Above you said: " I get a lot of encouragement to pursue wealth, blah blah blah, but my problem is there is no guarantee of a "career path" in those types of things nor of any type of success. "

No matter what you decide to do in life, there are no guarantees of a "career path", ask any of the thousands of furloughed pilots right here.

You said you are interested in flying helicopters, have you talked to any Coast Guard/Army/Navy/AF helo pilots? Join the Military, you'll get excellent, free training there, with as much of a guaranteed career path as you'll get anywhere else.