Job Plans and Topic Overview

Have my job plans changed after taking this course?

My previous job plans were to become a flight instructor and build my flight hours and experience. After building enough hours I had previously said that I would like to move on to the regional airlines. After taking this course, my job plans have not changed. I don't think they have changed nearly at all because it goes without saying that pilot wages are on the rise in the airlines and it is finally becoming a job that more people can find practical spending the large amounts of money up front on flight training. There were many guest speakers that discussed the rise of wages in the airlines and how many of us are coming into the industry at the right time. It is unknown how long this positive trend in aviation will continue. However, I am glad to be in it when I am. With that, my overall plans have not changed. I am also working towards my aircraft dispatch certificate on the side of flight training. I wouldn't mind having the chance to work as a dispatcher at some point in my aviation career. However, for now, my overall plans of working as a flight instructor and moving on to the regional airlines has not changed.

I will be graduating this upcoming April (winter 2017 semester). Upon graduation I will be looking to  get a job as a flight instructor. I find this to be the most efficient route to getting flight hours and experience in.

I feel like the most useful topic that we discussed in the course was the flight duty time regulations and whether or not cargo industry be exempt from them. I found this to be the most useful because I didn't exactly know all of the flight duty regulation changes. In order to examine the subject and formulate an opinion on whether or not the cargo industry should be exempt from the newer regulations, you must understand what the regulations are. In addition to helping me understand these regulations better, I felt as though these regulations affect me in a much more direct manner than all the other topics. While I am sure it can be argued most of the topics we covered would affect the industry and therefore my career also, I feel the flight duty time requirements affect me directly as they would govern my work days later on when I am able to have a career in the airlines.

I think the least useful topic that we went over was the Chinese competitor to Boeing and Airbus. I found that the topic itself was very interesting but there wasn't a great deal of discussion. I don't think this topic will effect myself and others as much as the other topics. I say this because Comac is a long ways out from becoming a huge competitor to both Boeing and Airbus. The fact that they have struggled getting certification from the FAA for some time now points to there being some kind of major problem in the certification process. The bottom line is Boeing and Airbus have been tested and proven time and time again. While it is interesting that China wants to join the competition in building aircraft, I feel it will be quite a long time before they would even impact the US.