Just want to say one thing...

[ZooNamedGames]

Something that has been on my mind for a long time that I feel like getting out:

I want to fly right now so badly...

That said, I will explain my situation. As some will know I am a 19 year old that is nearing graduation from high school (hopefully in August) with my future being to enter a local college for "Aviation Management" degree so I can become an airline pilot (they have an offer that would have me flying much sooner than even Embry Riddle is offering). I love aerospace and I would love nothing more for me to get experience from my recent new joining of another forumer's aerospace company and have that experience along with my airline experience give me an edge with Virgin Galactic and possibly join them.

It should be noted that those who know me well, might be wondering I didn't graduate last year and why my graduation is in August rather than in May or June. That is because last year I went through a bad bout of depression that left me completely mentally crushed, however since then I have returned to school and am months from finishing. Until then, I'm stuck waiting. I could get ahead and start flight school now but ultimately it's costly and I've got other priorities.

I just want to be airbourne. I don't know how else to explain it. I just want to be free to see the world differently rather than be stuck at home, doing nothing other than school.

/rant

Thanks for those who read. Have a nice day.

[ZooNamedGames]

Also one last thing; this world is too damn beautiful for me to be stuck behind my weak computer! I want to go out and see it!

/rant

^{Totally not bumping this thread... but seriously I'm not intending to, I just felt like I needed to add that. Thanks for reading if you notice this.}

[benzman]

Go for it!  I am a fairly ordinary person brought up in a fairly poor family, but I have owned an ocean-going yacht and I flew gliders some years ago.  I have flown in wave and looked down on the world from above the clouds while breathing oxygen from a face mask.  I have also seen a lot more of the world than I first though I would.  I admit that some of it was only seen through the window of a 747, but hey!  You make the best of whatever comes along - right?

 

[ZooNamedGames]

38 minutes ago, benzman said:

Go for it!  I am a fairly ordinary person brought up in a fairly poor family, but I have owned an ocean-going yacht and I flew gliders some years ago.  I have flown in wave and looked down on the world from above the clouds while breathing oxygen from a face mask.  I have also seen a lot more of the world than I first though I would.  I admit that some of it was only seen through the window of a 747, but hey!  You make the best of whatever comes along - right?

 

Yeah . I wish I could just get into the training program right now! But alas, the [removed due to 2.2g] school system is holding me hostage until I graduate. As I said before, I would just skip the middle man and start a flight school now but I don't have that much money to be wasting.

Edited May 21, 2017 by ZooNamedGames

[XB-70A]

Never raise the white flag.

I got depressions too, four in 25 years of existence with a first at 10... and am doomed by a health problem which was officially supposed to ground me. But I just rise my finger to some of the medics and blinded administrative workers and finished by becoming a pilot. Of course I never get anything more bigger than a Cessna Caravan in my hands for now but I will keep on fighting, just to realize my dream and to live in my passion.

[ZooNamedGames]

30 minutes ago, XB-70A said:

Never raise the white flag.

I got depressions too, four in 25 years of existence with a first at 10... and am doomed by a health problem which was officially supposed to ground me. But I just rise my finger to some of the medics and blinded administrative workers and finished by becoming a pilot. Of course I never get anything more bigger than a Cessna Caravan in my hands for now but I will keep on fighting, just to realize my dream and to live in my passion.

I haven't yet surrendered however I am bound in chains unable to move forward. That is certain.

[Dman979]

20 minutes ago, ZooNamedGames said:

I haven't yet surrendered however I am bound in chains unable to move forward. That is certain.

We are all a prisoner of our own beliefs. Change your thinking, change your future.

[ZooNamedGames]

2 minutes ago, Dman979 said:

We are all a prisoner of our own beliefs. Change your thinking, change your future.

This isn't a belief. It's a federal and state requirement. If it was my choice, I'd have my diploma in 2014 and would be in my 3 or 4th year of college. But alas, I must finish highschool before I can graduate. And no, dual enrollment is not an option. My grades... do not warrant anything. They are abysmal.

Edited May 21, 2017 by ZooNamedGames

[Just Jim]

Join the Air Force... fly real jets.... 

[XLjedi]

27 minutes ago, Just Jim said:

Join the Air Force... fly real jets.... 

Grunts who join the Air Force out of high school don't fly jets...  they fuel em.

But seriously, I was in a similar situation when I was 19.  Could not afford Embry Riddle, went with the local community college flight program instead, got my license, started flying...  Life happened, things change, desert wars erupt... Decisions were set before me, and turns out that I took a very different path.     

As I look back now, I wonder what might've happened if I went in the other direction.  But in all cases, I come to the conclusion that I made the right decisions and would not trade my life as it is today for any other option that the past may have presented.

Be patient, 19 is very young... you have plenty of time.  But I hear you, I felt that impatience.  You may not fly in the airlines, you may have better opportunities.  Just remember that as you make your choices, always choose with the idea in mind, "When I look back on this 10, 20, 30 years from now... will I regret it?"  ...and don't worry if a choice comes along that leads you down a different path, that's life.  Just run with it!

In the mean time, no one can stop you from flying, go down to the local airport with $75 in-hand and you can probably fly with an instructor that day.

 

Edited May 21, 2017 by XLjedi

[ZooNamedGames]

23 minutes ago, Just Jim said:

Join the Air Force... fly real jets.... 

Damn I wish! I'm worried about my health letting me be an airline pilot as is, much less an airforce pilot . But if health wasn't a factor; I'd love to. It's dangerous, but it's just another factor of the job like early mornings and working late. If I do get killed on the job, at least I was killed by a job I enjoyed doing.

2 minutes ago, XLjedi said:

Grunts who join the Air Force out of high school don't fly jets...  they fuel em.

But seriously, I was in a similar situation when I was 19.  Could not afford Embry Riddle, went with the local community college flight program instead, got my license, started flying...  Life happened, things change, desert wars erupt... Decisions were set before me, and turns out that I took a very different path.     

As I look back now, I wonder what might've happened if I went in the other direction.  But in all cases, I come to the conclusion that I made the right decisions and would not trade my life as it is today for any other option that the past may have presented.

Be patient, 19 is very young... you have plenty of time.  But I hear you, I felt that impatience.  You may not fly in the airlines, you may have better opportunities.  Just remember that as you make your choices, always choose with the idea in mind, "When I look back on this 10, 20, 30 years from now... will I regret it?"  ...and don't worry if a choice comes along that leads you down a different path, that's life.  Just run with it!

 

I've heard youth be a limiter my entire life but nearer I get to adulthood I see more and more people younger than me that have already conquered the world. I mean I'm "working" for a guy who's got his own aerospace company which can compete with SpaceX and he's younger than I am!

But I will, as I always have, accept things as they happen. Just as it stands, nothing is happening. The world is happening around me and I'm stuck idle. Unable to continue until graduation.

[Just Jim]

7 minutes ago, XLjedi said:

Grunts who join the Air Force out of high school don't fly jets...  they fuel em.

Do you need to attend college to fly in the Air force? 

6 minutes ago, ZooNamedGames said:

Damn I wish! I'm worried about my health letting me be an airline pilot as is, much less an airforce pilot . But if health wasn't a factor; I'd love to. It's dangerous, but it's just another factor of the job like early mornings and working late. If I do get killed on the job, at least I was killed by a job I enjoyed doing.

That's how I felt.... I tried, and almost made it. But I failed the one test they just won't let you slide on... and the one test I just can't pass, no matter what....

I'm legally blind without my glasses.... (roughly 20/4000 uncorrected) 

So I joined the Army instead and went to Germany for a few years. It wasn't my first choice, and I never did learn to fly, but I got to drive one of these, which was still pretty cool:

I hope you make it, I really do! 

Edited May 21, 2017 by Just Jim

[XLjedi]

5 minutes ago, ZooNamedGames said:

I've heard youth be a limiter my entire life but nearer I get to adulthood I see more and more people younger than me that have already conquered the world. I mean I'm "working" for a guy who's got his own aerospace company which can compete with SpaceX and he's younger than I am!

But I will, as I always have, accept things as they happen. Just as it stands, nothing is happening. The world is happening around me and I'm stuck idle. Unable to continue until graduation.

Don't fall into that trap!  ...never judge yourself by the accomplishments of others.  You will always focus on the people who have done more and the depression can creep back in.  Just keep your blinders on and focus on what's important to you.

[Just Jim]

1 minute ago, XLjedi said:

Don't fall into that trap!  ...never judge yourself by the accomplishments of others.  You will always focus on the people who have done more and the depression can creep back in.  Just keep your blinders on and focus on what's important to you.

Agreed, and well said!!!  

[XLjedi]

4 minutes ago, Just Jim said:

Do you need to attend college to fly in the Air force? 

Pretty sure, it's officers in both Air Force and Navy flying the cool jets...  Marines, maybe a warrant officer, for helos, but it's been a long time since I looked into that.

[ZooNamedGames]

1 minute ago, Just Jim said:

Do you still need college to fly in the Air force? 

That's how I felt.... I tried, and almost made it. But I failed the one test they just won't let you slide on... and the one test I just can't pass, no matter what....

I'm legally blind without my glasses.... (roughly 20/4000 uncorrected) 

So I joined the Army instead and went to Germany for a few years. It wasn't my first choice, and I never did learn to fly, but I got to drive one of these, which was still pretty cool:

I hope you make it, I really do! 

Last I heard, the military has closed all their college education programs and require a high school diploma or GED equivalent, and as I read that's just for the grunt roles.

Yeah I'm bad with my eyes as well, I don't know to what degree, but I do need glasses. Granted my parents have considered LASIC to correct this. The harder part is that I'm also color blind with tachycardia (elevated heart rate) with depression as you all know. Which one of those will be the nail in the coffin for my 1st class flight medical? Who knows...

Most of my friends went military. So I wouldn't be alone in doing it.

7 minutes ago, XLjedi said:

Don't fall into that trap!  ...never judge yourself by the accomplishments of others.  You will always focus on the people who have done more and the depression can creep back in.  Just keep your blinders on and focus on what's important to you.

Well as it stands, as a "homeschooler" (not technically but pass over it) I don't see much of anyone and I don't leave the house (hell planning on getting my drivers license next month... maybe) so all I have is others. I can't compare to myself since I have nothing to compare to yet.

[XLjedi]

Color-blindness and/or non-20/20 vision is going to rule out flying Stealth Bombers...

For now, focus on the drivers license, and stop creating your own barriers.  Get up and walk out the door.  Goto the Uber website setup an account.  "But I don't have any money..."  ya know what, figure out what the first step is that's going to put you on the path, fix your eyes on it, set a date in your mind to achieve it, and just do it.  ...and stop inventing reasons to pull the covers over your head.

Your first step may be a stint in the military...  and you may do something there that you find far more interesting than being a bus driver for a totally dysfunctional airline industry. 

 

 

Edited May 22, 2017 by XLjedi

[ZooNamedGames]

8 minutes ago, XLjedi said:

Color-blindness and/or non-20/20 vision is going to rule out flying Stealth Bombers...

For now, focus on the drivers license, and stop creating your own barriers.  Get up and walk out the door.  Goto the Uber website setup an account.  "But I don't have any money..."  ya know what, figure out what the first step is that's going to put you on the path, fix your eyes on it, set a date in your mind to achieve it, and just do it.  ...and stop inventing reasons to pull the covers over your head.

Your first step may be a stint in the military...  and you may do something there that you find far more interesting than being a bus driver for a totally dysfunctional airline industry. 

 

 

Well I'm going to get a job here soon so that wasn't up for much discussion however aside from money and a drivers license neither really help with colorblindness and tachycardia which can kill my future in aviation.

Ultimately if I can't go airline pilot, my backup careers are: video game development. That's it . I can't do anything aerospace related as my math/dyscalculia prevent me from doing well in those areas.

Thankfully I hear there's a company who just lost a lot of developers. Hopefully in 4-5 years when I graduate, they could still use an extra hand.

[XLjedi]

Computer Science is an excellent choice!  ...and don't rule out aviation just yet.  There is one aviation related area where the military actually has a pilot shortage and I don't think they are particularly picky about officers flying them...  Drone Pilots!

Frankly, I see drones as the future of military fighters anyway, it just makes sense.  They will outfly any manned vehicle simply because they will not be limited by G-forces.  Now is the perfect time to get into drones before the REALLY cool ones start to appear!

...also ATC controllers, the radar operators... those are pretty cool roles!

Computer Games...  well...  I'm sure you can find plenty of video game developers that will let you know you can literally make HUNDREDS of dollars with that career.  Get your computer science degree if you want, but keep the game programming as a hobby.  You can always do that in your spare time.

Edited May 22, 2017 by XLjedi

[ZooNamedGames]

3 minutes ago, XLjedi said:

Computer Science is an excellent choice!  ...and don't rule out aviation just yet.  There is one aviation related area where the military actually has a pilot shortage and I don't think they are particularly picky about officers flying them...  Drone Pilots!

Frankly, I see drones as the future of military fighters anyway, it just makes sense.  They will outfly any manned vehicle simply because they will not be limited by G-forces.  Now is the perfect time to get into drones before the REALLY cool ones start to appear!

...also ATC controllers, the radar operators... those are pretty cool roles!

 

One of my dad's best friends was offered to be an airline pilot as he was one of the best RC pilots in the competitions and he turned them down. His choice and I won't comment on his decision here as that isn't my place. But that said, it's a possibility granted I'd rather be in the air rather than flying something else.

Those are cool but I don't know, they just don't feel right like being pilot (again, flying). The idea being that if I can't fly, then I don't want to be around that environment since it'll be a life long tease to me. Hence why VG development is so high up on my list of to dos.

[XLjedi]

1 minute ago, ZooNamedGames said:

Those are cool but I don't know, they just don't feel right like being pilot (again, flying). The idea being that if I can't fly, then I don't want to be around that environment since it'll be a life long tease to me. Hence why VG development is so high up on my list of to dos.

Have you flown a real plane?

[ZooNamedGames]

1 minute ago, XLjedi said:

Have you flown a real plane?

...no...

[munlander1]

Just now, ZooNamedGames said:

...no...

Rc plane?

[ZooNamedGames]

Just now, munlander1 said:

Rc plane?

...small RC helicopter for a short bit...

I mean I know how to, I've just never had a chance... granted I got to use one of my local college's flight simulators once.

[munlander1]

1 minute ago, ZooNamedGames said:

...small RC helicopter for a short bit...

I mean I know how to, I've just never had a chance... granted I got to use one of my local college's flight simulators once.

Is it like a cockpit you can get into?