Day 101 and Beyond - The Adventure Continues

It is now February 2013 and I have yet to receive a paycheck for services rendered in the air.  How can that be, I am a Commercial rated Multi-Engine Pilot and Flight Instructor?

What happened to the story of becoming a career pilot?

THE STORY IS NOT FINISHED!

Nine days after I took my CFI checkride, my wife submitted her dissertation and received her Masters Degree.  These were huge milestones in both of our lives and a time of great transition; our formal schooling was complete and we were both ready to launch ourselves into the career market.

Shortly after my return home, I began searching for jobs that could render my services.  I did not limit my applications to pilot-only positions. I applied for openings (and some non-openings) at aerospace/aviation companies as well; office positions, programming/IT related positions, and e-learning development positions to name a few.  The search went on with little to no bites, it was discouraging.  Due to minimal income at the time, I was unable to justify flying for leisure either.  My buddy who was flying freight in a 310 invited me on one of his scheduled routes, that was nice.  It was a long winter. 

In February 2010, my friend's father mentioned that one of his business associates was looking for professional assistance in his computer repair shop.  I bit the lead and landed some part time work. I had been doing computer/networking/consulting as a side job for nearly 6 years.  I incorporated my business as an LLC and started taking on more work.  The flying gig was on hold.

In the summer of 2010, I landed a full-time 3 month IT contract with a medium sized (300+ employees) company.  A week before the contract was up, they offered me a full-time position.  I am still working for the company today and loving it.

In the spring of 2011, my wife and I bought our first house.  The home underwent a summer of renovations and remodeling.  We were living with her parents at the time, which allowed us to save up a considerable amount of money to assist in the home preparation   We moved into our new home the beginning of August 2011 a couple weeks before our first child was born.

Why have I not pursued a career in aviation?

A combination of a few things: 

• Landing the IT job when I did.

• Starting a new family when I did.

THE IT JOB

My two passions in life (prior to my wife and children), were aviation and computers.  Both passions date back to my childhood.  My father instilled a love for aviation in me.  He was also responsible for introducing me to my first computer, a Commodore 64 when I was 6.  Long before I started the journey of becoming a pilot, I knew there was a chance I would end up in IT.

Prior to my entry into flight school, I was 90% sure that I wanted to fly for a living.  The other 10% was relaxed knowing I had something to fall back on, my Aviation Management Degree and knowledge in IT.  Some may ask why I made such a financial commitment to something I was not 100% sure about.  Well, this was the prime time to do it. I had just finished my undergraduate, my brain and attitude were primed for higher education. I also had the option to finance the entire ATP program.  A burst of complexity would offer many benefits in the future. My wife and I were not waiting much longer before creating offspring either.

Through my undergraduate studies and flight training I would continually tell myself that my ultimate job would include a combination of the two.  Working for the Aces Studio at Microsoft would have been a dream job.  They are the guys responsible for all of the Microsoft Flight Simulators, they were closed in 2009.

Schedule:
My current IT position provides a steady and predictable schedule.  I currently work from 7-3:30 M-F.  This schedule is extremely family friendly.  I enjoy dinner with my wife and children ever night.

Compensation:
IT pays.  My starting wage is 3-4 time more than that of an entry level flight instructor in the MN area or a common regional pilot.  I still wonder how I would have been able to afford my ATP loan payments and support a family with an entry-level flying job.  The stress levels on my wife and me would have been through the roof.

Opportunity:
My current position is only the beginning of my adventures in IT.  The opportunity in this industry is so broad and diverse.  I have no worries that my schedule, compensation, and opportunities will only better over time.

STARTING THE FAMILY

My wife and I had expectations of bringing our first child into the world shortly after landing full-time career jobs.  So, a couple of months after I landed my full-time IT job, she got pregnant.  I had been working the IT job for a little over a year when our daughter, Skylar, was brought into this world.  Had I landed a flying job, we may have considered pushing the kid thing back a couple more years.

My father-in-law is a retired doctor that now operates as an Aviation Medical Examiner.  He owned his own practice for a number of years as well as 9 airplanes.  Of all the people I know in aviation he has more exposure to a wider variety of pilots than any one, he also loves to talk.  I love asking him about the current buzz in the flying portion of the aviation industry.  The talk is usually grim.  From what I have gathered, a small percentage of professional pilots flying for airlines have maintained a healthy, happy family, and a career.  Furthermore, the entry level positions at regionals leave pilots struggling to make a living. Divorce rates are high, schedules offer many challenges, and union structures can have you working the tough positions for a long time.  On a positive note, there are a number of pilots that are very happy with their career choice, many of them are reported as being bachelors or people that are on the top of the union ladder, with comfy schedules.  My first flight instructor and good friend recently took a position as a corporate pilot flying a nice private jet.  At one time he told me he had not been home in 30 days.  He loves it.  He is a bachelor.

Shortly after I landed my full-time IT position I made the decision that my aviation career was officially on hold. People have asked me if I regret going to school for aviation.  Absolutely not!  I have achieved something that can not be taken away.  I have expanded my knowledge and human experience. By committing my time when I did, I have broadened my opportunities for future endeavors. 

When I look back at the past couple of years I can not say anything other than, I am blessed!  The fact that I achieved my dreams of becoming a Pilot with numerous certificates and ratings as well as landing a career as an IT professional supports the claim.  I have a happy, healthy family that I support through monetary, physical, and emotional needs.  I personally believe the first 8-10 years of a child's life are the most important in terms of development.  The next 8-10 years of my life will have a heavy focus on just that and my current situation supports this strategy.

What did I gain from my experience at ATP?

Certificates and Ratings. 

The obvious.

Multi-Engine time. 

This would have been hard to accomplish in such a short period of time had I not attended ATP.

Increased confidence. 

I can tell people I am a multi-engine commercially rated pilot and flight instructor, even if I am not getting paid.  The little piece of plastic the FAA granted me says so.

Respect. 

Any pilot knows, most people look at you differently when they know you can drive airplanes.

The opportunity to share my love of aviation with my children on a rich level.  

If my children show any interest in aviation, I will be more than prepare to nurture that interest.

A nice addition to my resume. 

On my IT specific resume, I like to slip this into Experiences and Certifications.

Unforgettable experiences.  

I love reminiscing about the memories I have created during my experiences in airplanes.

A future opportunity.  

This may all lead to new and exciting experiences in the future.

Debt.  

This would have been a lot more challenging without financing as an option.

Future plans for aviation?

I will continue to renew my CFI every other October.  

I will continually look for that dream job that will bring my passion for aviation and IT together, it is out there somewhere.

My children will be not be strangers to my love of aviation.  I have intentions of taking them flying for the first time between the ages of 8-10.  I foresee the budget allowing for more leisure flying at this point in my life.

I will continue to have my eyes turned skyward!

Day 31 thru 101

1,281 days later since my last entry...

My last logged time in an ATP aircraft was on October 21, 2009 for my Multi-Engine Instructor checkride (I passed).  So, where did the other 71 days of blogging go?

Once I got into the thick of my instrument training, the blogging got pushed to the bottom of my priority list, and all together pushed off my list of things to do.  

In the interest of the ultimate goal of this blog, I will present an overview of the final 71 days of my time at ATP.  The following is written from memory with assistance from log book entries, pictures taken, emails, excel documents, etc.

DAY 29 - 38

8/10/2009 - 8/19/2009 - Instrument Preparation

I logged 18 hours in the simulator, 8 hours under the hood shooting approaches, and many late nights of studying the PTS in preparation for my written exams, oral exam, and instrument checkride.  I passed the Instrument and Instrument Instructor written exams on 8/17/2009 with flying colors.

DAY 40 - 41

8/21/2009 - 8/22/2009 - Instrument Checkride and Oral exam

There were no surprises with the examiner, Joe, as he had taken me through the ringer for my multi-addon less than a month prior.  The oral exam went smoothly.  The checkride was going great...

After some holding pattern work, the first approach, GPS into KCRQ, went well. After the planned missed, things began to pile up extremely fast.  Joe had me line up for the VOR approach into OKB immediately after the missed approach, OKB is only 6.5 nm south of CRQ.  The needle never came to and was at full deflection right off the bat.  I committed to getting the needle centered and finished the approach.  Joe did not tell me at this time that I had busted and I was not certain if I had.  We proceeded back to KYMF for the ILS approach which went very well.  It wasn't until we were out of the airplane and walking back to the school when Joe told me I had busted.  I was not surprised, the VOR approach had been very sloppy.  He expressed that if I had made the decision to go missed instead of searching for the needle, the checkride would have turned out differently.  I was too determined to fix my mistake and it cost me that portion of the checkride.  The nice thing about a bust is that you only have to demonstrate the area you messed when you go up again.  So, we scheduled the checkride for later that same day.  I called the flight off after the short taxi due to incoming thunderstorms.  The practical was rescheduled for the following day.

On 8/22/2009, Joe and I shot the VOR approach into SDM with no issue.  I received my Instrument Airplane Rating.

DAY 43 - 56

8/24/2009 - 9/06/2009 - CMR & Cross Country Training

After some prep time in the simulator and a short cross country flight to San Luis Obispo with my instructor, I was prepared for some CRM/Cross Country time building.

These 11 days are by far the greatest memories that came out of my experience with ATP.  One other gentleman, T.J. Nalisnick, and I had the opportunity to fly from coast to coast for cross country time building.  We departed the morning of 8/27/2009, arrived in Ft. Lauderdale on 8/30/2009, and arrived back in San Diego on 9/04/2009.

There and Back Again

The adventure included:

• 18 legs
• 46.0 hours of total flight time
• 7.2 hours of taxi time
• I logged 42.7 hours of PIC time
• 2 nights in El Paso, TX (there and back) 
• 2 nights in Monroe, LA (there and back)
• 1 night in Panama City, FL
• 1 night in Ft Lauderdale, FL
• 2 nights in Jacksonville, FL (socked in due to T-storms)

Flying Along the East Coast of Florida

T.J. and I spent the day of 9/6/2009 finishing up our cross country fulfillment with a couple short hops between airports in southern Cali.

DAY 57 - 68

9/07/2009 - 9/18/2009 - Commercial Training

When T.J. and I arrived back in San Diego from our Coast-to-Coast trip, a pleasant surprise was awaiting on the tarmac.  My wife had flown out from MN to visit for a week.  After a couple days of mental relaxation, I was ready to dive into the Commercial Training. My instructor and I took the plane up twice for a total of 5 hours in preparation of the initial commercial checkride.  I logged about 16 T/O and landings in these two sessions.

On 9/18/2009 I passed my MEL-Initial Commercial Checkride.

DAY 69 - 81

9/19/2009 - 10/01/2009 - Commercial SEL Add-on and a Trip Home

The day after I passed my initial commercial ride, I began prepping for the SEL add-on.  My good friend invited me to be a groomsman in his wedding on the 26th, so I spent the 24th - 27th in Minnesota.  The 90 day fast track program is a tight-knit schedule, so these 4 days of "leave" set my starting time in CFI school back by at least a week.

In the following 3 days after my return to Cali, I spent 11.6 hours and logged 50 T/O and landings in the Cessna 172 in preparation for the SEL-Commercial add-on.

On 10/01/2009 I passed my SEL-Commercial Add-on Checkride

DAY 82 - 101

10/02/2009 - 10/21/2009 - CFI School

At the time, ATP only offered CFI training in a handful of locations.  The closest location to San Diego offering the training was located in North Las Vegas, NV at KVGT.  My training was scheduled to begin on Monday 10/05/2009.  I spent the days leading up to it moving out of the apartment and packing everything I needed to bring with into my car.  My aunt and uncle were kind enough to take me in for a couple of days in the interim.  I departed for Las Vegas on 10/3/2009. 

The CFI course has a maximum capacity of 12 students at the KVGT location and usually averages 6 students for each 2 week period.  Myself and T.J. were the only students enrolled in this 2 week course, which was described as being an uncommon thing.  T.J. and I were also the only 2 in the large apartment owned by ATP, big enough to house 6 people.

The CFI training was rich with content.  Fortunately, we had loads of material and a pre-test to prepare us for the flood of information.  On the morning of 10/06/2009, long before the sun came up, I received my spin training over the desert north of Las Vegas.  I remember failing to engage the first spin attempt because I let the yoke come forward about an inch.  With the second attempt I pulled the yoke back and held it full aft.  That was a fun first-time experience, better than any roller coaster I have ever been on!

Flight Instructor - Spin Training 61.183(i)(1)
I certify that Joshua Hase has received the required Training 61.183(i). I have determined that he is competent & proficient in Instruction Skills for training stall awareness, spin entry, spins, & spin recovery procedures.DATE: 10/06/09

The first week was made up mostly of lecture, between 6-8 hours a day.  The expected flight portion of our initial CFI checkride had a very structured approach, a way of standardizing to get maximum efficiency out of a large class I imagine.  I went up with an instructor on 3 separate flights on Wednesday 10/7, Friday 10/09, and Monday 10/12.  My flight with Frank, the head instructor and lecturer we listened to the week prior, was only .8 hours long.  The point of the flight was for him to determine if I was ready for the checkride.  I do not recall what I needed to work on, but he told me I needed to work on something.  So, after one more flight on 10/15/2009, I was ready for my initial Multi-CFI checkride.

After my flight on the 15th, T.J and I took a short drive to witness the Hoover Dam.  At this point, T.J. had opted out of the CFI training knowing his commercial certificates were going to land him a job back home, Alaska.  He departed on his long drive home in the following days.  I had the apartment to myself.

Hanging off the Hoover

Due to high winds that had been dominating the area over the week, my Checkride was getting pushed back.  This came as a blessing.  It gave me the opportunity to compile an enormous CFI binder, structured around the PSTs.  I committed 50-60 hours of time into compiling this thing over the span of 5 days.  The goal was to not only produce something that would blow the examiner away, but also serve as source of knowledge when I began flight instructing.  This thing was impressive, colored tabs, index, glossary and all.  My approach was that the examiner would not expect me to know everything and would be impressed that I had taken the time and care to put together a robust collection of pertinent information.  After all, I can not count how many times CFIs expressed that you do not truly begin to learn until you start teaching; on this front, I was prepared.

My oral and checkride were scheduled for 10/21/2009.  I blew the examiner away with my binder!  He said he had never seen something so elaborate and detailed, especially from someone that was not a CFI yet. I believe this sealed the oral exam portion, which lasted less than 2 hours.  The flight portion was relatively easy compared to the flights preparing for it.

On 10/21/2009, I received my Multi-Engine Instructor Certificate.

Part of the ATP 90 day fast track program includes the Single-Engine and Instrument Instructor add-ons.  My goal was to return to San Diego and acquire these at MYF.  I packed my car up and returned to my aunt and uncles on the 22nd.  Apparently I only had a couple hours of SEL time and no MEL time to use and the San Diego location did not have the availability to get me in for this training for weeks.  A combination of being home sick, away from my new wife for so long, viewing the CFI initial certificate as the precipice of my training, and ATP's attitude towards my final training, I decided my adventure with ATP was at an end.  My sister flew into San Diego on 10/28/2009, we hit the road the following morning and drove straight through, arriving home in Minnesota on the evening of Friday, 10/30/2009.