My two cents...Oil is not what worries me about the future of the pax industry (short term anyway). I'm more worried about when (not "if", according to the experts) the terrorists shoot a MANPAD at a plane domestically. It doesn't have to bring the plane down, it doesn't even have to hit it, the result will be the same--no one will fly. The gov't, anxious to get this 10% of the economy going again, has two reassurances they will try and sell. 1. We'll equip the carriers with defenses (years to equip all) and 2. We'll patrol the areas around airports (ridiculous). This scenario is why I would advise your son to look for a different career and fly as a hobby.

I would also advise him to read "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman; it will help him understand what is going to influence his generations' careers.

If he still is hell bent on flying, I would have him go to get a bachelors degree in something non-flying related, and join AFROTC or go to OTS after college and get a UPT slot (go to www.baseops.net, forums to see whats involved). We're going to be needing military pilots for a long time....