integra144

One can skip straight to the bottom where my questions are if you don’t want to read the bind I’m in.
My parents don’t like me wanting to be a pilot. They continue to dissuade me with how insecure the job is, little pay one gets, race and the responsibilities involved. They want me to be an Accountant or Engineer as they feel it is secure, they have connections in the industry. One of my parents is an engineer and the other is an accountant; both at large corporations. Not trying to sound snobby or spoiled, but generally, because of our families relative high income they support me in everything I do or want (got a new Lexus truck this Christmas), but for Pilot school they won’t support it financially or as far as I can tell mentally. My sister wants to be a doctor and they support her 125%. And when I wanted to do Accounting they supported me 125%They tell me if I want to do it I have pay for it myself which they know I can’t as I have never had a job, but I’m willing to find one. They will cosign the loan though.

They also brought up a good point, but it’s kind of racist. I was born in America making me full US citizens, but my parents are from Taiwan ROC; before also becoming US citizens some many years ago. Also they are your stereotypical Asian parents who mainly control their kid’s life; thinking they know best. They mentioned that there are no Asian pilots and being 5’6 I will never have chance. I told them that on this forum and others I was told the modern planes are fully adjustable because they try to fit all body types including women pilots. Then they talked about my race. Thinking on what they said I got to ask do Asian pilots exist? When flying from Boston to SFO connecting to Taipei on United the pilot was African American on the first leg and Caucasian on the second leg. And even when we took a Taiwanese carrier; I have never seen an Asian pilot flying for them only as a first officer sometimes. For the past three times flying Eva Airlines a Asian airlines from Newark to Taipei the pilot is always Caucasian only the flight attendants are of Asian decent.
MAIN QUESTIONS
What should I tell my parents to better understand what on want to do and be more accepting of it?
Do US Carriers higher 5’6 Asian complexion pilots? Born and raised in America J
How am I supposed to pay for it? I was estimated $30,000 and my parents will cosign. Also they say I still have to get decent grades being a fulltime college student in Accounting.

Thanks

vagabond

You have the stereotypical Chinese parents, who are no different than the Jewish parents or the Catholic parents or the Irish parents or whatever. It doesn't matter whether you are Chinese or white or black or polka dot or a FedEx purple. At the end, it is your life and your future and you hold it in your own hands. Being only 18, however, you should do what you can to do as your parents wish. After you leave the nest, you can do whatever you want and nobody will really care. Get a job, save your money, pay for your own flight training. It's not easy, but nothing ever worthwhile doing is easy anyway. [Before anybody gets on my case, let me say that I also have non-white parents and am a first generation American myself].

History is replete with Chinese-American pilots, starting with the likes of Lt. Col. Frank Hong and Lieutenant Wah Kau Kong. There are also many, many Chinese commerical airline pilots; I see them all the time in my many travels around the world. They work for both US airlines and foreign carriers. Right here on these boards are several Asian Americans.

Hey, this is my 2000th post! Yowzah! Or should I say Yao Ming!

Swass

What the hell is a Lexus Truck and where can I get one?

jousteagle

Take them to an airshow! No wait, that might scare them.

Rama

You will eventually find out that your parents are wiser than you realize. Get your degree in accounting or engineering then worry about flying. The industry is unpredictable and you will probably face furloughs sometime in a flying career.
Maybe you could do accelerated courses during your summer break-private one year instrument the next and fly during the weekends during the school year.

FlyJSH

Sell the Lexus.

Get a job at an FBO.

Mumms and Daddums can't stop you if you earn the money yourself...

NJGov

A wise pilot once made this fact very evident to me:

As pilots, we fly airplanes. At the end of the trip, we walk out and leave the airplane on the ramp. It does not follow us home, we do not bring the paperwork back to review, we are not assigned to fix things or create special projects. You don't think very much about your job until the next duty start time.

How many other jobs do you know where nothing is ever brought home? Answer: Not very many, and certainly not an accountant or engineer.

What to say: tell your parents you value quality of life over the money and while you realize the hardships involved you are prepared to accept them and make smart financial decisions along the way.

That's a start anyway, hope it helps.

Planespotta

Check your PMs, integra144

FrankCobretti

My parents were dead set against my joining the profession, as well. Further, they didn't have any money to withhold.

So I took control of my life the old-fashioned way. I put my right hand in the air, got a silly buzz cut, and learned how to march. Uncle Sam paid for my college, taught me to fly, then paid me to accrue enough hours to get a job with a legacy carrier.

I've flown with enough Asian-American pilots that I was surprised to hear about your parents' racially-based concerns. Those concerns have no basis in fact. (btw, I've trained pilots who are five feet tall with no problem at all.)

Here's how I'd play it, if I were you: take their money and get that degree in engineering or accounting. As another poster said, you need a fallback to survive furloughs, layoffs, depressions, etc. Then go to one of the civilian flight academies or officer's candidate school and live your dream.

pete2800

I second this question.