09/08 - “What Am I Doing With My Life?”

09/08 - “What Am I Doing With My Life?”

By Stephanie Masek

I started training in mid-June of 2000 in my uncle’s Cessna 150. After my very first lesson, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. There was no question whatsoever that flying was the only career option for me. From that flight on I spent all of my free time at the airport. That trusty Cessna 150 and the Piper Cub were the main training planes and our missions included everything from pattern work, to the weekly fly-ins, to practicing spins in the Cub. If we weren’t flying, we were working on some airplane. Turning wrenches and helping with annuals, re-covering Cub parts, or just washing planes became the basis of many ground schools and I absorbed a lot just hanging around the airport, different pilots, and their planes.

If you are interested in flying, one of the best things to do is spend time hanging around the airport. There is always someone who needs help or is just going for a ride and wouldn’t mind the company. You can learn so much from the people at the airport that you won’t find in any textbook or manual, and that kind of knowledge and experience is invaluable. Many pilots are more than happy to give a ride to new or prospective pilots or are just happy to have company. My first logbook probably contains more than 20 different planes: C150, 170, 180, Cub, Super Cruiser, Champ, Taylorcraft, Great Lakes, T-6, RV-4, UPF-7, the list goes on. It definitely pays to not be too shy . . .

When I would get saturated with training or in a slump, we would go fly somewhere fun like the islands in Lake Erie or Pete’s farm in Pennsylvania (which has a 2000-foot grass strip) to camp or just hang out for awhile. Those little breaks from the intensity of training are so important because they remind you why you’re investing all the time, money, and hard work in the first place. You really have to “take time to stop and smell the avgas.” It decompresses and motivates you and gets you back in the groove. It can be as simple as going to a pancake breakfast instead of working on maneuvers or doing pattern work.

I had to return to school before I was able to finish my private pilot certificate, but I did a bit of training there, too. I met a few pilots and tagged along flying around the mountains and valleys around Bozeman. Coming from the flat lands of Ohio, this was the most beautiful flying I had ever done. After graduating in June of 2001 and returning to Ohio, the training picked back up again and I had my private pilot certificate and tailwheel endorsement that July. The summer was spent building time in the C-150 and trying to get rides in whatever showed up on the field. I loved to just close my eyes, randomly point somewhere on the sectional, and then fly there. I built time, saw a lot of different airports, and met some pretty neat people that way.

In the fall I started my instrument training and that took until April 2002. Winters in northeast Ohio are not exactly conducive to training, but I did end up with about 15 hours flying in actual instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), which sure beats wearing foggles! The instrument was my least favorite training because of frozen wing covers, the handheld spray de-icer, snow and rain in the cockpit, and the freezing temperatures. I definitely got a good dose of training with a total radio communications failure in IMC on my cross-country! Fortunately, we were able to land with no problems and even had a piece of someone’s birthday cake at the destination.

That summer while at an air show I was introduced to Michael, the owner of a local freight operation. When I asked what their hiring minimums were he told me, “Well, why don’t you get your commercial and multi-engine and then come ask me.” So I did just that. The old 170 (with its sweaty vinyl seats and no interior) was the main training plane for my commercial, supplemented by the flight school’s PA-28. The commercial training missions included taking parts for maintenance, going for the $100 hamburger, fly-in camping trips, or anything else that needed to be done. That provided real-life, situational training and accomplished a whole lot more for me than just flying around the airport. I got my commercial in June, and then flew down to Florida in August for my multi-engine. Then, more time building.

After accumulating about 500 hours and a good bit of multi-time, I paid Michael a visit. It went well and I started flying along in the Caravans and Aerostars through an internship-type program. I even occasionally got paid for trips, which was pretty exciting for me. For the next nine months I was working full time and flew freight all night full time as well. That only left about two or three hours for sleep…if I was lucky. But I was paying my dues and it would be worth it (or at least that’s what I had to keep telling myself). Come November I had accumulated 1,200 hours, so they checked me out as captain and put me on the payroll. Two-and one-a half years after getting my private pilot certificate I had my first full-time flying job. That’s when the fun really began. By fun I mean staying awake days on end, lightning bolts crashing all around, being covered in ice, instrument approaches to minimums on a daily basis, creepy couriers, and countless hotel rooms. I also lost count of how many times I arrived on a ramp in the middle of the night, jumped out of the Caravan, and watched the couriers look around for the “pilot.” I guess they didn’t think a “little girl” could handle this job.

It wasn’t without its rewards; I also saw the best sunsets and sunrises every day and got the most invaluable experience possible. Flying freight forces you to be extra sharp and decisive, and, here in the northeast part of the country, you are always dealing with some kind of weather—thunderstorms, ice, snowstorms, freezing rain, and fog. If you’re considering flying as a career, I highly recommend flying freight as an excellent way to build time and gain experience, although it’s probably not for everyone. My old co-workers and I wouldn’t trade our freight experiences for anything in the world.

After a while flying the twin-engine Aerostars, I got my airline transport pilot (ATP) and first type rating when the company purchased a cargo Saab-340 in February 2005. Six months later I interviewed with a corporate operation on the field for a first officer position in a Falcon 20. I got the position and I was now flying a corporate jet! All the hard work and countless hours had paid off!

This corporate gig sure was different from flying freight; I was no longer getting the mid-night wake up calls, I was awake during the day and sleeping at night again, and when I went on the road I knew when I was coming home again. What a deal!

Three years later, I have logged about 4,700 hours and I still fly for that company. It has turned out to be a really great job. I still fly along and think, “I can’t believe I get paid to do this!” I know I have been fortunate in my career path thus far and I hope it continues to be rewarding and successful for many years to come. All it takes is a lot of hard work, sacrifice, and dedication.

While I can’t imagine any other way to make a living, the “work” flying is only a small part. I still would rather just jump in the C-180 or Cub more than anything else. After a long day of flying for work, hopping around in a small plane is definitely the icing on the cake. A half hour in a Cub is better than anything I could possibly think of doing. The air shows and fly-ins like Oshkosh, Sun-n-Fun, and Sentimental Journey; airplane camping and island hopping; or just breakfast or a sunset mission are the things that make flying great.

Last summer my dad and friends flew two C-180s up to Alaska for five weeks. I met them in Anchorage and we flew around and camped for a week and a half. That was the most amazing vacation of my life (and definitely the best way to see Alaska)! We camped in McCarthy, Cordova, Homer (actually it was a hotel there—it was time for showers), Seward, and Talkeetna. When we arrived in Talkeetna the weather had improved enough at Mt. McKinley that my dad and I were able to get close and fly around it! That officially became the best flight ever!

Flying has provided me with so many unmatched experiences and is definitely more than a hobby—it has become a way of life. With rising fuel prices, the flying has decreased a bit but there is always something going on at the airport. My advice to anyone interested in flying: Go out and take the introductory flight offered at most flight schools. You have absolutely nothing to lose and it may very well change your life. To those already training, stick with it. All of the time and hard work will definitely pay off with a lifetime of flying enjoyment.

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