redeyed

I second Bedrock's suggestions. You'll learn a LOT your first 50 hours of instruction. When I think back to the guys I've hired, most of the best ones had been CFI's at some point.

RedGuy

I had an airline pilot feed me that same line of BS during career day when I was in high school. I've watched many of my COpilots go on to surpass me in their careers with FAR better jobs than I have. What do they have that I don't? Degrees. Does it make them better pilots? Absolutely not, but it gets them in the door.

USMCFLYR

If someone doesn't want to get a degree then so be it. There are jobs, even good jobs, out there that don't require it. You should also not invest or save for retirement. There are people that have won the lottery and they are set for life without ever having saved a penny. Why should you do something that will statistically increase your potential for getting one of the better paying jobs in aviation - especially with how easy a degree can be obtained today with on-line schools and self-paced programs.

kingsnake2

I'm with USMCFLYR here.

You can obtain fairly practical and useful degrees online at a very low cost. From what I've seen in our pilots, it does not have to be an aviation degree at all. So get your degree in accounting, or IT, or something like that. Whatever works for you. They are very good fallbacks, useful in every day life (regardless of career) and can be obtained online at minimal cost.

I should note, I work for a vocational flight school and am all for vocational training. But from an individuals perspective, you are probably not going to change major airlines hiring norms. The majors have enough options that they really do not have to change what they do. If your goal is to fly in regionals, you may have more sway in the coming years.

And lastly, I greatly enjoyed my time in college and found a lot of what I learned to be good for every day life. Just because I don't use advance macro-economic models in my day job doesn't mean I didn't learn anything from doing them.

tomgoodman

Henry IV of France even got baptized to enhance his job qualifications, allegedly saying "Paris is worth a Mass."

JohnBurke

You've cited yourself as a captain. You say you have no degree. What's the problem?

There are jobs in the industry that require the degree. If you want those jobs, get the degree.

There are plenty of others that don't.

I just looked at a listing for a 747 pilot with NASA; the job description shows a requirement for a degree, with several of discipline areas preferred. It has absolutely nothing to do with flying a 747, of course, but that's the requirement. If you want to fly a 747 for NASA, get the degree.

I flew the 747 with no degree. Probably won't be flying for NASA. I'm over it. Plenty of other jobs, and I get paid embarrassingly well for flying, without the degree.

If you were fed a "line of BS," it seems that now you've educated yourself and know better. If you feel the degree is a necessity, why don't you have have it?

redeyed

The degree served one major purpose - it showed you can stick with something for 4 years. That's probably been diluted a bit with online degrees now. One thing's for sure - you will learn a lot in college; and many of the real gems will be found outside of your classes.

RedGuy

Yes, I am a captain. Any I make ok money compared to most people in the country, however I don't even make 1st year pay compaired to many major airlines. I fly on demand cargo, with a horrible schedule (mostly lack there of) not exactly top tier. It is true there are jobs for pilots without degrees, however your competing with a very high percentage of pilots that DO have degrees, and my experience has shown many employers value that over actual flying experience. I've also found that the older you get and more life commitments you gain the harder it becomes to go back to school. Throw in the fact that you have no schedule and maybe 5-6 real days off a month and it just compounds the problem. Maybe one of the greatest assets that these kids I see gain while in college is connections, which seem to be the only way to get in if your trying to get into the corporate world. Am I saying you need to go to Riddle and spend $250 grand? No, community college followed up by a legitimate 4 year school will do, get you CFI and instruct will your in school. Do it while your still young, fairly fresh out of high school and in learning mode, haven't committed your self to a house and family. This could be argued on and on, but this has been my experience (for nearly 2 decades now) and my opinion. The days of being able to get ahead in the world (not just aviation) without a degree for most people are dwindling, if not already gone.

JohnBurke

It's not at all difficult to go back to school if you do it online and do two classes at a time. It's very doable. You won't have a degree overnight, but if you spend two years not working toward that degree, you'll be two years older and still be no closer to having a degree. If you spend two years working toward a degree, you may not have it, but you'll be a lot closer. Your choice.

The number of jobs in aviation that require a degree are in the minority.

One is not bound to a job in aviation in which one has no time off, and no life, whether one has a degree or not.

The argument that a degree shows commitment or the ability to stick with something for four years is hollow; one might work four years as a pilot and show the same thing, degree or not.

I have been unable to get jobs due lack of a degree, just as I've been unable to get jobs because I didn't have a particular type rating. The job requirements for a given position are what they are. In every case, however, I simply found a good job that I could get, and there are plenty.

One ought not work under the presumption that a degree is an automatic in, or that an employer will select the person with the degree when faced with a choice between a degreed applicant, and one without. That's a fallacy. I have competed for jobs on a number of occasions and been hired, when others with degrees have not. A degree is by far not the only ranking qualifier, nor is it the most important one.

The original poster is looking for an aviation job and is at the entry level; a degree is entirely irrelevant at this stage. Drop zones don't care, banner operators don't care, flight schools generally aren't interested, and it certainly won't increase the pay for pipeline patrol or traffic watch. I make very good money, and my employers couldn't care less about my degree. They're quite interested in what I can or can't do with an aircraft, whether I can meet insurance requirements, and my employment history, however, and that does directly impact my employability and income.

Get the degree if that's what drives you, and if you feel that you've somehow been lead astray or slighted without one. A degree doesn't get you any closer to employment as a pilot, however, nor does it qualify you as one.

A degree today can serve to put you deeply in debt. That's something that ought to be avoided at all costs, especially in the early years of lean income and humble living, in an aviation career.

Av8er1550

Yeah, I agree with JohnBurke on this one even though I am currently pursuing a degree. I did NOT grow up thinking I would be a pilot. Aviation is something I have always been interested in, but I have tried other careers as well before I chose this one.

I actually work doing Aerial Surveying right now with one of the companies listed above. SkyLens (Who I am currently with) replaced Desert Winds. They're under new management, who in fact, is excellent. The company is very well managed. I have some friends with other companies who complain to management about maintenance problems and they won't allow the pilot to get it fixed. Recently, I just had a cylinder change and a new attitude indicator installed (No problem).

I like aerial surveying because you are your own boss. You are assigned a 172 for 7 months and all decisions are up to you. While there is a lot of freedom, there's also a lot of responsibility as everything falls upon you! If you're late getting to the gate you better be able to explain why. IMO, I have learned a great deal by flying all over the country, experiencing ops. in different terrain environments, and you get a TON of radio experience. Also, you have to stay IFR current so you fly single pilot IFR sometimes which I love. It keeps you in practice.

I am currently doing the online ERAU degree. It doesn't cost anymore than the University near my house (seriously). I take a class or two that lasts for 2 months and then take more classes or if it's a busy time of the year then I will take a small break. Ultimately, I have a good QOL (with the exception of being gone from home), I am pursuing a relatively affordable degree, and also have free time to hang out with the other guys I fly with. I am ALMOST done with my CFI so I plan on eventually finishing that to just have it.

I don't have much interest in instructing. I didn't get into aviation initially to teach and work 10 hour days to only get paid for 5. But I do have a high level of respect for flight instructors. If that's something you want to do then do it. In my mind, I am down south flying 40-100 hours a month in the winter months while guys I know at home are sitting around doing nothing. And when the summer comes around, I can either fly at a local DZ for fun or do some fun jobs and relax while flight instructors there are squeezing in flight time left and right (6-7 days a week, 10-12 or more hour days). I don't know about you, but I don't want to work my summer away.

Typically, I've heard with aerial surveying, that in 7 months of work you will average 7-800 hours. Flight instructors at my old school stay there for 3+ years just to build hours to ATP mins. However, if that's what you want to do then go to a school such as Sierra in California or some down in Florida. That's just my input though. If you want to know more about surveying then message me. We aren't hiring now but will be hiring around August-September of this year for the next season.

Also, the pay for aerial surveying is better than instructing.