Aviation Insights

A recent trip revealed another learn to fly story, and “something else“. The Captain on my most recent trip echoed several other Captains who learned to fly on the civilian path. He was 16 years old, on vacation, when he got the flying bug. A ride in an open cockpit bi-plane was all it took. Upon returning from vacation, his long walk along the aviation career path began.  He traded labor for flying and instructing, and flew for a regional carrier before getting hired by a major airline. The “something else” was actually two fold and contained in the details of his path. Here they are.

  The labor for flying hours barter details just about blew me away. For the younger portion of the readers, I know it will blow you away. To begin, I have to offer a sort of standard disclaimer, which is, this story is not for people with weak stomachs, afraid of hard work or a self entitlement attitudes. So, here we go. The guy worked at his local airport in Groton Connecticut. Yes, he fueled airplanes, towed airplanes, swept, mopped and cleaned toilets for 10 and 1/2 hrs. In exchange for what you ask?! For one hour of flying time. That’s right! He worked 10 1/2 hours for 1 hour of flying time.  Freezing cold, stifling heat, Gail force winds, it didn’t matter. He worked when he was told. And by the way, when he worked was at the owners discretion.  So, 10 1/2 hours could have taken 1 day or two weeks to accumulate. Now, think about what I just said and how it would impact your schedule or life at that age. Then ask yourself if you would do it. A heavy metal flying job is something you really gotta want, no kidding. One part of the something else was that fact that a barter for flying opportunity existed. I don’t know for a fact, and I’m not a betting man, but I would bet on that opportunity no longer existing. The reason is because at or near minimum wage, you’d have to work nearly 20 hrs to cover the cost of one flying hour in today’s world.

Back to the story. He earns enough through barter to get a private license at 17 yrs old. Then, actually goes to work FOR PAY at the same airport while earning his commercial, instructor and CFI ratings. All together from the start it took him 3 yrs to become a flight instructor and actually get paid for flying. The next step was flying charter for 9 months, again at the same airport. With enough flying time under his belt, he moved up to a single pilot cargo job. Flying mail in a Beach 18, 6 nights a week to Canada was a prime stepping stone job at the time. He managed to last 2 yrs (not easy) and 2,000 hrs of flying time before the job went away. It happens often with small operators. Within 2 days of losing that job he was working for another company doing the same thing in Navajo’s and Baron’s. A year of that, plus 1 1/2 yrs at a commuter gave him enough flying time to start seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. And, it wasn’t a train. It was a job with American Airlines. He got hired with 7,800 hrs total time which wasn’t unusual for that era.

Now, if you revisit the progression of his jobs, and you’ve read any of the previous blogs, you’ve got to be thinking Informal Interview. Every job he got, before the commuter job, was due to an informal interview he didn’t know was happening. If you haven’t read either interview blogs, please do. There is good “stuff” in there.

  The second part of the “something else” is the fact that very little single engine charter flying remains today. What was once a great stepping stone job and an excellent training ground is becoming obsolete. Changes in operating costs, for example fuel, maintainence, and inspections, have risen dramatically. Add to that  the greatly increased cost of aircraft and the fairly recent chages to training requirements for charter operators, and it doesn’t take long to figure out why the small aircraft charter business is disappearing from the radar screen.

  To barter or not to barter? You may have to consider that for the civilian path. However, to charter or not to charter may soon not be a consideration as you plan your learn to fly path. Regardless of either of the above, remember this old attage, “Men plan and God laughs”. You’ll most likely find yourself in flying jobs you never considered and never in flying jobs you always considered.

Next blog-some commuter talk.