Keith Ericksen

Flight instructor

American Pilot Services, Westminster

Salary --$30,000

Age --31

Years on the job --Six

How he got started --"I was always intrigued by aviation. When other kids were running around playing baseball, I was in my room building airplane models." He took his first flight while still in high school.

He then went on to get his associate's degree from Carroll Community College but would spend any free time at Carroll County Regional Airport, taking as many lessons as he could afford. He decided to put an application in at the airport for general work and two days later was offered a part-time job refueling and cleaning planes. Ericksen eventually moved up the ranks until he was certified to teach.

Typical day --"It's all up to Mother Nature," said Ericksen, who is available six days a week to teach lessons. If the weather is good and lessons aren't canceled, an average week would consist of about 30 hours in the air. Much of that time is on the weekends. He said he works with a core group of about 15 students.

A flight lesson usually starts with a 15-minute briefing and ends with a 15-minute critique of the student. The actual time in the air is usually about an hour, but he also offers cross-country training where the flight could last three to four hours.

Pilot's license --The Federal Aviation Administration requires 40 hours of flight time, but Ericksen said realistically it takes closer to 50 or 60. The student must also pass written, oral and flight tests. From start to finish, it costs about $10,000 to get a basic pilot's license.

Learning to fly --It's typically broken into thirds. The first part teaches the student the basics of flying. The second part focuses on learning to fly to a destination. The last part is about brushing up on techniques.

Best advice to students --"It's about remaining calm and very collected so you can deal with any necessary situations that might arise."

Next step --Recently Ericksen started flying corporate jets out of Martin State Airport. He said most pilots, once they get enough hours of flying, move from instruction to flying commercial or corporate planes. But, he said, he expects to always teach.

The good --Flying at 41,000 feet and looking down on a Boeing 737 jetliner. "Instead of looking up for once to see a vapor trail, I was looking down to see a vapor trail. It was really neat."

The bad --Waking up early in the morning with a full schedule of flight lessons planned, then canceling due to weather.

Close calls --"No close calls and hopefully I'll be able to say the same thing in 50 years."

Discovery flight --While a flying lesson costs $130 per hour for the plane and about $50 per hour for the instructor, they also offer what's called a discovery flight as an introduction to flying for $39.