Question for all civilians currently in flight training...

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12-29-2008, 11:20 PM

#11

AmazonChitlin

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Joined APC: Mar 2007

Position: PA18

Posts: 77

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzz

My question is... What have you guys seen as far as the amount of people willing to start civilian pilot training only to quit due to the huge cost and poverty wages the first few years?

I can only speak for myself, but I doubt I'm alone. I'm going through an FBO while finishing up my degree. Due to the economic situation, I haven't been flying. I talked to my old instructor however while still working there (he has since moved on to the airlines), and he said that there were still a large amount of students. Granted, most at the FBO would go for their private and that's it, or aerobatics (they have a "professional pilot program" but they don't push it like they do GA and aerobatic flying).

I'm excited to read others answers as the thread gets longer!

01-06-2009, 10:57 PM

#12

FlyArmy

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Joined APC: Aug 2007

Posts: 111

I'm going to guess a lot more people have turned to other options before ever starting than who quit during training, so there is no way to ever never know...but I do know one guy who quit a few hours into his PPL for that reason. That makes me 1 for 1 of the people I know who quit.

01-07-2009, 11:10 AM

#13

maddog81

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Joined APC: Jan 2008

Posts: 58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzz

My question is... What have you guys seen as far as the amount of people willing to start civilian pilot training only to quit due to the huge cost and poverty wages the first few years?

As others have said, enrollement has actually been up at most of the flight schools that I'm aware of. That being said, I believe the washout rate once in school is something like 80%. Someone posted the stat on here once but I can't find it now. I remember my first day "Aviation 101" where the class was full of new students wanting to enter the professional pilot track. Four years later myself and the guy that sat next to me were the only ones who had advanced beyond the commerical rating, with most people "Washing out" on the instrument. I have noticed that a lot of people enter the college aviation programs with the professional pilot track in mind only to change midway through to an aviation mgmt degree or something similar such as airport planning.

02-23-2009, 04:34 PM

#14

KeyLargoAir

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Joined APC: Feb 2009

Position: AT&T work truck

Posts: 2

Hey FLYARMY

My brother was a 58Delta Pilot up in Ft.Drum years ago before he died of cancer. His name was CW3 Russell Hills. Did you know him?

02-23-2009, 06:18 PM

#15

jsfBoat

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Joined APC: Sep 2006

Position: Lovin' life at .4 (ish) mach

Posts: 1,317

My first class at my College, one of my Aviation Professors walked in said: "Look to your left and right. Two of you will NOT graduate!" I then turned to the guys on either side of me: "I feel sorry for you guys!" Out of the 30-40 students I started with, I was only 1 of 4 that graduated; was the last one to do so. The rest have been CFIs for a while, and 1 is working for Air Net, I'm the last one to be getting my CFI. It was rough for me financialy, but I was able to get through it. Most washed out because of the cost, others because they went to too many parties (lost their scholarship and parents refused to pay for any thing more) and for other lack of maturity reasons, for some it wasn't what they expected.