Hello, I am a 31 year old male that has always been fascinated with aircraft. That is all I have ever wanted to do when I grew up. But after talking to a Marine recruiter when I was in High School that said I didn't make the grades to be a pilot, I kept the dream to myself. Now 13 years later it is still what I want to do! I have a good Mon. - Fri. job making a descent 37k a year. With no education other then a little Tech School.

From what I read on this site most of you wouldn't trade that in to be in the pilot seat!?

Thanks for the input

 

You could probably do better than $37K in the regional world in the long run, but things to consider:

$40K+ initial training costs.
2-4 years of training/cfi work before you get the regional job.
Hiring could slow before then (especially if retirement age changes to 65)
Poor quality of life starting out at the regional.
Low pay as a cfi and as a junior regional FO.
No college = No major airline job ever.

Do your homework carefully or you will get scr*wed trying to do this.

 

I wouldn't trade a seat in the cockpit to do whatever the hell you are doing.

 

what cockpit are you in?

 

He's in the wannabe cockpit, which is the best of all of them. It's powered by future career delusions and youthful arrogance, and the windscreen is rose-colored glass.

 

I am in the same kind of boat. I was 28. Married. No plans for kids. Great Monday-Friday job. Mid $40's for pay. Easy IT job. I spent the last 4 years at another IT job working my rear off being field based earning low 50's working days/nights/holidays. I wasn't happy. Jumped ship to the current job. I now realize I don't like being in an office all day. I was sitting back in my office fhair on MSFS 2004 one day with my CH yoke and pedals when I made a comment about how I would love to fly...my wife looked at me and said either do it or stop talking about it. I jumped. Living your dream is an amazing feeling. You only live once. We know it will be a rough 2-4 years and a prepped for it. I double majored in college and have a nice shiney degree to hang on the wall that I will never use. Until I started flight training I was working to live. I am doing ATP's self paced program. Started May 5 with nada. Now November 1st and I have my private single and multi working on my instrument. I only go 4 days a week so it's slower than drinking from a fire hose. Loving every minute of it.

 

Go for it.

I'm a 29yo mom of 3 and if I can do it, you can too.

 

After doing a little research I have found that I can do everything but multi-engine right here in the town where I live. I'm not sure what the total dollars for the package will be, but the private is only $5,400.... That sounds cheaper then any of the ones I have looked at on-line.... Plus I can keep my day job....

 

LOL...

Whatever you do don't get a 100K+ ERAU education...Plenty of people out there with no regrets...

Look into www.allatps.com - you don't need anything more than the 90 day or 10 month self=paced. I hear 90 days guys have the scheduling priority. Overall the best deal out there...

Stay away from FBOs - they are a waste of time and depressing...

-LAFF

 

Yeah getting my CFI training from a guy who had trained exactly 100 people for the CFI before me was a total waste of time.

Plus, he had worked for the FAA and the Air Force at Edwards AFB, so obviously he had no real world experience.

Gosh that was a depressing waste of time.