Notices
Career Questions Career advice, interview prep and gouges, job fairs, etc.

Should I become a pilot?

Old 12-29-2019, 08:02 AM
  #1  
New Hire
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Dec 2019
Posts: 4
Default Should I become a pilot?

I am 20-years-old. I am interested becoming a pilot but I am worried about automation and stuff in the future. I don't want to spend $50,000 to $80,000 for licenses and than be like "Why did i do this?"

I have a few questions for you?

1. Are you worried about your job due to automation in this industries?
2. If you could go back in the past, would you still choose this career?
3. If you are comfortable answering this question -- How old are you? How many years of experience you have? How much money are you making?
4. If you could go back, what would you do differently? Like work for another airlines ......

Thank you very much for your help and time!!
NIralPa is offline  
Old 12-29-2019, 08:47 AM
  #2  
Gets Weekends Off
 
USMCFLYR's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,835
Default

Originally Posted by NIralPa View Post
I am 20-years-old. I am interested becoming a pilot but I am worried about automation and stuff in the future. I don't want to spend $50,000 to $80,000 for licenses and than be like "Why did i do this?"

I have a few questions for you?

1. Are you worried about your job due to automation in this industries?
2. If you could go back in the past, would you still choose this career?
3. If you are comfortable answering this question -- How old are you? How many years of experience you have? How much money are you making?
4. If you could go back, what would you do differently? Like work for another airlines ......

Thank you very much for your help and time!!
If the retirement age were to remain at 65 years old - you would be able to answer these questions just before you turned 65.

There is no answer to your question that means anything and certainly nothing that would give you the answer about whether or not you should seek a career in aviation.
USMCFLYR is offline  
Old 12-29-2019, 09:36 AM
  #3  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Sep 2019
Posts: 124
Default

Originally Posted by NIralPa View Post
I am 20-years-old. I am interested becoming a pilot but I am worried about automation and stuff in the future. I don't want to spend $50,000 to $80,000 for licenses and than be like "Why did i do this?"

I have a few questions for you?

1. Are you worried about your job due to automation in this industries?
2. If you could go back in the past, would you still choose this career?
3. If you are comfortable answering this question -- How old are you? How many years of experience you have? How much money are you making?
4. If you could go back, what would you do differently? Like work for another airlines ......

Thank you very much for your help and time!!
Being a pilot is a lot like porn......it rarely is anything anyone wanted to become or planned on.....its simply a place you find yourself after you’ve made very poor life choices.....

IMHO.........
Fifi is offline  
Old 12-29-2019, 12:34 PM
  #4  
Layover Master
 
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Position: Seated
Posts: 4,309
Default

Originally Posted by NIralPa View Post
I am 20-years-old. I am interested becoming a pilot but I am worried about automation and stuff (stuff? like nuclear fallout?) in the future. I don't want to spend $50,000 to $80,000 for licenses and then be like, "Why did I do this?"

I have a few questions for you? That's a statement, not a question; unless you were asking yourself, which would be weird.

1. Are you worried about your job due to automation in this industries? It's either "these industries" or "this industry". No, I am not concerned about automation other than more required auto-landings becoming prevalent. Considering the amount of aircraft currently in production requiring two pilots, I feel pretty safe for another 25 years.
2. If you could go back in the past, would you still choose this career? Yes. However, I believe I should have given more serious thought to ATC.
3. If you are comfortable answering this question -- How old are you? How many years of experience you have? How much money are you making? Around 40, 16 years experience, greater than $100,000, less than $200,000.
4. If you could go back, what would you do differently? Like work for another airline ...... Attend a university other than one that pumps out aviation degrees.

Thank you very much for your help and time!!
Answers and corrections above in red.
PotatoChip is offline  
Old 12-29-2019, 12:40 PM
  #5  
Gets Weekends Off
 
galaxy flyer's Avatar
 
Joined APC: May 2010
Position: Baja Vermont
Posts: 5,168
Default

To quote the late Louis Armstrong, “if you gotta ask, you ain’t never gonna be one?

GF
galaxy flyer is offline  
Old 12-29-2019, 06:57 PM
  #6  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Dec 2017
Position: Retired NJA & AA
Posts: 1,907
Default

1. Automation....possibly may affect cargo operations but you should be able to get in a career before it gets good enough to replace pilots. Remember, right now they can't even do self driving cars because they haven't been able to program for human stupidity.

2. Yes I would do this again. I went thru bankruptcies, furloughs, etc. but would still do it. I really like having a seniority number and not having to play office politics. We have an old joke among pilots that goes like this: "You know you've had a successful career when you walk into the Chief Pilot's office to submit retirement paperwork and no one knows who you are"

3. I'm retired now in my 60's. Flew for a hobby starting in 1975, and for a living starting in 1981. For the 15 years prior to retirement I usually made in the low 6 figures.

4. I would have NOT cancelled my 1989 interviews with Delta and Northwest in order to take a job at USAir (aka the incredible shrinking airline).
AirBear is offline  
Old 12-29-2019, 08:32 PM
  #7  
New Hire
 
Joined APC: Dec 2019
Posts: 8
Default

I'm in the same boat as you in my 20's considering a pilot career.

I just don't like the idea of being gone for days straight. And the medical aspect where a minor issue can end your career. And getting the 1500 flight hours required is kinda tedious.

The pay looks sweet. 5 years in you're making six figures.

And it's a stable job and respected career. Getting paid on autopilot and also comes with generous travel discounts.
cwells063 is offline  
Old 12-30-2019, 04:33 AM
  #8  
Gets Weekends Off
 
drywhitetoast's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jun 2018
Position: Sitting
Posts: 498
Default

I think becoming a professional pilot is a calling. It has to be a passion or you are more likely to fizzle out. Like the poster above said if you have to ask "should I" it's probably not for you. Go take an introductory flight. You should know by the end of that flight if another career choice would better. You should be grinning ear to ear after that flight.

Also money was mentioned. If you choose this profession solely because of the money you may be in for a disappointment. I didn't see dollar signs when choosing this career path when I was 16 taking lessons. Not until much later did it become a factor.
drywhitetoast is offline  
Old 12-30-2019, 10:10 AM
  #9  
New Hire
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Dec 2019
Posts: 4
Default

Originally Posted by AirBear View Post
1. Automation....possibly may affect cargo operations but you should be able to get in a career before it gets good enough to replace pilots. Remember, right now they can't even do self driving cars because they haven't been able to program for human stupidity.

2. Yes I would do this again. I went thru bankruptcies, furloughs, etc. but would still do it. I really like having a seniority number and not having to play office politics. We have an old joke among pilots that goes like this: "You know you've had a successful career when you walk into the Chief Pilot's office to submit retirement paperwork and no one knows who you are"

3. I'm retired now in my 60's. Flew for a hobby starting in 1975, and for a living starting in 1981. For the 15 years prior to retirement I usually made in the low 6 figures.

4. I would have NOT cancelled my 1989 interviews with Delta and Northwest in order to take a job at USAir (aka the incredible shrinking airline).
Thank you so much for you opinion.
NIralPa is offline  
Old 12-30-2019, 10:11 AM
  #10  
New Hire
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Dec 2019
Posts: 4
Default

Originally Posted by cwells063 View Post
I'm in the same boat as you in my 20's considering a pilot career.

I just don't like the idea of being gone for days straight. And the medical aspect where a minor issue can end your career. And getting the 1500 flight hours required is kinda tedious.

The pay looks sweet. 5 years in you're making six figures.

And it's a stable job and respected career. Getting paid on autopilot and also comes with generous travel discounts.
Thank you so much for your response cwells063.
NIralPa is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices