Career in airplanes.......

[rob_k]

I made a living flying full time for 10 years and loved it. However, after a move to a new location, picked a doctor out of the phone book and ended up losing my medical for 2 years due to a technicality in paperwork with the FAA. Fortunately, I had an IT background in addition to my Aviation Science degree and was able to keep paying the bills. Whatever you do, it's a good idea to keep in mind that you can fly planes with any degree....it doesn't have to be an Aviation degree.

[Colonel Klank]

	Quote: Originally Posted by citrus
	I always tell people interested in aviation to get a job doing line service (fueling and towing airplanes) at a general aviation airport, not for an airline. You will meet and network with people in all aspects of aviation from the small airplane mechanic, flight instructor, corporate pilot and major airline pilot who flies his Cessna on weekends. There is truely a wealth of information there and usually people love to talk about it. I loved doing line service and it was a huge spring board to my aviation career. Chris AirTran Airways B-717 Capt.

Agreed. My son is a lineman with Million Air and loves it.

[pitviper51]

this is something iv always felt id fit in prefect, the part is all the Bull classes not dealing with anything you need.. iv been designing and flying things since i was 6... trial and error and thinking out side the box is what leads to great discoverys, even if by accident. iv been told by folks, why arent you flying UAVs?? then i reply you hiring??? heheheh as for real flying theres nothng like it,, but i like the seat of your pants barnstorming of era long past... thats why i flew sailplanes , its just you and the air, and eagles haha, and besides untell i get lazer eye surgery to fix my vision.. oh well, ill stop rambling...
mike

[troposcuba]

I was 26 when i joined the airforce 13 years ago. got a guaranteed job before i signed any contracts due to a recruiter that told me the real deal. been doing structural repair ever since. now granted the military lifestyle is not for everyone, but it certainly has it's advantages. i have lived all over the world in that 13 years not to mention the cool places i have gone for a couple months here and there. the other side of that is spending time away from my wife (also active duty military) is no fun. getting shot at and mortared in the sandbox is no fun either. but the up side is that i get to tear up millions of dollars of planes and fabricate my own parts and put it all back together. oh and also full medical etc. not to mention medical and a retirement check for the rest of my life in another 7 years and great skills for continued work doing the same thing as a civilian afterward. something to think about. they pay for all your school and training and any college you attend while you are in as well as a GI bill toward even more education.

not a bad deal in my book.

[MadMonkey]

	Quote: Originally Posted by citrus
	I always tell people interested in aviation to get a job doing line service (fueling and towing airplanes) at a general aviation airport, not for an airline. You will meet and network with people in all aspects of aviation from the small airplane mechanic, flight instructor, corporate pilot and major airline pilot who flies his Cessna on weekends. There is truely a wealth of information there and usually people love to talk about it. I loved doing line service and it was a huge spring board to my aviation career.

That's what I'm trying to get into... I'm a security supervisor right now but I desperately want to jump into aviation; I applied at Meacham Airport but haven't heard anything yet Anybody in the DFW area want to hire a motivated aviation enthusiast.... for anything?



PM for contact info

[skyraider0129]

I worked as a heli mechanic in the Army. I learned 4 airframes inside and out. When I got out with 6 years of mechanical experience and 4 years of supervisory experience, the whole world of aviation maintenance was available to me. I could have gone to almost any airport and began working in some capacity. Then the Railroad came along. That is what I do now and love it. I learned to never set my mind on something and force the end result. Remember, we do not have the final say so in life.

[gearhead364]

As others have stated, there are many different fields of aviation that you can get involved in. Which field depends on your interest and background, if you would like to still maintain a hands on job, I would suggest maybe a mechanic, line service or any other position at an airport. Keep in mind that these fields will require some training but the time and cost requirement is significantly less than the other options. The second option is to become a pilot, this can be expensive and time consuming depending on how you approach it. I suggest that if you are thinking about becoming a pilot, you should find a local airport whether it be a Mom and Pop place or FBO and take a lesson with an instructor. Once you are flying start asking the instructor questions and try flying the plane a little, afterwards think if you would like to do this for a living; as mentioned before there are many option such as bush pilot, airline pilot, or cargo pilot. The last option is to go for an engineering job, this requires a lot of time and money, but is definitely worth it. In this field you would be most likely designing aircraft and the job is really rewarding. This last field all depends on how well you did in high school and any other schooling that you have taken, engineering will require a strong knowledge in math and physics. If you enjoyed both of these topics and were relatively good at them in high school then you might want to look into engineering. Also keep in mind that there are IT jobs in the aviation industry, whether it is the computer systems in the control tower or the control systems in the aircraft, you should be able to find one. Lastly, if you have any questions about becoming a pilot or engineer, shoot me a PM, I have experience in both.

[MadMonkey]

I just did an application at the AFW Fedex hub a couple of days ago... they already sent me out for a drug test too. The application was for a package handler position but I have a buddy who works there that is trying to put me in ground support