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When I was a new hire with SkyWest, I heard a funny story. For some reason, some of the pilots went over to where the flight attendants attend ground school. Maybe they were going over there to use their microwave, I don’t know. Anyway, when they came back they told us about a conversion they had just had with some flight attendants. The flight attendants and pilots were talking about how long their ground schools were. The flight attendants ground school is three weeks long. The pilots ground school is six weeks long. One flight attendant spoke up and said, “You mean, just three more weeks and I could have been a pilot?” I don’t think so!

For those of you who have been through any sort of flight training, you will probably get a chuckle out of that statement. I know every time I tell the story or think about it, I do. I chuckle because it is almost impossible to explain to the lay person exactly how you got to be a first officer at a regional airline much less how you became a pilot in the first place. Furthermore, it’s fairly difficult to explain what you are going to still be going through for the next couple weeks AFTER you finish ground school.

If you would like to follow the steps of someone just learning to fly, consider following: MyFlightBlog.com. Todd is doing a great job working towards his Private Pilot rating. I always stop by for a read.

Now when I started flying, way, way, way back when I was 15 years old, I would work for my Dad during the weekend installing kitchen cabinets. He would pay me for my work and I would take the money and fly…literally. On my sixteenth birthday I soloed an airplane even before I had my driver’s license. Now, there is more to the story about me, but you can check it out on my About page if you are interested.

If you read my About page, you’ll notice there were huge gaps in my flying. I never got my Private Pilot until I was almost 22 years old. And I never REALLY made it a career choice until I was 35 years old. And all this time, along the path to becoming an airline pilot, I NEVER kept track of the money I was spending. EVER! All I worried about were the hours. Even when I was working on my advanced ratings: multi-engine, commercial, and instrument, I still didn’t worry about what I was spending…and this is bad! I was literally focusing on the hours that I needed…and found the money to pay for it. I still have no clue how much I spent over the entire process, but it was a lot of money!

In 1999, when I finally had the money to shift careers and pursue flying professionally, I had saved up a lot of money from working overseas, and coupled with my GI Bill, I could pay for my flight training without taking out any loans. My GI Bill dried up just about the time I was working on my multi-engine flight instructor rating (MEI) but by then I was on my way.

How Much Is It Going to Cost?

So what is it REALLY going to cost you to become a professional pilot, flying for a regional airlines? Well assuming you already have your Private Pilot certificate, I’ve compiled some numbers that I think will be interesting. Now mind you these are not exact figures. Depending on whether you decide to go to an organized Part 141 school like FlightSafety Academy  (not recommended) in Vero Beach, Florida, or your local flight school, the total cost could possibly be much higher. Again, what I’ve provided is just a guide.

Instrument Rating in a Single-Engine Airplane:

20 hours of airplane rental @ $100/hr. = $2,000
20 hours of simulator rental at $45/hr. = $900
40 hours of dual instruction @ $35/hr. = $1,400
Written exam fee = $50
Designated examiner fee for checkride = $175 
ASA Pilot’s Manual – Instrument Flying = $59.95
Additional ground school materials = $200
Total Cost = $4,784.95

Commercial Rating in a Single-Engine Airplane:

20 hours of airplane rental @ $125/hr. = $2,500
20 hours of dual instruction @ $35/hr. = $700
Second-class medical = $75 (if you plan to fly for compensation or hire)
Written exam fee = $50
Designated examiner fee for checkride = $175
ASA Pilot’s Manual for Private and Commercial Certificates = $49.95
Additional material = $200
Total Cost = $3,749.95

Primary Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) Certificate:

15 hours of airplane rental @ $125/hr. = $1,875
60 hours of dual instruction @ $35/hr. = $2,100
Written exam fees = $100
Checkride given by FAA (not designated examiner) = Fre.e
ASA Certified Flight Instructor Prepware = $49.95
Additional material = $100
Total Cost = $4,225

Instrument Flight Instructor Certificate (CFI-I)

10 hours of airplane rental @ $100/hr. = $1,000
20 hours of dual instruction @ $35/hr. = $700
Written exam fees = $50
Designated examiner fee for checkride = $175
Books for the CFI rating = $100
Additional material = $100
Total Cost = $2,125

Multi-Engine Instructor (MEI) Rating:

5 hours of airplane rental @ $180/hr. = $900
5 hours simulator time @ 45/hr. = $225
10 hours of dual instruction @ $35/hr. = $350
Designated Examiner fee for checkride = $175
ASA – The Complete Multi-Engine Pilot = $19.50
Total Cost = $1,670

So, have you been keeping track of the total cost?

Well, if you add it all up, you are looking at around $19,000!

That’s a lot of money, isn’t it?

And remember, this is just a very rough estimate. How much you fly also factors in to how much you pay because if you have huge gaps in your flying, you are going to find that the minimum number of hours are not enough because you have to repeat lessons, etc. There are a ton of other variables to consider as well.

Think about his too. If you opt for an established, Part 141 school like FlightSafety Academy or Aviator, Inc., you could spend between $35,000 to $45,000 for your training. Almost double what it would cost to go to a Part 61 school.

So, are you still interested? If you are like me, you are! Now you will just have to find a way to pay for it. And like they say, “Where there is a will, there is a way!”

Soon, I’ll give a few suggestions on how to pay for your flight training. Or if you can’t wait, for a Special Report, visit “Fund Your Flying” here.

To Your Flying Success…

Jeffrey

Here are a few links you might enjoy:

• Focusing on Your Dream (http://flycrj.com/2008/10/20/focusing-on-your-dream/)
• How to Advance Your Flying Career
• Official FAA Pilot License Training Kits

Your Engine Just Died and You’ve Got 3 Choices:
Water? Road? Tree?
Click here for an expert’s answer and free 20-minute audio…

I don’t know about you but after a long, uneventful two hour flight, if I’m not mentally prepared, the last 20 minutes could be a lot of work, especially if I’m going into an airport with bad weather, low visibility, a short runway, or a complicated airport environment.

That was the case the other day when going to Burbank (KBUR). We launched out of Denver, headed west over the Rockies, and enjoyed a smooth ride. It was the third leg of an early show day and it was hard to just stay awake. The Burbank METAR reported something like calm winds, 1 mile visibility, VV001, and Haze. The only thing we had going for us was that the sun would be behind us on the approach.

Now usually…about 30 minutes from landing…I start preparing for the descent. If I’m the non-flying pilot, I figure out the landing weight, get the ATIS, review the arrival and the approach procedures, and set up the radios. If I’m the flying pilot, I start reviewing the weather, the arrival, the approach, and the airport environment.

Southwest Airlines Flt 1455

Now going into Burbank is not that complicated, really, mostly vectors to final but what can get you is the short runway. The CRJ200 doesn’t have leading edge devices, so its final approach speed is faster than most heavier airplanes, around 140 knots, and thus takes a little longer to stop. If you land long, the end of Runway 8 can come up on you pretty fast. Think back to the day when Southwest landed long and fast and made a surprise visit to the gas station across the street.

Also, the fact that your visibility is limited and you have to fly the ILS means that you can not fudge and fly a little bit low on glideslope which would allow you to land around the fixed distance markers and get stopped sooner. I have seen a lot of pilots do this. Personally, I always aim to fly the glideslope, regardless of the airport because then, if anything goes wrong, you can say that you did it right. I just make sure I don’t float the airplane in an airport like BUR.

Now back to preparing for the arrival

If it has been a long day, chances are you are living off coffee. Coffee, though one of the major food groups in my book, is a diuretic, which means it increases urine flow which removes excess water from your body. Furthermore, while flying a high altitudes and while in the airplane environment, you have to always be aware of the the fact that you dehydrate faster.  So unless you have been drinking water, you are probably a bit dehydrated even though you may not feel dehydrated. Also, because you have been so sedentary and have not burned a lot of calories, you may not “feel” very hungry either.

Both of these conditions: dehydration and low blood sugar, can decrease your mental acuity, which when shooting an approach to minimums can make you work a bit harder.

How to make it all better

So here is what I do. Along with all the other things mentioned above with regards to preparing for the arrival and approach, I prepare my mind and body:

• If I haven’t been drinking water, I start.
• If I haven’t been eating, I dig into my eBag crew cooler and grab an apple, a banana, or protein bar and eat it.
• If I haven’t moved in awhile, I stretch and do a few flight deck exercises. See: The Flight Deck Workout

Suddenly…I feel a ton better and a bit sharper. The funny thing is, I didn’t even know that I was feeling sluggish, probably because of the environment in which I work the onset of the conditions was gradual.

So, if you find yourself sitting for a long time and you are heading into challenging weather conditions, a complicated arrival with a lot of crossing altitudes and speed requirements, or a challenging airport environment…about 20 minutes out, consider hydrating, taking on some nutrition, and stretching your muscles. Listen to what your body is saying and take action.

Finally, as an airline pilot (or any pilot for that matter), you have a tremendous responsibility to do what you can to stay sharp and get that airplane and your passengers safely to their destination. Taking care of yourself ensures that you be ready for whatever lies ahead.

Be safe…

Jeffrey

P.S. If you liked this article, please forward it to a friend or fellow pilot. Also, for updates, sign up with the RSS feed of your choice or for email updates.

As a pilot at a regional airline, I have a lots of checklist to run before we even get off the ground. I have an “originating checklist,” a “pre-start checklist,” an “engine start checklist,” and the list goes on. But what I didn’t have was a checklist to get out my front door. I found I would get to the airport and I’d be missing something that I REALLY wanted to take with me on this particular four-day trip.

So I came up with a checklist that I put in my suitcase, so that when I start to pack, I look it over and that helps me remember what I need and want to take with me. Then, when I’m done packing, I put in back in my closet and when I get home and have unpacked, I put it back in my suitcase till the next trip, because one thing I’ve noticed about myself, if I don’t do something I’m thinking about RIGHT NOW or I don’t write a note to myself RIGHT THEN, I tend to forget about it till after I need it.

So, I hope this helps.

Read the rest of this entry »

It’s the same old story; another two-hour flight, you’re tired of reading your flight operations manual and the quick reference handbook (QRH) doesn’t sound very inviting either. Furthermore, it’s been one of those days: delays, weather, maintenance issues…you name it…it happened.

You’re also thinking, “Man, I’m going to be too tired to workout when I get to the hotel.”

So what is there to do for the next 20-30 minutes before you begin your descent?

Well here are few suggestions and your first officer doesn’t even have to know you are doing them and you won’t miss that radio call either.

LEG SQUEEZE

Works: Inner thigh

How do to it: Place a water bottle between your legs. Keep your abs contracted. Squeeze the bottle gently. Hold for five seconds and release. 5 to 10 reps.

LEG OUTWARD PRESS

Works: Outer thigh and glutes

How to do it: Spread your feet and knees on either side of your seat against the panels. Press out for ten seconds. Repeat 5 times.

SEAT LIFT

Works: Glutes

How you do it: With a firm grip on the yoke, tighten your upper leg muscles. Hold for five seconds. 10 reps.

YOKE GRIP

Works: Forearms and grip strength

How you do it: Grab yoke and tighten your grip for ten seconds and release. 5 to 10 reps.

SIDE BEND

Works: Obliques (Side abdominal muscles which flex and rotate the trunk)

How you do it: Put your hands behind your head. Lean to one side, holding for three seconds. Then, lean to the other side. 12 to 15 reps.

TOE RAISES

Works: Calf muscles

How to do it: Put your feet flat on the floor, lift your heels and hold for five seconds. 12 to 15 reps.

ARM CIRCLE

Works: Shoulders

How to do it: Put your arms straight out and rotate in circles. Repeat 12 to 15 times, and then reverse directions.

Note: Be careful not to hit your fellow pilot when doing this exercise.

SHOULDER RAISES

Works: Deltoids (Shoulders)

How to do it: Put your arm rests down. Place elbows and forearms along the length of the arm rests. Try to raise arms using shoulders. Hold for ten seconds. Repeat 5 times.

TRICEP EXTENSION

Works: Tricep

How to do it: Make a fist and place base of hand on upper thighs. Press down on thighs. Hold for ten seconds. Repeat 5 times.

BICEP CURL

Works: Bicep

How to do it: Place palm of hands under yoke, one hand on each side. Try to curl the yoke straight up. Hold for ten seconds. Repeat 5 times

ABS SQUEEZE

Works: Upper body

How to do it: Put your arms behind your head and lean forward and lean forward, contracting your abs and stomach. Hold for eight seconds. Release. 12 to 15 reps.

 Now you’ve done a few things that will help you keep your body fit and you won’t feel so guilty about just heading to the hotel room and turning on the TV.

You might also find that when you do these exercises, you will feel refreshed and more alert.

Don’t forget that you can also download exercises to your computer directly from iTrain (www.iTrain.com) if you need some variety in your hotel workouts.

Be safe and get in shape…

Jeffrey

P.S. If you have any ideas for other things you can do to workout on the flight deck, please post them in the comments section.

Here are some other links that you might be interested in:

• Fit Over 40 Workout
• Workout Ideas for Pilots
• The Fat Loss Troubleshooter
• Download, workout at ITRAIN.com!
  

The Battery Master switch is the first thing on and the last thing off. If you’ve been in the CRJ-200. Here is a quick description on it and what it does.

First Switch ON and Last Switch OFF (prevents W-OFF-W by keeping BATT BUS voltage from dropping below 18V and making Proximity Electronic Sensor Units (PSEU) default to W-OFF-W)

• Turned ON – connects APU BATT DIR BUS & MAIN BATT DIR BUS to the BATT BUS
• Does NOT connect batteries to the BATT BUS
• Battery Master Switch would be located on the “HOCKEY STICK” below the BATT BUS
• Once AC power is established, “HOCKEY STICK” goes hollow (as if you turned the BATTERY MASTER off) – but batteries are in “STANDBY” waiting for a loss of AC power
• 5 minute limitation on DC power only – ED 1/2 powered by DC, but cooled with AC fans 

CRJ200 Electrical Power Service Panel

AC Electric Synoptic Page

Get your Bombardier CRJ200 with EFIS & EICAS Displays Handheld Poster here.

Want the whole complete story on the CRJ200? Then pick up your copy of the CRJ200 QUICKNOTES STUDY GUIDE here! Your best tool for learning the CRJ fast!