N6724G - A little confused here. Are you in broadcasting or metrology? Are you 37 or 29? I'm maybe wondering if you are really 17 and getting ready to go into college.....Hmmmmmnnn?

But I'll play along and hopefully this info will help. As posted above there are websites that give exact pay for specific airlines as they are regulated by a contract. As for people on these forums saying to stay out of aviation you really need to consider the source of the info. I for one am close to 40, been in the biz since I was 18 and have worked for 6 companies from tour flights to Island hopping, to regional and major airline work only to have been furloughed after 9/11. Am I ticked off? Not really. Life hands us some crazy turns and we adapt. If you can't or don't like adapting then definitely stay out of aviation!! The biggest problem hitting the airline industry now is the 'race to the bottom.' There are regionals that are willing to work for less and less $$. They in turn slash current contracts and/or offer pilots food stamp wages and there are pilots STANDING IN LINE for these jobs! It's no different now than back in the day when I flew Canyon tours and made $700/mo. But then I knew there were regional jobs that would pay more and a major airline job that would win me the lottery. But if you have been following aviation and have seen that UAL has 1800 furloughed, AA 2800, DAL 540, US Air 2000, and my old Co NWA at 700 and climbing. The management at the majors wants to hand over all the short hop and small plane flying to its regionals - ie. Loss of pilots and flying at the majors, and therefore less jobs at that high pay scale.

For your situation best-case scenario, you go to a flight training academy pay big $$ and end up with a regional job inside of a year. You are then stuck there at $20k/yr for 4 years until upgrade then go to $45k/yr. You can hang there forever and grow to $80-100k/yr depending on if you want to fly a lot or become and instructor or Chief Pilot. You could then go to a cargo company or charter company and fly larger aircraft with not so good work rules but be making larger $$. And finally go to the majors in say 10+ years once all the kinks are worked out and retirements have swung the hiring back into motion.

Take some time, read some posts on all of the forums including major, regional, cargo and fractional and also do some time at your local airport talking to some pilots (corporate, fractional and regional.) If I were you and have the metrology degree, not the broadcasting, I would stay there and look into working for a carrier that needs in house weather. Netjets has a very impressive weather dept and most majors also have in house weather. I have no idea what it pays. You could also get your dispatchers license and go that route. With those two choices you are home nightly and will get so see your kids grow up!

Good luck.

Baja.