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Old Bold Pilots: A Pilot’s Group That is Exactly What Every Group Should Be

There are any number of pilot/aviation groups throughout the country with all different dynamics.  I just stumbled across the type of group that every other organization should try to emulate. 

I wish that I had known about this group when I lived in Oceanside because one of my favorite things in the whole world is to listen to people like this talk.  They have an amazing story to share, and they are everything that is great about aviation.

These men are the true heroes of our country and they deserve to be recognized and have their stories saved.  It is my dream to find a way to log their stories in some way so that they will never be lost.

Ideally, I would love to do so with video because there is simply no way to get the full story without hearing it from their mouths.  A written history would also be of extreme value if that was the only choice.

These men and women are true treasures and we will all forever be in their debt.  To have the opportunity to do what aviators do best, tell stories, true and not so true, is the best way to honor these great men and women.

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February 6, 2012 I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Aviation  Aviation History  Pilots
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IN FOCUS: Can Pilot Training Keep Pace with Demand?

Pilot training is ridiculously expensive, and I don’t think anyone will argue that.  I only did about 8.5 hours and I am still paying for it years later.  Instead of pursuing my dream of becoming a pilot I took a different route to pursue a career in aviation.

For those who are set on that career as a pilot, there may be more opportunities with European airlines.  This article from Flight Global (IN FOCUS: Can pilot training keep pace with demand?) gives a great perspective of the opportunities that exist for those willing to look for it.

It is a widely accepted projection that there will be a great demand for pilots worldwide in the coming years.  As the pilot force reaches retirement age, and the economy improves, there is going to be a much greater need for pilots.  Training programs like the ones mentioned in the above article may prove to be essential to fulfilling this need.

The military has long been one of the biggest pipelines for pilots, and it will likely stay that way, especially with the continued reduction in forces across all the services.  While my military career will likely never lead to sitting in the pilot seat other than in a recreational sense, I love to see that there are options for others that are in a position to take advantage of it.

The aviation industry is one of the most volatile industries in the world due to its varied nature.  There are few industries that are as all-encompassing as aviation.  Maybe that is why I love it so much.  No matter how stable or stagnant the industry may appear, it is only a day away from boiling over in a hundred different directions.

It will be interesting to see how programs like this adapt to the ever-changing environment that is aviation.

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I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Aviation  Aviation Education/Training  Commercial Aviation  Pilots
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High School Aviation Endures Bumpy Ride

A few weeks back I wrote about a program that is bringing aviation to students in middle and high school.  With a little bit of searching I found an article entitled:  High school aviation endures bumpy ride, at News-Record.com.  It outlines some of the struggles that this program has had, and how they have tweaked their curriculum to make the program more effective.

Like so many programs of the sort they started with the idea of making pilots out of these kids.  After seeing the program not even come close to reaching enrollment goals, they made a shift to include aircraft designers and mechanics, as well as laying the groundwork for an engineering degree.  This is the type of program that needs to be created all over the country.

One of the problems I have with our education system is that it is based far too much on getting every kid to college, when that is not the best route for every kid.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a mechanic, or photographer, or any number of other trades that require no college education.  We just need to get kids into those fields earlier, and with better training.

If someone wants to go to college then great, but if someone really just wants to turn wrenches in a plane then lets get them the right training early on.  With jobs like that a person is far better served by getting their hands on the tools and equipment and doing some real learning than they are spending hours on end in an art class that they will never use.

I have a college degree, in aviation, and I am glad I have it because with the career path I am pursuing it is essential, but for kids who don’t need a full on degree program, a program like this is just the right thing.  I hope they will be able to find the funding they need to keep it going.

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I Written By

I'm Dave and I am a proud Avgeek. It goes way beyond liking airplanes. It is a passion that cannot be subdued.

Filed Under: Aviation  Aviation Education/Training
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