Engineer413

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.

Slats

Being a pilot is a great job. In fact, I've never wanted to so anything else. However, I did get my 4yr degree outside of aviation. I urge you to do the same. You never know, you might lose a medical down the road, get furloughed mid to late 40s and starting over at a regional at yr 1 isn't an option financially 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.

rickair7777

$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.

Engineer413

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.

kingsnake2

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.

PotatoChip

I am one because I didn't know then what I know now. I don't regret becoming a pilot. Flying an airplane for a living is an amazing way to make ends meet, but sometimes I have been lucky to do that. Other times I haven't even been able to do that. I have seen several friends and co-workers go into bankruptcy after furloughs and layoffs. There is no commensurate transition for pilots in the 121/135 world after a layoff either. You lose everything you have gained by being the best employee you could be. It means NOTHING. That's maddening. 10,000 hours of flight time, 44 years old and suddenly you are working at a regional for $19,000 on rsv while commuting? I have seen this happen to people!

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."

JamesNoBrakes

I wouldn't trade being a pilot for anything.

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.

Engineer413

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.