Name: Nick
Location: Fredricksburg, VA. USA
Age: 32
It took me a long time to figure out what I wanna be when I grow up. Once upon a time, I thought I knew, but realized I didn’t really want to follow that road to the end. I have always had an exciting life, with good family, great friends, and exciting hobbies, but something was missing. I was 30 years old with no career aspirations, no 401k, and I was growing a bit weary at my dismal outlook for a career change.
I’ve always had an interest in aviation. I always looked up when I saw a helicopter fly by. I was always watching what the pilot was doing while riding in a helicopter more than looking at the scenery passing by. It wasn’t until dozens of flights on a small, plastic, remote-control helicopter that I realized that I could be the one moving the controls! I had always written off being a helicopter pilot, thinking it was something you could only do if you joined the military (the road not to be followed). It wasn’t until I met someone like me that my outlook changed.
I scheduled a meeting with a helicopter instructor at a nearby flight school. He was young, relaxed, confident, looking like a mirror-image of myself with a purpose. I explained my dilemma and he told me that he was in the same place as me 2 years earlier, when he took a dramatic turn in life and enrolled in helicopter school. He told me all about his current job, and where he wanted to go. I quickly realized that I could blaze my own path and fulfill a dream that had always been in the back of my mind.
It wouldn’t take long until I was hooked! During one of my lessons with my instructor, while learning to hover in our grassy practice area, we scared a deer out from hiding. My instructor looked at me and calmly said, “you’re not gonna let him get away, are you?” Suddenly, hovering was a breeze as I taxied behind the running deer, following left and right, up and down, driving the poor deer across the field (sorry PETA). Fortunately for the deer, he veered into the trees. Fortunately for me, I didn’t follow him.
Two years later and $60k in training, I’m approaching the threshold of my new career. This summer, I hope to take the controls as a helicopter instructor at the very school I originally interviewed at. As a certified flight instructor, I will begin making the grand sum of $25k per year! Yeah, it’s gonna be a while before the latest and greatest from Best Buy is filling my house, and my car still doesn’t have hub-caps, but I finally know what I wanna do when I grow up!
Nick
Nick would like you to visit: Vertical Reference and Just Helicopters
What is Passion Before Paycheck and how do I post my passion?
Filed under: All Passion Before Paycheck Writings | Tagged: $25K Salary, Best Buy, dreams, flight school, flying, Helicopter, helicopter school, hobbies, instructor, Life, no 401K, Passion, Paycheck
I am very enthusiastic about become a helictoper pilot. The only thing holding me back is the pay. i know I will be working as a Flight instructor for a while making not too much, but after that, how is the pay?
Hey guy right on, Im on my way to follow the same path that you have chosen. How is it going for you now? Over a year since you wrote this.