DILLA

Heed the advice of what everyone has said...get the engineering degree...you will not regret it. I have been a Mechanical Engineer for over 10 years now and my job security have never felt more stable (in spite of the economy)...I am making close to 6-figures while getting my ratings on the side...if/when my experience syncs up with the market in the future, then I will consider making the jump.

If you're young enough, consider the AF Reserve or ANG...I have several buddies who are engineers and concurrently fly military. That was my plan also, but my poor planning killed that dream.

Good luck with your decision.

Engineer413

I just find it kinda funny that I post this on a pilots forum and yet not one response was to become a pilot or an air traffic controller. But I can't thank you guys enough for the responses! My whole thing is I wouldn't mind becoming an engineer if I can work for something that I like. My buddy graduated from RPI and works for Gillette designing razors... I just couldn't see myself working to design that or seats and other items I just couldn't. But engines and wings and other aircraft related stuff I can see myself doing with is why aerospace engineering is my #1 engineering option now.

Thank you guys so much for the help!!!

rotorhead1026

Engineering, then MBA while you're working as an engineer. Your buddy at Gillette will soon move into more interesting stuff as well. Wherever you work and whatever you do, you'll start with grunt work. Keep your head down, keep pushing, and get past it.

rickair7777

I'm not saying don't become a pilot, I'm saying there are serious financial and stability downsides which can be mitigated by having a good fallback position.

I know too many regional pilots who jumped into an ab initio program, are now stuck in the career because they have no other skills and don't really even like flying that much. Better to have another skill and make a careful decision about your desire to fly.

CousinEddie

It is important to remember that the Management teams throughout the vast majority of the US airline industry have done most everything possible to make being an airline pilot an unattractive proposition. How many airline pilots today want to see the kids follow in their footsteps? Very few. Many actively discourage it. The bottom line is return on investment in your education. The airline industry no longer provides it.

wrxpilot

Exactly.

I have a four year engineering degree (there really isn't a "two year" engineering degree, at least not that is accredited). After graduating, I went to work (as a mechanical engineer) and started paying off my debt and paid cash for flight training. After a few years, I was in a position to make the jump to professional aviation as a pilot.

I've been flying professionally for six years now. While there have been some challenges the past several years with the economy, I've always been employed and have had a couple of different cool flying jobs. I don't have any regrets, I love what I do, and would definitely do it again.

Engineering put me in a great position to start this career, and it's always nice knowing I have a good backup career. I've always been absolutely baffled by people that get a degree in aviation and become professional pilots. It is a terrible plan for risk management.

Cubdriver

This thread is definitely down my alley! I launched into an engineering career in '06 after getting an AE degree from a good school (it takes about 3 years minimum, average is 5). I then got interested in flying professionally as time wore on. The degree built some character and gave me a solid position in the professional world, but it is boring work a lot of the time and you will probably want out after a few years as did I. On top of that, layoffs are common in the aerospace business although not as frequent in the other engineering fields. Flying is lot more fun, and while it took me a long time to get around to flying full time, I feel it was worth having spent ten years at a desk, and I get a strong feeling my pilot pals with no degrees (or useless degrees) feel trapped in this profession. Even a good thing can be a nuisance if you are not careful.

Get the engineering degree and work in the engineering biz for a few years to pay off your loans, start your 401k, and buy a few toys. Then quit for flying, and you will have the best of both worlds. Watch out for wives kids and mortgages lest you get stuck behind a desk before that happens. But you need a degree and there is nothing better to do than engineering.

AirRomsk

^^^ Yup, what the man said!
I'm in the same position (minus the aviation job - working on my ratings right now), and it's a pretty darn good feeling to have your student loans knocked out of the way while paying for flight training out of pocket. The engineering degree can put you in a VERY sound financial position until you're ready to transition to the flying career

RunnerMark

I'll just chime in and say being an air traffic controller is also a great option. I have several friends who went that direction and NONE of them regret, in fact, they all love their job. The same can be said for about 1/5 of my pilot friends at best. I've had the privilege of spending time in a few busy class B towers and a center facility, and well, I was insanely jealous of the job, for numerous reasons.
Consider it.

USMCFLYR

Agreed - ATC does seem to be a great option for many.
On a different note than your experience though - I have 4 people that sit right around me in my office with ATC experience and everyone of them would much rather be flying than in air traffic.

USMCFLYR