"Is this a good idea?"
Yes, it's a good idea. Those who disagree claim that the back up degree is obsolete when you need it. My idea of the ideal situation is you use the back up degree from day one to pursue a second area of interest in your spare time. You'll see many folks, even at the bottom of the career, that claim to work 15 days a month. What you might do with the other 15 days, and a degree outside aviation, is priceless......