Is this the right career for me?

[Ethman]

Hey everyone,

First off I know I'm the only one who can answer this, but could anyone provide me with some insight to help me with my problem. I've been flying helicopters since I was 16, I got my private when I was 17. Recently though I've been having doubts on whether this is the right career path for me. I never had any bad experiences flying, everyone said I was a decent pilot. A few months ago I started IFR training, and that took some getting used to, but that is where I lost interest in my chopper career. It just wasn't fun anymore. I found myself nit-picking my flying and hovering, and getting frustrated with small errors. Stupid I know. Flying turned into a chore. Going to flight school was like going to math class. I want to want to fly, but I just don't. I feel bad for giving up such a rare opportunity to have this kind of career, and all of the money I've invested into it.

 

I guess what I'm asking are these typical flight school feelings or is this not right for me. Do feelings like this get better after flight school? Also I fear that I would have a hard time getting work after getting my licenses. Some insight in the job market would be helpful. I've tried researching it, but all I get is employment is up or down. Useless info. I know the more hours the better too. Let me know what you guys are thinking!

 

I'll add this:

I used to love flying. It used to be fun, but I lost it, and and haven't been able to get it back. If I kept up and made it through training, would things get better after getting all of my ratings?

Edited June 22, 2011 by Ethman

[Pohi]

Frustration is common, boredom and loathing not quite so much.

 

Best advice I have heard here, something along the lines of...

 

Go to college

Get a degree

Get a good job

Buy your own helicopter and fly it if you want.

 

If you are going to choose a career doing something you don't like, you might as well do something where you can actually get a job, and actually make great money.

[Ethman]

Frustration is common, boredom and loathing not quite so much.

 

Best advice I have heard here, something along the lines of...

 

Go to college

Get a degree

Get a good job

Buy your own helicopter and fly it if you want.

 

If you are going to choose a career doing something you don't like, you might as well do something where you can actually get a job, and actually make great money.

Well I used to love flying, but something happened and I lost the feeling. It was kind of a gradual change. I forgot to mention that. Could this just be a symptom of flight school? Doing the same procedures, xc, and shooting approaches got old really fast once I got my private.

[r22butters]

I'll add this:

I used to love flying. It used to be fun, but I lost it, and and haven't been able to get it back. If I kept up and made it through training, would things get better after getting all of my ratings?

 

I felt the same way when I started my Instrument training (after about a year and a half of just flying for fun with my Private). In fact, my definition of the Instrument Rating is; How to take the fun out of flying!

 

I've often wondered if turning something I enjoy into a job would make me start to hate it. I sure didn't feel much like flying after that Instrument crap!

 

Ask yourself this; If I have to fly every day (especially when I don't feel like it, (or when I just feel like crap)), will I still enjoy it?

Edited June 22, 2011 by r22butters

[Ethman]

I felt the same way when I started my Instrument training (about a year and a half of just flying for fun with my Private). In fact, my definition of the Instrument Rating is; How to take the fun out of flying!

 

I've often wondered if turning something I enjoy into a job would make me start to hate it. I sure didn't feel much like flying after that Instrument crap!

 

Ask yourself this; If I have to fly every day (especially when I don't feel like it, (or when I just feel like crap)), will I still enjoy it?

Maybe the instrument training is the problem? That's when my frustration started to build. It drove me nuts trying to listen to the instructor give me simulated ATC instructions, repeat them back all while trying to fly and visualize the entrances for the holds. Info overload. I think it hurt my confidence that I couldn't do this.

 

Also I've never had a chance to do any kind of flying except for training, training, and more training. I took my old man up once, but that's about it, no fun flying for me.

[apiaguy]

Luckily very little helicopter flight is IFR. So, bite the bullet and endure to the end of the training phase. Take a week off.... take the helicopter out and do some low level canyon flying and off airport fun stuff... this always helps me when the "stress" of flying is getting me down.

 

Your phase is very normal... it takes a great instructor and the right plan to make IFR training "fun"... I think the best approach is to always file... then do an actual cross country with different approaches. This is the best training for instrument work. Flying pattern A and B and timing turns and all that crap should take up no more than an hour of training to get the idea of what you're supposed to do... then put it together and do the real thing.

[TXFirefly]

Instrument training is never fun and I felt like quitting more than once. It is, however, a necessary evil in your training. I don't think any instructor would be able to make if fun. It is a lot of hard work, studying and procedure. None of which is fun. It will make you a better pilot though.

[Spike]

Every year, lots of people sign up at the local fixed-wing flight school to learn to fly. They do this for many reasons which are personal to them. However, one consistent reason is for the challenge of it. Most of these curious individuals quit flying altogether just after soloing. Why? They simply conquered the challenge….

 

No doubt, IFR training is borrrring… Challenge yourself to be perfect at it. If you do make a mistake, learn from it and move on. Once you gain certification, you can challenge yourself with the commercial, slash, CFI, slash, CFII prep and after that, getting a J-O-B. So on and so forth…

 

However, learning to fly helicopters at such a young age is unusual. Me thinks, you had some kind of influence. Not many parents of teenagers are willing to fork over the amount of cash necessary to gain helicopter certification. Not to pry, but in this business, your motivation is directly proportional to your desire. If this was handed to you, by whatever means, then maybe you never really had the desire…. Just something to consider..

 

As far as the job market, it remains as usual. Tough. It will ALWAYS be tough. If you know this going in, then you should have no delusions. But this is why making a living at this is so rewarding (for some of us).

 

IMO, go to collage and get a degree. The helicopter business will be here when you graduate. And no, this suggestion is not so you can get a better paying job and buy your own helicopter. Its for your future, -flying for a living or not… Plus, there is a huge difference between personal recreation flying and being paid to fly… A huge difference......

Edited June 23, 2011 by Spike

[iRotor]

You want to know why I love being a helicopter pilot? It's because I used to sell discount furniture at an outlet mall! Let me tell ya kid, getting paid minimum wage to strap an entertainment center to the roof of a Honda Civic is not all its cracked up to be. My suggestion, take some time off. Get a crappy job as a janitor or fast food cashier. Learn the pains of life outside of flying. I promise, you'll be reading the FAR/AIM for fun within 6 months!

[Ethman]

Thanks for all the replies. I think my loss of "fun" came from stupid mistakes like nearly leaving the wheels the r22 before taking off. Man I still feel stupid about that one today... I don't know I guess I'll have to do some soul searching The thing that has always afflicted my flying the most was how hard on myself I was. In the beginning I could make mistakes all day and it didn't bother me because I knew I was new and going to make mistakes, but after getting my private I was still making student pilot mistakes according to my instructor. I'm currently at 100 hours and I still hover by churning the butter, I don't even realize I do it, and I always made embarrassing mistakes like I'd hover taxi just fine to the set down spot and the set down would just be so sloppy the instructor would make me do it again until I got it right, but the next time I flew I'd do other crappy set down. I didn't help the set down spot was right where all the other students could see it. That really made me feel stupid. My old instructor once told me I was a decent pilot but my low self esteem worried and scared him.

 

However, learning to fly helicopters at such a young age is unusual. Me thinks, you had some kind of influence. Not many parents of teenagers are willing to fork over the amount of cash necessary to gain helicopter certification. Not to pry, but in this business, your motivation is directly proportional to your desire. If this was handed to you, by whatever means, then maybe you never really had the desire…. Just something to consider..

I did have help getting my license. My uncle owned the flight school so I would be first in line if a helicopter needed to be ferried somewhere. My parents paid for half of my training, and I worked at the airport mowing the lawn to pay for the other half. I had the desire, but I up grew with a pretty sheltered life and skipped a lot growing up kids usually do to get my license. I started working toward my private when I was 15. I soloed when I was 16 and got my private when I was 17. I'm 19 now. I knew when I was 15 that I had to be better than a 15 year old to do this. I had no social life lol. I poured my heart into doing it at such a young age, and now I feel so bad that all time I wasted for something I really wanted isn't fun anymore. Sorry, I'm venting know. I've never had an outlet for this before since everyone I know is so judgmental.

[palmfish]

You need to take a break from flying. Go backpack through Europe for a month then come back and go to college. Fly for fun once a week to keep your skills current. Get your instrument ticket later.

[mrjibbs]

How to take the fun out of flying!

 

No, that is Army Aviation!

[nsdqjr]

Wow, Apia, did you really just recommend that a flight school student go out and do "low level canyon runs"? Top notch! See if you can toss a barrel roll or two in there while you're at it. It's all good, wires are a myth!

[apiaguy]

In Phoenix... canyon runs may be spooky... where I live, it is all we have. 20 miles from my house is the end of civilization... there are no wires past that. And by low level, I don't necessarily mean below 10 feet. Low level usually means below 500 feet in aviation.

[SBuzzkill]

Wow, Apia, did you really just recommend that a flight school student go out and do "low level canyon runs"? Top notch! See if you can toss a barrel roll or two in there while you're at it. It's all good, wires are a myth!

 

He's not just a flight school student in case you missed that. He's a private pilot.

 

Anyways, learning to fly can be very challenging which often times can take the fun out of it. It's stressful to throw all those things on you at once but that is how we progress. Flying is a blast but when it's your job there are expectations for your performance that can make it seem more like work and less like fun. But that's how it is in anything.

 

If you want to fly just as a fun hobby then don't persue a career as a pilot because very rarely will any of your flights feel like a joy ride. The one thing I can tell you though, is that even when it gets stressful at the end of the day when you're on your way home if you are smiling and feeling good about what you do then you know that you picked the right career.

 

Do what palmfish suggested and take a break from training. I was feeling about like you were last year and I had a 3 month break in training. During those months I really realized how much I missed flying. Got back in the saddle and the break really helped my attitude. It's been over a month now since I've touched a helicopter and I'm really missing it. It's going to be a while but I will be ready to go when the time comes to get back in the cockpit. Good luck to you and I hope you figure it out, remember that you're only 19 and you have plenty of time before you need to make a decision. Have some fun with it.

[Azhigher]

Flight school can be exhausting, may be good to take some time off. I took a few months off after my commercial checkride and it really helped to square me away to the challenge of the coming CFI program.

 

Be cautious though, it's not all cupcakes and rainbows once you're all through school. You gotta really want it to make it all the way through. So, maybe take some time and see how you feel afterwards.