Scudrunners

I have to wonder. With all those furloughs how valuable those aviation diplomas are for finding a non flying job.

Never seems to be mentioned.

I remember those where becoming the s latest thing schools where offering when I started out.
I was too dumb to get into one of those programs but know many that did sign up.
Turns out we all ended up in roughly the same positions at the same times in our careers.

I won't slag them but everyone forgets college and universities are big business.

Best advice I got when I started out was "count on being laid off every ten years" as the ___________(fill in blank) will collapse and no one will travel.
lets see
9/11 2001
2009 financial crisis
2020 Bat Flu

Sound advice I should have been the one buying him beers.

Furloughed friends that have fared the best over the last year took a week to hammer beers and then got manual labor type jobs.
Zero fucks given about "i'm a 737 skipper" etc, just get at it and roll with the punches so to speak.

This time around I'm lucky to have found a great gig flying corporate jets.
I don't think ill ever leave this under my own volition.

I have said for years that nothing beats hours in an airplane. Once
you have that, you can get an ATP, which gets your foot in the door.

Then do an online degree (BA in anything that interests you) to keep
the fat lady in HR happy with your resume. A BA in anything makes
sure she stacks your resume in the correct pile. This is important.

Online learning used to have a bad rep (ok, maybe it still does) but
2020 showed us that it could be done.

Maybe I'm just not white collar enough, but I think a year spent working
at a line boy at the local FBO teaches you all that you're going to learn at
a "college" IMHO more.

You want skills? Buy some screwdrivers/wrenches/pliers/sockets and a
toolbox for them, and learn how to do basic servicing/repairs on your
car/motorcycle/boat/airplane/weedeater.

At least, buy a tire pressure gauge and learn how to use it. You would be
amazed how many giant brains with masters and doctorates in engineering
don't know how to test and set their fucking tire pressure. Makes me cry.

Learn how to weld. Learn basic carpentry. Learn to plaster. Learn to paint.

Learn to cook! Learn how to play guitar!

I don't think any snobby college is going to teach you really useful stuff like
that.

If I had to teach kids one life skill, it would be to make good brackets. You
would be amazed how important they are.



Someone welded up the engine mounts for that. It could have been you!



Being able to do that, is worth 1000 puppy mill diplomas. Maybe more.

I’ve renovated the attic, all but electrical and plumbing I was able to do.
Saved thousands of dollars.

Buying tools is fun. Knowing how to use them is funner. Lastly, having that specialty tool is the funnest. Saves time and effort.


I achieved a masters degree online. It’s gotten me exactly no-where ahead of my peers. Thank goodness I didn’t have to pay for it,

It is quite possible to have a career as a pilot and earn good money with very little formal education.

I did quite well during my fifty one years flying for a living and only have grade eight education.

You ever notice that bankers never ask to see your report card from high school or even your degree when starting a business or going for any sort of loan.
School is important but real education is importanter.

I bet I could put a degree on my resume from some middle of the road university and no one will fact check it.
Probably get away with it until I became leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Might be best I stick with "former couch surfer and backpack packing specialist", oh wait wrong party.

Most things I don't know can be learned from youtube. My son will tell you he has learned many new words helping daddy fix things.

I haven’t looked into it lately but college/university programs may be the only way to get a CPL in Ontario now.

Go to Harv's in MB would be my advice. For many years, I did not renew
my instructor ratings or my medical in Ontario Region, and I had to fly up
an ICAS ACE from Florida. It's just the way things are.

Ontario is kind of a mess. See what other people say, about the state of
puppy mills in Ontario - no names mentioned, but they aren't doing a very
good job of flight training.

I learned a lot when a friend of mine found out that a puppy mill had forged
his signature on a PTR. He went to Enforcement, who told him that they
would not prosecute the puppy mill, because they were part of the government.

Ok. It's just the way things are.

Remember the college in Ontario that taught overseas students that had no
command of the English language on the radio, but curiously aced their written
tests?

Everyone knows that TC written tests are exquisite tests of language skills,
and people who's only language is English struggle with the trick wording.

But the overseas students, who barely knew any English, sailed right through
the written tests. They were cheating. Everyone knew it, and nothing was
done about it. The flight instructors that perpetrated that cheating are all
wearing four bars now.

It's just the way things are.

Degrees, diplomas, and other displays of education.

There are several of us here who have similar levels of flying experience and ability; however, a piece of paper attesting to higher levels of education is not wasted - it becomes a management tool.

For instance, if Andrew and I were to compete for a job as Chief Pilot somewhere, Andrew would probably get it.

On the surface, we have the same qualifications: we have the same flying experience, we can both handle paper work, we've proven we can work with other people, we can problem solve, we both interviewed well, etc.

Andrew, however, has a degree and I don't.

And to somebody trying to make a decision between two seemingly equal candidates, that piece of paper would tip the scales.

All things being equal, even the lowly aviation diploma would make a difference...

Not so sure about that. Qualifications are an easy way for HR to triage candidates,
without knowing very much about what the job entails, or what the ability of the candidates is.

Case in point: I remember a guy I worked with at cisco, failed his job interview. HR said
nope, not hiring him. He was not a good salesman, did not come across well in the interview.
Kind of a quiet guy, but a stellar engineer.

Engineers that worked with him before told HR to go fuck themselves, and they hired him.

He is now a "Distinguished Engineer" at cisco, all these years later. He was a star on BFR.