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Welcome to Episode 12 and thanks for listening. I am really excited to spend some time with you today to talk about the interesting and diverse aviation career field. Whether you are in your car, on your way to work, working out in the gym, or maybe just relaxing in your living room; I hope the time we spend together will help you obtain a deeper understand of the different careers opportunities in the field of aviation.

I have received questions and have been involved in conversations about the two distinct paths of flying; corporate or airlines. To help you better understand the difference I discuss:

• What Is Business Aviation?
• The National Business Aviation Association and how they can help you with your career.
• Why flying for the regional airlines will help you build flight time quicker than with business flying.
• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 30 percent of the new flying jobs are in business aviation.

To continue the discussion on the difference between business aviation and flying for the airlines I am going to share with you an interview I had with Flight Time Radio in Jacksonville, FL. Flight Time Radio brings the thrill of aviation to listeners of all backgrounds through a group of passionate aviation enthusiasts. The Hosts Milford, Charlie, and Glenn asked me many questions including:

• Why I started Aviation Careers Podcast.
• What type of jobs are there in aviation.
• Why there are no lateral moves when you change airlines and why you must start over again.
• What are the job prospects for Business Aviation.
• According to Bureau of Labor Statistics 30 percent of the pilot jobs will be in business aviation. Some independent analysts place the percentage as high as 40 percent.

I really enjoy speaking with the folks at Flight Time Radio. They are truly passionate aviators and love the field of aviation as much as anyone. If you want to learn more about what is happening in the general aviation world and learn about the fun things aviators do, these are the folks to listen to.

Listener E-mail:

I was wondering if you have any tips for financing someone that has a BS degree but wants to become a Commercial Pilot. Other than student loans what other finance options are available?
May be a good idea for a guest.

Thanks,
Jason

Thanks for the e-mail Jason.

There are many grant and loan programs that go unused as we mentioned in episode 6 when I spoke with the folks at National Aviation Academy and in episode 7 where I spoke with Lynda Meeks from Girls With Wings. Just remember even though it says Girls With Wings most of the grants, loans, and scholarships are available to everyone. Both of my guests had links on their websites concerning grants and loans. Of course there are always personal loans which is how I financed my flying while I was working towards my ratings.

To view the episodes go to:

http://www.aviationcareerspodcast.com/6

http://www.aviationcareerspodcast.com/7

Recommendation:

There is no better way to understand the world of Business Aviation and the many career opportunities than by visiting the National Business Aviation Association website NBAA.org. There are two sections of the website I recommend you visit. First, the What Is Aviation section which will describe what business aviation is, the type of aircraft used, and provides you with the business aviation fact book.

The second section you should visit is the For Students section. The NBAA offers over $100,000 a year in tuition reimbursements and other educational opportunities. So if you are thinking of a career in aviation and you think the cost might be prohibitive, you might want to visit this section as an avenue securing money for your education. The NBAA is a wonderful organization with a variety of services available to all sectors of the business aviation community so if you are thinking of a career in business aviation this should be your first stop for information.

Thanks for listening to Episode 12 of Aviation Careers Podcast. Show notes and links to all the websites mentioned in this episode are available at AviationCareersPodcast.Com/12. These podcasts and more information are available at AviationCareersPodcast.com. Don’t forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for notification of episodes and other career information.

Thanks again for spending time with us and I hope you will now take some consideration to Business Aviation as a career possibility. If you have any questions you would like answered on this podcast please visit AviationCareersPodcast.com and click on the contact page. You can also send questions via facebook and twitter. I hope this episode has helped you decide what your aviation career goal is and has helped you along your path towards that goal. Talk to you next episode. Safe Flying!

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Welcome to Episode 11 of Aviation Careers Podcast. We all hear about the opportunities for flying in China but what is it really like to fly and work in China. To help you better understand the opportunities and the unique culture of the Chinese people I have with me today Dave Ross.

Dave is the President and CEO of WASINC and is responsible for all recruiting and business development for their customers in China. He has lived and worked in Japan and speaks fluent Japanese. His diverse experiences with contractors, clients and customers alike have given him some unique insight into the Chinese business environment and culture.

To help us understand what it is like to work for a Chinese Airline and experience the rich Chinese Culture please welcome Dave Ross.

Dave and I discuss:

• The opportunities for pilots working in China.
• What is contract flying and what should a pilot look for when signing a contract to work in China.
• A specific example of an opportunity of flying in China.
• The working environment at a Chinese Airline.
• How to make the transition to living in China.
• What type of person would be most suitable to working in China.
• What are the greatest benefits to living in China.
• What are the challenges someone from United States might encounter.
• How a pilot can work in China and commute to the United States.
• Recommended Reading Life and Death in Shanghai.

Recommendation:

In the past I have assisted pilots in finding jobs using the services of WASINC.aero. The people I worked with are very knowledgeable and were willing to take the time with each individual pilot and answer any of their questions regarding working overseas.

One thing I like about WASINC is the fact they didn’t try to “oversell” our pilots on opportunities in China. They presented the facts and let each individual pilot decide if flying in China was appropriate for the pilot and their family.

Although the focus of today’s episode has been on flying in China, WASINC offers opportunities for pilots in other countries with a concentration in Asia. I recommend your going to WASINC.aero and seeing for yourself if working overseas is for you.

Recommended Reading:

As a pilot it is important to master the basics and have a good foundation of aviation knowledge. Certain books are must haves in your aviation library and the “Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge: FAA-H-8083-25A” is one of those.

Many times I receive questions from people concerning operating rules, basic aerodynamics, and weather. One of the sources I quote most often when answering listener questions is the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. This document is free as a download from the FAA website or can be purchased in book format. For more information and to view excerpts from the book visit Amazon.com.

I think you will find most answers to your aviation questions in the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. This should be in every pilot's library.

Thanks for Listening to Aviation Careers Podcast. I hope the information about flying in China has been helpful and will bring you one step closer to your decision about working in China. Remember to keep your eye on your aviation career goal and that your journey might be a varied path. Safe Flying and talk to you next episode.

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Ever want to know what it takes to upgrade to Captain at the airlines. Upgrading to Captain is one of the more challenging events in a pilots flying career. The transition to flying as first officer to pilot in command is more than a simple checkride. The process of becoming a Captain takes weeks of hard work and study.

If you are curious what it takes to upgrade to Captain we will describe the process and give you advice on how to prepare for the upgrade training and how to pass your check ride.

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Today I am with Len Costa a newly minted airline Captain. Len is also the publisher of The Piot Report.com and is Host of The Stuck Mic Avcast. Len and I discuss:

• Flying the Embraer 145
• The upgrade process
• How to prepare for upgrade training
• What are some of the common causes for upgrade training failure.
• Advice on how to prepare mentally for the training and the check ride.

Visit http://www.aviationcareerspodcast.com/10 for show notes and to Subscribe; or click on the image below.

And we’re back! In this episode of the Stuck Mic AvCast we interview our most distinguished aviator to date. But before we get to that…

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Pre-Flight

Carl shares some information about the upcoming Cleveland National Air Show. Victoria tells us how you can get in touch with her if you want to host your own Women Fly It Forward (click to email her directly) event in 2013. And Rick gives a shout out to a Stuck Mic listener, Andrew Blanchard (click Andrew’s name to send him a congratulatory Tweet!), for earning his Private Pilot Certificate.

Welcome to Episode 009 of Aviation Careers Podcast. Ever wonder what it is like to fly as an airline pilot in an Embraer 190?  Did you know that some airline pilots don’t spend nights in hotels but instead sleep at home every night?  Most pilots work full time but some have many days off and are able to have more than one successful career. Jeff Garrone is an example of an airline pilot who also runs a successful business.

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Similar to Jeff, many pilots have second careers because they have so much spare time but also want to have a backup plan if they lose their job or their medical. While we are flying we always have a contingency plan if we experience mechanical or unforeseen weather.

In much the same way I recommend pilots always have a contingency plan for their career. Whether it is obtaining training in another trade, building a business, or obtaining a degree in an alternate field it is always a good idea to be prepared for a career terminating event.

Jeff and I discuss:

• Flying the Embraer EMB-190 airliner.
• How he is able to be home every night with his family and work as an airline pilot.
• Working part time as an airline pilot.
• The benefits and challenges of owning a business while working for the airlines.
• Why it is important to have a contingency plan as a pilot.
• How Jeff became interested in flying and if he would recommend an airline career to others.

Product Recommendation:

Jeff has created an outstanding line of aviation lifestyle clothing which can be worn by everyone.  I really like some of his designs.  Today we talk with Jeff about how he started V1 Clothing and some of the exciting designs he offers.  I produced a video for The Pilot Report showcasing some of V1 clothing’s designs and their pilot bag. I think you will find that his products are both stylish and practical.

For More Information about V1 Clothing visit V1Clothing.com.  V1 Clothing is available at many of the larger aviation retailers and directly at AirSpeedJunkie.com.

Watch The V1 Clothing Video:

Recommended Reading:

In an age of electronics, good math skills are relevant because as a pilot there are many situations where you are asked to make a quick decision based on figures you are given. If you are preparing for a checkride the examiners will ask you to calculate numerous items during your oral exam. If you are preparing for an interview with an airline this next recommendation is a must have because some airlines take their interview questions directly from this book.   Mental Math for Pilots (Professional Aviation series) is for pilots looking to improve their math skills in the cockpit and easily perform math calculations in their heads. This book offers numerous tips and invaluable tricks to help in all areas of cockpit calculations.

Pilots are guided through basic and more advanced formulas with explanations on how to perform them without needing paper or electronic calculators, step-by-step instructions, practice exercises, and personal advice from experienced pilots. Easy and quick methods for calculating airborne math problems, enroute descents, and visual descent points are covered.

If you are considering becoming an airline pilot, Mental Math for Pilots is a must have to prepare for an interview. This book is also for all pilots preparing for a checkride, proficiency check, or for pilots wanting to improve their in-flight calculations performance. To look inside the book and read reviews of Mental Math for Pilots click on the links or the image above.

I hope you have enjoyed our discussion with Jeff Garrone Airline Pilot and Entrepreneur. For links to all the items we discussed in this episode please visit AviationCareersPodcast.com. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for upcoming episodes please contact me by e-mail on our contact page. You can also follow us on twitter @FlyingCareers and remember to like us on facebook if you want updates on episodes and other aviation career news.

Listen To Us On Stitcher Radio

This podcast is available for download on your favorite device by visiting AviationCareersPodcast.com. We are also available on iTunes and have been recently added to Stitcher Radio. To find out how you can listen to Aviation Careers Podcast on Stitcher click on the link at the top right of AviationCareersPodcast.com or click on the link below.

Your Aviation Career Questions Answered

One more item before we go. Many of you have asked if I would be available for career counseling. I would love to help each and every one of you individually but I am busy with my flying job and creating content for this and other websites. Therefore, if you have a question no matter how complex please e-mail it to me on on the contact page or by sending it to carl@aviationcareerspodcast.com.

I have compiled questions already submitted and will be including my answers in the next episode. Including your questions in future episodes  will not only help you but all of the listeners of this podcast. I have had some great questions from those looking to start a career in aviation, change careers, or looking to have a successful part time flying career. If you have any questions about careers in aviation please feel free to ask.

Thanks again for listening . Remember to keep your head in the sky while building a foundation for your aviation career goal here on the ground.  Safe flying and talk to you next episode.

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Pilots are fascinating people because they are goal oriented and have many interests. If you find you have a passion for flying but have other interests in life, a career in aviation can still be for you.

One of the wonderful things about flying for the airlines are my days off. Some months I have 20 days off which affords me the opportunity to pursue other endeavors. Can you think of a career you might enjoy part time while having a career in aviation?

I have friends with successful careers in aviation while also having a career in many other fields such as dentistry, law, real estate, accounting, and medicine just to name a few. If you have a passion for aviation and a passion for other endeavors don’t fret, flying might be the perfect career for you.

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A person who has designed a lifestyle which includes a career in aviation is Jamie Beckett. Jamie is the publisher of FlightMonkeys.com, an author, flight instructor, and City Commissioner in Winter Haven, Florida. Jamie is a busy individual and you can tell by speaking with him for only a few moments that he lives life to the fullest.

Jamie Beckett and I discuss:

How you can define a career in aviation that fits your personality.

Advice for people looking towards instructing part time.

The advantages of being both a pilot and mechanic.

Melding of Politics and Aviation.

Jamie’s varied career path and the fears many of us have in pursuing a career in aviation.

FlightMonkeys.com.

Recommendations:

Jamie Beckett produced an outstanding video The Value of Aviation. Jamie eloquently describes the benefit of aviation in the lives of those at the airport but more importantly the community as a whole. This is one of those videos you should save to give to your friends when they ask you the “real” value of aviation.

Watch The Value Of Aviation:

Politics for Pilots (The Loose Cannon View - 2011) - Jamie Beckett's Politics for Pilots is a weekly column that appears as a popular blog posting on GeneralAviationNews.com and has been used to collect the stories for The Loose Canon View. The column is described as “irreverent, casual, highly optimistic, and at least occasionally inspirational. It also tends to be uniquely insightful and written with a high degree of professionalism. It's actually fun to read, too.”

For those wanting to read something beyond how to fly and learn how to navigate the world of politics and aviation this e-book is for you.

Thanks for listening to Aviation Careers Podcast. If you have any questions comments or suggestions please contact me at AviationCareersPodcast.com, ITunes, Twitter, Facebook, or by e-mail. Until next time please keep in mind the path to an aviation career is varied, challenging, and exciting.

Keep your eye on your aviation goal and fly safe!

Listen to Episode 008:

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Welcome home for another episode of the Stuck Mic AvCast! Rick shares a story about a flight where he experienced some porpoising which led to a group discussion on tips and techniques to help reduce porpoising and ideas for recovery. We also speak about flying into Canada from the United States which stemmed from a flight Carl did where a crew member got detained in customs. This led Carl into some research about Canadian flying where he discovered some helpful information to minimize your time with Customs in addition to some real world experience shared by Len from a flight he did to London, Ontario in a Piper Seminole. And then we wrap up the show with the co-hosts Picks of the Week and share our thoughts about the ever-so-cool OpenAirplane.

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Pre-Flight

The Albert Whitted Airport Preservation Society is hosting a cookout and lunch for fundraising to help keep the airport open both at 11:30AM on August 4th, 2012 and again on September 1, 2012. Located in St. Petersburg, FL, the Albert Whitted Airport holds a historical value in the American aviation books when on January 1, 1914, the FIRST regularly schedule airline flight departed. These cookouts help the airport raise funds to remain open to the public.

Cruise Flight

• Solo Cross Country to Keene, NH
• Bad Landings blog post from the EAA
• An excerpt from the Pilots Flying Handbook about Porpoising
• Expert Aviator – Flying to Canada
• GoToCanada.com
• AOPA – Going to Canada
• Canadian Border Services Agency
• NAV Canada
• CANPASS
• Flying to Canada
• Canadian Air Transport Security – Canadian TSA

After Landing Checklist

~ Picks of The Week ~

Victoria – Pilots Share the Ride

Carl – Flying Musicians

Len – Fat Gecko Co-Pilot Camera Mount

Rick – OpenAirplane

Virgin Galactic Space Flight Fund

Thanks for listening to the Stuck Mic AvCast, a listener supported aviation podcast. We love publishing and delivering useful content and information for everyone! Please show your support with a $5 or $10 donation today and maybe we could one day fly in space!

Please submit your questions and feedback via blog comments, Twitter,Facebook, or email and we’ll be sure to answer them on the air!

Listen to Episode 29 Below

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Ever wonder what an “Objectionable” Airport is? Rob recently wrote in to ExpertAviator.com on our Questions page and asked what objectionable means on a sectional chart. Some airports have objectionable printed next to the airport symbol on the sectional chart just west of Chicago.

Thanks for the question Rob. When a person proposes to construct, alter, activate, or deactivate a civil or joint-use (civil/military) airport or to alter the status or use of such an airport they must comply with Part 157 of Code of Federal Regulations. These rules only apply to airports that are not required under federal agreement to have an approved airport layout plan with the FAA. Therefore, most of these airports will be privately owned airfields.

The air traffic office must conduct an airspace review to evaluate the effect on the safe and efficient utilization of airspace by aircraft and the effect that such proposals may have on the movement and control of air traffic and associated resources (personnel, facilities and equipment), and ATC program planning.

Upon completion of the airspace review, and the airspace has not passed the review process, the airspace is deemed objectionable. When this occurs the airport will be printed on the VFR chart with the words OBJECTIONABLE next to it.

Thanks again to Rob for submitting the question. If you have any questions concerning basic knowledge, aviation careers, or more complex topics please click the Ask Expert Aviator tab at the top of this page. We welcome all questions.

Safe Flying!

For More Information:

JO 7400.2J - Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters

PART 157—NOTICE OF CONSTRUCTION, ALTERATION, ACTIVATION, AND DEACTIVATION OF AIRPORTS

Ever wonder why you don’t see many female pilots? I never truly reflected on this fact until one day while boarding the plane a young girl pointed at the First Officer and said “Look Mom A Girl Pilot!” She then turned to me and said nothing. Upon further reflection I realized a man with silver hair is more inline with what we see as an airline pilot. But why?

After my flight that day I decided to do some research. I discovered there are over six hundred thousand pilots and only six percent are females. Additionally only three percent are Airline Transport Pilot rated. Of the five hundred thousand non-flying jobs in aviation 3.85 percent are women.

So why are there not more women in aviation and how do we attract more women to the field of aviation? To help answer these questions I am joined with Lynda Meeks of GirlsWithWings.com.

Lynda is an accomplished pilot and an inspiration to all those who wish to pursue a career in aviation. She is one of the key players in motivating young girls to pursue a career as a pilot and is one of the shining lights in the flying world. If you or someone you know wants to fly and they think they can’t because they are a female, you need to hear what Lynda has to say.

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Lynda and I discuss:

• Why there are few female pilots.
• Why Lynda became a pilot.
• Her varied career in aviation.
• What challenges are unique to women in the male dominated aviation industry.
• Organizations available for women who wish to become involved in aviation including:
• Whirly-Girl : International Women Helicopter Pilots
• Ladies Love Taildraggers
• Women Military Aviators
• Women In Aviation International
• Women Of Aviation Worldwide

Recommendation:

GirlsWithWings.com is a unique and fun website. It is entertaining, informative, and inspirational. I encourage you to visit the website if you have a young aviator interesting in flying.

If you have a child between the ages of 5 and 11 I highly recommend the wonderfully illustrated and inspiring story of Penelope Pilot and Her First Day as Captain. Join Penelope as she and the crew prepare for her exciting flight! All profits from the sales of this book benefit the non-profit organization Girls With Wings, Inc. It Includes a bonus stand up Penelope doll!

Thank you for listening to Aviation Careers Podcast. I encourage you to contact me with any questions, comments, or suggestions for future shows. I can be reached at AviatonCareersPodcast.com, on Facebook, Twitter, and by e-mail.

The path to an aviation career is varied and exciting. By clearly defining your career aspirations and continually moving towards your career goal you will succeed.

If you or a girl you know wants to become a pilot remember the advice of Penelope Pilot, “Girls need Flight Plans, not Fairy Tales”. So start making your plans today.

I look forward to speaking with you in the next episode!

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