One of the funniest acronyms in aviation.

. .got it. . . Self Loading Freight. Ray

I started that path to fly for the airlines a few years after leaving the air force; went so far PPL and IFR and studied and built many hours (over 800) on my commercial and my attorney told me to keep working at my full time profession and buy the plane instead of being a highly skilled bus driver. Hmmm, I am not a Airbus fan after all . . . . so . . . here I am many years later retired from my profession, don't own a plane and love my homecockpit and my new NGX. . . . . signed Happy Camper.

Very interesting read. Thanks for the info!

If there's a switch that in the wrong position wouldn't let your engines start... you've obviously got it in the right position because NGX is THAT kind of sim.

That's exactly why I like PMDG sims. Kevin Hall

It is NOT easy !!!! Lots of hard work and study and as much sim time as you can get !! Fred.

That was some good insight Flexman thank you. I've always looked up at a passing airliner nodding my head in "what could have been" thoughts. Looking back I'm not sure I would have the time to devote to training in a field with an unknown future. For instance I think most people who invest in school to become a Doctor actually become Doctors. Anyways makes me appreciate flight simming a lot more.

...training in a field with an unknown future. For instance I think most people who invest in school to become a Doctor actually become Doctors.

Exactly.

That was some good insight Flexman thank you. I've always looked up at a passing airliner nodding my head in "what could have been" thoughts. Looking back I'm not sure I would have the time to devote to training in a field with an unknown future. For instance I think most people who invest in school to become a Doctor actually become Doctors. Anyways makes me appreciate flight simming a lot more.

Exactly.

Which is where sponsorships come in, you still have to make a contribution to your training but in the end of the day there's a job waiting for you when you finish training...

One can just imagine what these trained and pocket burnt guys/girls feel when they are not selected and have to turn towards a different profession.

One can just imagine what these trained and pocket burnt guys/girls feel when the are not selected and have to turn towards a different profession,

Tell me about it.

Tell me about it.

You must have paid through your skin for the training.

You must have paid through your skin for the training.

If you think about it that's not really the worst part. The worst part is that one day I was 22 years old, going through all these books and hours and hours of study. Waking up early to go flying many hours a week (training flights make you very tired physically). Managed to pass all ATPL exames in one sitting, which is something that most people can't do. Thinking that it all had a purpose... Spent most of my days off sitting on the unconfortable jump seats of 737s through long red-eye flights that most of my colleagues would bid to avoid. I didn't do it for fun, but actually for taking it seriously and studying things that were way ahead of my training stage. All at the same time that I was serving coffee in middle eastern airliners....Now i have a library full of really really fat books which i have not only read, but studied in real depth, and now I work in advertising.

If you think about it that's not really the worst part. The worst part is that one day I was 22 years old, going through all these books and hours and hours of study. Waking up early to go flying many hours a week (training flights make you very tired physically). Managed to pass all ATPL exames in one sitting, which is something that most people can't do. Thinking that it all had a purpose... Spent most of my days off sitting on the unconfortable jump seats of 737s through long red-eye flights that most of my colleagues would bid to avoid. I didn't do it for fun, but actually for taking it seriously and studying things that were way ahead of my training stage. Now i have a library full of really really fat books which i have not only read, but studied in real depth....Now I work in advertising.

damn that's terrible. Flying is a dream to most of us and who have are the lucky ones.

So much negativity in this thread, wow. Maybe I am 'old school', but I wish I had the opportunities when I started flying that are now available to anyone wanting an aviation career. Flying isn't a profession, it's a calling. If you love to fly, you will find a way to do it, it's not all about airline flying, there are literally hundreds of flying jobs available. "As of the end of 2009, in the US, there were an estimated 594,285 active certificated pilots. This number has been declining gradually over the past several decades, down from a high of over 827,000 pilots in 1980. The numbers include:

• 72,280 student pilots
• 234 recreational pilots
• 3,248 sport pilots
• 211,619 private pilots
• 125,738 commercial pilots
• 144,600 airline transport pilots
• 21,268 glider-only pilots
• 15,298 rotorcraft-(helicopter)-only pilots

These numbers are based on the highest certifications held by individual pilots.There were also 94,863 certified flight instructors (CFIs), and 323,495 pilots overall who held instrument ratings.An active pilot is defined as one who holds both a pilot certificate and a valid medical certificate, for certifications that require a medical certificate."

If you think about it that's not really the worst part. The worst part is that one day I was 22 years old, going through all these books and hours and hours of study. Waking up early to go flying many hours a week (training flights make you very tired physically). Managed to pass all ATPL exames in one sitting, which is something that most people can't do. Thinking that it all had a purpose... Spent most of my days off sitting on the unconfortable jump seats of 737s through long red-eye flights that most of my colleagues would bid to avoid. I didn't do it for fun, but actually for taking it seriously and studying things that were way ahead of my training stage. All at the same time that I was serving coffee in middle eastern airliners....Now i have a library full of really really fat books which i have not only read, but studied in real depth, and now I work in advertising.

Wow !!! I am glad that I retired from flying early and went into Professional Flight Simulation instead.I find it much more interesting and a fantastic challenge on a daily basis.I still have to study a lot but it is much more interesting study. I love computer technology and it's use in Level D sims and fixed base trainers.