Serious question

[heli-luv]

Ok, I have all my licenses, but no job yet. I really like helicopters and what not, but I am not like what seems to me that most here are like. I don't wanna read up on everything I can about stuff. I am having a hard time wanting to go back and keep reading all the stuff I just learned so I stay fresh when another ( it seems at least ) 6 months from now I might be able to land a job interview. I know in my mind I should, especially when I realize how much has already become a fog in the VERY short time its been since I got done with my stuff. I forget acronyms and other stuff and it is frustrating spending all day at the computer reading, looking for jobs and umpteen scattered all over the place websites trying to find work, adjusting my resume for each company and looking for a job period other than heli, to then think about grabbing a book and reading even more heli stuff! It is not what floats my boat, yet as I read posts here, it seems like I'm not the norm because many here seem to be up to speed on everything and I'm feeling like maybe I've not got the correct mindset of the typical helicopter pilot????

Am I alone in this and am prolly not in the best chosen career field? I am not a person that likes to read, I do when I have to and got 95% and up on all my tests, passed all my ground stage checks above average because I studied and studied A LOT, but love to read I do not.

so am i in need of swallowing the debt and just get another line of work for good or what?

[apiaguy]

scary...

[jfcorey]

It is not what floats my boat,

If that's the case, yes, you should look for a new career path.

[Hedge36]

You're either constantly learning in your chosen career, or you're refreshing your memory on the basic items that will continue to make you successful. If the drive to do so isn't there, then yes... you're headed down the wrong path.

 

You either love what you do and absorb as much as you can about it, or - in this business, especially - you're only half-assing it and will end up killing yourself.

[FlyNHighNFast]

Dude,

 

April 1st was two weeks ago!!

[ascj]

Not wanting to read about rules and regulations is not a reason to give up flying. i'd suggest trying to land a job in utility where you might find less paperwork. but living and making a living as a pilot is a full on commitment just look at the thread here about what people have given up for their jobs. no 2 ways about it if your going to make it your hearts got to be in it.

[copterkeith06]

You should've known in your first week of training there's a whole lot of reading in this line of work. It's good for the mind anyway, after everything you did to get this far, don't give up ! It's not going to kill you to read. Unless you do it while flying or driving. Buck up & don't be a puss.

[kodoz]

"As professionals, aviation instructors strive to maintain the highest level of knowledge, training, and currency in the field of aviation. To achieve this goal, instructors need to commit themselves to continuous, lifelong learning and professional development..."

 

At one of the HAI seminars I went to, a speaker was asked about joining the military as a way to finance flight training. His response was "Before you do that, you need to think about whether you want to be a soldier first. Same thing applies for airborne law enforcement." I'd have added that, if you take want to be a civilian pilot, think about whether you want to be an instructor or not first (and if you want to accept the associated responsibilities of being a CFI). If you don't, it's a disservice to your students. I've experienced this first-hand, and I'm sorry to have seen flight schools that retain these people.

 

For a little bit longer term perspective to the OP, any professional career requires continuing education.

[FLHooker]

Hopefully I am not the only 1 finding irony in your username....

 

Have you ever had that passion? When you know you are flying that day, and just can't wait to crank that bad boy and pick it up to a hover? If so, you might just be in a rut, and you can pull yourself out of it. I found myself a few years back in a similiar situation (I was flying FW then). I took a break, and realized how freaking much I love this addiction. Now, I can't imagine doing anything else. Picking the aircraft up to a hover for hover checks before I take off on a mision is like crack to me.

 

 

My 2 Cents...

 

Best of luck, either way you choose

 

CHAD

[Regan]

Lets say you could eliminate the reading you are talking about and still be a safe, career pilot. Would that make it something you'd definitely want to do? If the answer is yes, then start concentrating more on your goal and less on the obstacles blocking your way. If you are still unsure, even without those objections, then maybe it's just something to do as a hobby or part time. Just don't make that decision overnight as everyone has their down times when things don't look as good.

 

Also, keep in mind that it's easier to retain the knowledge when you are consistently flying; at least that's how it is for me. It sounds like you aren't flying much while you are looking for a job - go rent an hour on a nice day and see how you feel during/after that.

[Basher]

Dude, you should have given me the money you spent on flight training up to 1,000 hours and I'd have put them to good use!!!

 

I think the suggestions made already are great. Rent an hour and see how you feel. I haven't started flight training yet (the finances won't support it, and loans are impossible as everyone knows), but the few times I've been up for rides at local fly-ins and such are amazing, and I can hardly contain myself and the frustration I feel at not being able to be in the air all the time. Maybe you just need to look at things from another point of view, try something different maybe. Get rated in another aircraft, take a few hours of long-line training or something, just to shake things up a bit, I don't know. Doing the same thing over and over again can get old, so a bit of something new might help.

 

Other than that, if it really doesn't light you fire, maybe you need to take a break for a bit. I, personally, realize that there are MUCH better paying jobs than being a heli pilot. However, I'm MORE than willing to take less money in exchange for a career that I'd love. If you're not happy where you're at, you'll soon hate going to work everyday. I'm trying to save the finances so I can have that job I'd love. Maybe you need to find what makes you tick and go for it.

[Liner]

It sounds to me like half your issue is the job finding, resume updating and all the other stuff it takes to try and find a job in today's market. I really think you need to separate that issue from the work it takes to fly and continue to learn and improve in your career field.

Hey, EVERYBODY looking for work right now is stressed, depressed, confused and otherwise second-guessing their helo career -- just read some of the posts on the topic.

Maybe an option for you is to get a job first -- any job, flying or not to relieve that stress. If it's not a flying job, keep flying anyway. I bet you'll see the fun and the desire to improve return without the stress of the job issue lurking.

A question for you... if the job hunting reading, computer searching and work were not required right now, would the helo learning, reading and updating be all that tough? Maybe so, but I'm guessing it's the combination of the two that seems overwhelming.

 

Relative only to the flying, for me, it was simply the flying and the continuous testing and improvement of my capabilities that was the most fun and rewarding for me. Knowing that I was on the top of my FLYING game, not necessarily the knowledge game. Sure, you've got to study and stay fresh, but practicing that knowledge in the aircraft is 10x more effective than reading and memorizing acronyms, procedures, etc.

 

Just my $.02. I haven't flown in several years and I'm starting back up because I miss it and I love it. Flying is some of the most rewardng and challenging work I've ever done.

[AngelFire_91]

Hopefully I am not the only 1 finding irony in your username....

 

Have you ever had that passion? When you know you are flying that day, and just can't wait to crank that bad boy and pick it up to a hover? If so, you might just be in a rut, and you can pull yourself out of it. I found myself a few years back in a similiar situation (I was flying FW then). I took a break, and realized how freaking much I love this addiction. Now, I can't imagine doing anything else. Picking the aircraft up to a hover for hover checks before I take off on a mision is like crack to me.

 

 

My 2 Cents...

 

Best of luck, either way you choose

 

CHAD

 

Truth of the matter is the Job market sucks right now, and I would agree that it's hard, depressing, and everything else. But if that passion is there then I think it would be more like a rut your in. Like Hooker said, do you get all happy and want to dance around like a little school girl when you hear that ship fire up and feel her lift off the ground? I know I do, and funny enough I get craby irritable and grumpy when I don't get to fly for a while. I even had an old girl friend ask me once when the last time I was flying was because she could tell I was irritable.

 

Moral of the story, try to figure out if it's just a rut and your depressed cause of the market and such, or is it really something that you just don't enjoy?

[heli-luv]

Thanks for some good replies from those of you who can read and comprehend from my maybe not as clear as I thought post. To clear it up.......

 

Love flying and heli's? YES!!!!! why else would I go all the way to CFII and get into huge debt?

Get a rush, yes

grin most of my flights, you bet!

 

Love reading about the latest heli everything news so as to know every detail about stuff? NO that was the point of this question. It SEEMS to me by my readings on the site that most everyone does read up on all that stuff, some of the nit picky, hair splitting discussions I've seen gloss my eyes over after a few sentences.

FADEC, the latest on everything WAAS etc etc I just don't find I care about.

 

Love to learn and grow in my knowledge, sure, don't enjoy the reading that is often involved with that part, but I do it and learn it as need be. I have always done so with every job I've had, but the in depth motivation it seems some, if not most, have around here, I just don't know I've ever had for anything ever. I've made all kinds of sacrifices to do this, but have hated a bunch of it, learning WX and stuff was a chore and I can do it, but I don't thrive like some of you guys seem to.

 

I may in fact be in a rut like funk. I have not flown for more than 60 days, can't afford to fly right now since I can't find a job right now, heli or otherwise. I was looking at a sectional and was getting stressed at how much of the stuff on it could not remember what it stood for and then the other things I've forgotten and my lack of desire to dredge out the books again and re-read all that stuff again over and over for the next 6 months while I'm looking and waiting for a CFI job AND all the other reading involved looking for work etc etc. I got into an outdoor flying job because all this sitting and reading crap is not my cup of tea.

That's all, I am highly motivated for flying, it is just all the reading of everything from a-z over and again plus all the other things is really starting to wear me down, so it got me to WONDERING, since it seems so many read up on EVERYTHING heli related, if maybe tons of continual reading all this info about everything, was what all heli pilots had to do and if maybe I've chosen the wrong field.

Reading what I need to know for learning to fly a new type and company policies and EMS procedures and for a...... damn forgot another acronym.... what ever type card to long line and fire fight, YOU BET I"LL DO with glee, but does one need to always be reading about everything else to be competitive? That is what I was asking. I know I am for sure not even motivated to review for my knowledge upkeep at this time and that just got me to wondering.

Thanks.

[kodoz]

damn forgot another acronym....

 

It's an OAS card. Lot of us are in the same boat, so I see where you're coming from. I can't bear to go over my hypoxia lesson plans for the nth time in the hope of possibly landing an interview. And I sure can't afford to go fly every week. I've been whiling the time doing a couple of things, self-directed learning, just to expand my knowledge while accepting that some of my base knowledge isn't staying so sharp.

 

-- First, went to HAI, and following up on that kept me busy for a while.

-- Random reading. Mountain flying books that are technical, to non-fictional accounts written by pilots.

-- MS flight sim. Good for keeping the instrument skills from vaporizing. Also did some time on a Frasca simulator, altho learning to fly it was a skill to be acquired in and of itself. Tim's VOR simulator is another good one that has a shallower learning curve.

-- Sit for some ground instructor certificates. MikeMV on this list recommended I do that anyway, so why not? I'm pretty good with standardized tests, so taking another one is just a high-score game to me.

-- At some point I'm going to go back to my lesson plans and polish them up some.

-- Armchair flying, usually while the wife is watching Gray's Anatomy.

-- AOPA and ASF/FAAST courses. They're actually good for reinforcing the basics, although you do have to suffer the fact that most are geared toward plank drivers. And some of them are kinda...lame. But you can get credit toward a BFR for doing them (look it up in part 61).

-- Read AOPA Pilot and Flight Training, and the archives. Again, 80% only applies to FW, especially in Pilot, but there's some good ADM, weather, legal, and procedural stuff. I also got a subscription to IFR Refresher which has been helpful. When reading these things gets tedious, I just skim. Later something will inspire me to go back and look more carefully.

-- LiveATC.com

-- I've thought about going up with an instructor FW on an IFR flight, but IFR season is done here.

-- Run outside and watch every time MedStar flies by. I also have a friend at the local FBO that texts me every time a heli comes in. Few weeks back I got a cockpit tour of an OH-58 that some Guard students were doing dual XC's in. Sitting in that seat felt nice, and was a big lift.

 

For me, reading is second nature, and it's harder for me to find the time to pursue my interests than it is to find something that interests me. If I don't feel like reading, the flight sims are just video games. That's what you have to do...just find something that's interesting to you and go with it.

[rodrop]

I dont have any license yet. But I think I can relate to the reading issue. I do not like to read like most people, about anything. I do have to force myself and have read everything I can about flying and helicopters...and it is a chore. I try to keep myself motivated with reading by watching cool videos, TV etc about flying and helicopters.

Hang in there, not everyone enjoys reading...and I am sure with the right psychiatrist, we can find out why we are different...but then it would probably be put in a report, we would have to read.

[enymoen]

Dude, its alot to learn at first, but all that stuff becomes natural after a while. Do you think future doctors and lawyers sincerily enjoys everything they have to read and study?

This industry isnt the best, the job market is tough and you have to put up with some sh*t. But nothing is perfect. My first 3 years was a drag, and I was very frustrated, but now everything is good. You finish flight school, hustle your way up to that first real job, and after that you're golden.

If you love flying you'll love a career doing this. Yea you hear people complain, but some people are just never satisfied.

Just hang in there, and push on.

 

Ps. And all that reading... I pick up the books just before every checkride now just to fresh up, and thats pretty much all you need to do.

Knowing the fadec in and out isnt gonna make you a better pilot in reality.