Reading through the last few posts, there has been some great advice given for those interested in choosing a career in aviation. I learned to fly using steam gauges, and later in my career moved to glass. It is funny, one of the first things you loose with glass gauges is your scan, suddenly all of your information is found in one source. Lose that source and you are suddenly back to steam gauges, and scanning becomes paramount once again. During my last airline interview I was asked if I could draw the hydraulic and electrical schematic for the last two airplanes I flew. I asked which they wanted first, started drawing immediately and after a couple of minutes was told that was more than enough. That got me into the simulator check. Low and behold, it had no glass, but rather, steam gauges. With a good scan, it is amazing how simple life can be for you. I have been flying electric jets now for the past 18 years, but when or if it all fails, the steam gauges will still bring me home, God willing.
Not too fond of the Airbus myself, although we have them, I prefer and fly Boeings.
you can get 172's now with glass even..
+1, you should hear the "kids" these days starting out flying G1000 glass.
With a good scan, it is amazing how simple life can be for you. I have been flying electric jets now for the past 18 years, but when or if it all fails, the steam gauges will still bring me home, God willing.
While I do know he needs money, as CFI's are poorly paid in my opinion, he will get plenty from me getting me current in the airplane. Heck, Im even paying him cash and just going for some "joy rides" with him to save me money and make him more. It annoys me that the school charges $47 an hour for a CFI and then I find out he is only getting $12 an hour of that. Sorry, but that doesn't sit well with me. I remember when I had to instruct for a period when I made $11 or $12 an hour and the school charged $23 or something for the CFI. I wasn't happy about that, but $47 an hour??? Where is that extra money going?
Pure profit to the FBO. As an A&P it always made me sick to see how much we at the FBO paid for a part, and how much mark up there was to the customer. Usually "the boss" would mark a part up triple MSRP. And since the part had to be FAA certified, there was nothing the A/C owner could do but pay it.
I don't know a thing about the side sticks, ours are all A300's. I am sure they are nice airplanes, I just prefer Boeings, being the creature of habit that I am. We converted our DC-8's to EFIS long ago, and that was my introduction. It is truly amazing the automation that is standard today vs yesteryear. It is all good, but that being said, I find some degree of comfort knowing that the standby instruments are analog, and I know how to use them.
Yeah, I know. It sucks. I had to order a video from Sportys about the G-1000 to learn the thing. The CFI said he could teach me easily, but I am not going to spend a ton of $$$ on him teaching me on the ground when I can watch a video and read some material while eating dinner and relaxing at home. Video was MUCH cheaper than the CFI's time.
While I do know he needs money, as CFI's are poorly paid in my opinion, he will get plenty from me getting me current in the airplane. Heck, Im even paying him cash and just going for some "joy rides" with him to save me money and make him more. It annoys me that the school charges $47 an hour for a CFI and then I find out he is only getting $12 an hour of that. Sorry, but that doesn't sit well with me. I remember when I had to instruct for a period when I made $11 or $12 an hour and the school charged $23 or something for the CFI. I wasn't happy about that, but $47 an hour??? Where is that extra money going?
Yeah, CFI pay is ridiculous. I made more per flight hour my first CFI jobs in and just out of college than I do now. The crazy thing is that I'm now a career instructor (or at least trying to be) since I love instructing and teaching. I make it work by teaching ground classes at the secondary and college level. I couldn't depend on my CFI pay to float me through the summer this year like I used to be able to.Pure profit to the FBO. As an A&P it always made me sick to see how much we at the FBO paid for a part, and how much mark up there was to the customer. Usually "the boss" would mark a part up triple MSRP. And since the part had to be FAA certified, there was nothing the A/C owner could do but pay it.
Yeah, I know. It sucks. I had to order a video from Sportys about the G-1000 to learn the thing. The CFI said he could teach me easily, but I am not going to spend a ton of $$$ on him teaching me on the ground when I can watch a video and read some material while eating dinner and relaxing at home. Video was MUCH cheaper than the CFI's time.
While I do know he needs money, as CFI's are poorly paid in my opinion, he will get plenty from me getting me current in the airplane. Heck, Im even paying him cash and just going for some "joy rides" with him to save me money and make him more. It annoys me that the school charges $47 an hour for a CFI and then I find out he is only getting $12 an hour of that. Sorry, but that doesn't sit well with me. I remember when I had to instruct for a period when I made $11 or $12 an hour and the school charged $23 or something for the CFI. I wasn't happy about that, but $47 an hour??? Where is that extra money going?
With the 1500 hour rule coming into effect down in the next couple years, it's not going to get any better. It seems the Regionals and electronic check transfers have taken a lot of the entry level charter/cargo jobs away from even early on in my shorter career (but then again I haven't really be looking for those jobs lately). There will be even more of an overload of CFIs for awhile.
Dont move to the majors until the guys at the majors are talking about how secure everything is!