Originally Posted by flystraightin
Hey guys, first off I want to say that this is an amazing site!!
I just turned 17 and am a junior in high school. My uncle was a pilot for Cathay and Qantas and I've always been interested in aviation. Last year I got my first job, as a contact (Canwest Flt Services Ltd.) ramp agent, working for QX and WS, as well as HMY Airways, SSV and Air Transat at Victoria International (YYJ, Class C, about 20nm NNE of Port Angeles, WA) We do pretty much everything, for everyone (except AC) including catering, deicing, baggage handling, marshalling, grooming etc.
I've got a question, I really want to fly commercially and I've started taking lessons for my PPL at Victoria Flying Club, but I know, from talking to pilots, reading these forums and working part time in the industry, that the airlines are hurting and it isnt a very stable job. I want to get a business degree or something like that to fall back on.
My question:
From what I understand, there is two ways to go, a) work with a CFI for my PPL then CPL, multi, ifr, night and ATP, or b) head south and go to a much more expensive "big school" such as ERAU, Delta Connection Academy or PRO IFR which will expedite my training but sacrifice the quality and 1-on-1 training I'd get with a CFI. Which should I choose, I've got dual citizenship and my grandparents live in PHX, so I could live there and fly VFR 360 days a year or stay here and work with my CFI??
In a perfect world, I'd like to fly for 10-15yrs then work within the airline in a management position and work my way up the ranks that way into a board position of some sort.
Thanks
A degree in non-aviation is a good plan.
You should probably decide up front whether you would rather work in Canada or the US, and get your ratings in the country you wish to work in. Conversion between the two is not real hard (not like JAA), but there is some expense and effort.
I would suggest a small school, or a good CFI at an FBO if you can find one who can work to your schedule needs. Most of the big schools will take advatnage of you.
You've hit on a touchy subject regarding your career path. Planning to fly for a few years and then go do something else makes it sound like a hobby or a lark, for which are willing to get paid little or nothing. Unfortunately, those of us who plan to stay and raise our families and send our kids to college on airline pay deeply resent folks who want to "just do it for a while". Some of the most profitable business sectors today are those that involve disposable employees, prefareably young and stupid...this sort of employee will work for peanuts and no benefits and not care because they are not planning on staying. Most retail and fast food fall into this category. Airlines would be ecstatic if all their pilots quit at age 35 or so...they would be replacing pilots with low-paid new hires. This works great unless you happen to be one of the employees left behind in that industry...look at any 55 year old walmart employee.
If you want to get into top management you need to go to a big-name college then a big-name business school. In today's world you will not stay at one company, but change jobs every 5 years or so. Board of director members normally come from outside the company...they are CEOs of other companies or other high-profile people (retired admirals, ex-senators, etc). This is a totally different career than flying. You could however become a management pilot at some point...you would perform management duties in the flight operations part of the company, but still fly occasionally. These guys can make good money sometimes.