Commercial rating: Am I wrong here?

[gatt]

Hey, all. Looking for opinions here, and here's the situation:

ME: 240 hrs, PP-ASEL-IA, commercial student. I took out an aviation loan
to get my Instrument, Commercial and CFI back when I had nothing to lose,
having been laid off from my job and looking to change careers. Got my IA,
then got a full-time job which slowed me down, then got a better job. I now
make more money at entry level than I would as a commercial pilot or
bottom-rung ATP. On top of that, I'm on the second draft of a huge-ass
novel I've been working on for years, and recording my third album. I have
one-two hours of downtime at night to spend with my wife.

I continue to work on my commercial because I don't quit, because it's an
excuse to fly and to improve my skills, but because of my schedule in the
last couple of months I've only been able to fly about once or twice every
two weeks. The flight school hasn't said anything, but I get the vibe that
they're expecting me to wash out. One of the instructors seems frustrated
that I haven't finished up already.

Am I right-headed in thinking that I should stick it out, finish my
commercial and CFI on my own time? It's unrealistic to ditch a job for a
CFI position and a 65% pay cut but I still want to increase my proficiency
and expertise flying. I don't care if it costs me an extra thousand or two
in the long run.

Thoughts? I will not bail on my flight training, period, but it might take
me until late spring to finish CFI on my own time. Is this normal and
acceptable (in terms of safety) or am I one of GA's black sheep?

-c

[Jose]

> Am I right-headed in thinking that I should stick it out, finish my
> commercial and CFI on my own time? It's unrealistic to ditch a job for a
> CFI position and a 65% pay cut but I still want to increase my proficiency
> and expertise flying. I don't care if it costs me an extra thousand or two
> in the long run.

There is nothing wrong with continuing your training. That is a Good
Thing. It doesn't matter what your flight school thinks - they are
probably geared towards people whose goal is a commercial pilot job in
the near future. But that's not your goal.

You are doing fine. Keep going - at your pace. Live life on your terms.

Jose
--
He who laughs, lasts.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

[cwby-flyer]

I say - Go for it! There's no reason you can't be a part time CFI
afterwards. I tend to prefer those instructors who teach as a hobby to
those who are just building time towards a jet job.

Mike

[Guy Elden Jr]

You've already answered your own questions, but I think anybody who is
flying an hour or two every two weeks is doing more than most of the
doctor / lawyer pilots out there. Stay proficient, and keep up that
every 2 week pace after all the ratings are accomplished, and you'll be
alright.

--
Guy

[three-eight-hotel]

You are in a very similar position than I am! Nearly 300 hrs
PP-ASEL-IA...

I am absolutely passionate about flying and would love to do it as a
career, but have a great job, a wife and two kids and fly once or twice
every two weeks. At the moment, I am not pursuing the commercial
rating, but mainly due to a lack of time and lack of "spare" money.

I will get my commercial rating, I will get my CFI rating, and I will
be an instructor some day, but on a schedule of my choosing and because
I love to fly! I can't justify taking that big of a pay-cut, even
though it is one of my dreams to fly for a living! (couldn't be away
from the wife and kids for some of the jobs that have high travel
demand, either)

I say keep it up! How cool would that be to to out once or twice a
week and let someone pay for your flying, while at the same time, being
able to help make someone elses flying dreams become a reality???

Best Regards,
Todd

[Tony]

Well, think about it. CFIs who don't CFInstruct just have a rating on
their paper that says they can do pretty well from the right seat.

You might make yourself a better pilot by taking different training:
aerobatics, for example. Fly with an instructor often enough to keep
sharp of course, but look for areas of training that will augment your
skills. Think about the written exam for CFI -- will passing it make
you a better pilot? You'd probably do better by restudying for the
instrument written.

The point is, given your limited time, would you be better off having
an instructor getting you ready for a CFI, or would that time be better
spent under the hood doing unsual attitude recoveries?

Sure, saying "Yeah, I'm a CFI" is nice, but your post suggests you are
a little past needing that for ego reasons.

Kind of reminds me (speaking of egos) of a great example I once saw.
Let me start by saying I, probably like you, have seen enough PPs and
don their flying gloves and wear their flying boots when they climb
into their 172s. This was at a South Waymouth NAS airshow about 1964 or
so. There was a WW II Spitfire on the field and it was going to be
flown in a demo before the Blue Angels performance. This man, dressed
in a suit, left the crowd, walked over to the airplane, took off his
suit jacket, put it somewhere -- I don't know where -- climbed aboard,
strapped on a chute, then took off and did things with that airplane
that left my mouth hanging open.

He landed, got unstrapped and out -- must have been a good suit, it
wasn't wrinkled -- got on his coat and walked away. He didn't need a
uniform or a label to say he was a pilot.

I have 3000 hours, most of it in a M 20 J. I still fly mostly on
business, and remember him every time I put my suit jacket in the back
seat before preflighting. I do carry a piece of old carpet though,
draining fuel from those tanks is not easy in dress pants.

Just thought I'd offer another opinion.

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

gatt wrote:
> I continue to work on my commercial because I don't quit, because it's an
> excuse to fly and to improve my skills, but because of my schedule in the
> last couple of months I've only been able to fly about once or twice every
> two weeks. The flight school hasn't said anything, but I get the vibe that
> they're expecting me to wash out. One of the instructors seems frustrated
> that I haven't finished up already.


What difference is it to them how long it takes? You're paying by the hour,
aren't you? Ignore the vibes or find another flight school. OTOH, it only
takes 10-15 hours to get a commercial license if you've got the long cross
country out of the way. Double up... do the mandatory dual instruction on the
commercial maneuvers in a complex aircraft. You can be done in no time.

The instructor thing is beyond me... I never went there so I'm the last to speak
of it. OTOH, I do have a commercial license; I don't earn my living flying
anymore but I have never regretted finishing it. Skittish passengers get
courage from the fact that you have a commercial ticket. And if your present
job falls through, you can always find a low paying aviation job. That's what I
did between my first and second career.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

[Brian]

Been there done that.

Now I have the good job and teach flying during the evening and
Weekends. That is when most students have time to fly anyway.
I did teach full time for about 6 month once while I was in between
jobs that pay much better. The problem with being a full time CFI is
that you get up in morning turn on the weather report to see if you are
going get to go to work today and if you are going to get paid. May
work pretty good in Arizona and there are a few places where CFI's can
get paid a Salary rather than by the hour but that is not the norm.
Also after you spend about 40 hrs per week in the air it can get old
and is not near as fun as if you were flying only 10 hours per week.

1. I fly because it is fun and I would like to keep that way.

2. I fly because I like to, not because I have to. (to pay bills)

3. My flight instruction generates just enough income to support my
hobby of fly gliders.

4. I get to fly a lot of neat aircraft and people pay me to do it.

5. I now fly about 350 hrs per year as opposed to about 50 to 100
before I got my CFI.

6. I have almost no interest in flying for the airlines I would have to
take 50% pay cut and would be away from home a lot more.

I love being a part time CFI, I highly recommend it. For me I really
don't want to do it full time, But I am sure it works well for some
people.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL

[Michelle P]

Go with what is fun.
I worked computers for 15 years. Got boring and then worked on airplanes
and I am now flying them. I make substantially less than use too.
However I am much happier and look forward to going to "work" each day.
Michelle

gatt wrote:

>Hey, all. Looking for opinions here, and here's the situation:
>
>ME: 240 hrs, PP-ASEL-IA, commercial student. I took out an aviation loan
>to get my Instrument, Commercial and CFI back when I had nothing to lose,
>having been laid off from my job and looking to change careers. Got my IA,
>then got a full-time job which slowed me down, then got a better job. I now
>make more money at entry level than I would as a commercial pilot or
>bottom-rung ATP. On top of that, I'm on the second draft of a huge-ass
>novel I've been working on for years, and recording my third album. I have
>one-two hours of downtime at night to spend with my wife.
>
>I continue to work on my commercial because I don't quit, because it's an
>excuse to fly and to improve my skills, but because of my schedule in the
>last couple of months I've only been able to fly about once or twice every
>two weeks. The flight school hasn't said anything, but I get the vibe that
>they're expecting me to wash out. One of the instructors seems frustrated
>that I haven't finished up already.
>
>Am I right-headed in thinking that I should stick it out, finish my
>commercial and CFI on my own time? It's unrealistic to ditch a job for a
>CFI position and a 65% pay cut but I still want to increase my proficiency
>and expertise flying. I don't care if it costs me an extra thousand or two
>in the long run.
>
>Thoughts? I will not bail on my flight training, period, but it might take
>me until late spring to finish CFI on my own time. Is this normal and
>acceptable (in terms of safety) or am I one of GA's black sheep?
>
>-c
>
>
>
>

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

Michelle P wrote:
> Go with what is fun.
> I worked computers for 15 years. Got boring and then worked on airplanes
> and I am now flying them. I make substantially less than use too.
> However I am much happier and look forward to going to "work" each day.


I know what you mean. When I got my first aviation job, I was a jack of all
trades: flew charter, manned the front desk, was a gopher in the maintenance
hangar, and a ramp rat out on the tarmac. On those days when I was scheduled to
fly, it was always "going to fly". All other days were "going to work".

Now I make a lot more money and the work is *much* steadier, but it's always
"going to work".



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

[zatatime]

On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 20:41:29 GMT, "gatt"
> wrote:

>Am I right-headed in thinking that I should stick it out, finish my
>commercial and CFI on my own time? It's unrealistic to ditch a job for a
>CFI position and a 65% pay cut but I still want to increase my proficiency
>and expertise flying. I don't care if it costs me an extra thousand or two
>in the long run.
>
>Thoughts?


Get your commercial in whatever schedule you can afford. Once you
have your commercial see what you want to do next. Who knows maybe
you'll want to learn how to fly a helicopter. What ever you do, keep
it fun. If it's Your hobby, Your money, and Your desire; it should be
on Your time.

HTH, and glad you're working again.
z

[Andrew Gideon]

three-eight-hotel wrote:

> and two kids

You sound like me, except I was working on my commercial until son #2 was
born (which coincided with a busy time at work). I'll probably finish it
up in the Spring (assuming we manage to hire at least one more programmer,
which is in process).

One of the motivators for me is sitting right seat with the kids. They're
3.3 and .5 at the moment, so I'm *way* ahead of myself. But I dislike
working under time pressure <laugh>.

- Andrew

[Marc J. Zeitlin]

Andrew Gideon wrote:

> One of the motivators for me is sitting right seat with the kids......

Why do you think that you need a commercial rating to sit in the right
seat?

--
Marc J. Zeitlin
http://www.cozybuilders.org/
Copyright (c) 2005