My honest advice to someone who wants to be a pilot

Summary

In this inspiring narrative, the speaker recounts his journey and that of 'Ryan,' who overcame numerous obstacles to become a certified flight instructor. The speaker offers practical advice for aspiring pilots, emphasizing the importance of pursuing one's passion, creating actionable plans, and seeking support from like-minded individuals. He also discusses the financial considerations of flight school, the challenges of training, and the value of maintaining fluency in aviation knowledge. The story concludes with a motivational call to action, encouraging viewers to start their aviation journey today.

Takeaways

• 😀 The story of 'Ryan' shows that with perseverance, one can overcome obstacles and achieve their dream of becoming a pilot.
• 📧 Charlie Gassam, a commercial pilot, shared advice and encouragement through email exchanges with aspiring pilots like Ryan.
• 🌟 It's important to pursue your passions even if others don't understand or support them, as everyone has unique interests.
• 💡 Making actionable plans is crucial for achieving your dreams, as others won't create them for you.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Pursuing your passion can be challenging without support, but it's essential to believe in yourself and your abilities.
• 💼 Financial planning is key when considering flight school; consider if the investment in education will pay off with your pilot career.
• 🔄 The middle of training can be the most difficult, so it's important to anticipate this and find ways to stay motivated.
• 🤝 Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals can provide encouragement and support during the challenging phases of training.
• 🕊️ Learning to fly is like learning a new sport and a new language, requiring practice and repetition to build fluency.
• ⏳ There's never a perfect time to start; it's better to begin now and make adjustments than to wait for an ideal moment that may never come.

Q & A

Who is Ryan in the context of the script?

Ryan is a pseudonym for an individual who reached out to the speaker, Charlie, for advice on pursuing a career as a pilot. Despite facing obstacles and lack of support, Ryan eventually became a certified flight instructor.

What was Charlie's initial interaction with Ryan?

Charlie's initial interaction with Ryan was through an email exchange where Ryan sought advice on becoming a pilot. Charlie offered encouragement and guidance, which later led to a professional relationship where Ryan became Charlie's flight instructor.

What advice did Charlie give to Ryan regarding pursuing his passion for flying?

Charlie advised Ryan to pursue his interests despite others' lack of understanding or support, to make actionable plans, and to be prepared for the financial aspect of flight school. He also emphasized the importance of persistence, especially during the challenging middle phase of training.

How did Charlie address the issue of financial planning for flight school?

Charlie suggested that taking out a loan for flight school should be considered a financial puzzle, where one must assess whether they can reasonably pay back the loans with their expected pilot income. He also differentiated between debt for education that leads to higher income and consumer debt.

What role did the local EA chapter play in Charlie's advice?

Charlie recommended joining the local EA chapter as a way to surround oneself with like-minded individuals who are either going through or have experienced flight training, which can provide support and encouragement.

Why did Charlie emphasize the importance of making friends with other pilots during training?

Charlie emphasized this because having a support system of friends who understand the challenges of flight training can provide encouragement and make the process less daunting. He cited a study that showed having consistent check-ins with someone increases the likelihood of achieving a goal.

How does Charlie relate learning to fly to learning a new sport and language?

Charlie relates learning to fly to learning a new sport and language because it involves building new muscle memory and fluency in aviation-specific terminology and communication, which requires practice and repetition.

What is the significance of the discovery flight Charlie mentioned?

The discovery flight is significant as it allows individuals to experience firsthand the process of flying before committing to flight training. It's an opportunity to test the waters and determine if pursuing a pilot's license is the right path for them.

Why is it important to take personal notes during ground school according to Charlie?

Charlie stresses the importance of personal notes because they serve as a study guide independent of instructional videos, aiding in memorization and retention of information, which is crucial for passing tests and practical exams.

What is the main takeaway from Charlie's story with Ryan?

The main takeaway is that with determination, planning, and the right mindset, anyone can overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams of becoming a pilot, as exemplified by Ryan's journey from a struggling student to a certified flight instructor.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Pursuing a Dream to Become a Pilot

The speaker shares a personal story about an aspiring pilot named Ryan, who sought advice via email. Despite facing obstacles and a lack of support, Ryan eventually became a certified flight instructor and even instructed the speaker during a flight. This narrative serves as an inspiration for others with similar dreams, emphasizing the importance of perseverance. The speaker, Charlie, introduces himself as a commercially licensed pilot and content creator for pilots, offering advice and sharing his journey to encourage others.

05:01

🚀 Overcoming Challenges in Pilot Training

Charlie provides advice for those pursuing a career or hobby in flying, acknowledging that not everyone will understand or support such passions. He emphasizes the need for actionable plans and self-motivation, as well as the importance of financial planning when considering flight school. Charlie discusses the challenges of training, particularly the middle phase where many pilots quit due to fatigue and the perception of excessive work. He suggests finding a support system, like-minded individuals, or a study partner to maintain momentum and shares personal experiences, including his own flight school journey and the creation of helpful resources.

10:02

📚 Balancing Life and Training for Aspiring Pilots

Charlie talks about the reality of finding the right time to pursue flight training, using his own experience of going back to school while managing a busy family and work life. He stresses that there's rarely a 'perfect' time, and one must be opportunistic with available time. He also addresses the importance of productivity, suggesting that potential pilots should minimize time spent on less productive activities like excessive screen time. Charlie encourages a mindset of gratitude when facing the challenges of training, as it can help alleviate stress and maintain motivation.

15:03

🌟 From Dream to Reality: Achieving Pilot Goals

In the final paragraph, Charlie offers tactical advice for those considering flight training. He suggests taking a discovery flight to get a real feel for piloting and emphasizes the importance of taking personal notes during ground school for effective study and retention. He shares his own experience of creating a study guide, which helped him achieve a high score on his commercial test. Charlie reflects on Ryan's success story and encourages viewers that with determination and the right approach, becoming a pilot and achieving related goals are attainable dreams.

Keywords

💡Pilot

A pilot is defined as a person who operates the flight controls of an aircraft. In the context of the video, the term 'pilot' is central to the narrative as it represents the career and passion that the individual named 'Ryan' aspires to. The video emphasizes the journey of becoming a pilot, which involves overcoming obstacles and gaining the necessary skills and certifications, as illustrated by Ryan's story of transformation from a struggling enthusiast to a certified flight instructor.

💡Flight Instructor

A flight instructor is a certified individual who teaches and trains aspiring pilots. In the video, the term is significant as it represents the career milestone that Ryan achieves after overcoming initial struggles. The script mentions that Ryan eventually becomes a flight instructor and even instructs the person recounting the story, which underscores the transformative power of perseverance and passion in the field of aviation.

💡Log Book

A log book in aviation is a record of a pilot's flight experience, including details of all flights, training received, and certifications earned. The video uses the log book as a symbol of achievement and progress. It is highlighted when Ryan signs the narrator's log book, marking a significant moment in the narrator's journey towards becoming a pilot, and symbolizing the passing of knowledge and experience from one pilot to another.

💡Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD)

Fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) are emotional responses that can hinder decision-making and action. The video script references FUD as one of the obstacles that aspiring pilots, like Ryan, might face. It is used to illustrate the psychological barriers that individuals often confront when pursuing their dreams, particularly in a field as challenging and technical as aviation.

💡Discovery Flight

A discovery flight is an introductory flight experience offered by flight schools to potential students. The video encourages viewers to take a discovery flight as a first step towards understanding if becoming a pilot is the right path for them. This concept is used to bridge the gap between theoretical interest and practical experience, allowing individuals to make informed decisions about pursuing flight training.

💡Ground School

Ground school refers to the academic portion of flight training where students learn the理论知识 required for flying. In the video, ground school is mentioned as a necessary component of the training process. It is where aspiring pilots gain the foundational knowledge needed to pass written exams and understand the principles of flight, regulations, and navigation.

💡Medical Certificate

A medical certificate is a document required for pilots to ensure they meet the health and physical standards necessary for flying. The video script mentions obtaining a medical certificate as part of Ryan's initial steps towards becoming a pilot. It signifies the beginning of his journey and the fulfillment of one of the prerequisites for entering the field of aviation.

💡Actionable Plans

Actionable plans are specific, practical steps designed to achieve a goal. The video emphasizes the importance of creating actionable plans for pursuing one's passion, such as becoming a pilot. It suggests that without a clear plan, it is difficult to navigate the challenges and make progress towards one's dreams, especially when facing a lack of support from others.

💡Financial Puzzle

A financial puzzle refers to the process of managing finances to achieve a specific goal, often involving loans and budgeting. In the context of the video, the term is used to describe the financial considerations and planning required to fund flight training. It highlights the need for aspiring pilots to carefully consider the costs of training and their ability to repay any loans, ensuring that the investment in their education aligns with their future earning potential.

💡Thankfulness

Thankfulness is the state of being grateful or appreciative. The video encourages viewers to approach their training and challenges with a mindset of thankfulness rather than stress. It suggests that focusing on gratitude can help mitigate the pressure of tests and the complexity of learning, fostering a more positive and resilient attitude towards the pursuit of becoming a pilot.

Highlights

Inspiring story of an individual named Ryan, who aspired to become a pilot and eventually became a flight instructor.

The importance of pursuing one's passions despite a lack of support from others.

Advice on handling financial decisions when considering flight school, such as taking out loans.

Encouragement to make actionable plans to achieve one's goals, even without external support.

The value of surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals during challenging times.

The significance of anticipating the middle of training, where many pilots quit due to fatigue and perceived workload.

Practical advice on finding an accountability partner to enhance training progress.

Learning to fly compared to learning a new sport and language simultaneously.

The psychological impact of viewing flight training as a series of challenges to be thankful for, rather than sources of stress.

The realization that there is never a 'perfect time' to pursue one's dreams, and the importance of seizing the current moment.

Practical tips on how to maintain fluency in aviation knowledge and regulations.

The motivational power of reframing one's mindset to focus on gratitude and opportunity rather than obstacles.

Advice on taking a discovery flight to test the waters of flying before committing to flight training.

The necessity of taking personal notes during ground school for effective knowledge retention.

The story of Ryan's return as a flight instructor, signing off on the narrator's logbook, emphasizing the attainability of dreams.

A call to action for viewers to start their journey towards becoming a pilot, highlighting that the best time to start is now.

Transcripts

so a few years ago I got into an email

exchange with a guy who was wanting to

become a pilot kind of struggling to get

there we'll call him Ryan it's not his

name but I'm going to reference him

because his St his his story his story

is really really encouraging so let's

give him a name so I offered Ryan some

advice we went back and forth a few

times via email and then a few years

later this is the coolest part I'm not

making this up he ended up being the

flight instructor sitting in the right

seat of my airplane right next to me

giving me instruction and I'll tell you

more about that at the end but it is so

so encouraging to see how he went from

kind of struggling and had a lot of

obstacles in front of him all the way to

becoming a certified flight instructor

signing my own log book and so it got me

thinking I know that there are so many

more Ryan out there so to speak I know

that many of you are maybe wanting to do

this and thinking about it maybe

struggling to get there from Fear

uncertainty or doubt or all kinds of

things so I wanted to share Ryan's story

with you and some of the things that I

share with him and some of my other

advice in case it can be encouraging to

you and so if we're just meeting my name

is Charlie gasm I'm a commercially

licensed pilot based here in Dallas

Texas I also own my own airplane and I

make helpful content for private pilots

and aspiring Pilots I've been flying for

about 20 years and so I really just want

to share my journey in case it can be

encouraging to anyone else that wants to

become a pilot and own their own

airplane one day so four years ago Ryan

sent me this email hey Charlie I really

have enjoyed your videos I've been

watching since August of 2020 and I've

decided to follow my passion and find a

flight school and go after my dream I

just recently got my medical and a

handful of hours in a 172 and I'm now

working on on Ground School my dream is

to be a pilot and I've talked with loved

ones about the idea of pursuing flight

school as a career and I've been met

with zero support or you're out of your

mind to take out a loan and become an

instructor and go to the Regionals I'm

reaching out to you because I don't have

any support or people encouraging me

that I can make my dreams come true I

know I can do this it's just hard having

no one in your corner but yourself so it

would mean a lot if you could give me

some advice to show me that it is doable

so here are some of the things I told

him and some of the other things that

come to mind if you are wanting to

pursue flying as a job or even as a

hobby so first I think you need to know

that not everyone is going to share the

same passions as you or interests I know

it blows my mind that that not everyone

wants to be a pilot because I just think

flying is literally the coolest thing in

the whole world uh but not everyone I

don't say that with hyperbole I just I

really believe that but not everyone's

going to feel that way and so you are

probably going to experience some push

back or at least people kind of

questioning like you sure you want to do

that that's a lot of work you're going

to be met with some of these questions

and so I think you're going to have to

give yourself permission to pursue the

things that you're uniquely interested

in um because other people aren't

interested in the way that that you are

and that's okay and then I think you

have to make actionable plans to go

pursue those things because other people

aren't going to create the plan for you

to go do the thing you want to do

because that's not their dream and

they're not as interested in that as you

are and so if you're meeting some

obstacles and other people not being as

encouraging as you want I think you have

to tell yourself like okay well then I'm

going to have to be I'm going to have to

put the plan together to go realize this

dream because other people aren't as

interested in it as I am now it is

really really hard to pursue something

when your loved ones aren't supportive

of it or or even maybe if they're not

all the way unsupportive but maybe

they're just not as jazzed about it as

you are I understand how hard that can

be because you might not have the wind

in your sales or the wind at your back

so to speak but that doesn't mean that

you shouldn't do it so I told Ryan this

verbatim when I quit my job a few years

ago to pursue entrepreneurship fulltime

not everyone in my life was supportive

and that just crushed me but I believe

there's wisdom in following your

passions because I think you have those

passions and interests for a reason

that's also not a reason to throw

caution to the wind when those around

you are encouraging you to not make that

decision so for me it came down to a lot

of prayer a lot of analysis and a lot of

waiting to validate whether or not I was

being flippant about a big financial and

career decision or if it really was a

sustained calling of sorts to change

careers that had a very real Financial

risk associated with it and so that's my

advice to you too Proverbs 15:22 says

without Council plans fail but with many

advisors they succeed and even if you

aren't a Christian there's still a lot

of wisdom in that verse so definitely

listen to the Council of those around

you but also remember you might differ

in your passions than others and that's

okay and so secondly from a financial

perspective I told Ryan that taking out

a loan to go to flight school is really

just a financial puzzle can you

reasonably pay back those loans with the

trajectory and road map of your pilot

income and if you can then I don't think

I don't think all debt is bad

necessarily so if it can be used as a

tool and it's not just Consumer Debt

where you're just buying things you

can't afford but if it's a tool that

you're using to hopefully actually go

make more money then I think it's a good

tool it's just a financial puzzle at

that point now if you're paying for

flight school to be a pilot just as a

hobby then obviously you're not going to

be making money on it so it's it's a

different Financial puzzle and I think

it just comes down to living within your

means which means spending less than you

make and then being intentional about

where you spend your money so for me

flying is an expensive Hobby and I spend

around $20,000 per year plus or minus

owning and operating my own plane but

for me that's totally worth it and how I

want to spend part of my time in

resources and my wife is on board with

that as well and then in terms of

training I really really think that you

need to anticipate the middle of your

training so what do I mean by that well

the beginning the beginning of anything

is fun because it's new and exciting and

you have lots of energy the end also

gets a little bit easier because you can

see the finish line so you get Renewed

Energy but that middle slum is where

things get really hard because you're

fatigued you have an appreciation for

the amount of work involved and you have

an appreciation for the amount of work

left so those three things combined to

make the middle really difficult and

this is where most Pilots quit and they

waste a lot of money and time because of

it and so you really have to anticipate

the middle because that slump is coming

for you in a very real way and I think

one of the best ways to get through that

hard part of training is to surround

yourself with like-minded people so if

you're at a flight school try to meet

the other students if if you're if if

you're not at a flight school and you

just have a one-off instructor join your

local EA chapter get surrounded by other

Pilots that are going through this or

have been through this and be friendly

with them practically I I would suggest

this just find one other person and just

start by asking your flight instructor

hey what's the name and number of one

other student that you're teaching that

uh would would like to have kind of

accountability partner or would like to

talk to me and find a way to meet with

them once a week it can be over a phone

call Zoom call whatever just just give a

progress update of your training say

here's here's what I accomplished here's

what I'm struggling with here's what I'm

thinking about and and and it could be a

really quick call and see the results um

transparently I've been doing this

lately for YouTube guy that's become a

really really close friend of mine

Barrett he has a really cool Channel

called pickle ball kitchen you should go

check it out hey Barrett we have a

weekly Zoom call where we just talk

about what's going on as creators things

that we're struggling with ideas we have

um things we're seeing that have gone

well things that haven't gone well and

we just talk about it and we're just

kind of in the trenches together he

lives in my city and we've become really

really good friends and it's given me A

Renewed Energy to push through some of

the harder parts of being a Creator

because I feel seen and understood and

you have a buddy to go through it with

and I can't find the link to the actual

study I looked I looked hard for it but

there are loads of Articles citing a

study from the American Society of

training and development back in 2010

that said you're 65% more likely to

complete a goal if you tell someone else

you're committing to do it and then get

this and you're 95% more likely to

accomplish that goal if you have

consistent check-ins with that someone

so it doesn't have to be complicated f

find one way to make a new friend to say

hey can we just encourage each other via

text or just kind of be partners as

we're going through this thing and have

someone to talk to I promise it'll make

a big difference the other way you can

anticipate the difficulty of training

and get yourself through it is to

understand that learning to fly is kind

of like learning a new sport that's also

in another language your body has to

learn new muscle memory for this sport

but your brain also has to build fluency

in the new language at the same time so

that is some of the best advice I've

ever gotten from an instructor it's

simple that learning all this stuff is

just building fluency in a new language

and if you've ever learned a new

language before you know how much

practice and repetition it takes because

you are learning new vocabulary new

Concepts new verbs new everything right

and so flying is really really similar

and so I think if you can understand

that you're just going to have to build

a new fluency and that it's a new muscle

and it's going to take practice I think

you'll extend yourself a lot more grace

because you won't be as freaked out

about Air Traffic Control Communications

for example because you're like oh yeah

the reason that's overwhelming is cuz

it's a freaking new language and I'm not

fluent in it yet and so you'll give

yourself some Grace when you say like

man I really flubbed that that ATC

transmission or whatever thank goodness

no one heard it or whatever my

instructor had to bail me out of that

one it's fine you're learning new

language and you're learning new sport

and like there's nothing to relate to it

so it's all all new now I still feel

this problem even now 20 years in and

th000 plus hours in it takes a lot of

work to maintain your fluency on all the

regulations and all all the things right

and so I am working on a new helpful

resource that I'm really just trying to

solve my own problem of maintaining

fluent INF fluency in this but it's

something I'm be able to share with you

really soon and I just launched an

insiders newsletter where once a week

I'm sending out an email kind of sharing

some of the behind the scenes at

airplane academy uh sharing a lesson

that I've learned in aviation and how it

can help you and then some links to my

other content so you don't miss anything

and this new resource that I'm working

on that I'll be able to announce

hopefully in the next couple months I'm

going to be sharing first with my

Insider newsletter and so uh you can

sign up over at airplane academy.com

insiders hopefully I'll be able to help

you uh with more lessons and more

helpful content and I'll also be sharing

some sneak peaks of of this resource

that I'm working on and I hope to see

you there it's free airplane academy.com

insiders I'll also put a link down in

the description another really important

lesson to learn about training is that

there's never going to be a perfect time

to do this and I fell victim to this

while ago a year ago I was really

wanting to go back well I've been

wanting to get my commercial for a long

time I started and stopped it many times

I've talked about on this channel but a

year ago I was telling my wife I said

gosh I just I really want to get my

commercial cuz I really want to get my

CFI commercial feels like a lot of work

there's a lot of stuff I have to relearn

cuz I got my private forever ago um but

I don't I don't know if right now is the

right season you know like I was working

on a couple startups that that I'm still

involved in uh one of which is this

Channel and I have two kids two and

under and so by the time we put them to

bed at night gosh I'm just I'm just

exhausted I wake up and this just

doesn't feel like a great season but I

but I really want to do it and I'm so

thankful that Corey my wife

eventually just heard me say that a

number of times and she just lovingly

challenged me she's like you know I

don't think there's going to be a better

season than this I'm like what are you

talking like this feels like a really

difficult season to try to go back to

flight school and relearn all this stuff

and stay up late studying etc etc she

goes yeah but like when when's it going

to get any easier I mean okay a couple

years from now yeah the kids are going

to start staying up later and we're

going to have sporting events and

different things I mean like yeah you're

tired by the time you put them to bed at

8:00 at night but they go to bed at

night every night at 8: and then you

have to stay home cuz in bed and we're

not going to leave the house so isn't

that actually the perfect time at night

to be studying Like That season might go

away soon and it's you're going to get

even more involved in the evenings and

stuff and I hadn't thought about it like

that I I wasn't thinking

opportunistically I was kind of thinking

glass half to empty and so I took her on

that advice okay you know I'm going to

do it and uh it was hard getting back

into the rhythms of studying and doing

early morning flight lessons and stuff

uh but I did it and I got through it and

passed my commercial and then I did the

same thing with my multic commercial a

few months later and so I think you just

have to realize there's never going to

be a perfect time to do it and if you're

looking for it it doesn't exist and so

think about yeah how could I actually do

it in this season instead of putting it

off and the thing that had to more or

less get cut out during that season was

Netflix social media things that you can

inadvertently waste a ton of time on and

I didn't I didn't knock it out or or cut

it out completely like I still I still

watched you know shows and things as as

a point of rest or whatever I wasn't

just completely redlining like hustle

bro just cut it out I mean I was it was

like in moderation but I think most of

us myself included spend way more time

on this stuff than we possibly think and

so that's my next piece of advice if

you're wanting to become a pilot stop

wasting time and I love what Ali abdal

had to say about this recently on his

YouTube channel he he's got a huge

Channel he makes content on productivity

and other things and one of his recent

videos thought he said something really

clever he said you know for someone that

wants to watch three hours of Netflix

and social media at night but then also

says they don't have time to study or

work towards their goal he said we

either need to change the goal or change

the plan in other words just stop

wasting time you can't say you want this

goal but you're unwilling to give up you

know all this other time that you're

spending on lesser things uh you like

one of those has to give either change

the realistic goal and quit saying you

want to do this thing or be willing to

give this up because giving this up is

going to enable the time to go actually

pursue the goal so don't spend and waste

time on all these lesser things when

what you're really wanting is this

bigger thing you're working towards the

other thing that I think will really

help keep you motivated during training

is to try to come from a place of

thankfulness this is going to sound

simple but please hear me out cuz this

is this has really helped me lately in

flying for example there's lots of tests

that you have to take there's a written

test there's an oral test and then

there's a practical flight test plenty

of tests and that can be really really

intimidating when you're studying for

that it's easy to come from a place of

stress and thinking oh man all these

things I have to memorize all these

Concepts all these regulations all this

stuff and uh you get really stressed out

about it because there's a ton to know

and then as your test date approaches

it's it's easy for for stress to kind of

consume you and it can make the whole

process unpleasant and so instead of

coming from a place of stress and

control trying to come from a place of

thankfulness and saying man like if

you're stressed about your check ride

that oral and and flight portion at the

end um all of us get stressed for check

rides it's part of it but maybe try

coming from a place of thankfulness say

man I'm I'm really thankful I'm at the

point in my training where I'm almost to

the check ride you know I'm not I'm not

light years away from this thing I'm

almost to the end and thankfully if I

fail it like yeah that's going to hurt

my ego a little bit but if I fail it I

get to go retake it it's not like a

oneandone sort of thing and so I'm

thankful that I'm almost to the point

where I'm done with this thing or you

know gosh what an amazing time to live

where even though I have to memorize all

this stuff at least it's all in front of

us because people for thousands of years

didn't have access to this and they were

just wondering they were looking up at

the birds and like how the heck did we

do that and they didn't know and they

weren't anywhere near like figuring that

out in their lifetime but we're here now

and it's all in front of us in a book

and in YouTube videos and all this stuff

where we get to learn it it takes a lot

of effort to learn but at least I'm

thankful that we have the ability to

learn it and so it's a small thing like

please don't over and be like a it's

hokey like it it's really really

meaningful just take 10 seconds and say

what can I be thankful for in this and I

found that instead of getting really

intimidated by The Challenge in front of

me helps me be thankful for what I can

be thankful for and helps me actually

approach the challenge instead of just

being scared of it and quitting early

and then of course it goes without

saying but I'm going to say it anyways

like in case this is coming off as like

a first world problem I just want to

acknowledge the fact that we're even get

to talk about this at all and like if

this is our biggest problem is trying to

me memorize a bunch of Aviation regul so

we can fly our own plane like man we are

so blessed that that is the problem that

we're consumed with today if that's my

biggest problem today is studying for a

test so I can go fly my airplane like oh

my gosh please please reframe my mind as

to what what real problems are man I'm

just grateful that we can even be

talking about this and doing this in the

first place because it is an enormous

blessing and so from a tactical

perspective got a couple pieces of

advice first is that I think there are a

lot of people watching YouTube and

saying oh this this flying thing seems

really really cool I'm thinking about

thinking about watching videos and

that's a great place to start but don't

forget that you can go test it out

before you commit to all of Flight

Training so flight schools have what's

called a discovery flight you can call

them up they'll know what you're talking

about I'm not like setting it's not like

snipe hunting here I'm like oh tell ask

about the discovery call and they'll

laugh at you no this is real that's

funny um it's a real thing and you can

get it they'll put you in the left seat

which is the pilot seat and you'll go do

a flight and you'll experience the whole

thing sometimes it's 30 minutes

sometimes it's 60 Minutes it usually

doesn't cost that much in the scheme of

Flight Training and you go do the real

thing and so kind of take it out of the

internet realm of just something you're

researching and bring it to real life

sometimes they'll even let you record it

or they'll record it for you um

sometimes they don't want you to do that

or whatever but then you can go back and

watch it and so take the first step

towards actually doing it go take a

discovery flight and secondly and really

importantly even when you do start

ground school and you're learning all

that required knowledge make sure you're

taking your own notes along the way now

that might sound obvious but since

online Ground School has gotten so

popular it's really easy to just watch

the videos and think that you're

retaining the knowledge after you watch

each video that might work for a few

videos but I promise you won't be able

to memorize everything on the first take

you will need a set of notes that you

can study independently without the

videos and without an instructor in

front of you I made this mistake when I

was going back through my commercial

because most of it is reviewed from your

private so as I was watching the uh the

videos and stuff I thought yeah I

already kind of know this or I'm

certainly already familiar with it or

whatever and then I went to start

practice tests and I was getting like

80% I thought oh man I thought I'd do a

lot better than that I realized there

were like a lot of really specific

regulations or specific numbers that I

was close or I kind of knew the general

idea uh but I was getting it wrong and

so I had to go back and I realized oh

man there's so much here so then I had

to kind of make my own study guide so

that way I had something to actually

kind of uh commit to knowledge because

practically you're not going to go

rewatch The videos and binge the videos

five times a day you need to be building

some sort of note guide or study guide

that way you can kind of be getting

repetition with it so ah made that

mistake I don't want you to make that

mistake and then after making my own

study guide I end up getting a 95% on

the commercial test obviously I was

going for 100 didn't get 100 but the

reason it helps you to uh to score

better I mean one you need to know the

knowledge anyways right so that's that's

the correct answer but practically

speaking all the things that you get

wrong on the test your examiner is going

to have to talk to you about or ask you

questions about that on the check ride

so if you get a 70 that's still passing

but but there's a lot more things that

they're going to have to ask you in the

check ride you want to try to make the

check ride as short as you can

reasonably so the higher you get the

less questions less scrutiny you're

going to get in that regard so again I

think this this is a big challenge in

aviation right now is maintaining that

fluency understanding how do we get a

lot of repetition on all those things to

commit them to Memory and again I'm

working on a really big project that I

think is going to be able to help a lot

of people I'm I'm building it CU I have

this problem so I'm building the

solution for me and that I'm want to be

able to offer it to other people and I'm

going to be talking about it on my

insiders newsletter again airplane

academy.com insiders and you can be the

first to find out about it so back to

Ryan from the very beginning of the

story so we exchanged some emails and

gave him some of the advice that I just

shared here and to his credit he went

through and and went all the way to

become a certified flight instructor and

he sent me an email you know a couple

years later and said Charlie I just want

to touch back in uh I'm a CFI now and I

was so happy for him but uh funny enough

he was living in the same city as me I'm

based in Dallas Texas he said if you

ever want to fly let me know and I said

well actually I am working on my

commercial right now and I found out

that there is like one more requirement

that I have to get for duel or whatever

that I guess I just never checked off

the list so actually do need a flight

instructor to fly with me sometime would

you want to be my flight instructor so

we got together and we went flying and

he signed my log book and it is so

meaningful to me that he had reached out

you know years ago saying I'm struggling

with this thing um and then to his

credit he put in the hard work and

became a CFI and now he signed my log

book so I think it's so relatable

because Ryan's story absolutely can be

your story you can absolutely become a

pilot get your license own an airplane

all these things are accomplishable the

problem is most people wait and not only

do they wait but sometimes they wait

until a point where they actually can't

do it at all and it's really really easy

to fall into that and so in the video on

the screen I want to share with you why

right now is absolutely the best time to

get started so I'll share with you why

that is and how you can get started

today so I'll see you in that video