. I'm jonesing.

When are you taking me flying? ;)

Tipsy

I figure this post is a great "first post" opportunity ;-)

There are some colorful flying careers on this post! I have all the respect for freight dogs...hard work, but my friends who haul boxes absolutely love it.

As for me...

- I grew up around airports, private pilot at 19.
- Beech 1900s for a couple of years...then..
- US Navy - F14D Tomcat, F18E Super Hornet, F5N Tiger II (Adversary Instructor).

The F-5 gig had me based in Key West of all places...avid boater/diver/spearfish(er?).

Leaving active duty after 10 years to fly F-5s as a Navy reservist...in Key West (of course!). I just recently started a seaplane charter company (Tropic Ocean Airways) flying people all over South Florida and the Keys in a 206 amphibian (ever shot a fish off of the floats? Good times...) and are offering flights to the Bimini and elsewhere in the Bahamas starting this month.

The seaplane rating was a ton of fun...there is nothing like flying around barefoot in a J-3 cub with the door open spotting alligators!


I spend a lot of time down your way at NAS Key West doing business a few years back and got to know your old commander (Dagwood) pretty well. Had a blast hanging around there, great group of guys.

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/504/ea6m.jpg

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/5173/153091rf4bvmcj1rm602sep.jpg


U.S.M.C.

Also went to Embry-Riddle for flight, back in the 80's. Worst decision of my young life, that school just beat me to death, (Money wise). Thought I could work a year to earn $$ then fly a year, boy was I wrong. Took me 7 yrs to realize I just couldn't do it any longer. I was forced to leave school with no degree, $91,000 in debt and no job! Worked 2-3 jobs for 10 years straight to pay off my student loans.

Became an residential real-estate appraiser 11 years ago, which worked out great until all the loan companies required all of it's appraisers to be certified. I have tried to pass the test 6 times now but have had no luck!

I have over 350hrs in all sorts of aircraft, cessna 150, 172, beech, king air, queen air, some float time, just all sorts of stuff. Would love to get back into the avaition business, but at 50, my time has come & gone.

Working on my PPL right now, have accrued about 60 hours which is more than enough just been travelling too much to get my check ride done.....

Hopefully will have ticket in hand in a few weeks the onward to looking for a Piper PA28-235 or PA32-300

Working on my PPL right now, have accrued about 60 hours which is more than enough just been travelling too much to get my check ride done.....

Hopefully will have ticket in hand in a few weeks the onward to looking for a Piper PA28-235 or PA32-300

Good luck with the ride. Let us know when you get your ticket.

Yea good luck with the ride! Remember to relax.

For me, I got my Private in '91 just out of high school. Instrument, commercial, multi came in the years to follow. Started flying professionally in 2000. Corporate all the way, I've flown Citations, Hawkers, Eclipse and currently flying a Challenger for a charter company.

I have about 75 hours split between cessna 150s and 172s. I went to a local community college that had an aviation degree program. All of the teachers quit the program right before I started. My class started with 35 students. 32 of them dropped out before me. I don't know if the other two graduated or not.

I gave it up for a couple years then decided to at least finish up my private license. I'm pretty sure my check pilot was extremely hung over as the plane reeked of yesterdays alcohol when we shut the doors.

If I stop buying boats and cheap condos, I might be able to buy an airplane. I don't know if I can afford to keep an airplane, but I should be able to afford to buy one.

I almost traded a condo for an airplane once. It was a velocity and it was sweet! It's a 4 place homebuilt canard craft with a pusher prop that will cruise around 200. Of course I am 100% uninsurable in it, so that deal didn't go through. Probably a good thing...like I said, I have about 75 hours.