Signal

I'm a 38 year old man who is about to retire from the Army after 20 years of service. I'm uncertain what I want to do as a career after I'm done with the Army. I've been doing IT (Information Technology) for the Army for all 20 years I've been in, but I don't feel I'm at the level of expertise I need to be in order to transition to anything higher than an entry level position in the civilian world - in other words, I'd be starting all over again. This is because as I moved up the ranks in the Army, I was expected to spend more time managing soldiers and performing more administrative and management tasks, which took me away from working on the equipment which further robbed me of practical IT experience the further I moved up the ranks. But it's not a complete loss because now I can write down on resumes that I have over a dozen years of leadership and management experience.

Recently, though, a recruiter for the LIFT Academy (started by Republic Airways) approached me and suggested I apply for their "zero to hero" flight school. I did some research of what being a commercial pilot was like, how much I might be able to earn as a salary if I stick with it long enough, and about the current pilot shortage. That got me interested. My current life situation is that I have no wife or kids, and I have lots of money saved up because of low living expenses and being generally good at managing my finances. I would have to move to Indianapolis, though, for this particular flight school. Also, I have absolutely no piloting experience whatsoever.

So given all of the above, should I stick with IT or should I make the jump at becoming a pilot?

rickair7777

Do you have a four-year degree? Historically a pilot career would be risky and difficult without one. Today there is a work-around but it would limit your flexibility and take longer. Not a show-stopper anymore but something to consider.

That said, you could most likely succeed in aviation assuming you didn't struggle in the army.

So the real question is can you pay the dues for a few years, and can you enjoy or at least tolerate the lifestyle? The mil retirement will help with dues paying.

If you have a family, that's a big factor as well.

Do some reading on these forums. Before you make any decisions, get a private pilot license on your own. DO NOT enroll a career pilot program without having done some flying, at least solo. That's like going to truck driver school without ever having driven a car before.

Signal

I have an Associate's and am 12 credit hours (one semester) shy of a Bachelor's. Should I go ahead and knock that out first or can I put it off until later?

Yes, I can afford what it costs and I'll be an Uber driver part-time while learning to fly. I'll continue to live on the cheap like I always have.

No family. Just a cat.

I was going to at least go on a "discovery flight" before I enrolled. But you're right, maybe I ought to look at getting a private pilot license at a smaller "mom and pop" place where I live right now before I start looking at schools.

Thanks for the response!

Sliceback

A PPL would help you understand if you have any desire and interest, as well as ability, to be a pilot. But keep in mind the job, and airplane performance, is much different than flying a light airplane. But the stepping stone development of acquiring your licenses, and first jobs, prepares you for the further steps.

Most people who stick with it love it despite the online *****ing you hear. I’ve been doing it for 40 yrs and sometimes you see the world like others can’t. I was just texting my wife about the amazing view we had yesterday if actegion I’d never seen before. The world looks completely different from 500’ as well as 5000’ and 40,000’.

If you pursue it hard you could be at a regional airline in 2.5 yrs. over a lifetime, and to gain a whole new career path, that’s a blink of the eye.

Look into AA region airline’s. A guaranteed path to AA after 7-10 yrs. you’d be in your late 40’s to 50 ish when you went to AA and could have 14-17 yrs at a major airline. You’re finishing 20 yrs in the service. You’d have about 23-24 yrs flying airliners and would finish on Boeing 787’s or 777’s. Granted that’s a LONG way down the road but you’ve also reached the end of a long road in the service so you know the value of steady steps to achieve long term goals.

Good luck.

rickair7777

You can do that later, but try to chip away at it since you're that close. Otherwise you could end up as a regional CA with competitive times but hung up on the degree completion. Regionals won't care but the better majors will for sure.


You should be in good shape. You'll have the geographic and financial flexibility to take the best opportunities for career progression.


Just to be sure you like flying, and don't have any hang-ups.

But make sure you don't fail the PPL checkride, training and checking can be inconsistent at the mom and pop level, and checkride failures will slow your your career progression. Make sure you're over-prepared.

FullFlaps

Wow it's like you're me a year ago. I'm 39 have my PPL finishing instrument. I should be done with my CFII 1Q next year. I'm funding flight school and living expenses with savings.

The are a few choices:

Lift academy
Jet Blue's Program
American Airlines Cadet Academy
Liberty University
Other University Programs
Forces to Flyers

The airline academies offer loans so between savings Montgomery GI and loans you should be fine.

University programs if you qualify for financial aid use that with loans and Montgomery GI.

Forces to Flyers it might be too late to apply but if you can squeak in it's a program that pays for flight school for veterans.

You should factor $85k to $110k for flight training. Everyone on here will say it's cheaper, it's not. None of the figures you get from the flight schools include check rides exam costs equipment software study guides etc. You can get your PPL and ratings to CFII in about 10 months if you hustle.

If I had to start from zero again honestly I would look into buying my own plane that is IFR rated. Find a Part 61 school around you with an instructor and DPE who are not jerks. Find a quality instructor, most of these guys are just building time before they go to the airlines and could care less about their students. The best instructors have retired from the airlines or as a corporate pilot and instruct for fun.

Rotors2Planks

I'm not suggesting you shouldn't pursue aviation but I work in Government IT and the quantity of incompetence is overwhelming. Maybe 25-30% of the IT workforce actually keep things going while the rest $*%@# off and use the 8 hours to decide how they can make their dead weight heavier. You'd be fine if you really wanted to do it, but it's soul sucking and in no way rewarding.

theonlyski

I left government IT to fly full time. You're not wrong at all, maybe even a little high on your estimation of how many people actually work vs waste oxygen and take up space.

Rotors2Planks

Ha, I actually had it lower when I first typed it! I thought it sounded too negative so I about doubled it.

Stimpy the Kat

Question :

> How long have you been interested in airplanes?

Because if your level of interest has been " Hey that looks cool and could be a neat job"...You may need to rethink this.


I have known more than a few people who, after entering the Career, have been more than disillusioned (and ultimately went by the wayside) because they did not have the passion required to overcome the sometimes unpleasant realities of being an actual pilot in the real world.

If you know who Ernie Gann is, or what an ME-262 is, or when you see a picture of a half-naked Woman next to a picture of an SR-71 your eyeballs spend equal amounts of time perusing both *...Well, then you probably have what it takes in your Heart to enjoy the next 27 years of your Life flying airplanes...and having a blast.

If the above doesn't ring true for you on some level you may want to rethink things.

DEFINITELY go take a discovery flight or two and see what it's all about. Maybe get that PPL while your at it.

DO NOT enroll in a $100k flight program until you are sure your Heart is where your Head is.

And YES, finish those 12 credits and tuck that Bachelors Degree into your pocket ( maybe while you work on your PPL ). It will never hurt you and it may come in VERY handy someday. As well, you don't want to be that guy at 58 who is still "just 12 credits short "...

Good Luck !



Stimpson

* - If the Woman was fully-naked this statement may not apply, and that's Okay.