Roger's Bio

[ExpressJet Roger]

Currently, I just made the big move here to Houston, Texas from Las Vegas and eight months previously I lived in Sacramento, California where I called home. My path to the airlines was anything but normal. Two days after completing my private pilot certificate in Chino, California, my California National Guard unit was deployed to Iraq where I served a year. Upon returning, I did a great deal of research before making the decision to apply for ATP flight training. However once again the Army interviewed in my plans to change careers, I was in the oral for my instrument check ride when the phone rang and my commander informed me that I would be deploying again to Iraq in two days. This time I was gone for 18 months and when I returned, quickly finished my training with ATP. Then two days after finishing the program, was offered a position as an instructor in my home town of Sacramento. Not wanting to make life easy on myself, three days after starting I was riding my motorcycle back from lunch, told my students I would be right back, a car pulled out in front of me and I ended up in the hospital for a week. Two months later I went back to work flying full time. Shortly after returning to work, ATP offered me a transfer to Las Vegas where I averaged over a 100 hours a month. This really shortened the time I needed to instruct. Within six months had enough hours to apply to the only airline I wanted to work for ExpressJet. Of course it took me another month to get my paper work together and an additional month to leave, all and all one of those stories to tell the kids.

Before deciding to make the leap to the airline career, I had several careers. I served 21 years in the Army, eight of which I did on active duty. I did accounting and bookkeeping to pay for college and worked in politics for several years in both the campaigning and legislative ends of the business. Once I decided to make this leap, I then had to decide what path to choose and as I am sure you are finding out there are many paths. I initially went with the 141 course. I thought that the structure, coming from a long military history, would be the ideal way to go. However I really found it frustrating that I would be told to read something then the next day my instructor would turn around and read it for to me again. Also I was told by several pilots that the most important think I could do to help my advancement would be to get as much multi-engine time as possible.

In addition to the instructional style and type of flight time that I received from ATP, I can honestly say that because of ATP I not only got the job but was able to get though the fast pace, fire hose to the mouth training that is done at the airlines.

Well enough about me for now. I can only hope that my experience along with the trials and tribulations I have endured can be passed along to you so that perhaps you don’t have to repeat my mistakes. Look forward to hearing from you.
Roger Ward