Not sure if this is in the right heading, but...

I am at a point I need to make a decision. I have decided that, even after the nay-sayers and tales of the 'dark side' of the profession, I am pursuing my dream of being a commercial pilot. Here is my conundrum: I am 28. From a divorce I have some bad debt and am only half-way to my PPL ticket. I work two jobs and have figured if I devoted all my spare income (after bills), I could obtain all my ratings, including CFI in two years, or pay all the debt in two years. If I combined them, both would be done in 4. My question is this: is it better at my age to get my ratings as quickly as possible and work on the debt afterwars (my hunch), do both, or do the debt first and then the flying? I understand having no debt is key to starting in this profession, so it feels like a toss-up to me. Advice welcome. Thanks!!

 

Not to be the dark cloud here, but given you're age and a lifestyle that you are probably accustomed to, be prepared to rack up more debt as you progress toward a major career. I'm sure you already know this; your earnings will be near the poverty line as you build time through flight instructing. They will also be near our below the poverty line for the first year, possibly the second as well as you fly for a regional. Then when you are finally ready and have the time to progress to the majors, guess what? Another major pay cut.
I would say get the ratings first if you can't be talked out of this career. time is not on your side. I would think long and hard about starting into this at your age (no offense). You have YEARS to go until you're at a major, probably close to a decade. Please don't buy into the pilot shortage hype going on, that happens every 5 years or so in the news yet never seems to materialize.

 

Tough call, but i would probably tackle the debt first, especially if you are interested in airlines.

Many airlines look at your credit history, and use that as one of many screening factors to attempt to identify and eliminate reckless, irresponsible individuals.

Now don't started about how unfair that is, everyone knows that there are ways for regular people to have debt problems, especially lately (housing market, job loss, divorce, medical emergency, etc). The problem is that the airlines ABSOLUTELY DO NOT CARE AT ALL about giving everyone a fair shot (unless you are not a white male). All they care about is the easiest and cheapest way to eliminate as many bad apples as possible. Credit, DUI, driving record, criminal record, employer disciplinary history are all examples of things they look for.

If you just have a lot of debt but your credit score and history is OK, then I wouldn't worry too much. But if you have a lot of hits and a low score, I would suspect that you would want to clean that up before you start applying to airlines.

 

You won't be THAT broke as a CFI. Guys at rating factory 141 schools are earning around 30k. Also don't forget, there are many more options than just becoming a 121 cockpit drone.

Sure 28 might be a little late to start chasing the left seat of a 747 but there are plenty of other career options out there as a pilot where your QOL won't depend so much on a company seniority number.

What kind of flying are you hoping to get into?

 

You really think it's such a young man's game? I would think if you had your debts under control, all your flight tickets, college, and maybe 1,500 hours total time you could shoot for a heavy jet goal at up to maybe 50 years old but I am not sure. I would not do it. The bigger question in my mind is at 50 would I be able to accept crappy right seats at low paying airlines, put up with moving every 3 years, and be so enamored of a heavy jet that I would do all this on a shoestring budget and no hope of retirement. Given all that, perhaps the reasonable cutoff age is mid-thirties at this point in time. If I had a 20-year-old son I would tell him no way should you go into airline work, unless other options are simply off the table.

 

I am aiming more for the Part 135 Charter side of the industry. I'm a ramp rat now and I get fired up everytime a X or Falcon 2000 lands. Granted I know the odds of making it THAT side are probably slimmer than the right seat of an RJ; if my goal were the majors I think my decision would be clearer...I suppose I have the idea 135 would be easier to get into down the road. I'm also curious if A&P would be a smarter way to go and fly as a hobby.

 

Well, lets work out some times here:

Age 35- Pass CFI check ride, instruct for two years.

Age 37- hired at regional.

Age 44 - hired at major

Age 60 (going off UAL, DAL, AA average) - upgrade to captain in the smallest fleet type.

Age 65- retire.

It doesn't seem possible to me to jump from Capt in smallest type to the largest in 5 years.

PC12Luvr, if you are fully committed to chasing a career as a pilot then I say get your ratings and flight time AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! If this means taking out a loan do it, just make sure you make those payments on time.

Also, you will see and hear all about how regional pilots "live in poverty" but since you are already working two jobs and say it will take you 2 years to scrape up the cash to reach the CFI level I'm assuming you're already used to barely getting by. 3 years at the average regional and a guy will be making close to 40k. I can't speak from your perspective but compared to my $9.60 an hour job driving a delivery truck, 30-40k might as well be a million. And that quickly jumps up into the 50 and 60k range (if you don't get furloughed).

It seems to me like most of the pilots complaining about low regional wages started their 747 captain lifestyles while they were still sitting right seat in a Saab. If I had a stay at home wife, two kids, a mortgage, a BMW payment and a 60 inch flat screen I would be ****ed about regional pilot pay too!

 

You are the wet dream of an airline recruiter and contract negotiator. Good luck with you career.

 

Perhaps I should clarify my judgement: I am not ignoring the wisdom I greatly appreciate from you folks. I am under no illusions of a fabled shortage nor that flying is an excellent, no-complaints, get-rich profession. I simply believe that, while an engineering career is satisfying, I would regret not giving flying a shot. If my odds are so stacked against, than I will gladly walk away, "do something else and fly on the weekends." Thank you all for your insight.

 

Hey I'm almost 40. Also was an engineer for a living. Been teaching for a long time and always wanted to give 121 a shot. Well I finally did and I really enjoy it. If you don't get caught up with the politics and try to live in base, it's very doable. I was also torn with the A&P route, but ultimately decided I couldn't make that kind of time commitment. It is certainly not to late to get in the game. Realize that a lot of corporate jobs are more a who you know type of thing so start networking now while you work those ratings. Good Luck.