My aviation journey is going on its 6th year and counting, yet I don’t have all the ratings (IFR) I need to be considered by the big boys (Airlines) still and it has cost me a lot of time and money to a point that I stopped computing how much I spent already.

A lot has happened since I started this journey, it started as an escape plan to return home, but now I’m not sure if I still want to return home as initially planned. Heck, I don’t even know if I want to join the big boys still or just stay as a GA pilot.

Overall it has been a wonderful experience, there was tons of lesson along the way even outside aviation itself. I get to know myself better and what I want out of life. But If I could save some of those dollars, I’ll take that any day.

There have been countless times when I met people and when they learn that I’m a pilot, some would say that they wanted to become one as well, like a childhood dream. However, becoming a pilot is not a walk in the park, desire or juvenile aspiration would not be enough. I always tell people that if you want to be a pilot you need to have a “whatever it takes” mentality. Tough times are almost guaranteed, especially in a world full of distraction and fueled by FOMO it’s so easy to lose focus.

If I were to start all over again the first thing I would secure is the funding. When I say funding that includes all the money necessary all the way from private to commercial ( if that’s what you want) plus the ratings you’ll need to fly for the airlines (multi-engine, Multi-IFR). Flying is a perishable skill especially if you’re just starting, having the funds to see you through would alleviate a lot of weight over your shoulders so you could focus on your study. Stopping midway due to financial turbulence would cost you a lot of dollars. Trust me on this.

Before I would do my first flight with an instructor, I would study the theories, and watch YouTube videos about radio communication, circuit patterns, air work and cross-country flight. Learn about meteorology, weather reports and forecast, and most importantly about airplane instruments, how to use them and how they work. This would save you a ton of money and flying with an instructor would just be to sharpen your new-found skill.

Once you’re ready, it’s time for your first flight as a student pilot. Congratulations. 

Once I have my private pilot license, I would do the multi-engine and multi-IFR as part of my time-building phase. Once done I would do my night rating which is a prerequisite for the Commercial exam. After that, I would go places and enjoy flying until it was time for the Commercial Flight test.

This way, once I passed my commercial exam, I already have the minimum requirement to be considered to fly the big birds except for the hours(if I still want it). Probably logged more IFR flying than what I actually have right now and as PIC. 

Nobody knows what the future holds, currently I’m working on paying for my buy-in to have 1/4 share on a plane (Barron Beechcraft) that will be used for commercial purposes. This would provide a passive income and an opportunity to build quality hours for future employers, who knows?

When you decide to be an aviator, you should accept that you’ll be a lifetime student. 

Learning never stops. 

Pilot’s knowledge needs to keep up with technology and time. We have passed the boot-loading stage and it’s gonna be a wild ride moving forward.