Where are our INGO pilots?

[indykid]

Got my ticket a few centuries ago or at least if feels like it. Rated in little stuff like Cessna 150, 150, 172, 172HP and Piper Cherokee 140. Also have multi time in Cessna Skymaster and Aerocommander Shrike. Also have my A&P and got a few hours in customer craft I worked on but don't really remember types other than they were thrilled when the mechanic offered to test fly their bird after a repair!

Does time in a Space Shuttle simulator count???

 

[Benny]

I will, once we are making enough money to go flying again

Yeah, I hear it isn't exactly a cheap affair.

My buddy's Dad has been building planes for sometime, but if you only knew how much this guy Jerry rigs and cuts corners, you'd want to get a thick roof for fear he may be flying over you one day...I'm sure he's a competent pilot, but I will not be going up in a plane with him.

 

[Vince49]

ATP MEL, COM SEL,ROTORCRAFT HELICOPTER,INSTRUMENT HELICOPTER, CFII Mu 300,BE 400 15,872 hours. Retired, then two years later, lost medical due to MI. It was fun for many years, but I think I burned out too. Tired of getting up at 03:00 to go beat the ice and snow off of the aerobeast to fly to somewhere I did not particularly want to go to begin with.

PS: Seems like the fools I worked for for nearly thirty years (two companies) always wanted to fly to Toronto in February and St. Augustine in August!

PPS: Favorite aircraft definitely the Army OH-6, "LOACH"! Especially in combat! Most fun I ever had with my clothes on!! After that everything else was kind of boring including the jets, maybe that's why I burned out early.

 

[DragonGunner]

Powererd Parachute pilot for about 6 years, two seater Buckeye Dream Machine.
I bought it new an put it together. Had about 80 hrs. It was great, but would of been better if I had a better place to fly, sold it a few years ago. I think someday I will get another. It had always been a dream to fly as a kid...an to fly over the lakes an swamps I grew up around an look down was awesome. I like the fact you could fly low at slow speed an really see things, it was a easy way to fly from a great instructor by the name of "Hoppy" up at Walkerton.

 

[BE Mike]

No longer flying. Commercial SEL, MEL, Rotorcraft Helicopter, Instrument in all. Was a CFII. Logged over 10,000 PIC. About half in FW and the other half in RW. Kept flying for a while (renting) after retiring as a pilot, but the expense overrode the fun factor. My favorite aircraft to fly are the Piper PA-18 and AS 350B.

 

[Yeah]

Zenith CH 750, built mostly by me.

200 or so hours.

 

[TRWXXA]

ATP w/ Fk27 and ATR42/72 types. CFI, Instrument, Multi-engine, and Glider. ~7k hours.

 

[Avi8tor]

ATP w/ Fk27 and ATR42/72 types. CFI, Instrument, Multi-engine, and Glider. ~7k hours.

Judging by the type ratings, I take it you fly for Mountain Air Cargo?

 

[Tactical Dave]

I fix you fly..........

I have known at least one CFII that did not know what basic flight controls did....

After working in commerical aircraft long enough I have to desire to fly at a commercial level....... with the people I have seen flying in the GA stuff I don't have a huge desire to fly those also.

Some GA work under my belt, 727-200 freighters, 737-2/3/400's, all mostly heavy check. I Have a desk job now working with ERJ 145's, EMB 170's/75'd/190's......... I love the new stuff compared to the old school stuff.


I have allways felt that every person that flies should get some glider time... to many pilots that panic and think the A/C will fall like a rock when the engine(s) quit....... Statisticly your chances of survival go way up with glider training last I heard.

 

[MattCFII]

I fix you fly..........

I have known at least one CFII that did not know what basic flight controls did....

After working in commerical aircraft long enough I have to desire to fly at a commercial level....... with the people I have seen flying in the GA stuff I don't have a huge desire to fly those also.

Some GA work under my belt, 727-200 freighters, 737-2/3/400's, all mostly heavy check. I Have a desk job now working with ERJ 145's, EMB 170's/75'd/190's......... I love the new stuff compared to the old school stuff.


I have allways felt that every person that flies should get some glider time... to many pilots that panic and think the A/C will fall like a rock when the engine(s) quit....... Statisticly your chances of survival go way up with glider training last I heard.

That's like saying you prefer to ride with truck/bus drivers since they are more professionally trained, have less accidents, and better maintenance than regular car drivers.

I know where you are coming from there are bad CFIs out there, just like their are bad airline pilots and A&Ps. A bad CFI is never good but shouldn't speak for the all of that part of the industry.

I have just about enough glider time to get my Commercial (need to finish that up). I agree with what you are saying, glider flight is fun and brings a lot of skills to the table. At the same time, engine out procedures are flight 101 and they should be taught well enough to become ingrained into second nature and then habitually practiced. People should be able to do it without the glider training, but that training would make them more confident.

 

[Tactical Dave]

That's like saying you prefer to ride with truck/bus drivers since they are more professionally trained, have less accidents, and better maintenance than regular car drivers.

I know where you are coming from there are bad CFIs out there, just like their are bad airline pilots and A&Ps. A bad CFI is never good but shouldn't speak for the all of that part of the industry.

I have just about enough glider time to get my Commercial (need to finish that up). I agree with what you are saying, glider flight is fun and brings a lot of skills to the table. At the same time, engine out procedures are flight 101 and they should be taught well enough to become ingrained into second nature and then habitually practiced. People should be able to do it without the glider training, but that training would make them more confident.

The main reason I would not want to fly for a living is because I see what the life is like.... people that are not in aviation tend to think it is a glamorous life and you get to see all this coll stuff and in reality it is mostly airports and crash pads....... I figure the long haul wide body crews have it better but I don't know.

I like flying personally, have known some REALLY good private pilots and some REALLY scary ones..... with my airline we have some REALLY good left seaters and some that want to drive you nuts it seems.

In my opinion the vast majority of mechanics and pilots are good...

I agree that engine out is 101 but how many regularly practice things like that? Just curious honestly...... I am sure that stuff is done on the check rides in the sims and stuff but I have lost track on how often the commerical guys and gals have to do that.

 

[Digital_photog]

Private, Instrument, SEL, PPC, Balloon, 700+ hours.
former owner of a Cessna C177. Current owner of a Buckeye Dream Machine
2 seat PPC. Have flown many different aircraft. One of my current favorites is the Rans S7. There is a video on youtube which has a short clip of me flying it at the Light Sport Aircraft Show last year in Mt, Vernon, IL

 

[Principal Skinr]

Private, single engine, 100 hours, Piper Archer II, also Cessna 182 on floats. I haven't flown left seat in a long time due to $$$. I fly right seat mostly now with friends.

Two favorite memories, because they are a tie for first: My mom and dad were in a horrible car accident during my sophomore year in high school. They had hospital beds in our family room, and my sister and I took care of them for several months, including emptying bed pans, which was particularly gross for a 16 year-old. When recovered, my dad took me to Eagle Creek airport, introduced me to a flight instructor, and then plunked down a bunch of money to start flying lessons. That was one of the greatest surprises of my life. (My dad was super frugal with money, so seeing him plunk down that money was a surprise in and of itself! He grew up during the depression.)

The second one was on a snowy/icy day, I was doing touch and go practice with my instructor, (I think I was 17 at the time), and he told me to taxi to the FBO. He got out, said, "You are ready--now do it like you've been doing it!" I was scared, but also excited. Then I realized my dad nor anyone else in my family was there to witness my first solo. I was really disappointed, because I considered it a huge deal. I did about 5 perfect landings, (Not bragging--just telling it like it was!) which made me even more disappointed nobody was there to see it. Then, on the last takeoff, I looked down and saw my dad standing next to my instructor! When I taxied up to park, my dad had a huge grin on his face.

I was a pretty good kid, but never really did anything special to stand out. This was really special because I could see the pride in my dad's face. I'll never forget it!

 

[Principal Skinr]

Private, single engine land, little over 100 hrs, PIC in Cessna 152, 172, PA-28-161, Arrow, Aeronica Champ. I worked at three different FBO's in Florida, one somewhat infamous which was a uncontrolled field and much more personable level, Great time, Some hands on with Annuals and 100 hr inspections, My instructor was a lady from Anderson, I knew many owners that offered rides or hands on experience in several models or interesting aircraft like the Globe Swift or a aerobatic ride in a Decathalon. Who owns the Christen EagleI see fllying from time to time?

If you are talking about Hendricks Co. airport, I don't know his name, but you can purchase rides, and I think he'll let you take the controls for some aerobatics. I've thought many times about doing it, but my wife has put a giant veto on it.

 

[TRWXXA]

Judging by the type ratings, I take it you fly for Mountain Air Cargo?

Maybe. Or maybe I fly for Empire, or Corprate.

.... people that are not in aviation tend to think it is a glamorous life and you get to see all this coll stuff and in reality it is mostly airports and crash pads....... I figure the long haul wide body crews have it better but I don't know.

+1

The average person probably still has the 1960s-era vision of aviation in their heads -- happy-go-lucky flight crews, galavanting through Europe on 3-day layovers, with pretty, young flight attendants at their side. The reality is that you're damn lucky if you get 9 hours off in the Little Rock Ramada after a 5-leg, 16-hour duty day before you have to show up at 0530 and do it all over again. And the pretty, young flight attendants of the 1960s are probably the exact same women who are slinging Cokes and peanuts in the aisles today... YIKES!!!

 

[Tactical Dave]

Maybe. Or maybe I fly for Empire, or Corprate.


+1

The average person probably still has the 1960s-era vision of aviation in their heads -- happy-go-lucky flight crews, galavanting through Europe on 3-day layovers, with pretty, young flight attendants at their side. The reality is that you're damn lucky if you get 9 hours off in the Little Rock Ramada after a 5-leg, 16-hour duty day before you have to show up at 0530 and do it all over again. And the pretty, young flight attendants of the 1960s are probably the exact same women who are slinging Cokes and peanuts in the aisles today... YIKES!!!

I need to find the clip on youtube of the (I think Contenental) crew scheduling skit..... it's halarious for those that know commercial aviation lingo...

There are still some hot flight attendants and pilots....... some...... but half of them allways look half awake because they are...

What also drives me nuts is people that think GA flying and flying for a living are the same thing...... with one you can fly when and were you want, with the other you can not.

I am pretty sure the wide body long haul people get some nice lay overs from time to time but all of them are old.....

There was a thing on PBS about the colagan air crash a year or so back and they guy doing the story said something like "I am a pilot and fly so I know a lot about this subject" (talking about commercial flying)..... I about fell out of my chair laughing as he climbed out of his Piper.......

Whats really great is when you end up with red eye flights and your off duty time is during the day, then the next day it is at night...... no such thing as a 9-5 in commercial. Granted at least with my company you can eat up the OT if you want quite often.......

Lets not forget the commute times that don't count agianst your duty.... if you are living in say LAX and are based out of say LGA and to start your trip you have to commute to LGA and it takes you 4 hours to get there..... your day is just starting and chances are you have been at the airport and flying at least a combined hours......

I have seen a few people that live in DEN and are based in say ORD...

Then at the end of your trip you might get lucky and be able to get flight that you are working back to the place you live and just go home from there... but 9 times out of 10 you will have to commute from say ORD back to DEN and who knows how long it will take you to get back home....

Sorry..... not for me. Yeah you could move to that base but aviation is not stable enough for me to do that.....

 

[TRWXXA]

There was a thing on PBS about the colagan air crash a year or so back and they guy doing the story said something like "I am a pilot and fly so I know a lot about this subject" (talking about commercial flying)..... I about fell out of my chair laughing as he climbed out of his Piper.......

That sounds like that former NTSB investigator, Greg Feith. What a self-aggrandizing tool. I used to work with an Embry-Riddle grad who worshipped the dirt Feith sifted through. He was just as insufferable too.

For those who may not know who Greg Feith is, just imagine World's Wildest Police Chases host, John Bunnell, working in aviation.

 

[50bmgshooter]

Private pilot-Ercoupe,PT-19,CJ-6 Nanchang,Super Cub, J-3 Cub, Citabria, Cessna 150,170,190, Navion. and an hour of ride time in a P-51 Mustang. Logged time about 300. Unlogged....maybe 100 or so more.

 

[Tactical Dave]

I used to work with a guy that did engine swaps/upgrades on GA stuff, drug runner conversions on Pipers, all sorts of stuff........ Said they droped a big engine in a piper cub once......... thats scary haha.

That sounds like that former NTSB investigator, Greg Feith. What a self-aggrandizing tool. I used to work with an Embry-Riddle grad who worshipped the dirt Feith sifted through. He was just as insufferable too.

For those who may not know who Greg Feith is, just imagine World's Wildest Police Chases host, John Bunnell, working in aviation.

The name sounds right........ from what I have seen most of the fed's and NTSB are all pretty cool down to earth people...... I hear some are not though.... like those that have no real previous flying of maintenance experiance........ like someone that worked GA and then ends up doing ramp checks on the big boys......

 

[tk6968]

I have no license. I took a few lessons back in the early 70s. About 20 hours, Cessna 150, Cessna 182, and Pipier Cherokee.