11mvosters

*seriously thinking about this as a career. The market is perfect right now( got my class1 med)
*I'm 24, married a teacher with 20k in loans and I'm still deciding on a major...but have always wanted to be a pilot(airline), so I need to do it or bury the hatchet.
*Do I pay her loans off, and wait a year to take out more and pursue this. do I go to atp or a mom n pop school near me that does upset recovery and spin training..45k vs 70k at atp.
* I want to make that 2018-2022 hiring wave and don't want to be getting any older
( Thanks for your patience, I see you guys at the airport all the time but am worried you're too busy for questions)

JamesNoBrakes

Not this again. Anyone that is trying to convince you to go out and get this quickly to "get on the wave" simply wants your money, that's it. They've been spouting the "wave" nonsense for decades. Don't take out loans, pay as you go, bite the bullet, tough it out. It's far more worth it in the long run and allows you to invest in things like property and funds that will benefit you far more than taking out a huge loan so you can get a CFI/regional airline job. No one knows the future.

PotatoChip

You can talk to me in the airport. I'm probably delayed for three hours waiting to get into EWR anyway...

rickair7777

This is what I have been telling people for many years.


However...if there was ever an undeniable and unprecedented airline hiring opportunity it's right now. IMO it would not be unreasonable to incur debt at this moment in time in order to get your seniority locked in sooner. It appears that hiring is moving along at a good clip, and regional & major new hire pay is rising significantly, if not dramatically, so you would most likely be able to pay off the debt in short order. This is in contrast to the lost generation who ended up making $800/month student loan payments on regional FO pay for about a decade.

But there's risk and you have to understand it. A catastrophic and sustained economic crash might cause the music to stop ( there are enough mandatory retirements that hiring will continue even if there's a mild downturn/recession).

A fast track plan involving debt would only be reasonably safe if you will be a good candidate for rapid progression to the majors:

- 4-year degree
- Good/decent grades (better than 3.0)
- Clean criminal and driving record
- No contentious history on social media
- Clean pilot training record (and can keep it that way)
- "Whole person" credentials. This means whatever the employer wants it to mean, volunteer, SJW, affirmative action, diversity, significant non-aviation accomplishments, etc, etc.
- Presentable, personable, have some initiative and can sell yourself

That last two are important. When you interview at a major, you'll be competing with fighter pilots who were HS/college athletes, valedictorians and went to colleage on a full ride. You'll have to somehow standout as something other than Joe Average Civilian Pilot. As hiring ramps up the competition *should* become a bit diluted, but better plan for competition if you're going to invest in the fast track.

Also you must have a normal personality. Regionals won't care but majors may be able to sniff out *quirky* personalities and won't want any part of it. Ultimately you need to be able to spend four days locked in a cockpit with other people, so you both need to be in the middle of the bell curve.

I believe Joe Average Civilian Pilot will get hired eventually, but it could be years down the line and it's much, much better to be on the front of the wave with lot's of cannon-fodder behind you (as opposed to spending years as furlough-fodder and junior reserve).

viper548

If I were in your situation and certain this is what you want to do I'd take out the loans and get the flight training knocked out. I'd probably go with ATPs, to get training done quickly and to get flight hours quickly as a CFI. I would try and go to one of American's regionals with flow. Once at the regional I'd figure out paying for the loans and finishing the degree, apply to Delta, United, etc and go there if they call before American. There are some times in life if you play it safe you miss out. I believe the risk of taking on loans and getting in on the front side of this wave is worth it. Every year you are not at a major is one less year at the highest career earnings.

Sliceback

Viper x2.

But you probably won't make the 2018-2022 'wave'. Plan on 8-10 yrs to be competitive. You might make it faster but that's the exception and not the norm.

viper548

American's peak is 2023-2026 with over 900 retirements those years. Guys going through training right now will be competitive in 5-6 years. I think Delta and United are a few years behind American with their retirement wave. AA keeps adding older guys to the list, as many of the flows are over 50. American Eagle (Envoy?) is flowing guys hired in 2004 right now, not sure about the other two.