Page 4 - Volume 18 Number 7

2 • TWIN & TURBINEJULY 2014editor’sbriefingSimon, a good friend and one of my former trainees, was ecstatic. Years of chasing ratings and building up hours had finally borne fruit; he had stopped by to tell me that his interview was successful and he had been hired. In two weeks, he would give up his boringgroundbound employment and report for training as a real, working corporate copilot.I was happy for him, and I remember well my first paying flying job. Like Simon’s new gig, the money was minor but the rewards were major. At 222 hours logged (rules were different back then), I was off on a VFR charter, making a passenger drop and returning deadhead, and I getting paid for it. Life was good. As an airline pilot acquaintance put it, “I flew for 24 years and never really went to work a day in my life.”Enjoying what we do for a living pays dividends in mental and physical health; even if we are employed in other fields to subsidize our flying habit, the pleasure of climbing into that cockpit and leaving the hum-drum behind brightens our outlook. We can better withstand the constraints of the cubicle or paper-piled office, knowing there’s a trip in the offing.That first flying job, or first job with flying benefits, will long be remembered. If, like Simon, you’ve had to put in a lot of preparationto get there, it’s an initial increment in what you expect to be a deserved payback, long in coming. Now, the nights of studying for tedious exam questions, the hours of drills in cockpit and simulator, and the days of wondering if your resume even got opened – all those are behind.We know, in reality, that it never truly ends. There’s always an upgrade to face, more systems to learn, and recurrent reviews of skill and knowledge. If we’re good, and motivated, we’ll make it through and continue the climb, breaking out on top into the element we’ve earned the right to enjoy. If you see a smiling Simon out there, wish him well.In This Issue:For recommended reading, I suggest you begin with Adam Alpert’s report of a harrowing, howling arrival in Keflavik, Iceland, on what began a routine Atlantic Crossing. Then, you can recover by sharing our anticipation of another AirVenture Oshkosh pilgrimage, with differences noted for 2014. You can see how resident pundit Russ Smith views the list of regulatory deadlines and agendas looming on the horizon, and how they will affect our flying. Tom Turner cautions against a casual approach to the Vmc demonstration in multi-engine training. Kevin Dingman gives sage advice on how to take care of the passengers, rather than fly to stroke your ego, and David Miller talks about aceing his checkrides. Everyone involved hopes you enjoy their efforts.LeRoy Cook. EditorFirst Job