The Great Debate

[Guest Bullet Remington]

Geez HoverPig,

 

they must've changed the prerequisites since I was in.

 

When I first joined, I tried to be helicopter pilot. Had the education, my parents were married (I managed to get around that dis-quailifier anyways). :up:

 

Passed aircrew selection at YYZ no prop, finished the course and was assigned to 406 in Shearwater.

 

Unfortunately, that's were everything went to pieces!

 

They found out I didn't need culture training, plus I had an engineers's license, so actually knew what happened when I switched from Aux to primary. Further I knew just what the NFG Spring was for and how it worked! :up:

 

Unfortunately, they found out I didn't like boys AND I had hemmorrhoids! :down:

 

And that was it for me!!

 

Incidently, I do have a plankl license, I never lived in a trailer nor a trailer park, but if I did, I'd wanna be next door to Bubbles!! :up:

 

And I ain't q 8 u 8 e 8 e 8 r 8 cause I can't hover!! But I have worked witha couple of gay pilots and and one gay engineer. Anyd ya know, despite the fact they were of a 'different" sexual orientation than me, they were very good at their jobs!!

 

I never could understand why all the drivers in HT406 walked around spouting that. I wonder if its themselves or others they are actually trying to convince??

[jurjen]

Rotary wing: more freedom, more flexibility, more independence, more money (at least from my point of view), more fun, NO social life, NO vacation during the summer, terrible odds of having a succesfull long term relationship with anyone, worth every minute of it!

 

Why 1. No social life?

2. No vacation in summer?

3. Not likely to have a succesfull long term realtionship?

 

I'm looking for a school, but I like to have these answers first.

 

Are you so much away from home that you can't have a social life/relationship???

[Guest Bullet Remington]

No socila life: You are going to be gone for most of the time you are working. There are feww fires to fight around cities, towns, few seismic jobs, few logging jobs, and few heavy lift jobs. Those that are will go to high time, extremely qualified heavy lift pilots.

 

If you fight fires, you do so in the summer time when it's hot and dry. Few if any fires in the winter time. Sesmic compamies run all year long, and usually do most of their work in the winter, Unfortunately most seismic jobs are all bush work. Meaning away from home. So if you're fighting fires you chase the contracts and the fires. That means a lot of camp/ motel lioving and in most cases it won't necessary mean you can drive home on the weekends. If you are on a rotation of say, 14 days on, 14 days off otr 14 days on and 14 days on, you may not get home for at least a month, if not more. During the summer it would depend on the contract, where it takes place, the weather the fire state, etc, etc, not to mention flight hours.

 

Why would you expect to take vacation in the summer time?? That's when the majority of work takes place.

 

Finding a mate/partner/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend what ever turns ya crank, to put up with the extended absences, missed anniversaries, missed kid's birthdays, first steps, baptisms etc, etc, is, although not impossible, very difficult. There are a whole bunch of my friends who have not been as fortunate as me, and they've suffered from AIDS (Aviation Induced Divorice Syndrome)

 

If you can tolerate the difficulties of the "after work" life and the difficulties of pounding doors, sweeping floors, cleaning toilets, reatin some semblance to a normal home life, ya got her beat! Sooner or later you're gonna a bee one of those high time drivers handing out advise to the younger ones.

 

Lookit, you can seek advise from everybody on this site and a truckload of others. Everybody will have a different view on the industry. (not unlike what you get here) Basically if you read the posts enough you'll note a bit of commonality in them all.

 

There is no tried and tue, one size fits all for success method there. The only person that honestly knows your personal state, personal wants, needs and desires is you. At some point in time you are going to have to make the call.

 

And only you will know when and what it is.

 

 

Good luck to you whatever it is you decide.

 

Cheers

 

 

BR

[sharkbait]

Just a little humour but in a lot of ways if you say Fixed Wing (AIRLINES)is the USAF and that Rotary USN you would not be all that far far off the mark.

 

USN or USAF?

by Bob Norris

 

Bob Norris is a former Naval aviator who also did a 3 year exchange tour flying the F-15 Eagle. He is now an accomplished author of entertaining books about US Naval Aviation including "Check Six" and "Fly-Off". Check out his web site at <<http://www.bobnorris.com/>> <<http://www.bobnorris.com/>>. In response to a letter from an aspiring fighter pilot on which military academy to attend, Bob replied with the following:

 

12 February 2004

 

Young Man,

 

Congratulations on your selection to both the Naval and Air Force Academies.

 

Your goal of becoming a fighter pilot is impressive and a fine way to serve your country. As you requested, I'd be happy to share some insight into which service would be the best choice.

 

Each service has a distinctly different culture. You need to ask yourself "Which one am I more likely to thrive in?"

 

USAF Snapshot: The USAF is exceptionally well organized and well run. Their training programs are terrific. All pilots are groomed to meet high standards for knowledge and professionalism. Their aircraft are top-notch and extremely well maintained. Their facilities are excellent. Their enlisted personnel are the brightest and the best trained. The USAF is homogenous and macro. No matter where you go, you'll know what to expect, what is expected of you, and you'll be given the training & tools you need to meet those expectations. You will never be put in a situation over your head. Over a 20-year career, you will be home for most important family events. Your Mom would want you to be an Air Force pilot...so would your wife. Your Dad would want your sister to marry one.

 

Navy Snapshot: Aviators are part of the Navy, but so are Black shoes (surface warfare) and bubble heads (submariners). Furthermore, the Navy is split into two distinctly different Fleets (West and East Coast). The Navy is heterogeneous and micro. Your squadron is your home; it may be great, average, or awful. A squadron can go from one extreme to the other before you know it. You will spend months preparing for cruise and months on cruise. The quality of the aircraft varies directly with the availability of parts. Senior Navy enlisted are salt of the earth; you'll be proud if you earn their respect. Junior enlisted vary from terrific to the troubled kid the judge made join the service. You will be given the opportunity to lead these people during your career; you will be humbled and get your hands dirty. The quality of your training will vary and sometimes you will be over your head. You will miss many important family events. There will be long stretches of tedious duty aboard ship. You will fly in very bad weather and/or at night and you will be scared many times. You will fly with legends in the Navy and they will kick your *** until you become a lethal force.

 

And some days - when the scheduling Gods have smiled upon you - your jet will catapult into a glorious morning over a far-away sea and you will be drop-jawed that someone would pay you to do it. The hottest girl in the bar wants to meet the Naval Aviator. That bar is in Singapore.

 

Bottom line, son, if you gotta ask... pack warm & good luck in Colorado.

 

Banzai

 

P.S. Air Force pilots wear scarves and iron their flight suits.

[Skidmark]

Here is what I was told one day.

 

Fixed wing are for those who love aviation, helicopters are for those who love to fly.

 

[Iceman]

Flying helicopters you take what social life you get, as far as getting hitched and having a happy marriage very rare, typically the first few years, but there are a lot of nice waitresses around and those Fastgas girls are usually good to go!

 

Honestly, it's not all bad in fact "the bush" will grow on you, I experienced it this winter flying in the in the Caribbean, I had to get back to Canada and "the bush"

[Skidz]

Gotta admit it: There ain't no "bush" like Canadian "bush"... :up: