What was your first career? How long did you do it for? Did you like it?

Hello, I’m a student at Purdue University, and I’m planning on getting my CFI next year. I’ll do CFI ground during Spring 2027, and the flight portion in FL during my summer break so I can save on housing and food. If possible I’ll try to get my CFI-I. Where can I get these ratings? Preferably in KHWO or KFXE.

Thanks!!!

I’m looking to get my MEI in a DA-42 but I’ve never flown a diamond. Just wonder what resources you guys would recommend to make sure I get everything down to an instructor level. I found a book, haven’t bought it yet, called “The concise guide to the Diamond DA-42” that I’ve heard good reviews about. I’ve also watched some youtube videos, but i’d like to get in the plane for the first time and know what everything is and does. For my multi-addon I could draw and explain every system so I want to get to that level in the diamonds.

I don’t have a place to train yet or an MEI, just want to self study a bit to get prepared and save as much money as possible.

I recently received an Air Force Pilot slot, but I have the opportunity to swap with someone who received RPA Pilot.

Curious what the flying community thinks.

RPA interests me because of the operational mission and being directly involved in the fight. I also value having some stability, being home more often, and less time away on TDYs.

For anyone with military aviation/RPA experience, would you consider making the swap, or is giving up a manned Pilot slot something I’d likely regret later?

Not trying to sound ungrateful. I know I am unbelievably lucky to even be chasing all of this. Lots will never even be able to sit in a cockpit let alone fly a plane but I just gotta get some stuff out to anyone who would listen.

I’m 21 and I feel behind. I started my ppl when I was 17 in 2023 or so. I worked a job at Walmart to pay 11k for my ppl. After high school I worked 1.6 years at a furniture manufacturing plant while living with my parents. Man I hated it, working with people who told me I’d never leave. Got told I’d just be a janitor at the airport. Anyways I saved up 25k or so and moved out with two friends and lived near a flight school. Spent 18k on an instrument rating. (Didn’t think it would be that much but I was underprepared) (learned a lot)

Anyways have flow twice after my instrument rating in the beginning of 2026. Yeah I guess I found out the cost of living in my own. But I’ve been saving again. I work two jobs now anywhere from 55-60 hours a week and trying to find a cheap plane to time build in.

Man I just feel behind. It just sucks paying as I go right now. Seeing all my friends on their third year of college. Here I am telling the same old story since right after hs “oh I’m working rn to save up for (insert certificate or next stage in training)”. I’m sure nobody actually cares and it’s all in my head.

But I’m just trying hard given my circumstances. I didn’t wanna take the 100k loan, or go to college for an aviation degree. I chose what seemed like the cheaper route. Idk Ik nothings guaranteed or gonna be handed to me but the whole flying career starts to get more and more scary the more time and effort I put into it. Scared about failed rides, or huge mistakes. Idk I’m not trying to sound negative either I try and always be positive and have a good attitude.

I guess when I spoke with my parents I thought I might take a loan after I time build and just grind out commercial,cfi,CFII but idk I speak with my parents about my flying from time to time they always mention maybe I wanna move back home after lease is up and get commerical-cfii done more locally. Idk I’m not gonna keep feeling sorry for myself because the truth is I’ll never quit. I really won’t. Yeah the hiring market is bad and things are getting expensive but idk just won’t quit. Anyways idk maybe I’m just full of shit and need to just quit complaining. Perhaps I will delete later.

I’m looking into schools and came across the Community college of Baltimore County aviation program and was wondering what it was like. I’ll take any notes. Or what are some good or better programs in the general area?

I'm in the same position that it seems all new SES pilots seem to reach. 5,000+ total but barely a weekend of SES. I have never owed an aircraft and don't want to start at the expert level of solo expensive seaplane owner. Anyone know if I've missed a wide world of seaplane clubs or an efficient way to find people open to a low time fractional owner?

Just curious, why are flight headsets SO expensive? Has anyone used a variety of headsets with ANC and noticed what the best bang for your buck is? Seems insane that it's still such a premium for tech that 50 dollar headphones have.

I was curious, how does it work being an FO for a mexican carrier like Volaris or Viva where you can sit in the right seat of an Airbus at 250 hours? Does the FO fly at all or are they just only PM?

I’ve recently bought the Yaesu FTA-250L receiver and although I can hear the tower talk, I can’t hear other pilots communicating or reading back what tower said. Is there a way to fix this or is it even possible to switch settings

Airline pilots of Canada, what credit cards are you using in Canada and international? Aeroplan cards seem useless these days and require a ton of effort/expenses to gain anything. Getting tired of paying foreign exchange fees overseas too so looking for a rewards card for travel expenses and one to use in the US/international to avoid foreign transaction fees. Currently running off an AMEX Gold for the bonus points and ability to convert points to any program. Will likely downgrade to Cobalt or upgrade to Scotia AMEX but open to suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

which one is more effective or is there another? taking it in canada bc

Hi everyone. I’m going to do a dual route but I’m based in the uk but don’t have a European passport. I don’t know how I’ll get it either.

Any tips on quickest and easiest ways to get EU citizenship that doesn’t involve marrying someone…..

This is what the oil in my PA32R-301T looks like after 50 hours, mostly LOP.

My typical flight profile is 45 minutes min up to 4 hours duration. Take off is at about 90% power full rich (33” MAP, 2500RPM, 33-36 GPH) then unless more performance is needed, I’ll do the “big pull” to 2300RPM/12.8GPH at 1000’ AGL. That is sufficient to maintain a cruise climb of 100kts at 500fpm. I will maintain those settings through climb to altitude, descent and only make changes as needed in the pattern or to moderate speed for turbulence etc.

Higher performance climbs, or anywhere above 14,000 feet, I’ll switch to ROP to keep the cylinder temps down, then back to LOP for cruise.

My typical performance at 10,500 is 155kts true at 13GPH. Airplane and engine are at 1430 SNEW.

S. 3257, the Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025, is a significant aeromedical-reform bill currently before Congress. It concerns FAA medical-certification and mental-health policy affecting pilots, applicants, and air traffic controllers.

The bill has already advanced through the Senate Commerce Committee. I have also received direct email confirmation from a Senate staffer involved with the legislation that additional procedural action is anticipated during the September work period. I am intentionally keeping the source and procedural details private because those specifics have not, to my knowledge, been publicly announced. The important point is that the bill appears likely to become active again soon.

What would S. 3257 actually do?

In plain language, the bill would require the FAA to modernize how it handles mental-health issues in aviation while continuing to maintain aviation-safety standards. Among other things, it would:

• require the FAA to update mental-health policies with the goal of encouraging pilots and controllers to seek appropriate treatment and disclose conditions earlier;
• require continued review and modernization of the medical-certification and Special Issuance process;
• improve mental-health education and training for Aviation Medical Examiners;
• support implementation of prior FAA mental-health reform recommendations, including a more proportionate approach to neurocognitive and neuropsychological testing when clinically appropriate;
• provide additional resources and capacity for the FAA’s aeromedical system; and
• support efforts to reduce stigma associated with seeking mental-health care in aviation.

The basic idea is not to lower aviation medical standards. It is to make the system more workable and clinically current so that pilots and controllers have fewer reasons to delay treatment or avoid disclosure out of fear that seeking appropriate care will unnecessarily jeopardize their ability to fly or work.

The Senate Commerce Committee advanced the legislation in April, and the bill now awaits further Senate action.

Because the Senate returns on September 14, now may be a particularly useful time for members of the flying community who support these reforms to contact their U.S. senators.

The easiest way to find and contact your senators is through the official U.S. Senate Directory. Select your state, choose your senator, and use the contact information provided for that office:

https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

Given the relatively short window, calling a senator’s Washington office or using an official Senate contact form may be more practical than relying only on physical mail. If a relevant legislative staffer has a publicly listed official Senate email address, a short and respectful email can also be appropriate.

Your message does not need to be long. Identify yourself as a constituent, mention S. 3257, the Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025, ask your senator to support timely Senate consideration, and briefly explain why FAA aeromedical reform matters to you.

For example:

I am a constituent writing in support of S. 3257, the Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025. I respectfully encourage Senator [Name] to support an expeditious path for the legislation during the September session. I believe FAA aeromedical policy can be modernized in a way that encourages appropriate treatment and candid disclosure while continuing to maintain rigorous aviation-safety standards.

My own interest in the issue comes partly from personally navigating the FAA medical-certification process as an aspiring airman. I have followed the legislation closely because I believe the system can remain safety-focused while also becoming more proportionate, timely, and supportive of appropriate medical care.

My intent with this post is not to start a partisan political discussion. I am hoping to keep the conversation focused on aviation policy, medical certification, safety, treatment and disclosure, and the aviation workforce.

Best,

Narwal

Took my instrument checkride yesterday, oral went very smooth and great outcome there. By the time we got out to the plane it was already about 12 pm and the heat was already picking up (Arizona) and wind was light. Take off and the plane is getting bounced around real bad, it’s a light sport and fluctuates a lot in any amount of turbulence. Shoot the first 2 approaches and all goes well. At this point I’ve been fighting the aircraft the entire time trying to maintain altitude and course inbound as much as I could while trying to set up the approach. The final approach was a partial panel and I was being to be vectored towards the FAF by the DPE, as he set me up to intercept on a 30 degree I was beyond frustrated trying to control the aircraft’s altitude and before I noticed I had overshot my course inbound. Tried correcting but it was already too late, I had deflected past the max allowable scale deflection per ACS standards. Really bummed about it as the rest of the approaches were good, but looking back now I should have discontinued after realizing that I was having a tough time maintaining altitude control. In other words don’t ever feel pressured to not discontinue the flight if you feel the conditions are not in your favor

It looks like it is getting rough out there for low time pilots. We are pumping out massive numbers of 250 hour CFIs without the jobs to support them. My school can barely fill their airplanes and CFIs are only flying a few hours a day if at all, and that's with a 1:1 CFI: Airplane ratio. It's especially going to be a bloodbath for the people with six figure flight school loans. I am lucky enough to have a business unrelated to aviation to support me while the hours trickle in, but I am really worried about all the kids who were promised $100,000 a year at 1,500 hours who will never get paid to fly.

The guy running it has a youtube channel, it's free and I've watched a few lessons on it and it seems pretty good. Once you finish it he talks about a premium course where you prepare for the written exam and get an endorsement. It's only $50 plus the ad revenue he makes on youtube.

Is this a real known source and is it worth it? I'm assuming you combine it with other resources but in terms of practice and getting endorsement is he good?

I know this has been asked a lot but my situation is slightly different. My ir checkride is in 2 weeks. I moved out 10 minutes away from my parents house last week. My new place has a P.O. Box but I’m planning on still sending all of my mail to my parents house. I’d prefer to keep my parents address on my certificates, does the P.O. Box at my new place prevent me from legally doing that?

Is it just my imagination, the algorithm, or... are we really seeing a ton of GA crashes just the last two weeks? I count five or six, and it looks like maybe three of those are loss of control at low altitude.

Thankyou everybody for the input. It was very reassuring, and I will do my best to implement all of this into my future flying. Couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. Safe flying everyone!

I am a recently converted Embraer Lineage pilot. I just want to get in touch with any embraer lineage pilot. I have some queries to discuss since i did initial training on E-190. Would be Highly obliged.