Davis276

Hello,
I apologize for my question being so disorganized and unprofessional yet, I really dont know how to ask without being blunt.

I'm 30 years old and currently hold my ppl with intentions to hopefully make it to the airlines. I took up work after high school with my familys business and diddnt seek any higher education. Now I feel burnt out for not doing what I wanted to do in high school "pilot". Due to some other obligations I will be paying cash for training and collage as I am aware majors require a 4 year degree. My options are ine of two ways...1) go get a 4 year degree on campus ( engineering or geology) then afterwards pick back up with flight training till I am in the position to apply to a reginal. 2) continue my training till I get to regional then..apply for a online degree most of which are social science (philosophy) and by that time apply for a major. Taking out loans are not a option at the moment so i will be saving up the funds for all my education ( my current job will allow me to do that but will take some time). I would rather do what I can rather than sit and wonder my whole life why I diddnt just go fir it no matter what.Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

rickair7777

Given your age and timing with the known retirements looming, probably better to get on with it as fast as you can.

Whatever gets you to about 4000 TT and 1000 hours regional TPIC and a degree soonest. The degree won't help much before that, and lack of one will start to hold you back after that point. Sounds like you might be better off doing the online degree while flying, it can certainly be done but will require some work ethic (and be harder with a family if you have one).

Bahamasflyer

What Rick said.

I'm about to work start an online 4 year later this year or early next when I complete IOE at the regionals.

I'm very curious in a year or two from now if NOT having a 4 yr will actually help you get a call from LCC's like Spirit, Frontier, or maybe even JB since they know you won't bail for a legacy without one.

Davis276

That was what I was leaning more towards...seems that online degrees are alot more selective as in there aren't as many choices for obvious reasons I suppose. I dont have a kids so I guess that is a plus at this point. I appreciate your reply mate.

Davis276

Mind me asking what degree your are thinking about obtaining? Seems online degrees have a slightly smaller pool to choice from.

Bahamasflyer

Probably either Thomas Edison State or Utah Valley. Looking into Liberty as well. Haven't yet decided.

ItnStln

That wouldn’t surprise me, unless the legacies have to drop the degree requirement due to staffing issues.

rickair7777

Very few of them actually have a degree requirement. It's preferred, which right now means it's going to be real hard to get hired without one. Good chance they eventually have to hire otherwise good candidates who don't have a degree.

But that's a fairly small pool, it's not like there are tens of thousands of professional pilots out there who don't have a degree. Even at the regionals a large majority had a degree.

And once the retirements (or the economy) slows down, they will go right back to enforcing the college preference.

viper548

Get going on the flying. Look into a school like Utah Valley University that has an online aviation degree and you can knock the degree out while working on the ratings. If you can't afford to do both, I'd get the flying done first and worry about the degree after you have a flying job. It's going to take at least a few years after finishing training until you'd even be remotely competitive at a major airline anyways.

Bahamasflyer

OP definitely has gotten some solid advice!