Category Archives: Podcast

Podcast

ACP089 A Creative Approach To Surviving An Aviation Downturn

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Chris 737Welcome to episode 89. My guest today is Chris Pezalla. Chris passion for aviation started at a young age with him obtaining a commercial pilot certificate at the age of 18. He studied Aeronautical Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University while working as a flight instructor. After college, he worked for a large Regional Airline. His flying experience includes 5500 hours in airplanes and over 1300 hours as an instructor.

The aviation industry is cyclic with a few dramatic downturns. Today we discuss how Chris implemented a creative approach to surviving an aviation downturn. I’m sure you will find his story inspirational and informative.

Today Chris and I Discuss:

  • His Early life as a pilot and why he loves aviation.
  • His path to the regional airlines.
  • The downturn in the airline industry.
  • How he turned lemons into lemonade
  • What Chris did during his leave with the airlines.
  • Law Degree, Masters, Books, Speaking, and more.
  • Where he is now and where he is going.
  • Advice on how to prepare for a furlough or downturn in the airline industry.
  • Why you should prepare now when things are going well.

Scholarship of the Week:

Aero Club of PA: Pre-Solo Scholarships

Links:

Advanced Guide to Holding Patterns

Three Point Aviation

Color Blindness, Podcast

ACP088 Carl’s Theory of Negativity and How to Stay Positive

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Welcome to episode 88. I’m here with Tom Wachowski and Eric Crump to discuss how you can stay positive when all you hear is negativity. I encourage you to view the video I posted in episode 038 of Arnold Schwartzenaeger about not listening to the “naysayers”. It’s very inspiring and is key to our discussion in this episode.

  • Negative people are often the loudest.
  • Carl’s story about a former fighter pilot working as an airline captain that loves his job.
  • Eric relates some of the struggles he had becoming a pilot, and starting the Aviation Program at Polk State.
  • Be careful who you share your dreams with. Family and friends can be the most negative, find a mentor with experience doing what you want to do.
  • Work on the things you can control, don’t let the things you can’t control draw you down.
  • Tom says it is important to distinguish between negativity and reality. Sometimes you need to decide not to do something for a good reason.
  • Look for people who positively inspire you to make the best decisions, not just fill you up with sunshine.
  • When giving correction and criticism, it is much better to continue to stay positive.

Listener Feedback

  • Scholarships for foreign students
  • Bachelor’s degree questions related to hiring such as whether airlines prefer an aviation related degree.
  • Scholarships for Europeans.
  • Switching companies after training.
  • Opinions on whether Social Media should be used to determine hiring.
  • Pay shortage vs. pilot shortage.
  • Questions on color blindness.

Scholarship of the Week:

Colorado Pilots Association

Drones, Pilot Shortage, Podcast, Unmanned Aircraft Systems

ACP087 Drones and Your Aviation Career

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RyanSimIs a career flying, fixing, or supporting drones in your career future? Today I am joined by Ryan Wallace from Polk State College to discuss the career opportunities in the world of Commercial Drones. Ryan is a professor of Aeronautical Science and is actively involved in the local Unmanned Aircraft System Community.

Ryan and I Discuss:

  • The demand for drone pilots in the military and commercial world.
  • Why drones are causing an increased demand for pilots.
  • How to get started in the exciting career of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
  • Why more drones are in our future.
  • Organizations you can join to look towards a career in UAS.

 

Links Mentioned In The Podcast:

The Golden Age of Unmanned Flight

Air Force Will Offer Bonuses To Lure Drone Pilots

AUVSI – Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International

Introduction to Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Drone Delivers Medicine to Rural Virginia Clinic

FAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems

The UAV Digest

Special Investigation Report on the Safety of Agricultural Aircraft Operations

Polk State College Aerospace

 

Podcast

ACP086 Social Media and Your Career

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RedBirdPolkStateDo you have a social media policy for your career? Welcome to the podcast where we inform, motivate, and give you an inside look at the many aviation careers. Some of our favorite co hosts join us. First , Eric Crump, Aerospace Director at Polk State College and a passionate aviation educator. We also have Tom Wachowski, Corporate Pilot and career advocate. Welcome to the show Eric and Tom!

Before we begin our show today I have a few announcements

Announcements / Shout outs:

  • Scholarships Guide Update: The PDF file has been fixed and the links and index now work.
  • Karissa strickland, one of Eric’s students completed the Commercial Pilot Certification! She can now get paid to fly, and is a huge asset to the Polk State Aerospace program.
  • Aviation Careers Podcast is celebrating it’s 3 years anniversary
  • Derek Lagasse – Scholarship.
  • Membership clarification.
  • We are raising money for the Polk State Flight Team, and you can help!
  • New Veterans Page

Your social media policy for your career:

  • What social media should you use. -facebook, twitter, linkedin
  • How to prevent a career limiting move on social media.
  • How to use social media to your advantage.
  • What you should not do on social media.
  • How long does a picture last on social media
  • Who sees your social media….everyone!
  • Social media grows professional relationships.

 

Scholarship of the week:

Lockhart Smith Jr. Scholarship

Airline Pilot, Podcast

ACP085 Restarting Your Airline Career with Travis Watson

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TravisFlightDeckWelcome to episode 85. I speak with many pilots who have left the airlines for various reasons including work schedule, layoffs, furloughs, and the low initial pay.  Often many former airline pilots miss the flying and challenges of being an airline pilot.

Today I have with me Travis Watson, an experienced skydiver and pilot who has returned to the airlines after a recent hiatus. Travis is truly passionate about everything he does and his excitement about life is infectious.

Travis and I discuss:

  • His background as a skydive vidographer and flight instructor.
  • His first experience with the airlines.
  • Why he decided to come back to the airlines.
  • Advice for those who left the airlines and are looking towards restarting their flying career.
  • The initial training experience at an airline.
  • Tips to pass your airline training.
  • The advantage of staying at the training center during breaks.
  • Advice for those who are looking at the challenges of low pay and inconsistent schedules in the beginning of their career.

Scholarship of the Week:

Greg Koontz Airshows Aerobatic Instructor Scholarship

Greg Koontz Airshows Aerobatic Instructor Scholarship in Memory of Bobby Younkin. The recipient must be a CFI with some tangible experience in aerobatics. Value $ 2,780

Links:

Weiser Airpark-The “friendliest airport” in the United States

United States Parachute Association

Skydive San Marcos: Austin Skydiving

About Teresa Stokes – Gene Soucy Airshows

Vegas Indoor Skydiving

Seattle Indoor Skydiving

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

Trader Joe’s

http://www.crashpad411.com

http://www.crashpads.com

Financial Aid, Pilot Shortage, Podcast, Scholarships

ACP084 Pilots On Food Stamps with Ben Mandell

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PilotsOfFoodStampsCoverWelcome to Episode 84. The goal of this podcast is to inform, entertain, and motivate you to achieve your career goal. We to bring you the viewpoint of all those involved with careers in aviation and aerospace.  Although we primarily focus on the positive aspects of a career in aviation and specifically as an airline pilot we also know that we must represent the challenges of choosing a career in aviation.

To help you understand some of the challenges concerning salaries in the piloting career I have with me Ben Mandell author of Don’t Pay Any Flight School More Than $2500 In Advance: The Censored Information The Bad Guys Don’t Want You To Know and Pilots on food stamps: An Inside Look At Why Your Flight Was Cancelled.

You can find his book by clicking here or going to AviationCareersPodcast.com/foodstamps

Ben and I discuss:

  • Why You should not Pay more than $2,500 in advance to a flight school.
  • Scholarships to watch out for.
  • Ways to save money on flight training.
  • Why Flights are being cancelled.
  • How pilots are paid.
  • How the shortage of pilots is affecting salaries.
  • How the shortage of pilots affects the Majors.
  • Upgrading and Pay.
  • What he feels is the solution.

Scholarship of the Week:

Buckingham Memorial Scholarship-Air Traffic Controller’s Association (ATCA)

Average Award for all ATCA scholarships $6454.54

The Buckingham Memorial Scholarships are awarded to children of Air Traffic Controller Specialists who are US Citizens and enrolled half- to full-time in a program leading to a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Links:

Bureau Of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook – Airline and Commercial Pilots

Sun N Fun Radio on LiveATC.net

Alumni from these colleges (almost) always pay their debts

PilotsOfFoodStampsCoverDontPayMoreThan2500Cover

Podcast, Scholarships

ACP083 – Aerospace Scholarships – There Is Money Out There For You!

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Aerospace Scholarships300wideWelcome to Episode 83 where we discuss obtaining money for training through scholarships.

Announcements:

In This episode we discuss:

  • Various methods of paying for your training.
  • Work Fellowships.
  • Internships.
  • Apprenticeships.
  • Scholarships and other gifts.
  • Dispelling myths about scholarships.
  • Why you should look at scholarships no matter what your age.
  • Most scholarships are not based on need.
  • Work Study.
  • How Membership in an organization can lead to a scholarship.
  • How winning a scholarships can reflect positively on your resume.

Listener Mail:

A student from Colombia, South America wants a good resource for scholarships.

Links:

Aerospace Scholarships300wide

Podcast

ACP082-Avoiding A 2 Million Dollar Mistake In Your Pilot Career

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SaturnVRocketWelcome to Episode 82 Avoiding A 2 Million Dollar Mistake In Your Pilot Career

In This episode we discuss:

  • Kennedy Space Center Inspires Aerospace Careers
  • Avoiding A 2 million dollar mistake in your pilot career
  • Lessons learned in aviation safety from last episode.
  • Answer listener mail
  • Listen To Us At Sun N Fun

Listener mail:

  • Military Pilot considering transition to airlines, 1000 hours
  • Struggling to pay for ratings after college
  • 15 years old, what should be my first step in aviation?
  • Internation Pilot Information

Links:

AOPA Let’s Go Flying
Sun N Fun Radio
Kennedy Space Center

Sponsor:

AersopaceScholarships.com

Contact Us At:

feedback@aviationcareerspodcast.com
@flyingcareers on twitter
facebook/aviationcareerspodcast
DIP MY WINGS 347-699-4647
AviationCareersPodcast.com/contact
Please rate us in Itunes.

Remember to listen to us live at sun n fun. Click on the logo in the top right of the website or go to LiveAtc.net/snf

Flight Instructor, Podcast, Regional Airlines

ACP081-Making a Living as a Flight Instructor and Listener Mail

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Making a Living as a Flight InstructorWelcome to episode 81. Today wa have some very interesting listener mail and to help me review the mail and answer your questions I have not one but two co hosts today; Eric Crump and Tom Wachowski. Tom has been on a break from podcasting and is excited to be here today. One of our big topics to cover today is making a living as a flight instructor. We have received many requests about this topic, including one we cover with several sub-questions in it.

Topics

  • Second Career in Aviation
  • Moving to Florida to be a flight instructor
  • choices of clothing for interviews at flight schools
  • Agricultural flying, Ground Instructor Certificate
  • Is an Associates Degree needed for the Regional Airlnes?
  • Question from Serbia: importance of getting both Pilot and A&P license?
  • Rookie flight instructor Tips and Tricks episode ideas, which the hosts pretty much just answer!
  • How to manage student debt on regional airline salary
  • Requesting help when you don’t feel confident in your job
  • The effects of Unmanned aerial vehicles on the Aviation Industry
  • Advice from going from Engineering to Piloting
  • Making a living as a flight instructor
  • Military Transition from rotor to fixed wing

Links:

Closing:

International Pilot, Overseas Flying, Podcast

ACP080 – Overseas Flying with Ed Abraham

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Ed_AbrahamWelcome to episode 80. Many of you are interested in working overseas because you heard foreign pilots are paid well. Today I have with me someone who will help us understand more about the benefits and challenges of overseas flying.

Ed Abraham is the International Pilot Advisor at Cage Marshal Consulting. Ed is living proof that pilots can go overseas to fly and return with positive results. Based on his years of experience as an aviation professional and as a successful interviewee, Ed is a wealth of knowledge to help other international applicants. Whether you are going from the US to an international company or interested in exploring the possibilities of applying to an overseas position, Ed should be your first call. He can offer his expertise and recommendations to help you land the international interview and job more quickly and with less frustration.

Ed and I discuss:

  • The Benefits of overseas flying.
  • How to apply for an overseas flying job.
  • The interview process.
  • The challenges of living overseas.
  • Pay, Benefits, and living conditions.
  • Working overseas and your family.

Links:

Closing:
If you would like to ask a question on the show, leave us a voicemail at our new contact number DIP-MY-WINGS (347-699-4647)!