Originally Posted by
Ifly4u2c
I don't have a 4 year degree, and i am 33 y/o.
Can't afford the initial pay cut to go to the regionals now from 65K with free health benefits to +/-50K. NY area is expensive.
If you insist on remaining in the NY area you've pared down your flying options by about 80%. And if you insist on plunging forward in this industry without a four-year then you've whittled that number down even further.
Everybody has their own priorities and goals in life. But the older you get the more you'll start looking at what 121 guys earn versus what you'll earn sticking it out in the 135 world. You'll look at how little pilots at the big 6 work compared to you and your colleagues to bring home pay and benefits you can only dream about. And at some point retirement will begin to loom large on your list of priorities.
Continuing in this industry without a 4-year and without being willing to go where the jobs are is a huge risk. It leaves you at the mercy of companies that will exploit you because they know you don't have the option of taking your skills elsewhere.
Caveat emptor.