Originally Posted by
jcstorey
I am currently a 28 year old fireman who has always had a fascination with flying. I plan on doing a discovery flight soon to see if I will like it but I'm pretty sure I will. I have never really had the resources to get flight training,(still don't really) and know that I will be taking on more debt unless I choose to go into the military(last option) and even then I'm not guaranteed to get into the pilot programs the military offer.
Now I know the saying is "not to do things for money" but thats not realistic for me as I have a family to support. I want to do something I enjoy and live comfortably at the same time. I have researched that the pay is horribly low in the beginning but can improve tremendously. I work at a major airport as a firefighter and see pilots in the terminals that never really look happy.
With all this being said, I just wanted to know the current feeling of some pilots as far as work conditions and compensation, and also would it be a good idea to get into the industry at my age?
Depends on the job on who you work for too many variables to really answer your true questions. Ask 100 dif people and you will get 100 dif answers but one thing remains common and that is ask if you are sorry that you did it and you will prob find that the answer is no. I like many have the sickness. All pilots will complain, part of the DNA I think. I wouldn't trade my life for anything or anyone, to each his own.
All being equal everyone has to wade through their share of the snow to get to the cabin. Some never do make it but most who persist get there before the frostbite sets in. You will get many votes that say stick with what you've got and that's prob because no one wants to recommend the very long pain of the internship that may never materalize into a 200+ year job.
I for one don't do this for the money and believe those that do never find happiness but unfortunately I need to feed the sickness that lies within. You can love flying without selling your soul but if you want to have a career then you have to go all in.