Max talks with Jim Goldfuss about his journey from a career in logistics and retail to fulfilling his dream of flying professionally with PlaneSense, a fractional aircraft ownership company. Growing up around aviation, Jim earned his private pilot’s license in 1989 but paused his flying ambitions due to financial constraints. Decades later, with stable finances and family support, he resumed training, earning his instrument rating, commercial license, and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) certificate between 2020 and 2022.

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Jim credits his time as a CFI with sharpening his aviation skills and communication abilities, which prepared him for his current role. He joined PlaneSense after a year-long application process, leveraging persistence and networking to stand out. At PlaneSense, Jim flies Pilatus PC-12s as a second-in-command, alternating legs with captains and handling preflight, avionics programming, and monitoring tasks. He praises the company’s culture, advanced equipment, and comprehensive training.

Jim’s work involves a mix of short flights in the Northeast and longer legs to destinations like Florida and the Rockies. He aims to become a captain and potentially join the training department. Jim emphasizes the importance of networking for aspiring pilots pursuing their aviation dreams.

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