GardoneVT

I'll spare everyone the obligatory speech about how much appeal aviation has. If you didn't share that passion you probably wouldn't be reading this now.

So, here's my framework for getting into a cockpit full time.

Work a boring yet well paying job in finance , saving my sheckels along the way.

Save up $200k. Use half to pay for training, park the other half in an interest bearing account whose payouts I can live off of when working on "volunteer wages" at the regionals.

Build hours, upgrade, then move on to the majors.

I'm 27 now, and have literally two hours of Cessna 172 time to my name.

Any constructive advice to make a career happen-including "forget about it kid" - is appreciated.

jumppilot71

If you are 27 and already able to save up 200k why would you take a crap job flying only to turn around and chase that money again? You'd be better served to do what you do and buy a plane.

GardoneVT

I don't have $200k saved up yet, not even close. Hence the mention of the age.

Toonces

Good plan. Once you earn your CFI, keep working in finance while you build your hours. Use your connections in the financial industry to find a rich person with a plane that you can fly. Try to support yourself with two part time jobs (flying and desk work) until you get a flying job that you won't have to "settle" for. Take the other 100k and buy a boat.

OnCenterline

Let's just say that you have a plan that is aggressive and optimistic. But never say never....

Beer:30

At least you have a plan, unlike the haphazard route I've taken.
The weak part of your plan is the regionals. That used to be how it was done, but ever since the majors began farming out their flying to the lowest bidder, it's a crapshoot. Things change and they will change, so be prepared to make adjustments to your plan.

ufgatorpilot

I made the switch from lawyer to pilot. I took my first flying lesson when I was 26. I continued to work full-time as a lawyer for the next two years while I got my private, instrument, commercial, CFI/CFII/MEI on the weekends and in mornings before work. I paid for everything as I did it so I have no flight training loans. I had no social life for that entire two years because I was either practicing law or flying or studying for checkrides. It was busy! When I had close to 400 hours, I got hired to do aerial survey in a 172. When that seasonal gig ended, I had about 1000 hours and I was hired by a regional. I stayed there for 3.5 years and left about 6 months ago for a part 135 job. I'm finally making *okay* money. It's still less than half of what I was making practicing law, but it's enough to pay the bills and save some money (unlike regionals). But I have no regrets! It's nice to have a job that I enjoy. But it took A LOT of work to get to this point, and I'm still not quite to where I want to be. I'm glad that I didn't know back then exactly how much work it would be. It will be even more work for you with the 1500 hour requirement. I was lucky to have missed that whole deal. If you have a job now that you hate, I think you'll have higher job satisfaction than most other pilots. That seems to be the case with me anyway. People will say that Great Lakes is the worst of the worst regionals (even though they've never actually worked there), but I enjoyed my time there. I was just happy to not be driving to a building in downtown and sitting at a desk every day! Anyway, a switch like that CAN be made, but it's definitely not going to be easy!