About to take the leap...
 

So I'm a single guy in my late twenties with a first-class medical certificate and enough money in the bank to complete a professional pilot training program.

I've seen all there is to see in my current job which I do thoroughly enjoy, but becoming a pilot has always been my ultimate dream. And I've logged enough time in airplanes and helicopters to know this is what I want to do. With that being said, I'm going to commence full-time fixed wing flight training by the end of the year. (I don't see an attractive career path to flying helicopters plus the idea of flying in and around the same places all of the time is a slight negative to me.)

As of now, my ultimate goal is to fly aircraft such as the 777 or 747 internationally. What I would like to know is, if you were in my shoes, what path would you take to achieve this goal?

After much research, I've narrowed it down to the two following options:

1. Ameriflight route:

-Advantages: faster to gaining valuable PIC turbine time, challenging flying, possible interview with UPS one day, maybe...

-Disadvantages/concerns: No flow throughs with partner airlines.

2. Regional route:

-Advantages: Flow through agreements= guaranteed spot at a major.

-Disadvantages/concerns: I'm still at least two to three years out of even meeting the regional minimums. Even now Envoy, for example, seems more interested in hiring direct entry captains than new FOs. Have I already missed out on their hiring boom? And do regionals give preferential hiring to those who've attended certain flight schools, such as ATP?

Now, I'm not in such a rush where I all I care about is flying the big jets but I'd prefer to take the route that increases my options and chances at achieving that goal.

Please note, I don't have a college degree YET.

Your advice is very much appreciated! :D

Few pilots get to make career plans that far in advance. Take it one flight at a time. Some guys get whatever they want very quickly, others crash and burn.

Get your ratings, then see where the industry is at.

Others will say this better than me, but don’t focus on the aircraft type yet (ie 777/747). You don’t want to channalize yourself in this career. The steps are the same over the next 5 or 6 years anyway. You’ll learn soon enough that the quality of the job is much more important than the aircraft. Better to fly 737’s or Airbus at a major airline for awhile than to fly 777’s for Norwegian or a Middle East carrier.

Glad to see you’re paying cash, that is a very wise move. You have certainly not missed the hiring wave either. Good Luck!

Without a degree, the safest path would be a regional with guaranteed flow to one of the big three. If you plan to get the degree, that would open up the option to get hired off the street at any major.

Assume you will need to fly for a regional regardless.

Amflight is a good stepping stone to a regional, but getting hired at any decent major from amflight is a stretch (with no degree, a near-infinite stretch).

Yes, lots of people used to do it. But then the RJ's came and majors found out that someone with a glass jet airliner type rating is a better training prospect than someone who flew a metro. Things might change as the majors ramp up more hiring, but I would still bet that 121 RJ experience will get you there faster.

As others have said, the goal is to get to a major... once you're competitive for that you can assess your life priorities and decide what tradeoffs you might be willing to make to fly a certain type aircraft. Usually professionals place everything else first... QOL, seniority, money. If you have everything else you want, sure, go fly a 777 (note that 747's are no longer in scheduled passenger service in the US).

Thanks for the great advice!

I was concerned that taking one route over the other could lock me out of certain options but it sounds like that’s not the case at this stage in the game. And I’ll try not to obsess over what aircraft I end up flying... As long as there’s something to fly and I’m not replaced by a robot!

I’ve been saving up for years to become a pilot so it’ll be a dream come true when I finally start training. :cool:

Paying cash for your flight ratings = best career move ever

1. Join rock and roll band. Make it big. Buy your own heavy and fly it on tour.

2. Invest that cash hoard you got, find your way in to VC. Fly on the side for fun.

Humor aside, if intl heavy flying is what you want to do then you’ll have to take a good look into FedEx/UPS or the foreign carriers.

I’d take your time and learn how to fly.....use care in training that you’re not just learning to pass checkrides.....there is a difference. And enjoy the journey....Don’t lose sight of living in the moment while dreaming of the future.