Originally Posted by
detpilot
Who cosigned your student loans? My parents credit was too bad to cosign mine, which almost derailed me from getting to where I am today. Thankfully, I was blessed to have a grandmother with good credit to step in. I got grants and scholarships too, but without that 60k loan, I never would have made it over the hump.
I had a few students who had no problem with money, and failed out due to their own lack of work ethic. But many more ran out of money halfway through the program and had to drop out.
Money is a huge obstacle.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
DETPILOT...Detroit by chance? I'm from Detroit and learned to fly there. Dad was a tool and die maker at Chrysler. Mom stayed home. Three boys. Not a penny for college or flight training. Grandmother co-signed $2500 loan for my private. Took 3 years to get through CFII because of cash issues. If I didn't have loans and financial help outside of family I wouldn't have made it.
Later I owned a flight school (part 61, non ratings farm). I have 4600 hrs as a primary instructor. Not cookie cutter military/college types learning to fly. All walks of life: zookeeper, chef, lots of cops, EMS, nurses, realtor, funeral director, etc. Since 1991 I've seen maybe 5-10 people who simply couldn't make it. My best student? A stripper (worked at BTs on 8 mile, so I heard). No joke. Nearly unlimited cash. Flew 5 days a week. Private to Commercial in 3 months. Access to cash does matter. Good pilot.