Thanks cow0man, I'll do that! Is the age restriction for UPT not 28 in the Air Force? I'm asking because that's what the recruiter told me earlier this year.

 

Don't got to college for you're pilot quals. I wouldn't pursue the military unless there is no way to pay for your ratings.

You're 28. You could have all your ratings by 30. Eighteen months CFI then get on with a regional. Two years at a regional at you'd be at the bottom end of the hiring qualifications envelope. You'd be 34. 2022. About the peak of the airline retirement wave. Great odds of being hired by 37. At a regional you'd probably have 5000 hrs TT and have upgraded. At aa AA WO the timeline to transition to AA could be estimated. You can apply to any other airline in that time.

If you got hired at AA at 37 you'd retire around #540 if you got hired today. Hired at 40 today would retire about #850. That will change by the time you get hired and probably for the worse. That's a large w/b line holder. Monthly value of over $30,000. That's what indecision or delays will cost you.

Going to a four year college, instead of straight to a flight school for your ratings, will cost you about 30 months, or roughly a million dollars, at the end of your career. That's why guys are saying 'skip going to Riddle'.

 

^^^True story.

Just keep in mind that everything could change.

 

I just checked that out, and it lists the fleet and domiciles, but not what aircraft is based at what domicile. That did give me a good idea of income though, thanks!

 

Yeah, I am starting to realize that my plan to go to Embry-Riddle to get the quals isn't the best. I priced out a flight school between Annapolis and DC, and to get private pilot, instrument, commercial, flight instructor, and instrument instructor would be $40,134.10, assuming everything goes as planned. That would give me 209.5 hours, assuming that I did just the minimums. Would any other ratings be needed for a regional? I know in Europe they have airline-run programs to give people ratings, do US airlines do anything like this? Also I was considering the Army National Guard, but at the same time not because I would prefer fixed wing and not rotary wing so that I could build fixed wing time.

What do you mean "If [I] got hired by AA at 37 [I'd] retire around #540?" What is the "#540?" Do they really make $30,000 per month? If so, forget my back-up plan of looking into law schools!

So are you saying to look at atpflightschool.com like PotatoChip recommended?

Thanks for your input Sliceback!

 

The only thing that stays the same is change!

 

You don't need your CFII (instrument instructor) to start working. Just comm/inst and CFI. The next most common rating is your multi engine license.

Yes, top end pay and retirement is $30,000. You only get that if your near the top of the seniority list. But n/b CA's can pull down close to $25,000 a month.
That, and the time off, is why the job is so attractive.

The #540 and #850? We have about 14,700 pilots. It doesn't matter how smart, intelligent, good looking, or stupid dumb and lazy the next pilot hired is, he becomes #14,701. You can't choose other jobs, like 777 FO, or A320 CA, until your seniority improves. Asguys retireyour number improves. A 37 yo hired today would retire around #540. A 40 yo hired today would retire around #850. The longer you spend in the lower numbers the more options and pay you'll have throughout your career.

You'll end up with 209.5 hrs?? This isn't a laser defined path. You'll end up with 210-250 hrs. Weather, in-completes, inefficenient scheduling, busts, redo's, etc, etc.

It's straight forward but a grind - fly a lot, learn, study, be curious. Take opportunities but don't be stupid. Shortcuts are typically a bad idea. You can lose more by doing something stupid then you'll typically gain from the wonderful(!) idea.

 

When you say you have no flight experience, does that mean you have no time at all at the controls of an airplane? I'd recommend at least getting your PPL before fully committing.

There's no guarantee that you fly for a legacy making $25k per month at the end of your career. I have friends who spent years at the regionals, it tends to be a rough life. (I love my job as a pilot in the defense industry, BTW.)

If you don't absolutely love flying it's not a path I'd recommend--the reward is getting to fly airplanes, not necessarily having a great paycheck.

 

If you can do atp locally, and not have to pay housing costs, I'd jump on it.

 

Thanks for telling me the ratings to focus on! I did find a place just outside of Annapolis that is cheaper than the prices that I initially quoted, so I will look there. Is the multi engine required, or does it make one more competitive?

Does that mean that the $30,000 is your monthly pay while you're active and what you get in retirement, or only your monthly pay while your active?

So #540 and #850 are seniority numbers then? That makes sense now. I am guessing that as long as you pass medical you can keep working up to 65?

Good to know that I would end up with more than 209.5 hours!

You are right on when you said "you can lose more by doing something stupid then you'll typically gain from the wonderful(!) idea!" That is very accurate! Thanks again Sliceback.