Aviation Marketing Intelligence

Deep depression brought on by simply working like an idiot (it is in my DNA, nothing I can do about it) has me considering (only considering at this point) working as a pilot at some nearby airport. The idea is to “work” somewhere else / on something. Some people say: “Have children.” That will make you work less. To them I say, “I am a child - how does this warrant having them?”

The process of “Flying Again” entails finding my logbooks and converting my US licenses to Canadian ones. In short, I must humbly submit to an instructor 15 years younger than me who will take a lot of money from me while he or she tells me how to do things “their way” so that the government can say that I really am a “Commercial Multi-Engine IFR, Insructor, Seaplane, High Performance, Tailwheel with some Ski and Float time” kind of guy. I also know that Mike McKendry will be happy to see me out in the whacky world of GA operations again.

The reality is that all work and no play is no f*&%$ way to live your life. I am enthusiastic about what we do here primarily because of airplanes. Somewhere along the way I lost track of that and it became about money.

Don’t get me wrong, me and money have a great thing going, … I love money… and it loves me. In fact, me and money are getting together later today for a little… (ok, that’s private.)
But airplane people have another deeper disease, much deeper than money. (I know this is hard for many of you to understand, and, at times it perplexes me.) It is a disease that actually is antithetical to money, since keeping your hobby and passion airborne is expensive. Even if you work and earn money as a captain, instructor or tow pilot (hint, no money for being a tow pilot) the fact is that you’ll rarely earn enough money to retire on, have a life outside of the airport(s) or whatever it is you seek.

That being said, being airborne brings a lot of joy to folks, especially if it can be done in a glider, helicopter or on someone else’s dime. Being formed mostly of Scottish DNA it (so far) looks like it will have to be on someone else’s dime and just my luck, there is a shortage of english speaking instructors in Montreal.

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