First Tour of a Flight School
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Position: Cessna 172
Posts: 48
First Tour of a Flight School
I finally went down and checked out Bridgewater State University today and actually really enjoyed the experience!
I would be going in as a transfer student from my local community college and complete my private license this summer before attending (save time & money). I would then get into Aviation Science and take the flight school as well. I would be starting off with Flight Instrument, then my second year commercial, and third year completion to become a flight instructor. The college part may take less time and be completed much prior than 3 years and I could generally fly more and complete my whole program sooner if I would like.
The instructors were really nice and they did not sugar coat the long process ahead and the time and sacrifices im sure many of you have taken. I did not however make my final decision yet in which I am sure most of you are going to say right now do not become a pilot. It does seem like a long rode in which I am willing to make for something I truly love. At the same time it is a decent amount of student loans (40k) with the usual risk of not even becoming a flight instructor out of school. I would work many jobs to make ends meet.
The experience was really good and they did not seem like sales people, they were completely honest with me in which I liked. Now of course is the hard decision. Im just starting to really feel like many people are not happy about that long rode ahead but why did some of you guys choose to be a pilot. I dont mean to disregard anyone, but post after post I hear the same thing, do not become a pilot, so well then why are you one? I know regulations and politics have changed but in the end you are still flying for a living. I know the hours, the pay rate, the challenge of finding jobs, ect.
I would be going in as a transfer student from my local community college and complete my private license this summer before attending (save time & money). I would then get into Aviation Science and take the flight school as well. I would be starting off with Flight Instrument, then my second year commercial, and third year completion to become a flight instructor. The college part may take less time and be completed much prior than 3 years and I could generally fly more and complete my whole program sooner if I would like.
The instructors were really nice and they did not sugar coat the long process ahead and the time and sacrifices im sure many of you have taken. I did not however make my final decision yet in which I am sure most of you are going to say right now do not become a pilot. It does seem like a long rode in which I am willing to make for something I truly love. At the same time it is a decent amount of student loans (40k) with the usual risk of not even becoming a flight instructor out of school. I would work many jobs to make ends meet.
The experience was really good and they did not seem like sales people, they were completely honest with me in which I liked. Now of course is the hard decision. Im just starting to really feel like many people are not happy about that long rode ahead but why did some of you guys choose to be a pilot. I dont mean to disregard anyone, but post after post I hear the same thing, do not become a pilot, so well then why are you one? I know regulations and politics have changed but in the end you are still flying for a living. I know the hours, the pay rate, the challenge of finding jobs, ect.
#2
Banned
Joined APC: May 2012
Posts: 1,071
I finally went down and checked out Bridgewater State University today and actually really enjoyed the experience!
I would be going in as a transfer student from my local community college and complete my private license this summer before attending (save time & money). I would then get into Aviation Science and take the flight school as well. I would be starting off with Flight Instrument, then my second year commercial, and third year completion to become a flight instructor. The college part may take less time and be completed much prior than 3 years and I could generally fly more and complete my whole program sooner if I would like.
The instructors were really nice and they did not sugar coat the long process ahead and the time and sacrifices im sure many of you have taken. I did not however make my final decision yet in which I am sure most of you are going to say right now do not become a pilot. It does seem like a long rode in which I am willing to make for something I truly love. At the same time it is a decent amount of student loans (40k) with the usual risk of not even becoming a flight instructor out of school. I would work many jobs to make ends meet.
The experience was really good and they did not seem like sales people, they were completely honest with me in which I liked. Now of course is the hard decision. Im just starting to really feel like many people are not happy about that long rode ahead but why did some of you guys choose to be a pilot. I dont mean to disregard anyone, but post after post I hear the same thing, do not become a pilot, so well then why are you one? I know regulations and politics have changed but in the end you are still flying for a living. I know the hours, the pay rate, the challenge of finding jobs, ect.
I would be going in as a transfer student from my local community college and complete my private license this summer before attending (save time & money). I would then get into Aviation Science and take the flight school as well. I would be starting off with Flight Instrument, then my second year commercial, and third year completion to become a flight instructor. The college part may take less time and be completed much prior than 3 years and I could generally fly more and complete my whole program sooner if I would like.
The instructors were really nice and they did not sugar coat the long process ahead and the time and sacrifices im sure many of you have taken. I did not however make my final decision yet in which I am sure most of you are going to say right now do not become a pilot. It does seem like a long rode in which I am willing to make for something I truly love. At the same time it is a decent amount of student loans (40k) with the usual risk of not even becoming a flight instructor out of school. I would work many jobs to make ends meet.
The experience was really good and they did not seem like sales people, they were completely honest with me in which I liked. Now of course is the hard decision. Im just starting to really feel like many people are not happy about that long rode ahead but why did some of you guys choose to be a pilot. I dont mean to disregard anyone, but post after post I hear the same thing, do not become a pilot, so well then why are you one? I know regulations and politics have changed but in the end you are still flying for a living. I know the hours, the pay rate, the challenge of finding jobs, ect.
Get your ratings at a part 61 school or somewhere cheap and get a degree that will help you outside of aviation. Plan for the worst but hope for the best. Good luck.
#3
$40K for rating plus degree isn't too bad...I assume you're paying more out of pocket but hopefully not too much.
I would go back to the school and talk to some students too, and do it outside of any arranged setting. Instructors are often honest, but they may have ulterior motive motives, ie their job and income.
I would go back to the school and talk to some students too, and do it outside of any arranged setting. Instructors are often honest, but they may have ulterior motive motives, ie their job and income.
#4
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Joined APC: Nov 2012
Position: Cessna 172
Posts: 48
Absolutely I got some contacts today as well and few have flown in my family, one military route one regular route and both would not trade a day in there lives for what they are doing now, both flying regional. I will have a degree in engineering as well and experience in the manufacturing industry as a Cnc operator, press operator, ext. I will always have those even working nights, flying in the day if I have to to make ends meet for the first couple of years.
And well that's my back up for further down the road as well. And it isn't to bad I've read the stories of well over 100k in dept, I don't personally feel like money is the biggest issue.
And well that's my back up for further down the road as well. And it isn't to bad I've read the stories of well over 100k in dept, I don't personally feel like money is the biggest issue.
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2012
Posts: 352
Government backed student loans repayment can be super flexible. A good amount of them you can even pay back as a percentage of your salary, making payments small in the early years when money is tight, but more when you are making more.
Definitely spend some time talking to the finance/scholarship office about your options.
Definitely spend some time talking to the finance/scholarship office about your options.
#6
Layover Master
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Position: Seated
Posts: 4,310
The experience was really good and they did not seem like sales people, they were completely honest with me in which I liked.
How do you know they didn't lie to you?
so well then why are you one? I know regulations and politics have changed but in the end you are still flying for a living. I know the hours, the pay rate, the challenge of finding jobs, ect.
This industry is about luck, maybe meeting the right couple of buddies, and not getting a DUI. That's about it. That is what is frustrating.
Don't count on ever making a good wage. You just can't. Yes, it's fun, sometimes. I flew with a guy a couple weeks ago, and final approach into KNEW he said, "Isn't this job the most awesome job ever?!" I calmly said, "It barely pays my rent for a one bedroom apartment."
Last edited by PotatoChip; 03-22-2013 at 07:54 PM. Reason: grammar
#7
The experience was really good and they did not seem like sales people, they were completely honest with me in which I liked. Now of course is the hard decision. Im just starting to really feel like many people are not happy about that long rode ahead but why did some of you guys choose to be a pilot. I dont mean to disregard anyone, but post after post I hear the same thing, do not become a pilot, so well then why are you one? I know regulations and politics have changed but in the end you are still flying for a living. I know the hours, the pay rate, the challenge of finding jobs, ect.
That said, I'm not an airline pilot anymore, nor do I wish to be. It's a dead-end career IMO. It could "turn around", but it's set up like a pyramid scheme with too many factors that are out of your control. So I choose not to play the game. When I was in training, I thought getting a commercial certificate meant I could and should be an "airline pilot". That's the ticket and the line you hear the most, but guess what, you don't have to, no one has to. You can be a private pilot, enjoy flying, buy your own plane, etc. You can be a flight instructor, enjoy the new challenges that always present, get to fly to different places every day rather than being stuck on a route, and that's just the tip of the iceberg of things you can do as a pilot and connect it with employment...rather than just being an airline pilot. When you go to a "flight school", you are usually pounded with the airline "goal" so often that you can't really see what's out there and what you can possibly do in aviation. That's where more people should focus IMO. There's great stuff out there.
#8
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Position: Cessna 172
Posts: 48
Oh that sounds really fun! And I am sure there is a ton of other opportunities out there! Its just a big risk I feel, which really sucks because I would love to go to work this week flying airplanes.
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