Behind The Yoke

After doing some serious thinking and research I’ve decided that becoming a CFI to earn a living isn’t the best idea. The initial investment of getting certified is so high (no lower than $45,000) it really doesn’t make any sense unless I wanted to fly with the big boys for a living. The problem I have in my particular situation is that I don’t live next to a very active airport (AHN) with many students coming in and out so the guarantee of getting paid is just not there. And I don’t want to commute two hours everyday to an airport. No thank you, been there done that. I would rather get my private, instrument and muti-engine rating and save the rest of my dough and possibly buy an airplane; a Piper PA-24 Comanche to be exact (ahhh love to dream). After some time passes, then maybe I’ll get my commercial and initial CFI. All I can do is wish the cost of flight training would lower so the desperate individuals who just want to get in the air like myself can burn some blue.

Its exactly like going to cooking school. You pay close to 50-60 grand for 2 years of education and come out earning $9 an hour at some fancy schmancy restaurant starting out at the bottom. Mmmm. I understand we all have to start out somewhere but companies have to understand that the student has paid a crap load of money in order to get where he or she is at. I think tuition reimbursement is completely underutilized and more companies should offer a student or greenhorn contractual deals. Therefore, employment retention is stronger and dedication to do a better job comes second nature.

So, my dream continues to linger. The good thing though is that I finally know what I want in my life after all these years. I think. The abridged version: to live on a farm with a wonderful family that has a garden, four goats, some chickens, two horses, a smokehouse to cold smoke some salmon, and an airplane parked at AHN ready to hit the skies so we can count the chicken houses from 2500 feet. It’ll take close to 10-15 years to accomplish but I have patience because the older you get, the faster time flies. wink wink.

Look how the pilots have to compensate staying on course by maintaining a yaw orientation with respect to the runway. The technique is called “crabbing.” The plane drifts laterally instead of horizontally flying sideways towards the centerline of the runway and the pilot corrects the aircraft after touchdown.

Ever wonder what the cockpit in a particular jet/plane looks like? Click on the plane and it will show you the cockpit.