Care to share your Journey/Story with an aspiring pilot?

[FuturePilot]

I love hearing different stories of how pilots progressed in the aviation industry. Theres nothing like hearing someone has accomplished there dream like i aspire to do one day

Care to share your story? For CPL -> Current job?

Much apreciated!!

[No Conflict]

WOW, No one has replied to this? C'mon guys and gals, throw some stories up!

Mine:

After finishing MIFR, I instructed for a year, then started the road trips, had the chance to meet ALOT of great people, and had beers with so many interesting people I actually kinda miss the traveling Its not easy getting your first job, but hopefully you get on with a good company who treats you properly and wuth respect... if they don't GTFOT (Get the f(#(&^ outta there)..

After getting in to a few companies (1 went backrupt before I could fly and the other was, let's see, less than stellar, so I left) I got on with NacAir in Tbay, working the counter, ramp and dispatch for 6-7 months before getting my right seat PC-12 spot. I got to fly with really awesome guys and gals, many of whom are still good friends to this day. I went left seat after about 1400hrs, and stayed there 3-4 years, flying northern Ontario and Manitoba. Incredible experience and fantastic flying, gained a ton of experience and confidence flying up there...I'm sure I've ran into quite a few Avcanada members sitting around in Sandy Lake, Lansdowne, Fort Hope, Severne, Ogoki, etc

Moved to Bearskin, was there for only 5 months flying the Metro, and again, top notch people and I really enjoyed the Experience, but alas, I got the call from Jazz and moved back south..

Been at Jazz for 4 years now, and love it... seems like, for the most part, aviation attracts a great group of people, and I've had a great time getting to where I am today... going to work is still fun!

Definitely not as exciting as others, but hey, I made my path and I have enjoyed it, with alot of good friends to boot!

[C-GGGQ]

So I was working on my commercial license from 05-06 and was offered a position in Thomson Manitoba with Perimeter on the ramp. I felt I could get a better deal and politely declined. After completing my commercial license in 06 I went back to university and quickly decided it wasn't for me and rejoined the flight school to earn my instructor rating. By fall of 07 I had earned my instructor rating and moved to Toronto where I went to work part time at Brampton Flying club as a dispatcher with the promise of getting to be an instructor after new years when their instructor program was due to graduate. In the mean time I was hired on at a new start up flight school on their first intake, Maylan Aviation out of Dunnville.

I dealt with that whole debacle through the take over of Empire Aviation in London and the ensuing overcrowding. In April of 08 I was lucky enough to Land a Multi PIC position with Gillam Aviation out of Gillam Manitoba on the BN2 Islander. A great company and an even better boss. I was young and stupid though (just 21) and was miserable in the middle of nowhere but determined to stick it out. Then after two months of work 40 hours of flying and a week away from my PPC, there was an unfortunate accident involving another pilot at the company. No one injured but, but the plane was written off. With the loss of the plane it was decided that the newly hired pilot would have to go as a new plane would be a long way out. So I left Gillam not overly disappointed to be returning to civilization (Stupid remember). I went to Instruct at Moncton Flight College, once again in charge of large numbers of Chinese Students. After a few months of bad weather my bank account was fried and I begrudgingly left for better pay as a full time De-icer out of Toronto Pearson. I really enjoyed the work there and the people but of course it had nothing to do with getting me into the air. After a year I decided I had to leave and moved back home to New Brunswick and started my application to the Military.

I breezed through the application process (I had applied in 04 and 06 and knew what to expect). I finally made it to aircrew selection in Trenton Ontario and after a hair raising 4 days had passed aircrew selection for both Pilot and ACSO (Air Combat Systems Officer). Confident at my application I was accepted to the Royal Military College for the start of the 2010 Fall Term..............as an Armoured Officer.......not a Pilot. Disheartened and without an answer as to why I started the year at RMC and was informed that I could do a Voluntary Occupational Transfer. Then I was correctly informed that it could only be attempted after Basic Military Officer Qualifications had been completed and half way through my second year (at which time my 13 year contract would be locked in and in the event I would not get my transfer, a very likely situation, I would be stuck as an Armoured Officer) So during my summer training I decided that I needed to return to flying. The military was great but not flying was not an option. (also the pay for an Officer Cadet is lousy and once again my bank account was below empty). So I submitted a Voluntary release from the military, a long arduous process in which they will try anything to get you to stay. This is not a bad thing, it means you may get what you wanted. I was informed that my chain of command would possibly be able to fix my trade and change me to Pilot but that there was nothing they could do about the pay so I was forced to decline and continue my release.

So Here I sit at CFB Kingston in the Royal Military College on a temporary assignment to the technical support office fixing and installing computers for the military. During this process I have been putting out resume's and have landed a ramp job at none other than Perimeter Aviation in Winnipeg Manitoba. Should have just taken that Thomson job 5 years ago

[iflyforpie]

Sure... why not?

Loved planes and flying pretty much my whole life. Wanted to fly but wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth or 20/20 uncorrected vision, so I needed to come up with a way to pay for it.

So 14 years ago, one year out of high school and one year into General Studies going pretty much nowhere, I decided to become an AME. My logic was it paid better than minimum wage and it was in a relevant field. Government grants actually covered the tuition costs and I was employed within a week of graduating.

My first employer just happened to be in the same town my mom lived, so I boomeranged back and managed to put quite a bit of money away. Working on heavy metal at Kelowna Flightcraft (Boing 727s, Convair 580s) and being at the airport all the time seeing the F28s, 737-200s, and Dash 8s go by got me the bug to fly more than ever. I went down the street and got my my PPL (paid cash). Got it signed off Sep 9, 2001.

The events of the next few days really shook me up about a career as a pilot. Plus I had other things on the brain, like a girlfriend who I was going to be married to in less than a year. Kept my currency but little else for a year, then got laid off due to post 9/11 crap and was out of work for three months.

Got a job at a different flight school in Penticton, and got a deal on my CPL with pretty much a guarantee of a job right away. CPL signed off on Dec 17, 2003 and I went right into commercial 172 flying (boat counts), Cherokee Six flying (cargo) and finally a bit of instructing as I got my Class 4. Bought a house, got my AME license, flew my first revenue flight, and became a father all within a few short months.

Work got thin and I left (I could have stayed, but couldn't have survived) to go contracting on big jets. Pay good, work bad. Contract lasted a year and then I went to work at a paint shop. They always kept an aircraft on company insurance, so all I had to do was provide gas and I could fly as much as I wanted. Still cost and wasn't enough flying.

Got offered my current job out of the blue four years ago. My cell phone rang on a cold April day I was scrounging for parts in the junk yard offering a salaried pilot/AME position full time for better than I was making as an AME. I had worked with a friend of the owner at my first job and never though that that type of networking could work. I jumped at the opportunity and flew five hours my first day there--more than the previous three months.

Still here, flying a 172 ten years after I got my license. Fly a 206 and a 337 as well and never fly straight and level for more than ten seconds. Mostly scenic flights (which I love doing) plus some charters, wildlife survey and telemetry, fire patrols, photography and filming, and all kinds of wild goose/cow/boat/car chases. Nice that every day is different but I still get to come home pretty much every night and can enjoy a somewhat normal suburban life (though we live in a beautiful small tourist town).

And though I started it as a means to get flying, I still love getting my hands dirty. If I ever go to purely flying, there definitely will be a project aircraft in my garage.

Much different that I thought it would turn out, but I'm pretty satisfied none the less. I have lost count of how many times people tell me I have the coolest job in the world.

[LegoMan]

I started flying in 2000, got my private license 2 years later. Went to aviation college, came out and couldn't find work. I worked R&D in the automotive industry before being offered my first position up north. Spent 5 months on the ramp, then was tossed around for 4-5 months trying to get my training on the airplane and scheduling done. Didn't work out I returned home and got a job at UPS Supply Chain. Worked there 8 months then was offered a job with a startup. That was a complete shit show left 4 months later and went back to school while working in Logistics as a Route Analyst. Soon after was offered a Logistics Manager position with a large 4PL company that manages the transportation and distribution of several large Canadian countries. While working there I launched my own import/export business which has grown quite rapidly in the past few months and I will be opening a office in Mississauga and Columbus,OH by end of September, where I have a contract to distribute disposable medical supplies. Last month I won a small contract importing pizza ovens for a large Pizza chain for their new and existing stores and just this week sealed a deal with a Russian Marmalade company to export 800 tons of blueberries over the next 18 months. Just two months ago I was offered and accepted a position as a warehouse manager at a 8.1 billion dollar company. The company owns 96 warehouses in 23 countries. I manage the 3 largest in the company ($80+ million in sales). All this and I haven't hit 27 yet.

I thought flying was it for me, I thought I found something that would make me happy. Unfortunately I dealt with the wrong people and had some bad luck. The grass is always greener I suppose. My friends that fly I am sure are happy for now because they are young and think they will all make it to AC. Sadly just a few will. I am currently working on my float rating and looking at purchasing my own aircraft next spring in the meantime I will rent and build up some time this summer.

Do what makes you happy and best of luck but remember, it's not the only thing out there that can make you happy.

[modi13]

I went in sort of the opposite direction as GGQ. I, too, was accepted to RMC, but as an infantry officer, and after a couple of attempts at a VOR I decided to follow my life-long dream of being a pilot, even if I would have to pay for it. Unfortunately, I didn't get out until after the grace period was over, so I owe some tuition to the government, and I regret not going to Afghanistan.
I went into a college program so the PPL would be covered by student loans, and worked as a rampie for a freight company five days a week after class to pay my bills. I graduated at the nadir of the recession when absolutely no one was hiring, so after a single failed interview for a job in Yellowknife I got my instructor rating. As I was finishing that up I was hired as a dockhand for a float operator to help pad my bank account, and the implication that if I went above and beyond I would be considered for a flying position. After spending two months in the middle of summer sitting around the school trying to find students I took more hours on the dock (working full-time hours, but not getting full-time benefits), and when I finally got some students I was at my second job so much it was difficult to find time to fly. The Olympics made training such a hassle that the few students I had stopped flying altogether and couldn't be coaxed back, and at the same time I got tired of being led on by the float operator about getting a flying job, so I put in my notice. I sent out applications to any company I thought would even look at my resume and went into several in person, but without so much as an offer for an interview. Faced with imminent unemployment, I began to despair, but because of a contact I hadn't thought would lead anywhere I was hired based on a ten-minute phone call. I worked a ground job for a year, and now fly a multi-turbine aircraft in the Arctic and live down south with good pay and lots of time off.