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Recently I got an email from Dwayne in Georgia that subscribes to this blog. He had some very interesting questions about flying that were a lot of fun to answer.

I’ve copied our email discussion below. Have a read and see what you think. I would really like to hear your comments about the discussion. Also, Dwayne had some great suggestions for future articles.

Again, if you would like to see a particular aviation article or an article about being a professional pilot, just let me know.

OK…here is the email. Dwayne’s questions are in blue and my answers are in black:

Jeff: Selling real estate. Absolutely! In fact, I wish I had had the foresight to get into real estate a long time ago. Flying is more of a part time job really. If you go with a 121 operator, you can bet on having between 10 to 14 days off a month. If you get stuck on Reserve, you get paid for staying home as long as you aren’t commuting to your Reserve.

There are a couple articles on my blog that tell pilots that if they don’t have something making them money on the side, they are setting themselves up to be in a world of hurt if they get furlough, lose their medical, etc. You will already be ahead of the game. The only thing that I would suggest is that you try to find a way to make it work without you even being there. For instance, I don’t know what kind of real estate you are into, but maybe switch to rental property investment instead of selling. That way you can deal with it when you get back or just contract someone to fix whatever is broken or get a property manager to handle everything. There are lots of options.

Dwayne: How is your lifestyle and home life with your family? I just keep thinking about missing those important baseball games and plays etc.

Jeff: Lifestyle. Well, I won’t lie, there are sacrifices but I don’t think any more than any other job, just in a different format. There are things I miss with my daughter, but with that said, when I am home I have A TON more quality time. I don’t just see her in the evening like I would in a normal job. When I’m home, I’m home. Aside from my blogging and window cleaning business, we can tell mommy to go shopping and me and my daughter head to the zoo. As for me and my wife, well the separation is good. Not that we need to be separated, it is just that as they say, “separation grows the heart fonder.” Basically, we each get a break. She has her time without me being around so she can do the things she wants, and I get to go fly airplanes. Even trade.

Dwayne: Do most Captains like yourself help the new First Officers and allow us to pick your brains to become better pilots?

Jeff: Picking brains. Part of my job is to help the FO learn to become a captain. I help when I can. Instruct when I need to. And provide a critique at the end of a trip about how I think they are doing and what they might want to consider doing. Very low stress. It is part of the reason I write the blog. I enjoy helping pilots.

Dwayne: Being a flight instructor yourself I have a logbook question. How do you transfer your old log book to the software, and show the endorsements and check rides etc?  For interview purposes does that really matter if the endorsements are shown on the new logbook?

Jeff: Hardcopy logbook, (Jeppesen Professional Logbook) and an electronic logbook ( Logbook Pro Pilot Logbook Software). Good question.

You will have to take your hardcopy to the interview, especially if you are a new hire. Even now I would take my hardcopy logbook to an interview if I were to interview just for that reason…the endorsements. The electronic logbook is supplemental to the hardcopy once you start cranking out the hours.

At the end of the month, I just download my flight times from my company and upload them into Logbook Pro. Now I have two logbooks, hard and soft. I have copies of my endorsements that I keep in a safe place as well. With that said, I have a friend who was hired by Emirates. He stopped making entries in his hardcopy years ago and has only maintained an electronic logbook since. When he interviewed, he took copies of the electronic logbook to the interview. He is now on the 777.

Dwayne: I am a little rusty with procedures and flying in general. What would be your best recommendation to become current and on my game again to the point of feeling confident enough to interview?

Jeff: Interview ready. Airlines are basically only interested in your IFR capabilities. Review your instrument flying handbook and pull out the ATP handbook.

Also, like I said somewhere in my blog, take your ATP written. It looks good and really helps you prepare. As for actual flying, an IPC wouldn’t hurt but they do want to see that you have been flying in the last six months. Can’t really say how many hours is enough, I would just spread it out over a couple weeks doing some instrument x-country or something.

What would really pay off is doing some FTD or simulator training at your local flight school and work on holds, ILS, and maybe a VOR approach.

Confidence and skill is the key. If you are confident during the simulator portion of the interview, they will know it. Find a gauge though on the place you want to interview and make sure they are or aren’t doing simulator rides.

Dwayne: Thank you for your time and thanks for the great blog. Dwayne

Jeff: Dwayne, thank you for the questions! I enjoyed answering them. Feel free to contact me whenever you have a question.

So there you have it. I hope that you were able to get some good information out of our email conversation. Flying is a fun career…my office is changes daily between 25,000 feet and 38,000 feet…but because of its lifestyle it can be a stressful one! Like any occupation these days though, no job is secure so you have to always have something else on the side. Dwayne has his real estate and I have my blog and my window cleaning business. But, you only live once, and if you have the determination, you can end up in the left seat of a jet too someday!

If you want a taste of flying, go do a Discovery Flight…you might just get hooked! Click here for more info!

To Your Flying Success…

Jeffrey

P.S. You can follow me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/flycrj 

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