Career Changer

It is going on 3 months since I last update this blog.  Not alot of forward movement on my part.  I have been flying, but still have yet to really get into preparing for the Commercial Written.  I want to get it out of the way before I start the training.  I am also looking for a place to do my CMEL with CSEL add-on, and there isn’t a place local to do that. 

There have been a few Manditory Service Bulletins for the aircraft, so that did take the plane out of service for a few days.  It was for the CAPS chute and a rigging issue (don’t slip the plane, it might not return to neutral).  Got it back, only to get another MSB in the mail.  This one is for the PFD if the Garmin’s had been upgrade to WAAS.  Not an issue as this plane has NOT had that done, mostly due to NOT alot of WAAS fields in the area, and that with the Garmin’s low there is a requirement for another annunicator to be added.  Avidyne is working to place this in the next revision of the PFD software.

I have made multiple trips and the logbook is getting full, just not with alot of hours.  I may fly 2-3 times a week, but nothing more then 4 hours at any one hit to the logbook, and more are just overn an hour.  I need to update the logbook and see where my TT is now.

Work has been the problem, like before.  Having a full-time (60+hours a week) job doesn’t help except that for trips I can fly. Not alot of time to do book work.  I am going to strive to do better at advancing the studying, as well as updating this blog.

While I thought I had flown alot in the past month, it is nothing like what I hoped.  I might be flying more, but still VERY slow to add total time to the logbook.  Without long cross-country flights I am not building time.  With long cross-country flights, I don’t get to fly as much due to other items needing my attention both before and after the time off from flying.  I have had multiple friends tell me that I need to focus on getting my CMEL now and build some twin time to better position myself for the career change.  Guess I need to block some time and get that done.  It still involves getting the written done, which I told myself I wanted to do before starting the manevers.  I still believe that is the best for me, and need to put time aside everyday to study for that exam.

We will see what the next month will bring!

Looking at the logbook, I did make a goal I wanted of 100hours in the Cirrus before the end of February.  I did by one day.  The problem is that the hours just don’t seem to be adding up in the logbook.  I have been flying more for business, but with the short trips and long days the time is just not adding alot to the logbook.  At this rate I don’t see making my goal of being at mins anytime soon 8(

I am determining how to accomplish my goals and keep an income for the family in the process.  Not as easy as you might think! LOL.  I have extended my trips to get atleast 2 hours RT on each flight, but what I need is mulitple 5+ hour day.  If I cannot get more then 20 hours a month I will have to admit that I will NEVER make the dream, as by the time I got there my age would be an issue at any airline, including a regional.

I have to travel for my job, and have the luxury of having access to a Cirrus SR20.  Most of my trips are short in distance, usually under an hour each way presently.  It prevents a 2-2.25 hours drive each way, so I can get to a client and return the same day, and still get home to put the kids to bed.

Today I had such a trip.  With the snow of late here in Ohio, and it now melting we are experience fog in the AM.  That as well as low overcasts this morning caused my flight to be filed IFR.  In most of my experiences flying IFR, it is more progressing up through the soup to a clear top, then decending back through it.  Today was different for multiple reasons.

Another year older, and putting another hour to log in the logbook.   While the logbook in young in hours, I am unfortantly not young in age.  That and wanting to change careers is something I think about just about every day.  OK, everyday I wonder if I will make it, or should I even try.

The flight usually doesn’t take long (more or less 45 mins), but instead of climbing out of the soup this morning, I was held low by ATC and never got out of it.  I have been doing alot of hand flying lately, but this morning’s flight and being bounced around I decided to let the autopilot assist.  I kept thinking of what my friends on JC (www.jetcareers.com) would say or think about me using the AP, but it did assist with the workload while I was in the mess.  I can just image some of them telling me to give it up, leave it to the young ones to start into the industry.

Maybe because of this need (or want) to use the advanced avionics on board is a reason I shouldn’t be a professional pilot.  I will have to contemplate that more later.

I arrived at my destination, found the runway and continued my day as planned.  My return in the early afternoon was better, and I decided that given the return time and conditions (still IMC) that I would shoot a few approaches at some local fields before returning to my home field.  A ILS here, a VOR there, and a LOC home.  Just like the IFR checkride I took.  While current and legal, I see some room for improvements when crossing a VOR (drift) as well as altitude on the ILS (I have always been high on approaches, even in VFR).  I will need to get with my instructor and work on that.

With still some snow and ice on the apron to the hanger, I slowly pushed the plane back into its hanger.  Another day older, another hour in the logbook.

I am an Engineer that is looking to change careers to become a professional pilot.  I received my Private Pilot’s License in 1999 and have used it to have fun flying as well as for some business trips.  I received my complex endorsement in 2000 and high performance endorcement in 2001.  I then recieved my IFR in 2005.  

I changed companies in 2003 and that company purchased a Cirrus SR20 for business use.  I have been able to use if for my business trips.  This has allowed me to slowly build my time.  I still have a full-time job as an Engineer.

In the next few months I plan to get my commerical license and hopefully Multi-Engine as well.  I will then be making the mad dash for hours to get into a position to interview with a Regional Airline.  I will be doing this while maintaining my current Engineering position.

I have set up this blog to record my continued efforts towards this goal, and show that an older person can make the change from one career to another.

 Wish me luck!