Best Possible Training

R

Rayman

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Jun 27, 2019
Messages
5
Display Name
Display name:
Rayman
Hello, I’m interested in taking my flight training to the absolute maximum. I also have no intention to work as a pilot. I’m wondering what is the community’s recommendation to the best possible flying education. Nothing can replace experience I know, But may as well start with the best possible training.


I read about people going from private to ATP over a month or two, then I see college programs that are 4 years full time training. I’m not interested in getting a job as a pilot. I just want to be the best possible pilot I can. I’m also not interested in wasting time.


I’m a software developer turned entrepreneur turned semi-retired and will be fully retired at the end of the year. I got my private licence back in 2007 and put in about 100 hours in a C172. Licence expired in 2013. Once I’m through with work completely I’m going to start flying again. My goal is to eventually buy and fly a PC-12 (big goal, yes). I’m 38 years old, reflexes as still good, but not as sharp as I once was! Assume money isn’t a problem but I don’t want to leave my home base (Ottawa Ontario) as my kids are still in school.


My plan is to enroll in the ATP program in my city http://oasacademy.com/integrated-airline-transport-pilot-program/ . How does that look on paper? It goes 16 months. Then, I would buy an airplane of my own, I’m thinking Piper Matrix (Am I crazy). It’s a big first plane but I will have a few hundred hours by then and a frozen ATP. And it’s an unpressurized piston single but a good stepping stone. I figure I’d fly that for 500 hours or so (Maybe more?), then move to a piper turbo prop. M600 likely. Fly that until I hit the 1500 hour mark to unfreeze the ATP. Then finally when the time comes get into the PC12 as a 1500 hour ATP pilot.


That sounds pretty crazy when I spell it all out like that. I have ideas to start new businesses but I’m planning to basically work on this full time until I have a PC12 parked ready to go.


Does this plan seem like a good idea? I really just want to have a PC-12 (or similar) plane at my disposal in a few years time before embarking on my next career while being as safe and well trained as possible. Do you have any better ways to get to that point?


Any advice and jokes are welcome :)
 
Rayman said:
I got my private licence back in 2007 and put in about 100 hours in a C172. Licence expired in 2013.
Click to expand...
Canadian license, or American? US pilot certs don't expire. Medicals do.
 
Also a semi-retired software dev.

You'll need to define "best possible" in your own terms. That could mean you want to make chuck yeager hold your beer while you do an airshow routine that blows his mind. That could mean you get the most likes on facebook or views on youtube when you post the ILS approach (ahem, combination acro routine) in your 421. It might be enough to do a few angel flights a month and provide a calm and serene flight to a grateful few.

Frankly, you know when you're competent and running A-game level on your terms. It's not something that comes with a dude in the right seat. The dude in the right seat can only prepare you for that solo moment when you're challenged and you win and you know it.

I tried flying a cargo job "for fun", and I'll be honest, the 7-8 weeks of part 135 training I received from a middling outfit, for free, was some of the best training I had received to that point in my career. That includes my CFI rating with ATP, and my part 91 training across different aircraft types and dozens of instructors, many "gurus" and many type-specific courses. The job, on the other hand, was not to my liking.

Having run a flight school, and done instructing, I want to offer this thought: However much money you have to dedicate to this training, it does nothing to replace your own engagement, and your own time. It just buys you a seat on the ride. A "best aviation training" can't be bought off of the shelf. I know it's corny and whatnot, but you gotta do the time, and you gotta spend your most precious resource to acquire it. It's sort of zen-like in that regard. Wanting to be the best at some slice of piloting is like joining a monastery and dedicating a major portion of your faculties to achieving it. And you will always have more to learn, and there will always be those better than you, and you will always be able to make a new mistake, and complacency will bite you just as hard on day one as year 20, and aviation is freaking awesome like that.

Once you get to that A-level, though, whatever it is for YOU, you'll want to keep investing the time and treasure to stay there. My own "best" and high-point was commuting daily in the SoCal IFR system. Being comfortable and ahead of the entire game, even dealing with reroutes and approaches to mins, was the best, for me. Getting there took me about 7 years, I had it for 5, and I lost it 3 years ago, to my own dismay. I aim to return with all possible speed. It will just take... time. The size of the money pile just dictates the level you can play at -- be it Piper Cub, Pilatus, or G5. :)

$0.02

- Mike
 
If you have the money and it looks like you have,that’s not a bad plan.
 
schmookeeg said:
Having run a flight school, and done instructing, I want to offer this thought: However much money you have to dedicate to this training, it does nothing to replace your own engagement, and your own time. It just buys you a seat on the ride. A "best aviation training" can't be bought off of the shelf. I know it's corny and whatnot, but you gotta do the time, and you gotta spend your most precious resource to acquire it. It's sort of zen-like in that regard. Wanting to be the best at some slice of piloting is like joining a monastery and dedicating a major portion of your faculties to achieving it. And you will always have more to learn, and there will always be those better than you, and you will always be able to make a new mistake, and complacency will bite you just as hard on day one as year 20, and aviation is freaking awesome like that.


- Mike
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. I agree a lot with the what you put in has a direct relationship to what you get out. As the now grown up kid who only ever wanted to own a an airplane and do what I want all day, you can be assured I will eat sleep and breath flying when I finally get to it.
 
Best is going to vary from person to person.

You could get a CFI that makes you fly to ATP standards even if just going for private. You could get a CFI that will make you an expert (relatively speaking) in one airframe. You could find a CFI who....

The list goes on.
 
I never really wanted to get a job as a pilot either. I got my PPL, instrument and commercial for the challenge and the fun. There were an equal amount of people I've talked to that have either hated being a pilot or loved it. Experiences vary.

The PC12 is my dream plane as well :). I'll never fly it as I have no desire or trajectory to be independently wealthy enough to do so, but I can admire it from afar.

That passion you have now to keep flying, definitely hold onto it. When I got back into flying after a 25 year hiatus I jumped right into the pool and loved it. I still fly as often as I can but like many, not as often as I want :).

One thing you may want to look into is "scenario-based" flight training. I couldn't make it work, but for some people taking off and landing at the same friggin' airport all day long is just boring. There are some CFI's that will make a vacation out of it and take you to small little airports all over the country, you stay the night and see the areas and then when you get back you take your checkride. Not only do you get the chance to actually GO somewhere, but the training feels less like training and more like a trip with a buddy. It teaches a lot of skills most people who stay in the same area will never learn during their training.

I don't have a particular reference, but it's always something I wanted to try..maybe someone else can guide you.

Good luck and congrats on your success!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top