Taterman814

Hey all. Allow me to introduce myself, I am a seventh grade student living in a small town with it's own airfield in Ohio. I am 13 years of age. I actually have been on this forum since I was eleven, but was always too young to register. Boo me, I suppose. I am an aviation enthusiast. I have participated too many discovery flights to name & would like to consider myself advanced with aviation. I have a little over 500 hours from X-Plane 11 and almost 250 of those hours are with Air Traffic Control, from my own in-home cockpit, equipped with small avionics, a yoke, and rudder pedals to fit the Cessna 172 / G1000. I have even printed my own checklist for the simulator, including fuel cup checking, pre-flight inspection, etc. While I know the inside & out of most Cessna models from 1950 to now, I have flown and completed full ATC training, with full knowledge and flight time inside aircraft from the Boeing 737-800 or the Airbus A380. I enjoy flying, and I am planning more training to get me to an aeronautical school as soon as I graduate from high school. I am planning to get my student pilots license in 2 years, and, hopefully my private pilots license the following year. I may not know everything, but I have determined that I want to be in the aviation Industry. I know the wages pilots make, I know the process from ATP to regionals to major US Airlines, but after listing down multiple airlines and fractional buisnesses like FlexJet or NetJets, I looked at all their benefits before pay wage. I took into account the cost of living, for example NetJets HQ is located in Columbus Ohio, which the COL is quite low downtown. I also took into the sum the 401k retirements options, health care, (which I heard is great w/ NetJets), the flexibility of schedule, time at home, etc.

I am asking from the many pilots on this forum, what is your story? What are your regrets? What is the most efficient way to get into the industry? Which airline in your opinion offers a sustainable salary or hourly wages, along with the most benefits? I have done my research, but I think I should hear from the real guys.

Thank you for your time, take a tissue and clear up your glasses for a minute, I apologize about the long thread.

tomgoodman

Here’s one path to consider. I attended UPT a long time ago, so you should talk to pilots with more recent experience. Good Luck! 😀

https://www.baseops.net/militarypilot

ESQ702

I honestly regret not going into the Air Force to fly right after finishing up my bachelor’s degree in college (so I could be an Officer when I enlisted). You get your training for free, fly some amazing planes, get a great retirement in 20 years and can go right over to a major airline after your military career is over. I’d take that path in a heartbeat if I could go back.

Good luck with your future flying!

bryris

You seem very advanced for 13. Very cool!

My recommendation is to get trained up in your flying as a side pursuit to a "main" career, which should be something else. Go to school for something else, non aviation related. Engineering, Accounting, even Chemistry, etc. Plan on doing that for your career. All the while, learn how to fly airplanes on the side. You are young. Start at 16 and you can probably arrive at CFI by 22-23 in a pay as you go scenario. You'll be hirable after that point, but will still be marketable in a field outside of aviation.

I received this same advice and it was the best advice I ever received. I soloed at 16 years old and finished up my CSEL at 21 years old. I was 24 when I got my CFI and had about 750 hours at that time. But, all during that time, I went to school for accounting. I made it to the regionals and flew for about two years and didn't like it at all. When the economy crashed, back when you were 2, I hung up my hat and brass and fired up the "backup" career. I wrapped up my CPA and have been working in business as a finance manager for nearly the last 10 years and make great money. I bought my own airplane with said money and am happy with my choice. If I hadn't had that fall back option, I'd have been stuck with professional aviation.

I love flying. I too flew MS FlightSim for hundreds of hours when I was your age. I totally get it. But, pro flying is a different animal than fun flying. You may find you don't like it. Have a backup plan.

kevbo

I most regret not winning a really big lottery when I was 13.