Skyboy

but I'm clueless about how to get started. I'm a sophomore in college and my major is marketing. I am interested in becoming a pilot with the intention of being an airline pilot someday (I know this will take forever, that's okay). I see you guys saying how hard a life it is and that the pay is terrible. I think I still want to do this. I have a couple questions though.

When you say "terrible pay", how terrible are we talking?
Does it matter that I'm not attending an aviation school?
At what point can I actually start to make enough money to get my own place?
And just any general knowledge on how I get started?

Also, what is it that you guys love (like?) about this field that made you want to do it? Any regrets?

EDIT: After posting this, I just noticed the thread above containing a bunch of info lol. I'll read through that for most of my answers. Please answer my last question though. Thanks in advance.

globalexpress

The Truth About the Profession - Home

rickair7777

Start with $50K of debt for training (add another $50K for lost opportunity cost due to not working in your college major field).

Then two years of flight instruction for $10-20K with no bennies (maybe $30K if you get a really sweet deal).

Then probably 1-2 years night freight in small piston airplanes $20-35K

Then start at a regional airline as a first officer (FO) for $15-25K. This will go up to $25K-$40K second year, depending on the company and airplane.

In the current climate, expect to remain an FO for 5-10 years, with slight pay raises along the way. It's possible that you could get hired by a major airline from this point, without upgrading to captain. Once you do upgrade to regional Captain, you will make $55-$80K.

Not in the slightest. There is a possible regulatory change coming which might make it somewhat easier for aviation college grads to get airline jobs, but it won't really change the normal path for someone like you.

Comfortably? Probably about 10-12 years in, when you are a regional CA or major FO. You could get a modest condo or very modest house as a regional FO if you scrimp and save.

Read all the info here. Finish your degree, You will need it.

Consider working in your degree field for a year or two before you commit to flying.

I always liked to fly, and pre-9/11 the career opportunities looked pretty good. Now the career looks pretty bad but In still like to fly. I have alternative means to make money, which turned out to be pretty fortunate.

zondaracer

After reading everything above and you still want to fly, start out by checking out a local flight school and take a lesson or two. See if you even like it. Then see if it is something you can afford. If you answer yes to both, work towards a private license first and then you can proceed from there. Some people start flying and realize it's not what they really want to do, and some people feel it's the only thin they want to do (and of course there is everyone else in between).

TheReelDeel33

Flight Training will be an expense. If I were you, I would find a way to set aside $6,000 for flight training. That should be about enough for you to get a private pilot license. If you try to pay for it as you go along you'll hit financial road blocks and end up having big gaps between flying time which will make you rusty. It will end up taking longer and being more expensive.

Once you have the money, research the airports close by to find a place to flight train. Just about all airports have at least 1 flight school (at least thats how it is in the northeast where I live). You'll hear the term "mom and pops" flight schools. Thats what you want to look for. I think that gives you the best chance of getting solid instruction. You'll see advertisements for places like "ATP" that will make you tempting promises like getting you in and out in record time. It works for some people, but it's really like being told to drink from a firehose. To much info thrown at you to quickly and it won't sink in.

Once you have the $ and a school, start taking flying lessons. Make sure you finish your marketing degree because you'll need a bachelors degree for alot of jobs (and the degree is more of a technicality thing... most places just want you to have one and wont care what the major is).

There is still alot of $ in aviation as an industry. Managers of successful FBO's are pulling in 6 figures. Air traffic controllers are pulling in 6 figures. Airline captains can still potentially make 6 figures (but if you work your way up the $ rewards will never equal the sacrifices unless you go through the military and transition right into a decent civilian job). Alot of corporate pilots will make over 100k (but hard to get. you will have to compete against people who are airplane/helicopter pilots and A&P mechanics. Not to mention people who personally have connections). Lead mechanic/supervisors can make close to 6 figures at privately owned/busy maintenance facilities, but I do not know if the same can be said about airlines. ***When you become a commericial pilot, you have given yourself a CHANCE to make a good living, but have GUARENTEED NOTHING*** Most of the good paying jobs in aviation are oustide of actually flying, so you might stuck in mom and dads basement for a while if sitting in the cockpit is what your heart desires.

bcrosier

Go to the local hardware store, buy a large wooden mallet. Take said mallet home. Upon arrival, remove any packaging material. Locate a flat, stable, solid surface (I'd suggest a good workbench).

Remove your {testicles} from your pants, place on the flat surface and proceed to beat them with the mallet for several days.

If you find this to be a pleasurable or even tolerable experience, then perhaps you are just the sort of deviant that the regional airlines are looking for.

If you prefer not to take this approach, read and consider the previous posts (and linked thread) very carefully and contemplate if it's really worthwhile.

I got in about 20 years ago before things went down the toilet, so I've done OK, but it is definitely NOT what I signed up for back then. I'm not sure I'd do it over if I had a crystal ball and the insight that comes with age (no offense intended). That said, I've made my bed and am somewhat stuck at this point.

clipperskipper

Talk to a National Guard recruiter in your area, or check out the warrant officer program online. I have several friends flying both fixed and rotor wing aircraft and they're all making six figures. You won't be competing with these guys for a seat at B6.U.S. Army Recruiting Command's Warrant Officer Recruiting Information Site

pilot1278

"If I were you, I would find a way to set aside $6,000 for flight training. That should be about enough for you to get a private pilot license. If you try to pay for it as you go along you'll hit financial road blocks and end up having big gaps between flying time which will make you rusty. It will end up taking longer and being more expensive."

+1.

I'd like to add also that you should avoid getting student loans for flight training as much as possible. Save up as much as you can and use your own cash for flight training. Do it part 61 at your local airport.

Finish your current college degree. The airline LOVE a guy with a degree, no matter what field it's in. Besides, a degree separate from Aviation will give you a back up plan should Aviation jobs not be plentiful and/or you decide to not go through with it.

I've got lots of info for the beginner on my site:

www.carlosrootscfi.com

snippercr

You should ONLY continue if you are absolutely in love with flying. If its that itch that nothing else can scratch, if shutting down kinda makes you sad, and waking up to go flying is almost as good as Christmas morning.

You will need that love to survive even GA training - especially if you go for your CFI. This industry will squash that love and dream. But occasionally... it will come out, and make it worth it. Maybe you've had the ****tiest week, but after a very helpful ATC vectors you to final and a supportive captain compliments your approach and landing and a few passenges thank you for the flight, it might be worth it.

I am an instructor now with an actually descent job (full time with great benefits). You will find that getting up to a commercial pilot isn't all that difficult, just takes time and money. Getting anywhere after that is where the real challenge lies. You are almost assured nothing without a CFI because ALL jobs want some sort of hours. Even simple freight jobs want 500-1200 hours and after dropping all that for your commercial multi, you will not want to buy any more hours.

But simply getting your CFI and CFII doesn't promise anything. If you do get them, talk with the school first and see if they will hire you afterwards. Otherwise you will have a wet CFI and 0 hours dual given. Just like the airlines, there are thousands of CFIs on the street with thousands of hours dual given who don't meet airline jobs. Unless the school you are at wants to hire you, even part time, I would be cautious.

This is the one reason I actually advocate the so called "pilot mills." Generally they need instructors and are willing to hire their own graduates since they know they have gone through the whole process. And even though the economy is slowly recovering, instructing is becoming a difficult method of building hours. Fewer students going in, fewer students to get hours. Again, if you go through your local FBO this is the likely outcome - not having any work with a CFI and no one wanting to hire you with so few hours. So make sure when you go for you CFI your school will hire you. Even with 100-200 hours dual given, you will be likely to find another CFI gig because that puts you infront of the other wet CFIs.

SOME people get super lucky and can bypass CFIing entirely. They either got jobs towing banners or dropping sky divers. Neither one of them I would want to do because of the repetitiveness. There is repetitiveness in CFIing but there is more variance.

So, there are my 2 cents. Most people I talk to (myself included) would say the this if asked the following question, "What would you tell yourself X years ago when you entered aviation if you know what you knew now?"

Most people would say "Flying is awesome! BEst thing in the world, but do not try to make a career out of it. Get a job in something else that allows you to fly on weekends or even own your own aircraft."

SkyHigh

Flying is great so long as you are single and intend to remain so. Don't care about how you live (because you will be poor for a long time, Possibly for the entirety of the career). And don't care where you live.

If you can accept all that (and plan to retire to an old refrigeration box) then you should be fine. Flying is great !!!

Skyhigh