Airplane Meets Flock Of Geese

As you can see from this photo, this A-36 Bonanza landed safely after flying into a flock of geese over Louisiana en rout to Dallas Love Field.

This airplane sustained thousands of dollars worth of damage however and was down for several weeks while the leading edges of the wings on both sides of this airplane were replaced. You can see the blood stained antenna and windshield fairings that told the potentially dangerous story of an impact with our winged friends.

What this airplane did was fly daily through migratory flight paths at fairly low level increasing the potential of an in-flight meeting. Generally private and even commercial pilots fly their entire career with never  impacting birds as it should be but there are times when it does happen. In this instance our pilot was shaken but even with the damage to the leading edges of the wings he said it flew and handled normally. That says something for that robust wing under the fuselage and control harmony of the venerable Bonanza.

If you ever encounter a bird strike you will know it. I have had my experience learning to fly in Redding California. Departing Redding Muni on a hot summer day I had just pulled the wheels free of runway 34 in a Cherokee 140 and heard a loud bang. Looking at the instruments everything looked steady and the noise came from under the plane so I continued with the flight. Upon landing we discovered some feather material on an oleo strut. It was  bird strike but it was very noticeable.

These things happen in the life and career of a pilot and for those who wish to fly here is a good private pilot course to use.  
Click Here!

I was in the Civil Air Patrol when I was a kid and in that operation we learned a lot, like how to read aircharts, weather charts, and aircraft performance. By the time were old enough the instructors said we would know enough to pass our private pilot exam. Well, our club stopped after a while but I tried to take the exam without studying much and failed the first time. I wish I had this course it would have saved a lot of time and money.

I eventually passed the private exam and went on with my instrument and if I can do it, you can too. You do have to apply yourself and you do have to study but thousands do it every year so if you are a budding pilot itching to dawn your wings, do it now.
 Click Here!

A Visit To Pensacola Naval Air Museum

If you ever have the chance to visit the upper panhandle of Florida, you owe it to yourself to spend a day to visit the National Naval Air Museum situated in Pensacola Florida.

I have to say this is the most impressive air museum I have ever seen and if you decide to visit, wear some comfy shoes, carry extra memory for the camera, and plan on spending the entire day. And another thing, It's free.

When I said plan on the entire day I mean it. It is massive and there are other displays beyond airplanes. There are also information videos and movies that show airplanes and pilots in action.

Each static display looks like a work of art. You can tell that some very dedicated people spent a lot of time working metal, polishing aluminum, and building the perfection that is on exhibit there.

The photo on the right is of the venerable PBY or known as the Catalina. This Naval patrol airplane spent hundreds of thousands of hours lumbering in the sky and around the clouds searching for enemy vessels from Europe to the Philippines. 

Designed by Isaac Laddon it first flew in March of 1935 and was enlisted in the US Navy, The Royal Air Force, The Royal Canadian Air Force, the Australian Air Force, and the US Army Air Force, A total of about 3300 were built and a handful are still flying today. 

This airplane could only cruise at about 125 mph. but had a range of over 2500 miles depending upon winds and could stay aloft over 20 hours. That is amazing.

Stepping into this museum is stepping back in time. Although the artifacts are old they appear as it they just rolled out of the paint hanger at the manufacturer with the exception of a few dog eared examples such as this P-40 Warhawk. Now that is what I recall it as being, but this airplane flew for a number of different countries and may have had a separate designation, but the shark mouth is distinctive to this airplane alone.

Although I didn't capture them all, in this photo to the right there is an entire formation of A-4 Shyhawks that made up an entire Navy Blue Angles Flight team.

Appearing in a wing tip to wing tip formation it is an impressive sight to see a formation of airplanes suspended in flight.

There are WW1 displays and airplanes of that era. There is a section of small town Main Street USA as it was in the early part of the century with life as it appeared back then. There is a section of an aircraft carrier and trappings of life on board.


I know I have some readers who are across the pond and I wish to extend a favor to you. If you ever make it over here for a vacation or to visit relatives or friends work hard to get to Pensacola and The Nation Naval Air Museum, you will be amazed.

If you are in the Northern part of the USA, check out the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton Ohio. again, this would be an all day affair because there is so much to take in. For Pilots, or aviation lovers Pensacola and Dayton are two destinations one must see at least once and of course, we can't forget the EAA Fly in at Oshkosh Wisconsin each year though this is more of a gathering  of general aviation enthusiasts.

The United States is huge. I have spent many hours in small planes bouncing through the heat thermals in summer and crossing hundreds of miles of snow covered and beautiful landscape in winter and it is easy to understand why aviation is so huge here. We can't hop a train and be in another country in a matter of an hour or two. Aviation was driven by necessity and a free spirit to expand ones imagination into reality.

Pilots are few. In the USA today there are 618,660 total licensed pilots as opposed to 827,000 in 1979 when all the Viet Nam era pilots emerged. 618,660 is but a fraction of the population and is even less in foreign countries where governments and ill advised politicians have made flying an unnecessarily expensive proposition.

But, you can get the ground work done with little expense, a PC, some software, a Joy Stick, and a passion to fly.    

Pilot Shortage Going Into Overdrive

The Wall Street Journal Reported today the extensive Pilot Shortage about to hit the aviation industry. Already, the Pacific Rim and Asia have been training pilots in a furious attempt to keep their Airlines staffed. Most of the training is here in The United States because it is still less expensive to train here than overseas and the real world aviation theater is here too with all kinds of weather and traffic.

Several factors are driving this shortage and here they are. The government in a knee jerk reaction to a plane crash mandated that pilots who fly in the right seat or as co-pilot needs to have 1500 hours which is the required time for an ATP rating.  I have some airline contacts that have said they have many co-pilots with thousands of hours flying 737-767-757-MD88 that have no ATP. Many have not even taken the ATP written! I was amazed by that but there are a lot of pilots that are now looking to get their ATP.

These hours are very expensive and hard to come by when 100LL aircraft fuel is about $6.00 a gallon and a lowly C-172 burns around 10 gallons an hour. A Sirrus and high performance aircraft will burn closer to 14 GPH  and up. Then when you advance into a twin Seneca or Seminole you can almost double those numbers. 

Cost. The expense of getting the flying time and training is horrendous due to the above. I remember feeling exuberant when I was able to buy avgas in Tucumcari and paid $1.33 a gallon in 1992 on a cross country flight. The cost to get an ATP now will take much longer and the ab-intro training will certainly more.

Pay. Pilots starting out in the aviation industry qualify for food stamps, welfare, section 8 subsidized housing and would be better off living at home with mom and dad until they were a couple years into the game or even in the left seat. A majority of these guys and gals have some kind of degree and many select to work in another avocation where they can stay home each night and and can afford to have a place to live and dump the airline life.

It is an odd situation. Many or most commuter airlines are represented by ALPA. These commuter pilots fly more routs, more crumby hours, closer to the ground, in dicey weather and into smaller airports and are paid a fraction of what the major pilots are paid. The commuter pilot is abused and the unions seems fine with that. I am amazed that these pilots flying similar and in many cases better and more complex equipment than legacy airline equipment but are treated like dirt.

I will say that the equipment side is clearly good although most commuter airplanes are ramped up executive jets. 

I feel that there will need to be a compromise somewhere. Boeing had orders for over 900 737-800s and others on the books with no end in sight so flight crews are going to be needed like crazy.

If you have a wish to fly get busy now.          

Joe Pilot Bomber Jacket!

Bomber Jackets on sale now!

What is a pilot without his A2 Flight Jacket! This leather replica of the renown US Army Air Force is of a smooth leather with cuffed wrist and waist bands. This beautiful Bomber Jacket is emblazoned with an Aviators Wings on the inside patch and the US Flag at your back. The style and wear of these Bomber  Jackets are truly timeless.

• Men's Air Force A-2 Flight Leather Bomber Jacket
  Price:     $149.99 - $179.99  
•  
• Leather Jackets that were originally issued were of Horse Hide and had a different texture. A bit stiffer, but the idea behind the A2 Leather Bomber jacket was to cut the wind from the open cockpit planes that came into military service in the 1930s. Several different hides were used from Horse, Cow, and Goat Skin. The differences between Horse and Cow hides were few but Goat Skins are a bit more supple.

The original Mil. Spec. The U.S. Army Air Forces listed the A-2 as "Jacket, Flying, Type A-2," with Spec. No. 94-3040. It also describes the jacket materials as, "seal brown horsehide Leather, knitted wristlets and waistband." Sizes were from 32 through 54.  
__________________________________________________________________________________


Another needed tool in the cockpit to stay organized is the iPad2. Download all your charts and do away with all those bulky charts. You can plan a flight,check the weather, and file your flight plan from this single tool. You just need to load up the proper software.


Garmin, ForeFlight, and WingX are software suppliers offering chart and other services.

Pilot Hiring Boom Enabled-Update

It's on.  A USA Today article stated publicly what we in the industry already know. The pilot shortage is beginning to be felt in the industry.

FEDEX is hiring, Alaska, ASA, Eagle, and many others are opening the pipeline. Although the commuters are and have been the stepping stone to the majors, many of these pilots are opting for the Asian Pacific ring to fly. It isn't the skies over the USA but the pay can be very lucrative.



Don't limit your imagination and options. Look at other locals for flying opportunities but you have to start. Do it, do it now. Start learning how to fly. To get your pilots license you still need 40 hours flying time. 20 dual and 20 solo. I did it over 33 years ago and so can you. It took me a couple years but determination drove me through it.

My suggestion is to talk to an airline flight department and find out exactly what they are looking for and set your sights there. You will be much more successful if you have a plan.

6/23/2011 Update;

Boeing stated today that there has been a lot of pilot sniping, where airlines have been recruiting pilots from other airlines. Also, based upon aircraft orders and replacement data, there will be a need for almost 459,000 pilots over the next 30 years. This is due to retirements, regulations, Asian Pacific expansion, and general International growth. That's a lot of pilots needed.   

Go Corporate, Fly A LearJet

On very dark, early, cold and windswept mornings I was in charge of the launch of about 8 airplanes that launched from the center of Dallas Love field to points as far away as Salt Lake City. The Salt lake crew would fire up one engine to get the airplane warmed up for the flight. I could stand about 40 to 50 feet behind the that engine and remain warm as toast and watch as the other Barons, Bonanzas, and others departed. Even though the temperature was hovering in the teens, that big kerosene heater kept me warm until they throttled up to taxi out.  

It was my job to quickly handle any anomaly that arose so we could meet our delivery deadlines. Sometimes I had to pull a backup airplane out of the hangar, swap planes, reroute, or pull and ship our freight or even call a charter to meet our hectic schedule. There was little room for error. We flew checks. Money. Cash and financial instruments of money in the hundreds of millions of dollars from points across the country.

Our piston airplanes were rolling through C-check inspections about every 90 days. That is 300 hours of flying. In a C-check, the airplane is pulled apart and looks like it will never fly again. But the mechanics replaced cracked cylinders, missing baffling, cleaned spark plugs, and inspected the wing box and other parts for cracks. Timed components like fuel systems, mags, prop governors and propellers were replaced or overhauled and returned to service. You learn a lot about pilots and airplanes in an environment like that.

This industry of flying checks sadly is gone. But it was a perfect environment for smart and enthusiastic pilots to learn the craft and they did. I worked in flight operations and although I am a pilot my flying was relegated to Part 91 ferrying planes in and out for inspections or maintenance because I was not a commercial pilot. So, I handled pilot communications, manifests, scheduling maintenance, and other duties like trying to keep my aviation brothers out of trouble. Sometimes this was hard because there were a few pilots that did not have the work ethic and dedication to the craft of flying. An important part of that craft is paperwork and it didn't take me long to find out who the slackers were simply by reviewing their manifests.

There is a lot to do in aviation. If you want to fly, start now. Obama will be out of office soon and the economy will begin to recover from this malaise. What is recovering right now is Corporate flying. Today I watched as several Corporate Jets departed Addison Airport. One was a LearJet. That reminded me of  the early morning launch of that old Lear-24 and pilots that flew the late night arrival and early morning departure.

Corporate flying has many rewards. Most fly the best and better equipment than airlines. You have no specific schedule and spend downtime at some very cool Fixed Base Operators. I've been to dozens getting fuel, picking up or dropping off someone. It's a completely different environment than slogging in and out of Airline terminals. Often the pay and benefits are better than Regional's certainly and the flying is far less frenetic with fewer cycles of the landing gear.       
     

From A Cockpit Mockup

 

This is the front office of a Boeing 737-300 that was retired from the Southwest Airlines Stable. Southwest Airlines has grown to be one of the most formidable Airlines in the industry, Their plan was simple. Fly short routs to popular places with no frills service and a short turn-around at really cheap prices.

The original rout was from Dallas to Austin to San Antonio to Houston. Any city as long as it was one of these four was only $20 bucks one way. Southwest took off and never looked back. They used the exact same equipment to make training, maintenance, and logistics simple. 10 minute turn arounds were the norm. Things are a little different today since Southwest has acquired two other airlines.

In order to begin a climb to a cockpit similar to this one it all starts with the first flight. Start flying now.

"Do You Want To LEarn To Fly?"

It's time to fly! 

It isn't getting any cheaper and all indications are that a pilot shortage looms with  new regulations. 

One way to earn and learn is of course to teach. Learning from an operation like ATP you would likely be a candidate for an instructor position. Getting twin time is essential but just building time is required and PIC or Pilot In Command time is needed too.

PIC time is required because companies want pilot who have time learning and selecting their own decisions. This comes in the form of selecting best routs to avoid weather, carrying the proper weight which may mean leaving someone or something behind or selecting a better time or day to fly. The best outcome of each flight depends upon the decisions the PIC selects. Select the wrong decision and an overweight airplane can quickly become a sad statistic. 

If you have an endearing dream to fly for a living, start now. There are ways to earn and learn. The stepping stones may be expensive but if you look around there are some ways to get into aviation without spending the family fortune. 

During WW2 the German Airforce taught their pilots the basics in gliders. This was because they could haul several airplanes and instructors into the blue in the time it takes to instruct one pilot in a powered airplane. Learning good stick and rudder techniques was essential in airplanes of that day and even now. Gliders are one way of doing that. 


The first thing to do is get a plan together. Getting the written's like the Private Pilot Exam out of the way is necessary to get your Private Pilot License. But, you have to start. So, get going!

 

     

More Pilots Wanted!

Unless you've been living under a rock or do without internet, TV, or any other sort of media and are interested in aviation as a career Commercial Pilot, you are missing out.

Citation Air, a Fractional Charter operation run by Cessna has recalled all their furloughed pilots. Not all returned. Of about 80 plus pilots there are still over 30 vacant pilot slots with Citation ratings. The Citation aircraft are from the Citation CJ-3, the Citation XLS, The Sovereign, and the Citation X. The X is fast big boy of the fleet.

Of the pilots not going back to work for Citation air we could easily assume some were hired by other carriers or decided that degree seems to be paying better somewhere else. But, the majority going back to work there says something.

Fractionals and charters are flying gangbusters. They are expanding and buying more equipment to handle the demand. This only means that they will need, "more pilots" Although most growth of air traffic will be in the Pacific Rim, the US has seen consistent growth in traffic and here's why. People still have to travel across the US for business, vacation, visits friends, relatives for various reasons.

Take a trip from North Texas where I live to Redding California. I've flown that in my Cessna Cardinal before but lets talk about driving that same distance instead. To drive that trip would take about 36 plus hours with little sleep, about 1800 miles @ say 25 mpg average would take about $280 bucks worth of fuel one way.  I can get a flight with Southwest Airlines for $190 to $408 round trip!

So, aviation will always be in our future but do you want to be part of that future? As a pilot you will be needed. Aviation is still growing even in this economy. Fuel prices will come back down. Aviation will continue to expand so be ready for it.

I know that many flight students come from all over the world to learn to fly here in the US. The most prevalent reason is the cost. However, if you can learn to fly in our busy skies you can fly anywhere.

In Germany during WW2, Germany taught pilots to fly gliders first. This was because fuel was in short supply. But, in doing so they taught pilots that were very good indeed. They learned stick and rudder and energy management. Something few of us here in the US studied unless you ever watched Bob Hoover do his routine in an Aero Commander.

So, no matter where you live, there is aviation. To get started, go to an airport and talk to local pilots. Most pilots I know are happy to help their aviation brethren in some way. 

Notice! Potential Airline Pilots,

If you ever wanted to be an airline pilot, I can't explain how important it is to get going on your flying career right now. It isn't getting any cheaper and it will potentially be much harder in the future with new regulations in place.

There is word that funding for pilot training is drying up in major flight schools and the primary culprit is starting pay with commuter airlines. However, the commuter is the stepping stone to larger equipment and the reasons are obvious.

Commuter pilots fly longer hours, fly at lower altitudes, worse weather, make many more cycles of take offs and landings. Crew Resource Management (CRM) is paramount with the commuters and major airlines love commuter pilots for the reasons stated. They have a lot of experience with new nav systems and are familiar with glass cockpits. As a matter of fact, many pilots who have been hired by the majors are actually stepping down in navigational equipment as the legacy carriers have been hard pressed with global competition to upgrade the cockpit.

This is understandable with the older McDonnel Douglas DC-9 series and Boeing 737 series aircraft. The newer 717 was a technological leap in the cockpit but there are but a few of them. Boeing now owns Douglas and that will be the end of the nines, Super 80s, 88, and 90.

Now Embraer with their 170 Series carrying 76 seats and advanced cocpits are filling the void left by the early DC 9 and the 737-100 with an 85 seat capacity. The 737-100 was quickly followed up with the 200 which carried even more passengers and the demise of the "flight engineer" soon to be followed by the Boeing 727.

The point of this article is to hopefully instill a sense urgency in you. You that have a desire to fly. A burning desire to experience the vistas daily that few humans experience. To be part of a community that is rare, disciplined, professional, respected, and eventually, financially rewarding.

But, you need to start as early as possible.  

Yet Another Reason For A Pilot Shortage

Money. "Yep", funding for flight training across the globe has dried up. The romance of jetting all over the country spending time in exotic locals has lost it's luster. Flight training from Private Pilot to a Co-pilot slot on a commercial airliner be it corporate, commuter, or major airline, has become even more difficult as the fuel prices have risen and funding for training dried up. This full route could slice a $100,000 bill out of your savings account if you had it.

There are ways around it but be prepared to be away from home and become a flight instructor for some time. I know many that went this route but it is easier and less costly to just learn to teach and build time and experience from there. You should also consider getting flight simulator software to help you learn to fly before you fly.

When I started m instrument ticket I was able to program instrument flights around Dallas Ft. Worth and was able to learn frequencies and procedures before flying. Now, there is no substitute and nothing is like the real thing. Nor is anything more expensive. But, for less than $300 you can get some flight hardware and a couple different types of software to learn the basics that are also aircraft specific. You can at least learn approach speeds, performance rates, and instrument functionality.   

Fractionals To Start Hiring More Pilots

Fractional ownerships, that is companies that get tax preference for purchasing a portion of flight time in a business jet is growing fast. Companies are buying GulfStreams, Challengers, Cessnas, and others as airlines fall to government intervention.

Business has to keep rolling even in this economy. But, the Federal Government has levied fines against the airlines of thousands of dollars per passenger when they are stuck on the tarmac for over three hours. So, what is the airlines solution? Massive cancellations that's what.

We watched the first salvo this winter when the northeast got clobbered with snow. But, instead of trudging along trying to get as many aircraft, crews and passengers to their destinations the entire flight schedule was canceled in many cases. People were left stranded in airports for days, literally.

So, pilots are going to be needed to fill this market for sure adding to the decline of qualified pilots in the first place. If you are looking to get into aviation, this is a place to start. 


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Republic Said To Hire 100 Pilots in 2011

Republic, a commuter that flies for or under the United Banner has released a statement that they will be adding 100 pilots this year. The major legacy airlines are earning money for a change and the leaner airlines future seems brighter.

From some insiders, I know that the majors generally like to hire from the ranks of the regional carriers. The regionals are now going to require more hours which will make that market more competitive for sure. See below.
.
Required Education, Experience and Qualifications for EMB & ERJ Series:

• 2,000 hours Total Time (fixed wing)
• 500 MEL
• 100 Hours Instrument
• ATP Certificate
• 1st class Medical
• FCC restricted radio operators permit
• Valid Passport
• Authorization to work in the US and the ability to travel unrestricted in and out of the US
• Ability and willingness to work weekends, nights, holidays and overnight trips.
• Must maintain a well groomed and professional appearance
• Must be able to pass pre-employment fingerprint, background and drug testing
• Must possess excellent communication skills to include the ability to speak, read, and write English fluently.
• Accept that the Company will assign initial base according to the company's need and the seniority of the pilot in their initial training class.
•  

 Still, you will need basic training if you are starting from scratch. Click here.


   

Airline Profits Soar, Traffic Way Up!

Delta, Southwest, and others are showing serious profits as traffic has increased, or has it? Airlines have really been reducing capacity too which means fuller airplanes. Regionals that are left are showing gains as well. This bodes well for the industry now but what is down the road?

A scant few years ago the FAA adopted the fly till age 65 rule. Now, those 65 year olds are starting to retire and that 5 year additional flexibility will be ebbed away in a couple years. Add to that the new flight hour and rest rule makes for another serious pilot shortage.

On top of that the 1500 hour right seat or co-pilot qualification may well be adopted by congress and if it is "game on" for a real serious pilot shortage. Another cause of this shortage will be fewer military pilots and this is the big one, FLIGHT TRAINING IS REALLY EXPENSIVE!

Yep, the cost of flight training has kept thousands out of the market due to the cost of fuel and instruction. Long gone are the wet $24 dollar an hour Cherokee 140s and Cessna 150s. I recall paying $1.33 a gallon for some 100 LL at Tucumcari on my way out to California in my Cardinal. Just a good memory now.

But you can save on some basic training.  

Corporate Pilot Demand Increases

There are times when we know a perfect storm arises and we must all be aware. Today is the time for aspiring pilots to begin their quest to achieve that goal. With increased security measures, new pilot rest rules, reduced routes, full airplanes, possible increased pilot qualifications, and increased corporate travel the demand for pilots can only expand.

Start now if you have the desire to fly.

Demand For Pilots Expanding

Demand for pilots is expanding. With major airlines combining, pulling aircraft out of the desert, recalling pilots on furlough, making solid profits, a looming pilot shortage will be evident soon. Gulfstream announced recently that manufacturing of business jets looks real strong with new orders for business jets. This stands reasonable because of the insane security measures that the TSA has leveled on the traveling public.

Businessmen still need to travel frequently for meetings and to maintain personal relationships with customers. Airlines will always be busy with interstate and international family travel. All this bodes well for those interested in general and commercial aviation.

Flight training in the US is still the best and least expensive place to learn to fly. The US has adopted some International rules to fly by but the vast majority of air travel throughout the world today is within the borders of the United States. As a matter of fact, there are more departures and arrivals in a 24 hr. period in California alone than in many countries combined.

One reason for the vast amount of air travel in this country is our air traffic control system and the freedom to fly unencumbered. We as pilots do not have to pay air traffic control for each flight. These costs come from the general budget although many democrats are trying to destroy general aviation by mandating more charges for general aviation.

If you are interested in becoming a pilot you might want to check out this e-course for your private pilot training.

New FAA Regs Demand New Pilots, Airlines Expanding

FAA Regulations to Create Need For More Airline Pilots,Update

Update----recently the FAA had made a rule change that will go into effect in august of next year requiring airlines to provide air crews with 9 hours of rest instead of 8. This move alone will demand hundreds if not thousands of new pilots.

Senator Chuck Schumer is pushing hard to get the minimal flight time from 250 hours of CRM commercial ab-intro flight training ramped up to 1500 hours. 1500 hours is the minimal flight time, required for  for for an ATP (airline transport pilot). This is going to be a lot more difficult in today's flying environment. Fuel is very expensive as are rental rates with instructors. If you don't already have a bunch of hours racked up it's going to be difficult to get them. Most pilots go the flight instructor rout but that in itself will not produce enough pilots. But, the future is bright for aspiring pilots.


Further, American Airlines just pulled a couple hundred pilots out of furlough. Delta is pulling some airplanes out of the desert in wake of major profits.


What all this says is that if you want to be a pilot, START NOW. Hop over to joepilotecourse.com and listen to air traffic control to get a feel for air traffic. 

FAA Regulations to Create Need For More Airline Pilots,Update

Update----recently the FAA had made a rule change that will go into effect in august of next year requiring airlines to provide air crews with 9 hours of rest instead of 8. This move alone will demand hundreds if not thousands of new pilots.

Senator Chuck Schumer is pushing hard to get the minimal flight time from 250 hours of CRM commercial ab-intro flight training ramped up to 1500 hours. 1500 hours is the minimal flight time, required for  for for an ATP (airline transport pilot). This is going to be a lot more difficult in today's flying environment. Fuel is very expensive as are rental rates with instructors. If you don't already have a bunch of hours racked up it's going to be difficult to get them. Most pilots go the flight instructor rout but that in itself will not produce enough pilots. But, the future is bright for aspiring pilots.


The Colgan Air crash that unfortunately occurred in Buffalo a while back could be a benefit to aspiring airline pilots. What was developed quickly from records was that the Captain and Co-Pilot were tired from long duty periods and in the case of the co-pilot a long commute. Pilots are required to be on duty for 16 hours and at the end of that period they are off to the hotel to eat, sleep, and get ready for the next day. The 16 hour duty day includes 8 hours of flying rolled into waiting, sitting, or standing in an airplane or airport. Commuter pilots fly shorter routs performing more take offs and landing cycles. And, they do it in the weather closer to the ground.

What came from testimony from hundreds of Commuter Flight Crews following the crash was that more rest was needed between duty days. Imagine checking in at 05:30Am for a 6:00Am departure. You fly 6 or 7 legs that consume only 6 hours of flying time and you still have an hour plus 25 for yet another flight that departs at 8:00 that night arriving at 9:15 PM. 16 hours is a long day doing anything. The FAA has made a rule change and starting in August of next year the 8 hour rest period will be ramped up to 9 hours and there are some other issues about that.

The other significant rule change that may be in the offing has to do with pilot qualifications. In order to fly as Captain, the Captain is required to have an ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) rating that you can work for after you have 1500 hours into your logbook. All Airlines require that basic number and most majors require even more with turbine time. The CO-Pilot on the other hand is only required to have a Commercial rating which a Private Pilot can receive after 250 hours. Now, that 250 hours can be significant if all that time is within the confines of an Airline type training environment which many Ab-intro Flight Schools do. On the other hand again, some private pilots have flown a lot of hard IFR in their own airplanes and may have more real weather experience but lacking in crew resource management or CRM.

The FAA is open for discussion about this topic currently and has not formulated a decision yet. Knowing that there is a lot of expense behind flight training and building hours in an unpaid (I can vouch for that) flying environment the FAA is reluctant to issue tough rules that could hurt everyone. Having said that the FAA is looking at increasing the required flight time for Co-Pilot and possibly a Commercial Rating to 750 hours. There has even been discussion about bumping up requirements for Co-Pilot to the same rating as Captain just like the Major airlines do. The academics behind the new Co-Pilot requirements will be taken into consideration. 

Bottom line, if you ever wanted into the professional cockpit, hit the books and start working toward that goal NOW. Airlines are actually making money because they had cut back on equipment and schedules. Now all airplanes are packed full and some airlines are now pulling inventory out of desert storage. If you are interested in pilots salaries click here.

Regardless I'll be going over more as I work through this information and remember, if you want to fly you need to get through the private pilot written.
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Study, Study, Study!

I was really excited about getting my Private Pilot License. No one on my dad or mom's side of the family had ever learned to fly. So, if I was able to accomplish this I figured it would be really cool. I studied for the exam but I had received some basic pilot training while in the Civil Air Patrol and had flown some old WW11 simulators to get some stick and rudder time and was a bit overconfident. The Civil Air Patrol also taught me navigation and how aircraft navigation was relevant to finding downed airplanes. I was to find this did not qualify me to pass the exam. 

What I discovered after taking the exam was how much I did not learn. And that was because I didn't take the time to study hard enough and with the proper materials. I am my own worst critic and I was so angry at myself for flunking the exam I was inconsolable. It was at that moment I realized enthusiasm and an insatiable desire to fly did not qualify me to take the exam. Desire alone is not qualification and no matter how determined I was, without study, there was no way to pass the test.

So, here is what I did. I assembled everything I needed. My E-6B, a calculator, Plotter, VFR Charts, Aircraft Performance Manual and for that time it was for an old 1972 Cherokee 140. I purchased an Airman's Information Manual, FAA questions and answers and set to work. I blocked out my friends and even my girlfriend at the time to concentrate on one thing, passing the Private Pilot Exam. I studied, practiced, studied, plotted courses and studied, read the reg's and studied. I studied like a man possessed because I was. I had but one goal in mind. A private Pilots License.

So, what happened? It worked! I had slain the dragon that would harness me as a student pilot forever. Now I was able to pursue the fun stuff. The Flying.

Few things are more gratifying in life that accomplishing a goal. Set your goal and pass your exam.Click Here!

Passing Your FAA Written Exam

Passing your FAA Private Pilot Exam could possibly be the most difficult part of getting your Private Pilots License depending upon who you are. It was said during WWII that farm boys from west and midwest quickly adapted to a stuck and rudder from their experience running farm equipment. Farm equipment back then required a lot more fancy footwork, dexterity, and muscle to operate.

Navigation, especially dead reckoning has been around since the time of the first sail in sea. Dead reckoning is either short for an original acronym called "deduced reckoning" or "ded, reckoning" for short. Others think it was from a position being, "dead" in the water, dead level, dead even, dead ahead, and so on. Dead reckoning for pilots hasn't changed much and nor has the equipment used to figure it out. The old E-6B is fairly simple to use and requires no batteries. I have a small one in my flight case I've had for over 34 years. This is something you will need to master to figure speed, time, and distance considering winds aloft and mag variance.  

Aviating gets easier as time and experience goes by but in order to fly as a private pilot you have to pass the FAA exam. Well, actually you can fly solo after your first solo but you are still restricted by FBO, FAA, and insurance policy. So, concentrate on getting through that written exam and get that behind you so you can put that bookwork into practice. You will need it in everyday flying anyhow.

Some people can study and learn easily with little study and can't dance. Some people are great with a stick and rudder but have to study long and hard to get through material. I am one of those who has to study like crazy. One thing I have found useful however is to do what you just figured out over and over and over. Take weight and balance for example.

Weight x arm = moment is a formula used to figure weight and balance for airplanes and is something far too many pilots take for granted and don't run before flight. However, there are performance charts in the airplane that will help you. But, you have to learn it. It could be painfully evident if you don't learn it and bend a prop.

If you are one who procrastinates on studying you have to buckle down and do it. I sometimes went to the FBO and studied there because of the aviation environment.

The exam has 60 questions from a host of hundreds. You only need 70% to pass. That leaves a lot of room for failure. After you get through the exam you need to go over the areas you got wrong so you get 100% of the knowledge needed to fly. If the questions you missed were all weight and balance or weather interpretation, you could be an accident waiting to happen. So learn it all even if you got it wrong.