Originally Posted by
flying172
CFI here, I was talking to another CFI today about the industry and the crazy hiring and he said that it’s not worth it for people that are starting their training now because by the time they get their ATP minimums they won’t find a job, or if they get hired by a legacy they will likely to be on reserves for years to come. His negative attitude made me think about the future and I just wanted to hear others opinions, I know the industry is so unpredictable and they can start for furlong tomorrow, but is it true that in three-five years it’s not going to be worth it?
The industry has always had ups and downs. From a pilot hiring standpoint we are in the highest upswing we’ve ever seen, there will eventually be a downturn. Pilot hiring has been cyclical since about 1903.
If you love flying, and are going to regret not pursuing flying for a career, might as well start now.
I have always loved airplanes but watched what happened to the industry 2001-2009 and was scared away from investing in flight training (translation, I was worried about going into lots of debt). When I finally realized I wasn’t going to be happy if I didn’t try to make flying work, I had lost around three years, which is seniority I’ll never get back.
As always—your mileage may vary—but if flying is what you really want to do, there will always be reasons to fear for the future and that shouldn’t prevent you from pursuing your dreams. Even if you miss out on a huge seniority wave and don’t end up as a 787 CA, on most days being an A320 FO beats flying a desk.