Work hard.

[Colonel]

If you have lots of spare time to fly, you probably aren't earning enough
money to afford an airplane.

But if you're working hard and can afford an airplane, you probably don't
have enough spare time to fly it. Elon Musk is the poster child for this.

So. What you're telling me, is that you want to have lots of income (so
you can afford an airplane) and you want to have lots of spare time to
fly it.

Especially in an extremely highly taxed country (financially, that's like being
a marathon runner with a 3-pack-a-day Marlboro unfiltered habit) that's not
very common.

In fact, it's pretty goddamned rare.

I know a guy who has a PhD from Northwestern, his own jet (used to have a
C421 with the turbine conversion) picked up his ATP for fun along the way,
and he's now a VP at intel.

Literally one in a million, Dave. Maybe one in a hundred million? How many
people do you know with a PhD that fly their own jet, picked up an ATP on the
side, and is an engineering VP at a major international corporation with billions
in quarterly revenue?

Why do people expect to be one in a million? What early indications lead
people to think that they were an exceptional unicorn beyond rational belief?

I would really like to know.

I had the same problem as a flight instructor. People would show up, and
they would be disappointed that they were not some one-in-a-billion phenomenon
that was going to be a superb pilot, without any practice.

I have said many times before, fly every day for 10 years, and then you might
get pretty good as a pilot. Without that, it's not going to happen. I've been in
aviation for half a goddamned century, and I've never met a unicorn that was
incredibly good with no practice. I've never even heard of anyone like that.

Why does everyone expect to be a one-in-a-billion unicorn? I'd really like to know.
because at least on the surface, it appear to be a statistical impossibility - worse
than 90% of all pilots thinking they are above average.



The harder I work, the luckier I get.

Everyone that I know that is successful, works like a dog, every day. Rob Holland
is the best pilot I know, and he works harder than any other pilot at getting better.

Coincidence?

[Colonel]

The guy with the PhD that is an engineering VP at intel, picked up his ATP on the side
while working 100 hours/week at another very demanding company. And he's married,
with kids. Lives in Palo Alto.

I really don't think most people know what hard work is.

[David MacRay]

Well, he sounds pretty busy, but maybe he could go to a ranch or farm and check it out sometime.

[Colonel]

I keep forgetting that society has two leisure classes.

You should pick up your ATP on the side. You can save lots of
time by skipping the PhD and not becoming a VP at intel.

[Slick Goodlin]

I keep forgetting that society has two leisure classes.

…and I’m trying to be both!

[David MacRay]

How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat yer meat?

[Colonel]

It's interesting to reflect on the societal, cultural and personal progress since that phrase was uttered, 40 years ago.

I know I'm a lot younger and stronger than I was then

[Big Pistons Forever]

I bought a hangar before I bought a residence. My hangar has considerably more square feet than my small one bedroom apartment and holds my 2 airplanes. I will hopefully be adding a glider to the mix this winter.

But I have no kids and a very independent wife. Life is about making choices and very few people can have it all. I guess I am just ambition challenged and don’t want to put the work in that would be required to significantly upgrade my lifestyle.

[Colonel]

Hey man, you made a choice - no criticism from me.

What makes me sad is when people don't make choices, have no direction, and accomplish nothing.

If that makes them happy, ok. But I see a lot of people living that life, that are very unhappy. Lots of regrets.

This will sound stupid, but those years from age 20 to 40 are precious. That's when you're going
to accomplish something. You only get one kick at the can - make it a good one.

[Squaretail]

age 20 to 40 are precious.

Indeed. My advice is don't spend it all working. No one is on their death bed saying to themselves, "dammit, I don't think I worked enough".