Quote:
Back then if you didn't have the dough for college or flight training, most people took their old man's job at the mill/factory/mine. There weren't many alternative means of funding your dreams, so people just faced the reality.
Also, as was mentioned you started as an FE, and stayed an FE for years. FE's never got spectacular pay.
The boom years in the 60s were about 1964-1968. The normal requirements for all the Majors were FAA C&I, Hight School Diploma, 20/20 vision, Max age 32, prefer under age 28, not subject to the draft, male.Originally Posted by rickair7777
That was back in the early 1960's when the payscales were lower, and the the vietnam-era military pilots weren't available.Back then if you didn't have the dough for college or flight training, most people took their old man's job at the mill/factory/mine. There weren't many alternative means of funding your dreams, so people just faced the reality.
Also, as was mentioned you started as an FE, and stayed an FE for years. FE's never got spectacular pay.
Examples: I had a student at the FBO I worked at at HPN. He had a class date with UAL. He had zero time. He was part of a special program for people that had a 4 year degree. UAL interviewed, tested, and gave class dates to individuals. They were required to go out and pay for their FAA Commercial and I recall they would get their Instrument at a FBO in Denver just before they started their new hire class. TWA had similar program but required a Private.
Another person I knew was hired by TWA in Feb 64, 500 hrs. TT ASEL, Age 20. Hired as a relief pilot on the B707, told he would probaly have to go to FE because TWA was in the process of putting the PFEs in the pilot seat. Age 24 he was a B727 Captain, age 25 he was a B707 Captain.
I was not that uncommon for a guy with 500 hours to have an offer at two majors at the same time.