Going for Private License!

[Sukhoikid]

I am going for my private license for flying this year. I can't wait to start flying full scale. Anyone else planing to do this soon?

[GremlinX]

ME! This month.

[Kiwi]

Keith,

If you think you can spend a few bucks easily on RC just watch it flow with full scale.

It is an even worse form of the disease.

Kiwi

[Sandbag Special]

Got my solo and written done just need check ride on my 17th b-dayin April.

Matt

[DKjens]

Got 13 hours in a little Cessna 150, soloed El Monte and Bracket airports here locally. More or less lost interest since there is no way in hell I could afford to keep, maintain and use a plane enough to justify the expense. Also, flying in the Los Angeles region is a PIA. And lastly, I don't have family out here, where it would make sense to fly and visit, and unless I got me a C-130, I wouldn't be able to bring my RC planes.

[mikeyj86]

I've been working on mine for a few months off and on, just hard to stay with it, but it is definitely a blast, hopefully I will have enough money saved up to go to school in the fall, been working for 2 years after I graduated high school, and boy was it a mistake not go to school and get a degree, I'm just glad I'm only 19 and don't have a family or anything yet so it won't be a problem to go

[moose]

DKjens.....Thats where I got my CPL ..El Monte and I gotta tell you , flying in CA is the best because of the terrain and the traffic so it boosts your standards all the way through the roof. I'm currently flying the A320 ...have been for the past six years and loving it but in the end nothing beats flying those small single engines and just doing what comes to mind.....Way to much fun !!!

[Aeropolis]

I totally agree that!
Got my PPL for 10 years now, but still loves RC as much as before...

And of course full scale flying is a lot more expensive than RC...

Last year got the change to fly with a pitts 2C, and we got a complete aerobatic schedule in 20 min. I can only recommend that to everybody!!! Magnificent experience....

So full scale making trips and flights in the region for others, and hucking the smaller ones works best for me!!!

[Sukhoikid]

Im going to try to get my private before I go off to college. Im looking at going to a aeronauitical college like Embry-Riddle but the only thing is a lot of $$$$$. Hopefully scholarships will help me out.

[matus777]

guys, sad to say but save your $$$$ because there's no future in this business anymore......for fun OK but otherwise...reconsider!

[sincity]

	Quote: Originally Posted by matus777
	guys, sad to say but save your $$$$ because there's no future in this business anymore......for fun OK but otherwise...reconsider!

What's wrong? All the HUGE pay cuts getting you down? Yeah I had asperations to be a commercial pilot myself. I have around 1000 hours in a bunch of different aircraft. I worked for a used plane dealer. Boy that was an experience. Never knew what you were going to fly or how bad it was going to be.

Ended up spending well over $20K getting all the licenses and never really did it for work. Glad I didn't become a commercial airline pilot. They are away from the family too much for my tastes. But of course some people can handle that and enjoy it a bunch.

Oh... and if you really wanna blow some cash... go for the commercial helicopter ticket... boy howdie!!!!

Shawn

[Matt Chapman]

Hey Guys,

I have to respectfully disagree with matus777. While I can see his point of view being an airline pilot myself, it's not a bad career chioce. Yes, the airlines are a lot different than they were 25 years ago, or for that matter 5 years ago. Every body in the industry knows that it goes in cycles....up...down...furloughs, hiring....forlough...hire.. It's been that way from the begining. It's not just the airlines that are changing here, it's corporate america. The whole retirement and pension thing has a lot of pilots stressing (myself included). However, if your young and looking at a career in the airlines, then you go in knowing this and you plan accordingly. If you look at the pay at the majors, even after the cuts, it's still not a bad living. It could and has been better, but still ok. And yes, I want what was taken from us back, but life goes on.
Keeping it fun is great as long as you have a good enough job to go out and buy a plane, opperate it, make the payments ect...
My advice to anyone interested in a career in avaition, have a good look at it. learn as much as you can about it, decide what workes for you and then go for with your eyes wide open.
Just looking at it from a glass half full approach.

Matt