Aquilotti1

So my current situation is I've been flying for AA as a flight attendant for the past 10 years. I recently decided to change my career and persue flight school to get all my ratings. My training start date is april 1st. This wasnt an easy decision because as most of you know seniority in the airlines is everything and after 10 years of busting my a** for AA as a FA I finally had a good income, good schedule, weekends/holidays off, 15+vacation days a year, etc. Now I've heard and read so many different opinions regarding regional airlines such as the flow program, if you need a degree or not(which I dont have), if 33 years old is too old or not ( my cutrrent age). The flight schools make it sound all but too easy to achieve your ultimate goal which is too fly for a major airline one day. Pretty much what they're telling us and please confirm is this is true or not is the following "if you start your training today in 9 months you'll get all your ratings done, in 12/18 months you'll work as a cfi and build up your 1500 required hrs to work for a regional airline. You'll definelty get hired by ANY regionals without a Degree since regionals dont require one. You'll spend about 2 years as a FO and 2 Years as a Captain at regional with an average of 5 years at the regionals level thru a flow thru program before getting promoted to a Major. Start pay at regionals is 50$ and around 80$ as captain" and so on. Now I know this specific example is mainly based on AA flow thru program regional airlines that carry it (psa envoy and piedmont) and from my understanding if you want to make it to the majors without a degree this is the only way. I could never afford a 4 year degree after spending around 100k $ on my flight training. I'm still very undecided about my decision and I could still back out of it so please enlighten me a little bit and help me out realized what I need to do here. Thank you.

ayson9

If it’s your dream job, go get it. It’s going to be a long road for sure, so make sure your hearts into it. Good luck.

Aquilotti1

So my current situation is I've been flying for AA as a flight attendant for the past 10 years. I recently decided to change my career and persue flight school to get all my ratings. My training start date is april 1st. This wasnt an easy decision because as most of you know seniority in the airlines is everything and after 10 years of busting my a** for AA as a FA I finally had a good income, good schedule, weekends/holidays off, 15+vacation days a year, etc. Now I've heard and read so many different opinions regarding regional airlines such as the flow program, if you need a degree or not(which I dont have), if 33 years old is too old or not ( my cutrrent age). The flight schools make it sound all but too easy to achieve your ultimate goal which is too fly for a major airline one day. Pretty much what they're telling us and please confirm is this is true or not is the following "if you start your training today in 9 months you'll get all your ratings done, in 12/18 months you'll work as a cfi and build up your 1500 required hrs to work for a regional airline. You'll definelty get hired by ANY regionals without a Degree since regionals dont require one. You'll spend about 2 years as a FO and 2 Years as a Captain at regional with an average of 5 years at the regionals level thru a flow thru program before getting promoted to a Major. Start pay at regionals is 50$ and around 80$ as captain" and so on. Now I know this specific example is mainly based on AA flow thru program regional airlines that carry it (psa envoy and piedmont) and from my understanding if you want to make it to the majors without a degree this is the only way. I could never afford a 4 year degree after spending around 100k $ on my flight training. I'm still very undecided about my decision and I could still back out of it so please enlighten me a little bit and help me out realized what I need to do here. Thank you.

CTPropGuy

I highly recommend getting some hours or even your private before signing up for the rest.

dead meat

Have you taken a discovery flight at your local airport? Before you sign your life away with ATP (or any other big $ flight school), take a few lessons.

I had a former FA as a student. This was at one of the big $ flight schools. Long story short, she wasn't able to solo in the allotted timeframe and was let go from the program. Based on the costs that they quote if you aren't able to complete the program, she spent a lot of money for basically nothing.

A other thing to consider, are you a quick learner? If not, then an accelerated program would not work for you. With those programs (anybody quoting you 9 months to get all your certificates is talking about an accelerated program), you have to be able to commit to flying and studying all day, every day.

I wish you the best of luck, but don't let a salesperson convince you that anybody can become an airline pilot. My first day of an accelerated private pilot ground school, the chief flight instructor walked in and told us that one out of the five of us wouldn't get through the private pilot course. Well he was wrong. Two out of five didn't make it.

I highly recommend you get your private pilot certificate at your local FBO and then see if you still want to pursue your other certificates and ratings.

Good luck!

Varsity

Don't quit your current job until you have some of the ratings. If you have 15 days off a month, why not just earn it all on the side? I don't see why you should quit your current job.

badflaps

Delta had an F/A turn pilot, she is retired now, flying a Tigercat in airshows.

CFI Guy

Do not go into debt for this career. You will need a 4 year degree for the better jobs. Flows come and go and there are no guarantees. Flying is not rocket science but it takes a certain aptitude. I would want to know if I had those skills before I signed my life away on the dotted line.

I would keep my job and use your time off to train as much as possible. Complete your private pilot at a minimum before you decide on this for a career (instrument rating as well if you can do it). If you aren't able to knock it out in minimum hours it's not going to get any better in an accelerated program like ATP.

Never hand anyone large chunks of cash upfront (which is exactly what ATP will ask for). Their tune will change quickly once you are in the program. They have you by the cajones and they know it. Remember, Aunt Sallie Mae will come knocking for her $100K (which will turn into $180K after interest in 20 years) whether you make it to a major or fly grand canyon tours for peanuts for the rest of your life (or drop out of the program entirely).

tomgoodman

Mustangs too.

https://dai.ly/x3r7cx0

DontLookDown

I think most people like the idea of being a pilot because they like traveling, flexible schedules, time off and decent money.

It sounds like you’re already there, so in order to not have regrets you would really have to define your “why” and decide for yourself that it’s worth it