My career plan from
the beginning of this course has remained much the same throughout. The career
plan being much like most young aspiring pilots that wish to make a living from
piloting. First finishing flight school and obtain as much ratings and certificate
to further my development and marketability. Next to become a flight instructor
for a steady flight school, continuing to build my time. Once my time has met
the required minims join a reputable
regional airline, once again continue to build time, experience, and
connections. The ultimate goal flying for the major airlines, moving my way up
the company and finishing my career there. Although my plan has remained
somewhat the same, it is only a plan.
This past
year my prospective and knowledge of aviation has grown considerably. Not only
have a progressed through my required classes at Eastern Michigan University, I
have worked two different jobs being within aviation this past year. My current
job right now working at Avflight FBO at Willow Run has opened my mind to new
and different options that I have not known about before. My job requires much
interaction with all different types of pilots that all have very different
backgrounds and goals, this allows me to ask meaningful, useful, and helpful
questions and learn from their years of knowledge. Some of the most important
things I have learned from my experiences is; you don't have to follow what
everyone else says you have to do, always keeping an open and flexible mind and
fly for the joy of flying not just for the pay check. Although, realistically
flying I will have to rely on for my income, I am a pilot, however, it is
important to know where my joys of flying are. I may enjoy island commuting or
surveying more than flight instructing. I may enjoy flying a Citation X or
Gulfstream V more than flying an Airbus 321 or a Boeing 777. I may like having
an no idea where I am flying the next day instead of having set routes. I may
enjoy having more interaction with the customers and the outcome of the flight
more than just showing up and flying. Flying for the major airlines can be very
rewarding finically with time, but is the job rewarding? It is a matter of
preference it will be something I will have to figure out with time. From
working in both a part 121 environment and part 135 and 91, I have found that
pilots from corporate or air charters are more willing to talk about what they
have flown, how they got to where they are, and flight experiences that they
have had. Generally speaking, with pilots flying under 121 for major or
regional airlines they tend to have a more bitter outlook on a flying career
and discourage pursuing any job within aviation, with many of them only flying
for the job and not flying for the fact that they are FLYING in the air. Has my
career plan changed? No, however it has became more open and willing to change
if an opportunity presents itself, it is just a plan nothing is set.
From this
course it has only reassured what I have concluded from my working experience. I
found the topics on China's growth in aviation to be the most intriguing due to
the growth of aviation and the demand for pilots. It has opened the potential
for working overseas, in a different country. With the benefits of some of
these developing companies and the high pay, the transition of working to a
different country is eased slightly. Through looking at the growth of aviation
within China I have started looking at other countries that put a high price on
their pilots and are looking to keep growing as much as they can. I have found
that this class has benefited me on looking for topics more in-depth and
expanded my knowledge on topics that I would have only a basic understanding
of. I would say the least interesting topic for the blog was the blog on
professionalism. I felt the topic for most of us in class was something that we
all had a firm understanding of and something that we have exhibited in our
personal and professional lives. The in class discussion was more beneficial
from the topic than the blogs that we shared, I felt. From the special guest
speakers I felt very intrigued by all their presentations and did not think one
was more valuable than the others. All the special guest speakers that we had
in class all had different stories and were at different points in their
respective careers and were all very informative, giving me a better
understanding of the different operations within aviation for piloting and
other fields encompassing aviation. I was able to take a valuable piece of information
from all of the guest speakers, that someday could benefit me being something
that I could use.
After
graduating I will continue to develop and maintain a higher level of
professionalism. I will be looking at options that could help with networking
for pilots job sites and LinkedIn, I will also continue to post blog topics
related to aviation. I will continue to look for networking opportunities
within the work place and training environment. Furthering myself within
aviation and looking for opportunities for safety seminars, conferences, job
fairs, other aviation related jobs, taking part within the local community of
aviation, joining active associations, continually making connections with
other members of aviation, and never limiting options that are placed before
me. It is about who you know, when you know them, and how well you know
them.
