Aviation Pilot Career Questions

atr@waltbradshaw.com email

If you want to fly, be a Lawyer or Doctor you must first get the training & licenses & get some experience. It takes money or military time to get the training & licenses. After that you probably need more flight experience & simulator training to meet the insurance requirements.

BUT---if you are dedicated & honest you can attain your goals.

Right now the Airline Industry is down with pilot lay offs and Chapter 11. The airline industry always cycled up & down, so you need some other career to fall back on---business, real estate. You could fail a check ride or physical exam---you need something to fall back on—maybe a Trust or rich wife/husband. Get your degree and build up your hours/licenses/experience.

I spent 33 years with TWA. 2 years of it off on a military call up. Started as a 707 Flight Engineer; moved to 707 Co-Pilot quickly and checked out in the left seat; FAA Captain Type Rated on the 707 at 27 years of age. But the economy turned down & I was pushed back to International Relief Pilot & then back to Flight Engineer. I spent a few years between co-pilot in the summer & F/E in the winter. Then Co-Pilot on the 727. I spent about 6 months with BWIA in Trinidad as a 707 contract pilot for TWA. Came back with a turn down in the economy to 707 F/E, but the #1 F/E in Boston---close to home. Got type rated on the L1011, 747, 767, but did not get a Captain Bid---not senior enough until 1989. A long time before the “Left Seat” & big pay. I broke 100k/year only 3 times in my career----am I complaining? NO.

What would I of done different? I would of started flying sooner, put in the applications sooner & received a seniority number sooner. I would have of had a Captain bid sooner for longer.

But I always had a side business or job. I did not send my kids to private school or drive Mercedes.

YOU WANT TO FLY Get the ratings and put in the applications. SOONER is the word.

If you do not submit applications potential employers do not know you are out there. Try the UPS web site. Fill it out and up date it as you get more flight time and ratings. Do the same with other applications.

“YOU CAN NOT CATCH FISH IF THE BAIT IS NOT IN THE WATER.”