Considering a new career
#1
New Hire
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Joined APC: Jun 2016
Posts: 2
Considering a new career
Hello all. I am new here and have a question about the pilot career field. I am prior USAF and was maintenance on cargo aircraft, love planes and enjoy traveling. I did read the top thread in this section "Considering a Career? Read This" but have a few questions...
I currently live in Thailand and talked to a pilot for one of the airlines here, he mentioned that if you don't have the funds to pay for the flight school, an airline will pay for it, but you have to sign some sort of contract with the company to work for a certain amount of years. Do companies do this in the states, or elsewhere? I just received my degree via the GI bill, so that part is covered.
If it's true, I don't intend on staying in Thailand, I don't trust the maintenance people here (or most 3rd world countries) to do their jobs correctly.
After reading the initial thread about the pay, I was rather shocked, but still interested since I love aircraft.
Thanks in advance
I currently live in Thailand and talked to a pilot for one of the airlines here, he mentioned that if you don't have the funds to pay for the flight school, an airline will pay for it, but you have to sign some sort of contract with the company to work for a certain amount of years. Do companies do this in the states, or elsewhere? I just received my degree via the GI bill, so that part is covered.
If it's true, I don't intend on staying in Thailand, I don't trust the maintenance people here (or most 3rd world countries) to do their jobs correctly.
After reading the initial thread about the pay, I was rather shocked, but still interested since I love aircraft.
Thanks in advance
#2
Not true in the US due to the abundant supply of pilots from General Aviation, Universities, Military Pilots, and non-pilot Military funding their training with the GI Bill. If you have any remaining Post 9/11 GI Bill left, you can use it to fund 100% of your costs until you run out (60% if you still haven't converted from Montgomery GI Bill). You're looking at 60-100K in training you need to fund.
#3
Right now there is reason for temporary optimism (for the next 10-15 years). There is a looming pilot shortage, driven by major airline mandatory retirements, which is already affecting the regional level so starting pay for regional FO's is now realistically $35-45K...still peanuts but maybe you can afford to eat something other than peanuts.
Major airline hiring should stay robust for many years (it will have to unless the airlines shrink dramatically), long enough for you to get established at a major and well up the seniority list.
Also...JetBlue just started a guaranteed employment track training program, similar to what you would see in Asia and Europe (except I think the applicant has to pay a significant fee for the training). This is a first for US majors airlines.
Regionals will now provide all of the costly training to get your ATP, so generally you only need a CPL-AMEL.
Major airline hiring should stay robust for many years (it will have to unless the airlines shrink dramatically), long enough for you to get established at a major and well up the seniority list.
Also...JetBlue just started a guaranteed employment track training program, similar to what you would see in Asia and Europe (except I think the applicant has to pay a significant fee for the training). This is a first for US majors airlines.
Regionals will now provide all of the costly training to get your ATP, so generally you only need a CPL-AMEL.
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,099
Not true in the US due to the abundant supply of pilots from General Aviation, Universities, Military Pilots, and non-pilot Military funding their training with the GI Bill. If you have any remaining Post 9/11 GI Bill left, you can use it to fund 100% of your costs until you run out (60% if you still haven't converted from Montgomery GI Bill). You're looking at 60-100K in training you need to fund.
#5
In the pursuit of a degree. That is the part everybody seems to forget here when throwing out that option. You can't just use the Post 9/11 bill to pay for 100% of your flight training at any Part 141 VA approved flight school. It has to be part of a college in which you are enrolled in.
Last edited by blastoff; 06-17-2016 at 12:52 PM.
#8
http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/flight_training.asp
Payment Amounts Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Payments for flight training vary based on which type of flight training course and what kind of school you are enrolled in:
If you are enrolled in a degree program that consists of flight training at a public institution of higher education you can be reimbursed up to the public school in-state cost of the training and receive a monthly housing allowance and books-and-supplies stipend.
If you are enrolled in a degree program that consists of flight training at a private institution of higher education you can be reimbursed up to the full cost of the training or the national maximum (currently $19,198.31) per academic year, whichever is less. You may also receive a monthly housing allowance and books-and-supplies stipend. See if your school participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which may apply for those enrolled in degree programs.
If you are enrolled in a vocational flight training program you can be reimbursed the lesser of these two costs in effect the day you began training in your flight course:
-Full cost of training
-Annual maximum amount of training (see annual maximum amount)
Last edited by blastoff; 06-20-2016 at 09:13 PM.
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