crossroader10

Hello everyone,

This is my first time posting here. Please forgive me if I have posted in the wrong place, I do not know where to post these question since I can't find a general question/discussion section of this forum.

I am an aspiring pilot ever since I discovered my love for airplanes, so I have decided to be a pilot no matter what. The family's fine with the idea and supporting me with the condition that I get a degree before anything else towards flying, which I actually have nothing against. I want to get a degree which could give me a decent job fallback in case I get laid-off or if I won't make it through a physical exam. It would really hurt if this would happen to me since I see nothing else in my future but to fly, but we can't be certain of what may happen.

I am at a local CC now and am transferring to a university to study engineering. I know for a fact that all degrees would have a difficulty in them at some point, but engineering can be a tough major to go into. I chose this major primarily because I like math, a little science and I am a technical type of person. However, I am having some struggles with my physics classes which led me to think if it is worth doing engineering if my end goal is to be a commercial pilot.

I am currently looking to switch into accounting. I am starting to discover that I may be more interested in business (but I still love math though!). The thing is I might be able to finish early with majoring in accounting which gives me an earlier time to start saving up for my flight training courses, and earlier time to earn flying hours, but before that, I think I might still need to get a Master's and definitely a CPA license to make the most out of my major.

To make the story short, should I:

-finish engineering, which would take possibly 3 years+ get a job and do flight training on my way to a CPL?

or
-do accounting (might take me 2 years to finish)+ get a job, while reviewing for CPA license and accumulating experience or get MBA while working at the same time, using my salary for flight training?

Also, which of the two majors would be more useful in management positions in the aviation industry in case I would decide to move up the ladder if I may no longer be qualified to fly or in order to still be in the aviation business? I think knowing this is important as well in considering a major before flying. I'm choosing a major outside of aviation industry to keep options open as well.

Thank you and sorry for the long post. I apologize if I posted this in the wrong area and if it is, please move it to the appropriate place.

I hope I could hear from you!

rotorhead1026

I've got a BSME myself, but know that the country is screaming for CPA's. It's actually a much better career choice than pilot (or engineer), but if you insist on flying then the above is a great plan. It's also a real fallback option, as well as something you can set up on the side and do on your (few) days off once you start your flying career.

Thrill

Although the world needs a lot more engineers than CPA's, the CPA choice is likely to pan out better, plus give you good "money on the side" options when aviation takes another nose dive (and it will). Definitely, get the degree first!

Good luck!

TonyWilliams

If you'll do "anything", you are eminently qualified for low wages, long hours, crashpads, and a long regional airline career.

At least you have been studying here. Good luck in college.

crossroader10

Thank you for your input everyone!

@ Sir Rotorhead1026: since you brought up your major, can I ask this question? How did you get your flight training? Did you do it before you went to college, during college or after college?

I wanted to know this since I am trying to plan ahead on how I would do this. I'm 22 turning 23 this year and I'm a bit worried that it might be too late to train to fly after I get out of school?

So Accounting would be a better back-up plan in case I would not be able to make it huh? Looks like it's time to redefine my major. I just got the news that I may have got into my prospective university. I hope I could still have the option to change my major.

threeighteen

I'm in almost the same boat you are (at a local CC, trying to transfer into an engineering school).

I'm fairly determined to get into an engineering school instead of switching into another degree though (which I view as a cop-out, but it sure looks tempting...). Like yourself, I did poorly in a few classes a while ago, which are not helping my chances at transferring. My advice: don't be too proud to retake a class, and if you really want to do engineering as a back-up degree, go for it.

Also, while it's good to be focused on getting a flying career going, be aware that currency of flight is key too. So it may be best to really push through school as fast as possible, and THEN start your flight training. Don't set deadlines for yourself. While it's important to work hard towards goals, make sure to sit back and enjoy yourself while you're on your way too.

crossroader10

Hi @threeighteen! Thank you for sharing your situation. I feel glad that I have met someone in the same boat as me who is willing to share their situation as well. So how is it going for you now? are you in an engineering school already? I see switching into a different degree like a 'cop-out' as well, but I am willing to take the switch if the exchange is having more time to work and invest in the flying career as soon as possible. I have already applied to universities declaring engineering as a major so if I get in, I don't know if I would still be able to switch.. But I kinda think too that accounting might be a better major than engineering if I am willing to pursue a commercial flying career in the case that if I get laid off or disqualified to work as a pilot, it's easier to pick up from where you stopped in being an accountant? at the same time, academic-wise it may not be the easiest major, but it shouldn't be as tough as engineering to be able to work on the side of studying? I might be wrong but that's how I view it..

I may have got into my prospect university for an engineering degree..so that kinda adds up to my confusion on what to major in now.. I'm still trying to sort it out.. It's funny that I am so confused on what to major in.. but I have one clear goal of being a pilot..

threeighteen

No problem, it definitely feels good to know that you're not the only one.

I'm at a community college, finishing up all the possible pre-reqs for engineering school that I can. I actually started at an actual University, but it was located in a town with almost no work, and the only airport did not have any kind of flight school or even instructors. So I got out of there pretty fast.

I definitely understand that. I come from a family where every male is an engineer, and some of them were pilots for a very large legacy carrier, with seniority dates going back to the 30s, and another was a USAF pilot, so for me to not get an engineering degree would definitely break tradition. It's very tempting though. I've considered physics, and I'm very good at finance, so accounting and business also appeal, but there's lots of pressure on me to go with engineering (which I also enjoy).

If you don't get into the universities as an engineering major, try getting in as undeclared. You can still take engineering classes and then declare your major after a semester there.

I'd definitely agree that accounting will be easier to pick up, especially if you don't plan to work as a few years as an engineer. It's probably a slightly easier major, but still will require work for sure. It definitely sounds like the better option now that you put it that way.

Trust me, I'm the same way. I can't even decide on which field of engineering to enter, if I decide to stay with engineering... there's so much I'd like to major in, but flying is the number one goal... it's genetic.

742Dash

Engineer or CPA? Pick the one you like best. Save 20% of your income for "play". Join the local EAA chapter. Buy or build an intersting airplane. Make money and enjoy aviation. Live a normal life.

Under no conditions chase a management position in aviation. For some reason mid level aviation management positions work out worse than being a pawn on a set for one of the Harry Potter films.

chignutsak

Have you considered the medical field? How about RN or PA?