seothtt

Hello,

I’m 42, no degree, but looking to change careers. I’ve been looking at the ATP Flight School, but wanted to get a real world feel for what the job market looks like for a new pilot.
Here are a few questions.

1. With no degree, but several years of college credits, how would that affect my career as a pilot?

2. What does the job market look like right now for new pilots?

3. With no degree, as a new pilot, what types of jobs would I be looking at?

4. How good is the ATP Flight School?

I appreciate and accept any input.

Thanks,
Richard

sinkrate3278

Hi Richard, welcome aboard.

There's a lot to unpack from your questions (and all the answers are available on this forum if you use the search function).

Here's my two cents...

The first thing you need to answer is what's Richard's definition of a "good career." That will gauge how prepared you are for this job. Are you ready to live on less than $30k/yr for at least 5 years (or more)? Can you live with the idea of living out of a suitcase for 200 days a year (maybe for the rest of your life)? If you have kids and wife/gf, are you all ready to live such separate lives?

Secondly, get your private pilot license before anything. It's your introduction to this world and will give you a taste of whether or not you are cut out for this. Some people realize it's just not for them.

Thirdly, any airline/charter job is going to require you to have a good amount of experience before hand. That's a given. You'll need to get all your instructor ratings and begin building time for yourself. Depending on where you work, it may take 1 year or 5 years to get the hours you need. That means working as a flight instructor.

And lastly, the airline pilot career "pyramid" isn't that tall anymore. Don't expect to be making big bucks or flying fancy jets anytime soon (or ever). You'll need to start out at a regional airline and work your way up. That means some rough commutes and an unstable company that can kick you out at any time (read: pilot shortage is BS).

If you have the money, maybe you want to get that college degree and fly for fun instead. After all, when your career is on the backend of a boom, you may need a plan B. A college degree is still a factor at many reputable airlines (unless you got some serious time).

This isn't a job - it's a way of life.

Good luck!

SongMan

Hello,

I’m 42, no degree, but looking to change careers. I’ve been looking at the ATP Flight School, but wanted to get a real world feel for what the job market looks like for a new pilot.
Here are a few questions.

1. With no degree, but several years of college credits, how would that affect my career as a pilot?

There has been recent discussion on this very topic. I would suggest you do search. The way I understood that thread, it said regional airline would be fine without it but to stay competitive at Major airlines, one would need one.

2. What does the job market look like right now for new pilots?

Well...current job market as of TODAY is kind of irrelevant as you don't have any of your license. That being said, if you're talking about near future, many claim "shortage of pilots".

3. With no degree, as a new pilot, what types of jobs would I be looking at?

see my answer to questions #1.

4. How good is the ATP Flight School?

If I were to do it all over, I would have went to ATP. Not everyone is in my situation but I now have thousands of hours but only few multi hours. Lesson I learned? Every flight school have single engine. Not all have Multi engine. Once you finish ATP, you don't have to worry about multi.

I appreciate and accept any input.

Thanks,
Richard

scubabri

I changed careers when I was 38 and I'm now 46. I've been destitute, chasing crappy flying jobs since then, just recently finding something that will be stable.

Your path will be the following:

Get all your ratings, either 30-40k cash or loans.
Go flight instruct for $20-30/hr flight time, a good flight school you'll get 20 hours a week. You'll need at least at least 1200 hours of flight time and possibly 1500 depending on when you start instructing.

From there, you have two choices, go to the charter side, work for dirt bag operators that will push you into doing immoral, illegal or unsafe things to build more time, or go to a regional and live at a crash pad, while bringing home $1200-1500/mo after taxes. This wont go up much after the first 3-5 years.

If you get on at a skywest or reputable operator, you'll have some job security, but there are a lot of operators out there that are teetering on a fiscal cliff, and you could and most likely get furloughed.

At your age, the last thing you want to be is as 121 airline pilot furloughed on unemployment with little hope of getting recalled or picked up by another operator. If you do get picked up, you start at the bottom of the pay scale. If you are 121, good luck trying to slide over into the 135 charter arena, as many operators wont touch an ex or furloughed airline pilot.

Thats the ugly.

You could get lucky, but go in with your eyes open because right now, there are a lot of pilots on the street with varied experience. Competition is fierce.

Do I regret the decision I made? Absolutely not.

JamesNoBrakes

If you are thinking of being a major airline pilot (the ones that earn 100-200,000K), it's like asking what to do and how long it will take to become a medical doctor, or lawyer at a top firm. It's do-able, but it's going to mean some pretty steep sacrifices, possibly serious debt, and in the end you are faced with an industry that does not allow you to take your experience from one company to the next. If you made it to become a boeing 777 captain (pretty rare these days, there just aren't that many people that have done it relative to how many airline pilots there are), you don't start out as a 777 captain at another airline. You start at the bottom of their list and equipment. Something to think about.

rickair7777

You will not get a major airline job, and will be at a disadvantage for a regional unless hiring REALLY takes off. A four-degree is essentially the norm in airline aviation.

Some hiring at the regional level, but there are several bankrupt regionals which are dumping experienced pilots on the market so I wouldn't say the opportunities are great for an entry-level pilot.

Also the entire regional business model is serious doubt right now...I would not expect to be able to stay at a regional for your entire career (ask the poor folks at COMAIR, plenty of lifers there).

Non-airline (possibly regional). You would not be competitive for the better business aviation jobs either. Keep in mind that in aviation many jobs totally suck, and people only do them to build experience to move on. IMO if you don't get one of the better jobs, this career is not worth staying in (assuming you have normal lifestyle requirements like home, car, family, money, time off)

They will get the job done. You can probably save money and learn more at a small local school (live at home, try to keep your job at least part time).

WARNING: Don't go into debt. At your age with lack of degree you really need to be independently wealthy to seriously consider this, otherwise you're looking at abject poverty for 5+ years, and again after age 65.