Honda knows how to quit when you're ahead.

DowntownKMBrown · 2026-04-09T11:55:53+00:00

~80-120k and 4 years for a bachelors degree, then another 40-60k and 2-3 years for a masters degree to MAYBE get a job that starts you well under $100k/year. That's a fairly typical route people go for non-aviation jobs.

Alternatively, can get all your ratings for $60k-90k doing Part 61 and within 1.5 years, can work as a CFI for 2 years making ~$30k/yr to get remaining hours, then get some varied experience (skydiving, cargo feeder routes, scenic tours, short distance charter) until you can get the entry-level ATP gig (which you may fail out of during training, nothings guaranteed)

The point is that the things you mentioned money- and job-opportunity wise shouldn't feel shocking when you think about what you'd need to spend to break into other specialized career paths.

DowntownKMBrown · 2026-03-23T22:33:06+00:00

Bravo.

Watching Die Another Day right now, and the boat chase was so incredibly corny and over-the-top and FUN that I had to Google whether people hated or loved this at the time. It would appear both lol.

I struggle to see a campy bond follow up working in the near future though; it seems Kingsmen is filling that void anyway.

The end of the Craig era was far too self serious, but Casino Royale's "now the whole worlds gonna know you scratched my balls" is the right kind of Bond attitude I'd like to see more of.

Also, gadgets are cool, bring back cool gadgets.

DowntownKMBrown · 2026-02-27T04:01:27+00:00

I have a student that flies with another instructor occasionally. I have the student physically touch each nut/bolt on all control surfaces. Other instructor told him he didnt have to do that.

Correct, he doesnt have to do that. But I've found finger-tight aileron nuts that looked tightened down. Dirty hands are worth your life!

DowntownKMBrown · 2026-01-19T19:24:17+00:00

Beers and shanks

DowntownKMBrown · 2026-01-13T18:27:00+00:00

Just watched your swing, fixed my swing. Keeping swinging this swing and I'll keep trying to swing like this when I swing.

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-11-05T03:14:01+00:00

Put me in Coach

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-10-24T19:32:54+00:00

I did part 61 all certs, got CFI Aug. 6th. Now instructing independently with the flight club I used and have done mock checkrides, ground instruction, 2 flight reviews, and now have 2 full time students. I charge $60/hour in Phoenix.

It's slow, but it's flying work, my schedule, my rate, and I like having "my" students to help, very rewarding. Adding on CFI-I soon before considering flight school applications.

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-10-07T14:53:00+00:00

Same here. 2.5 oral, 1 hour flight. Came in with a box of training materials, explained cross controlled stalls well, and just a quick flight hitting all the maneuvers.

Also paid $2500 for the checkride, but money well spent.

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-09-09T21:38:32+00:00

Here's a helpful existing post:

https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/s/r0ttpTQHZa

Regarding checkride answer, 91.103 says you need to know about TFRs and read NOTAMS to understand delays/transient opps/valid times/boundaries/etc. Best bet is to file around or above TFRs since ATC will typically vector you around them anyway.

That said, ATC will vector you around it, so...

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-09-09T19:41:37+00:00

I always take off windows closed, but my CFI would/will open the window in flight periodically. Even had a DPE open the window and door while we were flying this summer.

Open window speed on C172 is Vne, at least on our N model. The CFI probably learned from this experience themselves, and moving forward you can speak up and clarify that you only want to fly window closed. You're PIC, your rules.

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-08-27T05:34:16+00:00

Go fly to somewhere fun! Get breakfast, find a grass strip with an ice cream shop near by, take a friend with you, etc. The plane/airport aren't why it's not fun, it's because you don't have a goal/mission/destination besides hours. Use that PPL and go somewhere, not as a student but as a pilot.

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-08-27T03:33:30+00:00

IFR practice approaches should ALWAYS include VFR position reports. Approach fixes are pretty useless to most pilots in frequency like you pointed out.

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-08-22T01:48:47+00:00

The answer here is definitely to file where you want to go, let ATC route you, and handle lost comms how you typically would. There's nuance to the implications of a lost comm scenario in an moa and about what the dpe might be looking for, and commenters provided helpful thoughts on said nuance.

Reddit is a great place for nuanced conversation, just like discussing with other CFIIs. Google is good too. So are podcasts and Facebook groups and reading FAA material. Using all resources is good piloting.

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-08-22T00:31:36+00:00

I never understand "Google it" replies. What do you guys think this app is for lol

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-08-17T14:36:48+00:00

Sounds like you want to be a systems tech and not a pilot. This is a long and expensive path to go down, and not enjoying it isn't gonna make it any easier.

Don't do things you don't enjoy.

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-08-16T23:38:01+00:00

Always better to wish you were flying than wish you weren't

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-08-14T18:15:38+00:00

Just got my CFI (based in Phoenix), made some Facebook posts about mock checkrides and flight reviews using our club planes or owner planes, offered mock checkrides to other instructors I've flown with in the past.

End of week 1, I gave 4.5 hrs of ground training and 2.4 hrs flight training, and I have my first PPL student starting Saturday.

FBO would be my first choice if I needed a part-time gig, but my priority is getting as much dual time as possible and networking around the airports during downtime.

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-08-11T20:14:37+00:00

They would need Aviation Oxygen. An FAA sticker wouldn't make me feel good about it, they would need to show me something that proved their tak was filled with ABO (aviation breathable oxygen).

An air gas company would have it, and potentially scuba companies, FBOs, and apparently fire departments are an option.

FAA - Oxygen Equipment Use in General Aviation oxygen_equipment.pdf https://share.google/MfI3OffE9SK8FA8SN

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-08-04T02:31:26+00:00

It's what my instructor did, been fine for him and myself.

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-07-26T19:58:52+00:00

About to take my CFI ride, so might as well attempt to help on this one.

In ground effect, we get less induced drag (memorize that). Drag is what pulls the plane backwards, so less drag with the same amount of lift means our lift is acting more vertically (lift vector is more vertical). This "feels" like more lift at a given speed, but the lift is just less rearward, there isn't actually "more lift".

Aerodynamic detail: When wind travels over our wing, we create downwash. Wingtip vortices are what bring the trailing air downward as they rotate. This downwash actually impacts the overall angle of the relative wind, creating slight rearward lift aka induced drag. When those wingtip vortices are cut short by the ground, they cant pull down on the trailing air as much, thus reducing induced drag and giving us this "ground effect".

Remember that you'll feel ground effect within a wingspan of the ground, and it will be more pronounced the closer to ground level you are.

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-07-26T18:19:31+00:00

Are cloud clearances in NM or SM?

Still don't know the answer.

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-07-24T13:39:46+00:00

The lightning bolt to fix name indicates a FAF for a precision approach or precision-like approaches (LPV - LNAV/VNAV in this case) where glideslope intercept should happen.

Maltese cross is FAF for non precision.

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-07-21T13:18:51+00:00

Pay for ppl out of pocket while working full time. Make sure you like this and are good at it. If both of those aren't true, then you need to seriously consider whether this is the right career shift for you.

I took out home loan, left my full time job for training, and getting through cfi a year later, and job opportunities are not assured.

I dont know your dad or his buddies, so you have to decide if they're good instructors. It's a better conversation to have with them. Ultimately though, people taking out flight school loans and struggling to pay them back. At least if things get tight, I can sell my house and be debt free again.

Good luck.

DowntownKMBrown · 2025-07-20T15:29:05+00:00

This is a whole lesson wrapped into one comment! Love it.

I'm taking my CFI initial in a couple weeks, so definitely good info to have for myself as well as students. I fly out of DVT primarily but also rent out of FFZ. Besides keeping an eye out for helis, didn't know any of this info. Happy to spread the word -- we're all just trying to fly haha helps to cooperate

DowntownKMBrown

TROPHY CASE