Not a Pilot...At least not yet but wanna hear from you guys

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Luck

Filing Flight Plan
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Luck
Hey Folks,

so I have a confession, I am neither a pilot nor am I American....I'm from Canada but I stumbled upon this forum and kindda jumped at it. I am just hoping to be able to learn as much as possible from you folks who have a lot more experience in the trade than me.

I have been on other forums in the past where I have asked questions and had some members have gotten angry and accused me of trying to "use the cover of the internet to make myself pass for a real pilot", so I just wanna make it clear from the get go that this has never been and will never be my intention. I apologize ahead of time if I say something stupid I am here to learn, so please correct me if I do and be aware that I am not trying to pretend to be something I am not.

Other than that, I have loved airplanes since I was 8 years old and to this day I feel like a child when I board one. I am a bit weird in the sense that I do not complain about long flights, just give me a window seat and I will stare out of that for hours...Or until the flight attendant asks me to close mine :p . Becoming a pilot was once my career goal but unfortunately that didn't work out. I can get into more details if you would like but for now that's enough about me.

I Would like to know,

1) Why did you become a pilot?
2) What do you like and what do you dislike about your job (Or just about your trade if you are a private pilot)?
3) What was flight school like? How much studying was involved?
4) Is there a reason the medical requirements for a commercial license are so stringent? I have seen some pilots say that some of them are unreasonable, do you agree or disagree?
5) Would you recommend that an enthusiast like myself go out and get their private pilot license or does the high cost make it not worth it?
6) Anything else you think a newbie like me should know?

I'd love to hear from you guys

cheers
 
Welcome to PoA!

Let's see what I can think of to answer your questions.

1. I grew up with my dad flying, it was a natural thing.
2. I'm a computer engineer. It beats working.
3. "Flight school" for me, wasn't ever "school" per-se. It was a self-study curriculum with a flight instructor helping as-needed.
4. I'm happy with the medical requirements for flying. I personally have reasons I don't qualify for 2nd and 1st class medicals.
5. Cost is a relative term. You either have the money and time, or you don't. Sorry to make this so black-and-white.
6. Once you fly, you never look at the sky, or the world, in the same way.
 
Rgbeard said:
Welcome to PoA!

Let's see what I can think of to answer your questions.

1. I grew up with my dad flying, it was a natural thing.
2. I'm a computer engineer. It beats working.
3. "Flight school" for me, wasn't ever "school" per-se. It was a self-study curriculum with a flight instructor helping as-needed.
4. I'm happy with the medical requirements for flying. I personally have reasons I don't qualify for 2nd and 1st class medicals.
5. Cost is a relative term. You either have the money and time, or you don't. Sorry to make this so black-and-white.
6. Once you fly, you never look at the sky, or the world, in the same way.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply.

I understand what you mean about cost. The main reason I asked that question was because most of the flight schools I have looked into give a pretty vague cost breakdown and I know that the prices vary a lot for different students even at the same flight school. One thing I have seen a lot of flight schools do to encourage people to enrol is partner up with loan companies and then talk more about how much money you can potentially make as a commercial pilot but not really going into the details about how much you have to pay back....For private pilots its an entirely different story because you are not going to be earning money with that license and for obvious reasons flight schools tend to just avoid talking about that :p
Either way I most likely won't be going for a pilots license any time soon.

I defo want to try flying well before that. Even if it means taking one or two lessons with an instructor without going for a license right away

Cheers
 
1) Why did you become a pilot?
It was something that I've always wanted to do, a bucket list item that I started in 1985 and finished in 2015.
2) What do you like and what do you dislike about your job (Or just about your trade if you are a private pilot)?
I'm not a commercial pilot, I'm an Air Traffic Controller for the last 28 years; 14 while wearing a USAF uniform and 14 as a DoD civilian. I love my job because I have a sense of purpose and that at the end of the day I feel like I've accomplished something. I don't like my job because I've noticed a different attitude in most of the new controllers we get to train. Their mindset is different that that of the generation I trained with. They have a sense of entitlement that a rating is just going to be given to them rather than they put the study, memorization of the rules and regulations and applying them plus learning from their mistakes. I've trained hundreds of people over the years and today if feels like a never ending stream of trainees. I hope to stick it out for another six years and retire again.
3) What was flight school like? How much studying was involved?
Flight school is what you make it. If you are adept at reading, memorizing and applying all the concepts you will have no trouble. If you are one who learns from your mistakes, can apply the corrective measures your CFI gives you, you'll be fine.
4) Is there a reason the medical requirements for a commercial license are so stringent? I have seen some pilots say that some of them are unreasonable, do you agree or disagree?
I have no comment as I have no desire to become a commercial pilot. However, the requirements are stringent for a reason. Would you want someone who is inept to be flying your airplane?
5) Would you recommend that an enthusiast like myself go out and get their private pilot license or does the high cost make it not worth it?
Absolutely. If it is something you want to do, then the costs of achieving it are inconsequential.
6) Anything else you think a newbie like me should know?
Don't expect getting you private pilot license to happen overnight. Be patient in your training and stick with it even though you think you'll never achieve your goal. It isn't easy; If it was, everyone would be flying.
 
1) Same reason as you! JOY. Since I was little.

2) I'm an academic, and just fly/teach for fun. See 1).

3) It took me 9 months, and about 80 hours, to get my private certificate. That's higher than average. I was squeezing the lessons in around the edges of my day job (early mornings, evenings, weekends). So it can be done faster than this, but it can be done in all sorts of different ways and at a pace that is up to you. I'd fly once or twice a week with my instructor, and study ground school at home.

4) This is a long debate I won't get into... but I recommend looking into the various medical requirements and where you fit into them. A little research may drive how you approach your training from the beginning, and whether to attempt to get an FAA medical or not. For instance, there is a thing called "Sport Pilot" which has much gentler medical requirements, which is meant for those who only want to fly very small planes for fun. There's a "Medical Topics" subforum here, where you can see some of the issues people come up against trying to get medically certified.

5) Flight schools won't be able to quote you an exact cost, because you pay by the hour, and there's no way to know in advance how many hours it'll take. Every student is different, and it takes however long it takes. I would recommend NOT going into debt for this, unless you have a very thorough plan for "going pro" quickly. The biggest part of the cost is rental of the aircraft itself, so rent the smallest cheapest trainer you can fit comfortably into. Save and plan. Some dreams are worth it. A license lasts a lifetime, whether you go pro or not.

6) Pretty much all flight schools (or flight instructors) offer something called a "Discovery Flight", or Introductory Flight. It's a short lesson with an instructor, maybe 30 minutes or so of flight, usually relatively cheap. The instructor will let you handle the controls for nearly the entire flight, and talk you through some basic maneuvers. You don't need to sign up for anything, commit to anything, decide anything. Just have a taste. I suspect then you'll know the answer to 5). ;)

Good luck,
 
Timbeck2 said:
1) Why did you become a pilot?
It was something that I've always wanted to do, a bucket list item that I started in 1985 and finished in 2015.
2) What do you like and what do you dislike about your job (Or just about your trade if you are a private pilot)?
I'm not a commercial pilot, I'm an Air Traffic Controller for the last 28 years; 14 while wearing a USAF uniform and 14 as a DoD civilian. I love my job because I have a sense of purpose and that at the end of the day I feel like I've accomplished something. I don't like my job because I've noticed a different attitude in most of the new controllers we get to train. Their mindset is different that that of the generation I trained with. They have a sense of entitlement that a rating is just going to be given to them rather than they put the study, memorization of the rules and regulations and applying them plus learning from their mistakes. I've trained hundreds of people over the years and today if feels like a never ending stream of trainees. I hope to stick it out for another six years and retire again.
3) What was flight school like? How much studying was involved?
Flight school is what you make it. If you are adept at reading, memorizing and applying all the concepts you will have no trouble. If you are one who learns from your mistakes, can apply the corrective measures your CFI gives you, you'll be fine.
4) Is there a reason the medical requirements for a commercial license are so stringent? I have seen some pilots say that some of them are unreasonable, do you agree or disagree?
I have no comment as I have no desire to become a commercial pilot. However, the requirements are stringent for a reason. Would you want someone who is inept to be flying your airplane?
5) Would you recommend that an enthusiast like myself go out and get their private pilot license or does the high cost make it not worth it?
Absolutely. If it is something you want to do, then the costs of achieving it are inconsequential.
6) Anything else you think a newbie like me should know?
Don't expect getting you private pilot license to happen overnight. Be patient in your training and stick with it even though you think you'll never achieve your goal. It isn't easy; If it was, everyone would be flying.
Click to expand...


Great response... Yeah I do understand what you mean with your answer for question 2. I have spoken to quite a few people in a similar role as you and not only for aviation related training. One of them did say something along the lines of "It's because we live in an age of information with the internet. Less people are willing to memorize facts and information because an entire generation has grown up with the ability to look it up from a device the size of their palm". Im not saying that this is necessarily a good thing but it would explain the sense of entitlement you are facing, I don't see that ending soon though :( .

In terms of the medical requirements question, I am sorry if I didn't phrase this properly, I should have included that I saw on the news the other day a bunch of groups speaking up against the rules saying that all its doing is causing pilots to not disclose medical conditions they may have been diagnosed with out of fear they could lose their license. You are right I don't want a pilot not fit to fly flying the plane I am on...Or over my house for that matter but if pilots are choosing to lie about having those conditions, I don't think we are better off. Also, modern medicine has come a long way and I agree with what was said in that news report that something like anxiety for example could be treated with wellbutrin but that some pilots taking that could lie and say they are taking it to quit smoking to keep their medical and still be able to operate an aircraft safely. I have no training in the field of psychiatry, but if I were to step on a plane and get told that the pilot is taking meds to treat a medical condition I would feel much safer than if they left it untreated. I could be wrong, so let me know what you think.
 
kath said:
1) Same reason as you! JOY. Since I was little.

2) I'm an academic, and just fly/teach for fun. See 1).

3) It took me 9 months, and about 80 hours, to get my private certificate. That's higher than average. I was squeezing the lessons in around the edges of my day job (early mornings, evenings, weekends). So it can be done faster than this, but it can be done in all sorts of different ways and at a pace that is up to you. I'd fly once or twice a week with my instructor, and study ground school at home.

4) This is a long debate I won't get into... but I recommend looking into the various medical requirements and where you fit into them. A little research may drive how you approach your training from the beginning, and whether to attempt to get an FAA medical or not. For instance, there is a thing called "Sport Pilot" which has much gentler medical requirements, which is meant for those who only want to fly very small planes for fun. There's a "Medical Topics" subforum here, where you can see some of the issues people come up against trying to get medically certified.

5) Flight schools won't be able to quote you an exact cost, because you pay by the hour, and there's no way to know in advance how many hours it'll take. Every student is different, and it takes however long it takes. I would recommend NOT going into debt for this, unless you have a very thorough plan for "going pro" quickly. The biggest part of the cost is rental of the aircraft itself, so rent the smallest cheapest trainer you can fit comfortably into. Save and plan. Some dreams are worth it. A license lasts a lifetime, whether you go pro or not.

6) Pretty much all flight schools (or flight instructors) offer something called a "Discovery Flight", or Introductory Flight. It's a short lesson with an instructor, maybe 30 minutes or so of flight, usually relatively cheap. The instructor will let you handle the controls for nearly the entire flight, and talk you through some basic maneuvers. You don't need to sign up for anything, commit to anything, decide anything. Just have a taste. I suspect then you'll know the answer to 5). ;)

Good luck,
Click to expand...

Hi Kath thank you for your response...Just out of curiosity what field of Academia are you in?

For the point you brought up in number 4, I will say that I feel like I can qualify for a category 3 medical license which is what is needed for a PPL in Canada. I am not colour blind, have no problems with my heart, I don't have seizures or any neurological issues for that matter, I do wear glasses but from what I have read up on that is no longer an issue. The only problem I will run into is that I have had ADHD since I was 8 years old. I did go quite a long time without treating it, mostly because my GP felt the diagnosis was not accurate at the time and when I started needing glasses when I was 14 she said something like "Well that was the issue the whole time, ADHD was not a problem". Unfortunately, I did get a second opinion when I was 18 or 19 and I got a new diagnosis and started taking meds for it. Apparently, I can still qualify for a category 3 license if I spend a certain amount of times without taking meds and have my GP attest to that, and I feel that for the most part I can get by without them. My ADHD is not on the more severe end of the spectrum cuz I am able to drive a car just fine without taking meds....Something that is a challenge for people with more severe cases and I feel that if my GP and my school teachers when I was growing up were not convinced that I have ADHD, its not something I need to be too worried about. The only issue I have with it is in a classroom setting. If I have to spend ground school in a classroom setting where I need to be reading textbooks, going to classes and taking written exams, it will be a lot harder to do without ADHD meds and I feel I wouldn't perform as well. So that is the conundrum I face....Any advice?
 
Luck said:
1) Why did you become a pilot?
2) What do you like and what do you dislike about your job (Or just about your trade if you are a private pilot)?
3) What was flight school like? How much studying was involved?
4) Is there a reason the medical requirements for a commercial license are so stringent? I have seen some pilots say that some of them are unreasonable, do you agree or disagree?
5) Would you recommend that an enthusiast like myself go out and get their private pilot license or does the high cost make it not worth it?
6) Anything else you think a newbie like me should know?
Click to expand...

1. To meet girls. Ok, reality. I am something of an adventurist. My first thoughts were about going to an airline, but then I found out there were other
ways to make money in aviation that were more inline with what I like to do. The harder it is to do or the more other folks don't like to do it is what
makes flying interesting to me.

2. When I fly I fly for pay. I enjoy the actual flying part. What I don't like is working under someone that is in their position because of who they know
instead of what they know. That part makes working as a pilot not fun.

3. Flight school was difficult for me. Not as much as the flying part. Studying is hard for me and I had to do 3 times as much studying as the gifted
students did.

4. Yes. Would you get in a plane knowing that the pilot is subject to sudden seizures or had grandiose delusions of suicide? I am temporarily grounded
right now, and I find it all agreeable. I want to be healthy to live, not just be healthy enough to fly.

5. That is entirely your decision. Other suggestion to look at is gliders.

6. There are other ways to make a living in aviation besides airlines. Aviation has been good to me. And have a fall back career in case something
happens. Like this current virus situation or a health problem comes up.
 
It's OK that you're here, last I checked Canada was still part of North America.

1. Because it's fun. Started with R/C models as a teenager.
2. I don't fly for a living and never wanted to, I make my living as an engineer, I can't imagine doing anything else.
3. Flight school was easy, but everything is easy when you're 16-17 years old.
4. The medical system is a joke... but you're in Canada, it might be different there?
5. Only you can decide whether it's worth it.

Somebody mentioned Sport Pilot... that's a US thing only, in Canada the closest thing, I believe, is Advanced Ultralight, while the Canadian Basic Ultralight is more like the US ultralight class. All of these have lighter or no medical requirements.
 
Zeldman said:
1. To meet girls. Ok, reality. I am something of an adventurist. My first thoughts were about going to an airline, but then I found out there were other
ways to make money in aviation that were more inline with what I like to do. The harder it is to do or the more other folks don't like to do it is what
makes flying interesting to me.

2. When I fly I fly for pay. I enjoy the actual flying part. What I don't like is working under someone that is in their position because of who they know
instead of what they know. That part makes working as a pilot not fun.

3. Flight school was difficult for me. Not as much as the flying part. Studying is hard for me and I had to do 3 times as much studying as the gifted
students did.

4. Yes. Would you get in a plane knowing that the pilot is subject to sudden seizures or had grandiose delusions of suicide? I am temporarily grounded
right now, and I find it all agreeable. I want to be healthy to live, not just be healthy enough to fly.

5. That is entirely your decision. Other suggestion to look at is gliders.

6. There are other ways to make a living in aviation besides airlines. Aviation has been good to me. And have a fall back career in case something
happens. Like this current virus situation or a health problem comes up.
Click to expand...

Great Response, super informative!

I feel I am in the same boat as you in terms of studying. I don't excel in a classroom setting where I have to memorize a textbook. How did you do it, any advice?

Also I totally feel for you on the issue of nepotism....Up here Air Canada used to be government owned, they went private but the government is still a significant shareholder in them so they are riddled with bureaucratic processes reminiscent of the government era. I am not sure if this has gotten better but for a while, it was generally accepted that the only way to get your foot in the door as a pilot or even a flight attendant with them was to know someone there...No way around that :'(
 
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Dana said:
It's OK that you're here, last I checked Canada was still part of North America.

1. Because it's fun. Started with R/C models as a teenager.
2. I don't fly for a living and never wanted to, I make my living as an engineer, I can't imagine doing anything else.
3. Flight school was easy, but everything is easy when you're 16-17 years old.
4. The medical system is a joke... but you're in Canada, it might be different there?
5. Only you can decide whether it's worth it.

Somebody mentioned Sport Pilot... that's a US thing only, in Canada the closest thing, I believe, is Advanced Ultralight, while the Canadian Basic Ultralight is more like the US ultralight class. All of these have lighter or no medical requirements.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input ! I feel that I am just like you, I want to fly because its fun!

Seems there are quite a few ppl out there working as engineers and flying as a hobby. What kind of engineer are you? Do you do anything related to aviation?

In terms of number 4 and on a bit of a sidenote.....EHHHH....Just because our medical system is free doesn't mean its "better". That's a fairly relative term, like I knew this woman....Granted she and her husband took home a decent sized paycheck and could live comfortably....But she had quite a couple heart issues and just spent forever on the waiting list to see a specialist. At one point she just got fed up, went to Boston and paid to see a specialist there and she has no regrets doing that...There are quite a few ppl here that do that. I also have a few family and extended family members in the medical field...Yes I was quite the odd one out when aviation picked my interest :p but I always hear them complaining that our medical system is just riddled with bureaucracy and that there's so much red tape to get through that its almost impossible to get anything done.

Specific to aviation from what I have heard its not uncommon for pilots here to lie about medical conditions to keep their licenses....I gave the example of pilots with anxiety taking wellbutrin but claiming its to help them quit smoking.

Lemme know your thoughts
 
Luck said:
I feel I am in the same boat as you in terms of studying. I don't excel in a classroom setting where I have to memorize a textbook. How did you do it, any advice?
Click to expand...

What worked for me was to just sit with the material and read, then read again. Then write out what i had just read almost verbatim, then do it all over again. Boring.?? Yes. Hard on me.?? Yes. There were times I spent 12 or more hours at my desk studying. (man, I sound like my dad....) I did take breaks as needed, and there were times it was too much for me so I would take a day off and get away.

I tried working with a study group but these folks were what I call gifted and would spend an hour studying and call it a day.

Remember though I wanted to be a professional pilot and I was determined to persevere and I did even though it was very hard on me socially, mentally and physically.
 
There are a lot of things you'll read in flying manuals/text that don't really make sense until you've seen them applied while flying. For example, you can read all you want about landings but it won't click until you actually do it.
 
I thought Canada was unpopulated, and people were "staged" there to make it look so.

Kinda like how the cruise lines move seasonal workers around.

(Ducking behind sofa, now.)
 
1) Why did you become a pilot? A friend took me up when I was in high school. I was hooked. He offered to let me use his plane, just pay for fuel to get my PPL. I wish I would have, but I had to pay for college, so flying was placed on hold. Wife & kids came along and I had to pay for their well being, so flying was placed on hold. As I was sitting in my office a month after turning 39, I figured if I don't learn to fly, I just as well give up the dream. I spoke with local FBO (client) and got things underway immediately
2) What do you like and what do you dislike about your job (Or just about your trade if you are a private pilot)? I do not fly for work. I am an accountant. I doubt you really want to hear about that.
3) What was flight school like? How much studying was involved? My first CFI, although nice, kind of strung me along for 4-5 months. Very little was accomplished during that time. Approx 7 hours and very little ground school, so essentially no studying. My second CFI was great. I soloed within the first week. Got my PPL at 41 hours. As far as studying he would let me know what he wanted me to read and then we would discuss it. I read a few books on my own and studied online for written on my own. My CFI taught me, the online helped me pass a test.
4) Is there a reason the medical requirements for a commercial license are so stringent? I have seen some pilots say that some of them are unreasonable, do you agree or disagree? Do not have commercial.
5) Would you recommend that an enthusiast like myself go out and get their private pilot license or does the high cost make it not worth it? If it's something you want, then absolutely.
6) Anything else you think a newbie like me should know? I still consider myself a newbie.
 
1) Why did you become a pilot?
I was an "aviation enthusiast" for years. Fascinated by learning to fly and flying. It was mainly about taking on a new challenge. When I learned, I found there was even more to it than I thought. You can go as deep as you want. There's the satisfaction of testing yourself and succeeding. The beauty of the sky and land and sea, of our good earth. Exploring new places. The fun of nailing a landing. The friendships you make with other pilots.

2) What do you like and what do you dislike about your job (Or just about your trade if you are a private pilot)?
I've only got a PPL with my instrument rating and working on my commercial. Maybe it's the cost, sometimes it's renting someone else's plane. Sometimes you get so overwhelmed with all the material to learn, you hit plateaus and that's furstrating. But I'm doing this for fun, so minor irritations are just part of the experience.

3) What was flight school like? How much studying was involved?
Lots of studying and practice. Took about 60 hours to get the PPL. Some of the regulations don't make any sense at first glance. I'm not a natural pilot, so I had to practice certain things over and over, especially on my instrument rating.

4) Is there a reason the medical requirements for a commercial license are so stringent? I have seen some pilots say that some of them are unreasonable, do you agree or disagree?
Well, getting my 2nd class wasn't any big deal so nothing seemed stringent, but I'm pretty healthy. I have to wear glasses, but that's about it.

5) Would you recommend that an enthusiast like myself go out and get their private pilot license or does the high cost make it not worth it?
Depends what your priorities are. With the money I've spent, I could have bought a nice boat or RV. There are plenty of articles on how to reduce cost.

6) Anything else you think a newbie like me should know?
Ignore the mean people on forums. Just block them. You won't miss anything. Go into aviation with realistic expectations. Don't put up with an instructor that sucks out the joy. (Fortunately all mine were pretty good...experienced guys who are not just building hours.) Ask lots of questions. Go to Oshkosh AirVenture and be overwhelmed; ask on here and I'm sure you can meet up with some of the forum superstars. Work hard and be as good and safe as possible. Most of all have fun while you're doing it.

Good luck! We're counting on you!!
 
Luck said:
Hey Folks,
4) Is there a reason the medical requirements for a commercial license are so stringent? I have seen some pilots say that some of them are unreasonable, do you agree or disagree?
5) Would you recommend that an enthusiast like myself go out and get their private pilot license or does the high cost make it not worth it?
6) Anything else you think a newbie like me should know?
Click to expand...

4) The reason medical standards are strict is that the stakes are so high. Usually the people who complain about the standards have a condition that make them not qualify, but they will insist that they are perfectly capable. Until they aren't. Consider this - if two pilots have the same debilitating condition that only has a 1% chance of happening, what's the odds of it happening to both pilots? Now, is that tiny number worth the outcome of a A-300 becoming pilotless and plowing through a subdivision? The FAA and the CAA's safety approach is to make a system as safe as reasonably possible. That means strict standards for the maintenance of both airplanes and flight crew.

5) 100% worth it to me. I've spent more going on vacations over the years, but when I relax and think of fun things, it isn't that luxury cruise or a trip to Disney, it's arriving at a new airport, a perfect landing on the number and getting off at the first taxiway, or learning a new maneuver. The cost - some off the end of my retirement fund, but at my age the power of time no longer has as much impact.

6) Just do it. Consider the ultra-light process, what the US would call sport pilot. You do need a class 4 medical...which is basically a driver's license and a (honest) self declaration of certain health questions, but otherwise it's very close to the US sport pilot model. It's a way to get started and while flying through the mountains may be impossible, you should be able to get in the air and learn more.
 
Thanks for all the replies guys really appreciated!

IK the rules for Canada and the US are really similar, but I think I read somewhere that to maintain your license in Canada you had to perform a set number of take offs and landings. Any insight on that? Or maybe its just a Canadian rule
 
Luck said:
IK the rules for Canada and the US are really similar, but I think I read somewhere that to maintain your license in Canada you had to perform a set number of take offs and landings. Any insight on that? Or maybe its just a Canadian rule
Click to expand...

You might be thinking of the 3 take offs and landings in 90 days to be current to carry passengers.
 
1) Why did you become a pilot? fell is love with it the 1st time I remember seeing and riding in a airplane at 4 years old.
2) What do you like and what do you dislike about your job (Or just about your trade if you are a private pilot)? Main Job is IT/computers which I love working with, second job is a Flight Instructor, fly Sailplanes for Fun. I like it all.
3) What was flight school like? How much studying was involved? Pretty much self study and working with a flight instructor.
4) Is there a reason the medical requirements for a commercial license are so stringent? I have seen some pilots say that some of them are unreasonable, do you agree or disagree? I disagree with is the penalties (in US anyway) that can occur for trying to get a higher level medical certificate. Is actually counter productive IMO.
5) Would you recommend that an enthusiast like myself go out and get their private pilot license or does the high cost make it not worth it? I would recommend it. Cost is all about priorities. I like with the guy pulls up in a new $40000 Truck with a $25000 UTV in back and then talks about those expensive airplanes. For the most past 20+ years I have been flying a $15,000 glider and driving a 1989 Jeep.
6) Anything else you think a newbie like me should know?
 
Hello. Or “hey there yah”

I’d get the medial issue straightened out and a medical certificate in your hand and then figure out the training. How old are you btw?
 
1) Why did you become a pilot?

I never considered a life outside of aviation. Not sure why. Just kinda how it’s always been for me.

2) What do you like and what do you dislike about your job (Or just about your trade if you are a private pilot)?

I like flying. I don’t like being away from home. I think God was just f-ing with me when he made my personality.

3) What was flight school like? How much studying was involved?

I did not goto a formal school. Just local cfi at the home drome. My first formal ground school was new hire training at first airline. No way I can recommend a correct path for you. We are all different. Whatever you choose to do hold yourself to a high standard and become very familiar with the manuals we live by so you can always find an answer.

4) Is there a reason the medical requirements for a commercial license are so stringent? I have seen some pilots say that some of them are unreasonable, do you agree or disagree?

some aspects are easy. Some are draconian. My opinion doesn’t matter.

5) Would you recommend that an enthusiast like myself go out and get their private pilot license or does the high cost make it not worth it?

only you know that answer.

6) Anything else you think a newbie like me should know?

you’ll always be a student. No matter how much experience. Always a student.
 
1. It’s fun and you can make a decent amount of money without working too hard
2. I like the people I work with and hanging and relaxing on layovers while getting paid. Dislike some stuff in the contract and how management handles certain things
3. You can study as much or as little as you want. You can also progress at your own pace. In the end, you’re spending a lot money on your license so most people show up prepared for the lesson.
4. Some of the medical requirements and disqualifying conditions could be changed and could be made less strict IMO. There’s not reason to jump through lots of hoops to prove a relatively simple thing.
5. Yes. Definitely go for your license!
6. Ask lots of questions either on here or to your instructor. You’ll get lots of good info.
 
Luck said:
Seems there are quite a few ppl out there working as engineers and flying as a hobby. What kind of engineer are you? Do you do anything related to aviation?

In terms of number 4 and on a bit of a sidenote.....EHHHH....Just because our medical system is free doesn't mean its "better"...
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My degree is in aerospace engineering, but I soon learned that the aerospace industry can really suck to work in. After getting laid off from Sikorsky Aircraft I got a job as a mechanical engineer in the automation industry, that was 35 years ago, I've been doing mostly automation and some consumer product design ever since.

My comment about the medical system being a joke was in reference to the FAA medical system, not health care in general. I can't criticize the standards for commercial pilots, although I've heard horror stories I have no personal experience... but although I've had no trouble personally meeting the standards I do think that holding a private pilot flying a 2 or 4 seat puddlejumper to a higher standard than a the driver of an 18 wheeler truck is ludicrous.
 
WDD said:
Hello. Or “hey there yah”

I’d get the medial issue straightened out and a medical certificate in your hand and then figure out the training. How old are you btw?
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22 years old...Ik im a child
 
Luck said:
1) Why did you become a pilot?
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I've always had an interest in aviation. I built and flew model airplanes and rockets as a youngster, and dreamed of flying small planes, but never had the means to learn to fly or own an airplane until beginning my career.

Luck said:
2) What do you like and what do you dislike about your job (Or just about your trade if you are a private pilot)?
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I am now retired, but had a 35 year career in biochemistry research and teaching at university. That left me considerable flexibility in arranging flight training, a good income to own and maintain a plane, but not much time as I would like to use my plane, between academic obligations, research grant proposals, and professional duties. I retired early to make more time for things like flying.

Luck said:
3) What was flight school like? How much studying was involved?
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I self-studied. It's basically what academics do for a living. I trained with local instructors. My CFII was employed at the university IT department. (Great instructor.)

Luck said:
4) Is there a reason the medical requirements for a commercial license are so stringent? I have seen some pilots say that some of them are unreasonable, do you agree or disagree?
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N/A. I'm just a private pilot.

Luck said:
5) Would you recommend that an enthusiast like myself go out and get their private pilot license or does the high cost make it not worth it?
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The PPL is worth it if you are committed to flying as an avocation or career. There is almost no way to justify the cost of a PPL or aircraft ownership. It is in no way a method of "saving" money. But it is a fun, adventurous, and often practical way to travel. A 250 nm destination is a day trip. A 400-500 nm destination is an easy short visit. That level of utility is kind of mind-blowing at first.

Luck said:
6) Anything else you think a newbie like me should know?
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Be a serious student of aviation. Take your studies, flight maneuvers, and emergency training seriously. There are too many private pilots who get into unnecessary trouble, culminating in serious incidents or even fatalities, due to lack of confidence, poor planning, or inappropriate responses in emergency situations. Flying is a use it or lose it proposition. But, not to be a Debbie Downer, flying is immensely rewarding, more so if you use your privileges often and stay current.
 
1) Why did you become a pilot? Was always a transportation junky (planes, ships, trains, cars). Got a ride in a small plane by one of my father's clients (who was an airline pilot). Got me interested in flying.
2) What do you like and what do you dislike about your job (Or just about your trade if you are a private pilot)? I'm retired. Problem is you don't get any days off.
3) What was flight school like? How much studying was involved? My first ground school was taught by a physics prof at my college. It wasn't too hard just a few weeks of classes. That was for the private pilot. The instrument rating was tougher.
4) Is there a reason the medical requirements for a commercial license are so stringent? I have seen some pilots say that some of them are unreasonable, do you agree or disagree? Many of the things the FAA reacts to are rather pointless for the recreational pilot. We've gotten some relaxation with things like Sport Pilot and Basic Med, but by and large the FAA medical process is still a nightmare even when it works properly.
5) Would you recommend that an enthusiast like myself go out and get their private pilot license or does the high cost make it not worth it? If you want to fly, go fly.
6) Anything else you think a newbie like me should know? You can get immersed in the culture a lot without spending much money. Lots of information available for download from the FAA and TC. You can hang out here. You can go to local and national airshows (like Oshkosh), etc... That's how my wife got hooked.
 
Zeldman said:
You might be thinking of the 3 take offs and landings in 90 days to be current to carry passengers.
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5 takeoffs and landings in the past 6 months to carry passengers in Canada. If you're carrying passengers at night, then those need to be 5 night takeoffs and landings.

Our IFR recency requirements are also a bit different: we don't have to have flown a hold, but we do need six hours and six approaches to minima, in actual or simulated IMC, in the last six months to exercise our IFR privileges. Fortunately, the biennial Instrument Proficiency Check automatically gives 1 year recency, so it's only every second year that we have to worry about counting hours and approaches.
 
David Megginson said:
5 takeoffs and landings in the past 6 months to carry passengers in Canada. If you're carrying passengers at night, then those need to be 5 night takeoffs and landings.

Our IFR recency requirements are also a bit different: we don't have to have flown a hold, but we do need six hours and six approaches to minima, in actual or simulated IMC, in the last six months to exercise our IFR privileges. Fortunately, the biennial Instrument Proficiency Check automatically gives 1 year recency, so it's only every second year that we have to worry about counting hours and approaches.
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Thanks for the info. I learned something today.!!
 
David Megginson said:
5 takeoffs and landings in the past 6 months to carry passengers in Canada. If you're carrying passengers at night, then those need to be 5 night takeoffs and landings.

Our IFR recency requirements are also a bit different: we don't have to have flown a hold, but we do need six hours and six approaches to minima, in actual or simulated IMC, in the last six months to exercise our IFR privileges. Fortunately, the biennial Instrument Proficiency Check automatically gives 1 year recency, so it's only every second year that we have to worry about counting hours and approaches.
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Thank you so much for that...I find that the government webpages are way to wordy and are probably written by bureaucrats who don't realize that other people need to understand what they wrote
 
Welcome had a subscription to flying while in high school,was a loadmaster in the Air Force. Got my private pilot under the GI Bill. Took some years off while raising a family. Bought my first airplane a c172 when I came back to flying. If I was thinking of trying flying I might start with the light sport . Good luck on your endeavors.
 
in regards to #5, there are no rules that state your goal has to be earn your pilot cert. For instance, if you just want to have the experience of flying a plane solo, you can find a CFI to get you to that point. You would want to make sure you are lined up with Canada's medical requirements for solo (whatever they are or aren't). I think everyone on here will tell you how wonderful the first solo was. I would agree that first solo was amazing but, for me the first solo cross country was badass. A pilot's license does take time and resources to earn and maintain so depending on your interests and personal situation, you can set your own goal.

Based upon your questions, I would recommend a discovery flight with a CFI if you haven't already. Regardless of whether you go forward with training, you'll enjoy it.
 
1) Loved flying things from a young age. Toys, paper airplanes, kites, rockets, video games, RC. Wife finally got sick of watching me spend money on toys and finally said “why don’t you just go get your pilot license”. Although I’m not close to my dad, he was a professional pilot so that was another boost.

2) I’m a teacher and love my job. Flying is a hobby for now but my goal is to get my commercial license at least and see what happens from there.

3) There is a lot to learn knowledge-wise. If you have the desire that isn’t a problem. My private license took about three years and maybe 70-something flying hours. Teacher salary is a bit of a factor. I recorded the audio of flights with my cfi and replayed the flights on my home sim (MSFX) while listening to the audio. Great help with procedures and radio work. Flight sims have a place in learning if you have access to that.

4) I don’t have a commercial license and maintain the 3rd class medical for my hobby flying. No issues with that at least for me.

5) That’s up to you. If you have a passion for it then go for it. Everyone here ... and most nearly every pilot ... has a passion for flying. It’s totally worth it for me. Only you can answer that for yourself. Go take a discovery flight with a local flight school if you have never tried it.

6) It’s an expensive hobby, and an expensive path to a career pilot. Is the expense worth the freedom to fly above the earth-bound mortals? That’s for you to decide.
 
woodchucker said:
2) I’m a teacher and love my job. Flying is a hobby for now but my goal is to get my commercial license at least and see what happens from there.
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Since you love teaching then have you considered that flight instructing might be a good part time career choice for you.?? The best instructors I had were former teachers.
 
woodchucker said:
6) It’s an expensive hobby, and an expensive path to a career pilot. Is the expense worth the freedom to fly above the earth-bound mortals? That’s for you to decide.
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Yes, but I think the important thing to keep reminding the general public is that general aviation is not exclusively (or even mainly) a rich-person's playground—we all know that here in the forum, but we don't always manage to get the message out.

It's true that it's hard to avoid spending $10–12K to get your PPL, but when your neighbours are spending $50K/year to send their kids to study literature or history at higher-end U.S. universities, it's not that ridiculous. Once you have your license, you can buy a share in a simple Cessna 150 or Piper PA-28-140 for, maybe, $10K, and if there are two other partners to split the fixed expenses (and no one is trying to do a glass refit or win a best-paint contest), you might manage to fly a moderate amount for $5,000/year, which is less than it costs to own a second car. Simple, VFR recreational flying doesn't require that you be a doctor or investment banker — it's fully in reach for a moderately-successful truck driver, plumber, or office clerk.

Cheers, David
 
Luck said:
Hi Kath thank you for your response...Just out of curiosity what field of Academia are you in?

For the point you brought up in number 4, I will say that I feel like I can qualify for a category 3 medical license which is what is needed for a PPL in Canada. I am not colour blind, have no problems with my heart, I don't have seizures or any neurological issues for that matter, I do wear glasses but from what I have read up on that is no longer an issue. The only problem I will run into is that I have had ADHD since I was 8 years old. I did go quite a long time without treating it, mostly because my GP felt the diagnosis was not accurate at the time and when I started needing glasses when I was 14 she said something like "Well that was the issue the whole time, ADHD was not a problem". Unfortunately, I did get a second opinion when I was 18 or 19 and I got a new diagnosis and started taking meds for it. Apparently, I can still qualify for a category 3 license if I spend a certain amount of times without taking meds and have my GP attest to that, and I feel that for the most part I can get by without them. My ADHD is not on the more severe end of the spectrum cuz I am able to drive a car just fine without taking meds....Something that is a challenge for people with more severe cases and I feel that if my GP and my school teachers when I was growing up were not convinced that I have ADHD, its not something I need to be too worried about. The only issue I have with it is in a classroom setting. If I have to spend ground school in a classroom setting where I need to be reading textbooks, going to classes and taking written exams, it will be a lot harder to do without ADHD meds and I feel I wouldn't perform as well. So that is the conundrum I face....Any advice?
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I suspect the ADHD diagnosis and related meds will be a tougher challenge than learning to fly. I hope the Canadian system is more accommodating in this regarding.
 
1) Why did you become a pilot?
No one in my family flew so that is weird. A great friend who flew F-105's in Vietnam and later F-15's always told me I should do it. I balked. Then I met my wife (pilot). Family delays. Her mentor was also a Vietnam Pilot (Army). Those guys are awesome! So I was able to absorb a lot (no not anything combat, just stick and rudder and a crap ton of common sense). Now I just think...why the hell didn't I take lessons right after my military time. Probably like most people here, give us an hour or two and we're gonna go flying unless the wx sucks.

2) What do you like and what do you dislike about your job (Or just about your trade if you are a private pilot)?
Chief Engineer making industrial vision and safety devices. Sometimes product development cycles get a bit long (1-2yrs) but otherwise, getting paid to design and create stuff you can actually hold in your hands and is used just about anywhere in the world is awesome.

3) What was flight school like? How much studying was involved?
Lots of direct Q&A with my friend and my wife gave me a much more realistic take one what being a private pilot would be like. That is priceless. I did the John &* Martha King series for ground school (took about 2-3 wks during evenings). My first CFII (UPS Pilot) re-enforced a lot of it before and after flights. In college E&M Physics, EE Transmission Line Theory, Diff Eq's, Solid State Physics (Quantum stuff) and CS Automata (400 series) were all 100x more difficult than anything aviation when it comes to the written or studying. Learning to land was mentally more challenging...and more rewarding than all of those :)

4) Is there a reason the medical requirements for a commercial license are so stringent? I have seen some pilots say that some of them are unreasonable, do you agree or disagree?
I'm only a PPL and 3rd class seems pretty relaxed so defer to the professionals on how reasonable.

5) Would you recommend that an enthusiast like myself go out and get their private pilot license or does the high cost make it not worth it?
Lets use the number $200. In aviation you won't do anything for less than that. A headset costs 3x or 5x that. A hamburger run will come close to that. Any lesson or flight rental will easily exceed that. So I highly recommend you spend $200 and fly a first hour with a CFI. Just go for a ride. You'll have a window seat and an aisle seat and there will no flight attendant to ask you to close the window :) Then when you land you will have a much better idea! Do this on a nice summer evening or a smooth calm winter day. Do whatever the CFI lets you do. Fly it from the left seat. Be overwhelmed. Be a bit afraid or scared. If you are hooked you'll just need about 50 more of those $200 bills LOL! But you will find a way. Its like a drug only more expensive.

6) Anything else you think a newbie like me should know?
Take that flight no matter what. Have that first small plane experience. But DO NOT move any farther until you have your medical sorted out. The last thing you want is to do is be ready to solo (probably after about $2000...$3000) only to find out you can not without the medical.
 
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