Career questions/adv for a young pilot?
 

Hello everyone!
I am 14 years old. When I was about 8, I flew on a 767 from JFK to BUD. I dunno why but this trip definately sparked my interest in aviation. Ever since then, I've wanted to be a pilot. So this year, in April I started researching the career. Learned about all the hardships, yup furloughs, regional pay equivilent to fry cooks, etc. But I love flying so much. Ive read everywhere that despite the hardships, those who truely love aviation love their job. So ok off with the backstory :)

I'm now 14, in May 2014 I started modular training for my PPL at the local flight academy. My father knows the owner (who is Albanian just like us) so I get some special treatment, free sim time, got treated to lunch. Okay enough of that but my instructor agrees: I'm very good at flying. The sim time has payed off. I have about 10 hours already in a small piper, have done cloud flying, ILS approaches, following VORs, etc.

So obviously I love flying. Would I like to work at a major? Of course! Would I like to fly for netjets/bizjets? Of course! Would I like to fly my small prop Piper for the rest of my career for a good pay? Of course.... but only if that good pay is from flying :)
Alright sorry if I'm making you grumpy pilots angry with my cheeryness, I just really love flying.

So if all goes well, I acquire my ratings, would I be able to CFI at 18? Like I said, my father and I are very good friends with the owner of the academy. So I do part time along with college I plan to get my degree a bachelors in Aerospace Engineering since I have 2 family members who work in that field at Pratt & Whitney, and it'd be good for a furlough.
So after this hopefully i'd have close to 1,500 hours.
So what would I do? Work for a regional until 3000-4000 TT and apply for the majors? I am very willing to be an expat if the US jobs are just terrible. So by my time (mid 2020s) Ill assume
The 777x, MAX, NEO, and 787-10 is in new service, 747-400s are being retired :eek:
So hopefully otto hasnt replaced me!!

Alright so if youre still awake from my snoozefest, thank you for reading. So, any advice?

>>>So if all goes well, I acquire my ratings, would I be able to CFI at 18?

Yes, I do not see why not.

>>>So what would I do? Work for a regional until 3000-4000 TT and apply for the majors?

You are only 14 so its hard to say what it will be like when you are older. With any luck, there won't be any regional airlines in the next few years and all pilots will be major airline pilots. You see Denny, regional airlines only exist because a few bad apples allowed them to happen. Then it was the rest of our faults (the pilots) for allowing them to exist for so long with such bad pay and bad working conditions.

I think its great you are so young and know what you want to do. I would encourage you to keep on doing what you are doing, your dad sounds like a smart guy and is guiding you well. Remember that while flying is a lot of fun, it is still a job and sometimes going to work is no fun. Keep an eye out for other really "cool" jobs as they come along too, you might find out you like something even more than flying (hard to believe I know!)

Good luck!:p

Denny, do you like gladiator movies?

Someone is wasting your time and money because none of those things matter in your first 10hrs of flying unless you just asked them to give you a taste of all different types of flying. Right now you should be focused on area work and patterns.

He's 14, he doesn't have to focus on anything right now.

Thank you! That regional thing is interesting. So if all regionals go kapoosh who flys the routes that need regional jets fly?
Not as much as I like turkish prisons :p
Oh no I definately still work on patterns. I asked to try VORs. I did want to get a taste to different flying aswell. As for area work, I have done steep turns, turns around a point, if thats what you mean

Thank you! That regional thing is interesting. So if all regionals go kapoosh who flys the routes that need regional jets fly?


Mainline. The ones that are supposed to fly it to begin with -.-


Oh no I definately still work on patterns. I asked to try VORs. I did want to get a taste to different flying aswell. As for area work, I have done steep turns, turns around a point, if thats what you mean

Stay in school. You have 2 years before you can even solo. And another year before you can get your private. Once you are 18 you can get everything else and then instruct towards atp mins.

But would mainline jets be economical? I cant see A320s being used on routes like PHL - JFK

But, everything seems layed out
Now a question
I read all the time about the stress of commuting. I dont live anywhere near a crew base, however if I commuted to newark (a short 30 minute flight) for an NYC base, would this be a good idea?

But would mainline jets be economical? I cant see A320s being used on routes like PHL - JFK

No it wouldn't be economical. However regional flying is less economical than mainline. I dont know the exact numbers but a 777 moves someone only 9 cents a seat mile while the beloved rj moves someone 21 cents a seat mile. Regionals were never logical. They just did it because they could.

anywhere near a crew base, however if I commuted to newark (a short 30 minute flight) for an NYC base, would this be a good idea?

Commuting is never a good idea. If you are young and single just move to base. Don't even think about commuting if you have the means to live in base. Living in base will make life at the regionals almost tolerable. Almost...

Well that all sounds good. I just hope the "demise of regionals" isnt gonna become the new "looming pilot shortage"