Originally Posted by sealandair

Honestly, I wouldn't do it. The good news is that yes... there's going to be tons of openings and you're nearly guaranteed to get a JOB flying, but unless you luck out and get the right connections at a posh corporate flight department flying Citation Xs right away, you're going to have to go the regional airline route and get your time that way. That means you're going to be away from your home and family a lot, miss them on birthdays and holidays, and as you already are aware, make lousy pay. At 28, you're not anywhere close to being too old... you could conceivably make it to a major airline before age 40 and once there, things really start to improve. The question is, do you really want to spend $70,000 (not counting a 4 year degree which you'll also need) to make only a third to half that amount at a regional for 8-10 years and go through all the beatings, before you wind up with a "good" job? You tell me, is it worth it?

From a purely financial point of view, for the average Joe who doesn't have wealthy parents or a job currently paying 6 figures (in which case they would not elect to become professional pilots), becoming a pilot makes NO sense. NONE. Zippo. You have to be a one-trick pony with nothing else on his mind, convinced that the only thing you're good for is flying... in order to take that route.