Starting my Aviation career late!!
 

ok so i went to an aviation school wanting to fly but i got way to much interested in management and working for FAA / Airport Manager / ATC (my school is an ATC-TI rated) and now i want to go into flying so im graduating next year in the spring of 2010 by then i will have my PPL and im gonna have my degree in aviation management by that time im going to have a call from Oklahoma to go to atc school which i am going to take the chance to see if i get hired, if all goes bad i will check into faa jobs and A/P Mngt. As an alumni in the school I have privilege of renting an instructor/plane and finishing up my ratings and what not. should I work and take advantage of having the flight course on the side or go directly to some "SPECIALIZED SCHOOL" like atp not work and get my ratings fast? im not planning to instruct to build time but im going to fly X county every weekend with spare cash after I am done getting my IL/COM/Multi which by that time im going to be on top with my job wage and hopefully this recession ends what are your opinions with this idea?

my overall goal is that when i retire early work for 20 years get my pension i want to land a job with a regional or maybe an airline with all the hours im going to accumulate (dont know if this is feasable because i "assume" starting pilots start at regionals) so i need opinions on this!!!!!:)

You may want to rethink the idea of going to a specialized school. I realize that they get you through your rating quick, but word around town is that it isn't the best instruction. Now I don't have expertise regarding school like FlightSafety and ATP but thats just what I heard. Not to mention the cost. The other thing is that I feel a regional would be much more willing to hire someone who has been a CFI rather then someone who flies every weekend(not to mention flying every weekend will be rather expensive). CFI's are always challenged and always stay refreshed with materiel. Coincidentally you would be flying a few days a week and getting paid to do it. This is also a way to build time. Anyways, just some of my thoughts..good luck!

--andre

Ratings and Time Building
 

Well everybody is different about how they go about getting their ratings and certificates. There is no right way and no wrong way, except maybe not doing them.

So, if you can afford ATP or FlightSafety, then do it. They get you through fast but they are expensive.

If you would rather go through your local FBO, then that is fine too. It is cheaper but takes longer. Remember, you instructor should be a good teacher and hold you to the PTS and beyond, regardless. No free rides!

As for building hours, again, if you can afford to fly an airplane x-country for hours on end...GREAT! I knew one girl whose daddy owned a Piper Seminole and she flew it all over Florida "building time." More power to her. If you can't and need another way of financing your flying consider:

- flight instructing
- ferry airplanes
- air freight
- demo flying

to name a few. Again there are a lot of choices...just pick the one that works for you!

Finally, now is the time to do it. When things spin up again, which I think they will, now is the time to start getting your ratings and building time!

To Your Flying Success...

Jeffrey