Originally Posted by
RMWRIGHT
2 years of training and 70k later one becomes a "pilot" , unemployed and
even if one is lucky to land an FO job it starts at 18k per year... In 3 weeks and 3k one can get a CDL class A. Truck drivers start at 50k and owner/operators can make 100k per year. You'd need to invest about 8 years in aviation to make 60k. (2 years school, 2 years cfi, 4 years fo)
Just my 2 cents
Unless you can land a local job I would hold off on that idea. Freight is generally very slow now and companies are falling like dominoes.
However as we all know you generally need one year experience to land a local job. The bottom feeder carriers like CR England, Werner, Swift that will hire you straight from CDL school are simply not even worth your time. You'll be lucky to make $30 grand there not $50K. You will live out of a shoebox at least two weeks at a time and be home for only 2 days.
I personally got very lucky and landed a regional slip seat driving job that brings in $800+ a week, not bad for being out just 2/3 days a week.
CubDriver is right, 80% of truck drivers are just down right nasty. When you walk across a truck stop parking lot you are treated to the stench of urine. On interstate on/off ramps you will count at least 5 urine jugs strewn across. When was the last time you heard of pilots peeing in a water gallon in the cockpit?
I am in the opposite dilema as you. I am sersiously considering starting my PPL training with the eventual hope of obtaining ATP certification.