Originally Posted by
Link545
Thank you for the advice! This certainly gives me a clearer picture of how to enter the aviation industry.
What DO employers care about when hiring pilots? How do I make myself more marketable?
Does anyone have a backup plan in case flying doesn't work out? if so, what is it? I know many pilots will have "side hustles" just in case their health disqualifies them from flying or they get laid off etc.
I have thought a bit about how to pay for flight school. Many of the flight schools I've seen are almost as expensive as the university route (depending on which university, of course). so I thought it would be more efficient to go the university route and spend a little more to study finance at the same time. Maybe I am just not looking at the cheapest flight schools.
I am not too interested in the degree as much as I am in the quality of instruction. I really just want to be the best pilot I could be. I would also like to study finance while I am there. If you know of any universities that have good flight programs that would be great! also, how could I make my application to the flight school stand out? I hear there may be competition on the university route.
Thank you for the help!
Thats not how it works. If you go the university route, you will pay tuition, room and board, AND the same amount if not more to fly as skipping university. Your flying won't be covered by tuition. oh, and you will be without income, or very little for 4 years, and the hiring will have slowed down by the time you meet the minimum requirements. The airlines do not care one bit where you learned to fly. Currently, you don't need to market yourself at all, just meet the requirements. When hiring slows, you mostly just need more experience, and they like volunteering too.
Backup plan? Maybe whatever you currently do could be the backup plan 🤷♂️