Bonus Question: What is the disadvantage of being going straight to jet mechanic school rather than going to a 2 yr college?

I have considered so many careers over time, but one interest has stuck with me for as long as I can remember, aviation. I’ve always had a fascination with aircraft of any sort (mostly winged craft, not helicopters), I’ve bought all the simulators, gone to the airshows, talked to pilots, you name it. When I was young and to this day, I could name the parts of an airplane, tell you checklist procedures, etc. I just recently had the opportunity to actually fly a plane (with an instructors help), it was literally one of the best experiences I have ever had… I loved it!

I would do anything to have a career in operating aircraft (as a pilot), the ability to have a career in something I have a passion for would be beyond the highlight of my life. The only problem is, I was diagnosed colorblind in first grade… aviation is nearly out of the question, especially as a career. All I want to know (I’m assuming it’s impossible) is if I even have a chance at becoming a pilot, and if so, what I need to do.

(Probably military aviation, which would proceed to commercial)

What have you learned about human interaction on the flight deck that you “didn’t” know before you started flying in a multi-person crew capacity? Basically anything relevant to you that you’d be willing to share since being a crew member about being a crew member.

Short answers are fine, but any in-depth answers are more than welcome
Thanks!

Cultures Essay

Since a young age, I have been steeped in the culture of aviation. Ever since I could remember, the sound of metal birds never escaped me as I craned my neck and gazed intently upwards trying to spot the tiny speck in the sky. Whatever I was doing was quickly pushed to the back of my mind as my eyes followed airplanes. The roaring power always filled my body with an overwhelming feeling of connecting with the extraordinary flying objects, and my heart would pound with amazement. My eager eyes never wavered as my gaze stayed locked on the majestic ships. Thousands of feet above me they flew, leaving telltale strips of white, sliding behind clouds, trees, buildings and finally the horizon. Always they were escaping my vision, yet never did they escape my heart.

I have always lived in the general area of three major airports- Portland International Airport, Troutdale Airport and Hillsboro Airport, also several military bases, which brought me to see a wide variety of aircraft over the years. In my young mind they were a mystery that I just had to solve, and I set forth reading and watching materials on the subject of aviation. Some of these were an illustrated children’s book- Nobody Owns the Sky: The Story of “Brave Bessie” Coleman and a collection of stories-Teenage Aviation Stories, and movies like- Eyewitness – Flight and The Magic of Flight. With each tidbit of knowledge that I gained about what flying a plane entails and the extraordinary history behind it, the more I felt it becoming part of me. And the more I learned about the industry in general, the more I saw that it was in essence a subculture, made of individuals that achieve the status of pilot with which the individual inherits traditions, a particular lingo, uniforms, and values.

I saw these aspects up close when I attended the Oregon International Airshow in Hillsboro Airport in the summer of 2009. As the Thunderbirds took the stage, flying in from the back, taking everyone in the audience by surprise with the earth-shaking noise, and performing jaw-dropping acts, I fell completely in love. Throughout the show I felt nothing in the world could make me happier, feeling sound vibrations smelling the fuel exhaust and seeing white vapor form on the wings of fighter jets. I was squealing with delight, almost went into a hyperventilating state, and just stood speechlessly stunned. I saw a F-86 Sabre, an F-15 Eagle, a MiG-17 and MiG-21, an F-104G, an A-26 Invader, an UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, a T-1A Jayhawk, and a HC-130 Hercules among many others. Getting the pilots signatures my hands were trembling and I struggled to keep from jumping up and down and making a fool out of myself. Overall, it was an experience that sealed my plan to become a pilot and will stay imprinted in my mind forever.

Setting aside countless hours to study this subculture, and the amazing feats that are the results of the hard work of pilots, I learned much about what the process they undergo to attain flight. The Federal Aviation Administration has constructed a system, in which an individual takes specific steps and measures, moving up a ladder that will legally enable them to take flight and make a living out of it, if so desired. The common path one would take with this ambition is to first learn what getting a license to fly entails. Then, the first requirement is to get a medical certificate. Next, one would select a flight school and instructor. At this step it is up to the individual to study and train, putting his or her mind and body to the knowledge and skills of operating inside a cockpit. And, now finally they are put to knowledge and practical tests that proof their capabilities. The first solo flight is considered the rite of passage, when a student pilot proves they can handle the aircraft by themselves which is anticipated by students with nervousness and excitement. From there on out the training regimen changes and the student must progress to piloting in more challenging techniques, maneuvers and situations.

From what I have seen and heard of the field of general aviation it is grueling and challenging yet in the end rewarding and satisfying. My personal endeavors into this industry started with my fascination and dedication (bordering on an obsession) to the science and the job. This, I have to this day and it will stick by me, following me through the ups and downs, the hardships and the challenges, and ultimately to the fruits of my labor. Ernest K. Gann
a WWII and airline pilot compared this obsession that connects pilots to a marriage, and flying to “lying with the bride” in his book Fate is the Hunter. This is the biggest connection of pilots from all walks of life, and can in itself define the subculture of aviation. However it is the appearance of pilots and their surroundings that brings the most recognition from those on the outside, looking in. That is the uniforms of pilots, the gear, the equipment, the airports, and of course the aircraft.

2. Whose “group” almost beat the Wright brothers in terms of the first successful powered, controlled flight?

3. How many LARGE JET passenger aircraft did the major U.S. airlines operate in 1980? and 2005?

4. The ‘Regional” airlines operated approximately how many aircraft in 2007?

5. The development, building and sales of civilian and military aircraft is considered part of what industry?

6. Crew member of the airline industry belong to what part of the aviation industry?

7. What is meant by the ‘Second Age” of the Jet Age? When did it start?

8. Which pf the general aviation activities account for greatest portion of its flying activities?

do i take up a BS in mechanics and later a masters in aviation maintenance mech. or a major in mech eng. and minor in av. maint. meach. and probly a masters in aeronautics. — i hope to work at the airport. when done.

are my credits in av. eng which tends to have the likeness of av. maint. mech transferable to mechanical engineering

what schools in the warmer part of america is transfering possibilities a lot easier. (when u look at the whole russian vs US education)

what schoolls can i easily transfer to should i decide to take a major in mech. eng/ minor in Av. maint. mech
embery riddle gave me the best option, but its too expensive any other options around southern america??

can aeronautic engineers work as maintenance engineers in airports?

which of these combos is best with future in an African country
– major in aeronautics/minor in AM mech & a later masters in Mech Eng.
– major in Mech Eng./minor in AM mech & a later masters in Aeronautics eng.

any other additional details or advised wil be warmly welcomed. thank you all. i’d be really greatfull for your kind responses.