College student looking to become pilot
06-01-2015, 06:36 PM
#11
On Reserve
Joined APC: Feb 2015
Posts: 21
Originally Posted by MbusiHlatsh
Hi, I am in my second year of college working towards a computer science degree. I have a few questions . Would it be reasonable to expect to be able to hold a side part time job while working as a FO at a regional? For example I am planning on doing software engineering for a few years after college to pay off my college loans and saving up some money to pay for flight school.. (looking into ATP any suggestions?). When I've finally made it to the right seat I would like to have a side job doing some contract work as a freelance software engineer. Also wondering, if that's not possible how is it possible to survive off the first year pay at some of these regionals? ($20,000) What would you say is the number one factor that goes into deciding which regional to fly for until you can upgrade and get to a legacy?
06-01-2015, 07:28 PM
#12
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2010
Position: Reverse Cowgirl
Posts: 545
Probably half the FOs I've flown with have some sort of side job/business from owning restaurant chains to delivering pizzas. Quite a few I've flown with do computer work in the hotels. No reason you can't do that and go out to eat with your crew. People gotta eat.. not like you can't carve out time for that.
06-01-2015, 07:29 PM
#13
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,602
Originally Posted by sunglasses
I work for a regional and have been a developer for over 6 years. I started as a dev and paid for my ratings that way, and worked weekends and nights to build time to the ATP. It's a great way to do it. I'm making great money and just program when I'm stranded in the hotel away from home or when I'm at home and my wife is at work.
06-01-2015, 07:49 PM
#14
On Reserve
Joined APC: Feb 2015
Posts: 21
Originally Posted by NovemberBravo
Don't let this guy sell you a dream.
06-01-2015, 08:27 PM
#15
On Reserve
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jun 2015
Posts: 11
Originally Posted by SayAlt
By the time you'll be ready for a FO job @ a regional the pay will be significantly more than $20k/yr, IF (and that's a big IF) there are any surviving regionals still around.
That said, with your background, you should look at being a pt-time contract pilot and earn your living coding, not the other way around. Better still, make boat-loads of $$ writing code and go buy your own plane and fly it when you want to, not when you have to.
That said, with your background, you should look at being a pt-time contract pilot and earn your living coding, not the other way around. Better still, make boat-loads of $$ writing code and go buy your own plane and fly it when you want to, not when you have to.
06-01-2015, 08:29 PM
#16
On Reserve
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jun 2015
Posts: 11
Originally Posted by sunglasses
I work for a regional and have been a developer for over 6 years. I started as a dev and paid for my ratings that way, and worked weekends and nights to build time to the ATP. It's a great way to do it. I'm making great money and just program when I'm stranded in the hotel away from home or when I'm at home and my wife is at work.
06-02-2015, 05:36 AM
#18
MK Ultra Candidate
Joined APC: Feb 2013
Position: Prime Leader of Boko Harumph
Posts: 1,167
Originally Posted by MbusiHlatsh
Thought about doing something like that but my passion has always been to become a commercial pilot to fly for a legacy. I guess I'll have to see where life takes me.
06-02-2015, 07:11 AM
#19
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,091
I have always been a pilot but ran a web design and marketing company when I was a CFI and regional FO to supplement my income. "Back in the day" a decade ago you could make $2k-$3k per site knowing basic PHP/MySQL and SEO stuff, not like now where kids in grade school know code! I hit it hard on overnights and used the free time to make decent money, it was a great side gig that allowed me to survive the first couple years.
I gradually wound it down after I upgraded because I didn't need the money anymore, and when I hit six figures at my commuter I didn't want to spend my free time making web sites.
I will say if you like flying, it's a great way to go if you can live in base. You generally get a lot of free time, one of the perks of the job. It will also give you health insurance and other such benefits to use.
The hardest thing to get over is the beginning pay, if you can get through that it goes nowhere but up.
I gradually wound it down after I upgraded because I didn't need the money anymore, and when I hit six figures at my commuter I didn't want to spend my free time making web sites.
I will say if you like flying, it's a great way to go if you can live in base. You generally get a lot of free time, one of the perks of the job. It will also give you health insurance and other such benefits to use.
The hardest thing to get over is the beginning pay, if you can get through that it goes nowhere but up.
06-02-2015, 09:07 AM
#20
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,091
Originally Posted by knobcrk
First year I did it by crashing with parents, spending more than my fair share at crash pads even on my days off. Walmart. My bank account sometimes only had a few hundred dollars. Thinking back, if I was good at doing something else like you are apparently, I would not have gotten into flying. There are so many easier jobs where you can make 6 figures, even a guy at the TSA with seniority makes over 6 figures now. And actually if you google pilot pay the average has gone down to about 90k. It's not worth it anymore but if that's what you want to do...
The money is out there.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
