Travis Gregg went from zero experience to certified flight instructor in six months, then started flying a Bell LongRanger four months later. He talks about the financial cost, personal sacrifices, and why picking the right school and instructors matters.
March 10, 2016
Six months
About 2.5 years
About four months
Sevier County Choppers
Alright, I'm gonna do a quick video for you. I get this question a lot and have over the years people say, Kenny, is it worth it? All you go through the headache, the heartache to become a helicopter pilot and I've answered the question many times. But I have a young man here named Travis Gregg, one of my ground school members that two and a half years ago was starting from off the A half years later he's a double eye. Did all of his training in six months from off the street to certified flight instructor. Two and a half years later he's in the Smoky Mountains flying a long Ranger. Just took me and a friend of mine up in the jet Ranger and took us a little flight around. And I can tell you, two and a half years later this guy's living the drone. And you know, it's not an easy road, but I just ask him to real quick just tell us to have him answer the question, is it worth it?
Well, it is worth it if you really want it. But something that a lot of sacrifices that you gotta make financially, if you're willing to do it, you got your finances together and you want to do it and make a career out of it, then that's great. It's something, you know, I've asked myself time and time again as I did it. And I guess my words of wisdom is to look into your school, look into your training, your instructors and try to find kind of a goal, trying to find a dead end goal or an end goal to where you can, you know, make sure you got a paved road where everything works out. Myself, I've had a lot of help. The school that I went to was Sevier County Choppers. Mr. Kettler here, Kenny helped me out a lot. Just everything from checkrides to preparation to my orals. The online ground school played a significant role in my training and helped me be able to get through everything. You know, it's one of those things, if I can do it, I'm pretty sure anybody can do it. Some people just read things one time and I usually have to read it four, but you know, it worked for me. Pretty accelerated program. But I have to say at the end of the day it's worth it.
Well, that's what I want to add to that. You know, I tell people normally, you know, hit it hard and you'll do it in a year maybe he did it in six months. And when he first talked to me on the phone and told me about this program he was going to go through, I was skeptical. I thought, okay, you know, all that money and do it in six months and be done. And he had the opportunity to most likely get a job at the end of the training. Well, here we are, two and a half years later, he did it. He did it in six months. He got a job. And in a very. How long before you moved into the Long Ranger?
About four months.
Four months. He was flying a turbine aircraft. There's guys out there five years later trying to get their first turbine job. So the opportunities are out there and you can do it. And there's another opinion on is it worth it?
Thank you.
Anything else you want to say?
Okay.
Anybody else wants something?
