Okay, so heres the rundown: Im 21 years old, am going to be a Junior in college majoring in business. Got my Private Pilot's Certificate back in highschool but havent flown much since because of college/time/money. It has always been my goal to be an airline, freight, or corporate pilot. I absolutely love flying, can talk about it all day, and often just drive out to the airport to watch planes or talk to other pilots about flying. HOWEVER, before anyone starts calling me a "starry-eyed kid" who has no idea about what he is getting into, I do know about many( obviously not all) of the drawbacks and negatives with the aviation industry. And I know that right now the airlines are really suffering because of this oil crisis. And its also very apparent that pilots salaries seem to keep dropping. Part of me thinks I should be looking into another industry, particularly healthcare. I dont really have a passion for the medical field, but the industry seems quite stable and most medical professionals obviously do quite well in regards to salary. I dont believe I would mind flying for several years with lower pay, but I dont want to have to wait ten years to atleast be making a respectable salary--I am going to consider respectable to be $75k/year. I dont plan on having kids anytime soon and I dont want to be married until I am atleast 35--and then that's even quite questionable because with a 50%+ divorce rate, I dont really know why anyone would ever want to get married anymore.

So basically, what do you think? Aviation is the only thing that I have a true passion for thus far in my life. But is that worth it to shell out probably atleast 20k-30k more for the rest of the flight training and flight time I will need? especially when I'm going into an industry where regional FO's earn $18k a year? I'm just curious, but assuming I get lucky and get on with a stable regional airline, how well could I be doing after 5 years in regards to pay/schedule?

I know there arent any truly right answers to these questions, but any insight is appreciated. How many of you guys/girls would go into a different field if you had to do it over again?

 

Lowtimer, I'll start by saying that it’s a shame more people don't do the research you've done before getting into this biz. Love of flying doesn't necessarily mean you need to be an airline pilot, and I'm glad you realize that.

The flying you do in the airline biz is NOT the flying you do in a Cessna, period. It's a different game all together. Yea, some of the planes are pretty big and shiny, but when it's all said and done you are sitting on your ass going back and forth for days at a time and spending several nights in a row away from your home and family. It may sound cynical, but I think you should understand what the JOB itself is before you commit to it.

As for the expense of training, you may want to consider a few years as a CFI to build hours at the sub ~25k/year pay range as well now that the regionals have basically stopped hiring.

You say "I absolutely love flying, can talk about it all day..." Ask yourself, What kind of flying do you love? Will you be doing that in the airline biz? In training you go up for maybe an hour or two at a time, learn a few things have some fun and you're done for the day.

Just remember that you CAN be a pilot AND not work for the airlines. Nothing prevents you from being successful outside of the aviation industry and owning your own aircraft that you can go have some real fun with on the weekends. You certainly won’t be able to do that for many more years if you decide to make aviation your career.

 

Lowtimer, I see your reasoning toward a secondary career in health because it makes financial sense. But entering a field with so little latent interest in it seems folly to me. I won't comment on airline flying since I am not in that business, but I find a happy medium between wanting to be a career pilot and the well known vicissitudes of the airline industry by designing aircraft systems for a living during the day, and teaching flying in my spare time. The engineering business is tedious at times true, but it is interesting, lucrative, steady, and sufficiently rewarding. I think you should consider a degree in something like aerospace engineering as a backup because 1) you need a backup if you want to be a pilot, and 2) many of the better pilots in and outside the airline industry have an engineering background.

 

I would advise you to work towards another field as you are looking at and continue with your ratings and get a cfi/cfii and teach on the side. It will help you build time so you will be ready for a hiring cycle. Right now the industry looks pretty bad- a number of airlines shutting down within the past couple of months and the big guys announcing furloughs. The regional flying seems to be slowing also especially as oil keeps its price high.
The good news is you have more than 40 years left to fly for a living so enjoy the ride.

 

Do not waste your time doing anything else besides flying because anything else is to boring.

 

There is other flying out there besides the airlines as well. I just got 135 charter job, almost out of the blue. While most of that kind of work comes from being in the right place at the right time, I think you've heard some good advice here. If you want to fly, but aren't 100% about airlines, work on your training, get your CFI/CFII/MEI. Meanwhile, find something to do that you can live with long-term. Eventually you'll be an instructor and can really develop some good contacts. From there, who knows what you'll be doing...

 

It has always been my goal to be an airline, freight, or corporate pilot.

Those are three very different animals with different demands. Folks who love one, often dont care much for the the others


I absolutely love flying, can talk about it all day, and often just drive out to the airport to watch planes or talk to other pilots about flying.

Yeah, I loved it... and I still enjoy it, BUT now it's a JOB! I took something I LOVED doing and turned it into something I HAVE to do. Flying on a nice sunny afternoon is the last thing on my mind when the wake up call comes at 3:30 so I can make a 4:00am showtime.



And its also very apparent that pilots salaries seem to keep dropping. Part of me thinks I should be looking into another industry, particularly healthcare......I dont want to have to wait ten years to atleast be making a respectable salary--I am going to consider respectable to be $75k/year.

Part of you is right: healthcare will ALWAYS be needed in ALL locations. As for salary, looking at your requirement for "repectable salary" of $75k, look at the salaries at the regionals (which you won't get to for a couple years). It takes 10 years at the best paying regionals to make your magic $75k. IF (and right now it is a big IF) you can manage to get to the big boys after four or five years at the regionals, you will be greated with: a pay cut the first year, a crappy schedule to go with your high seniority number, and $75k around the third year there (ten years total). And heaven forbid you lose your job after you have been working a while, because on your next job, you will be right back at the bottom of the seniority list.

I'm just curious, but assuming I get lucky and get on with a stable regional airline, how well could I be doing after 5 years in regards to pay/schedule?

Schedule should be pretty good, as for pay, see for yourself:
http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines.html
There is even a pay calculator on each page.




I dont plan on having kids anytime soon and I dont want to be married until I am atleast 35--

Planning on getting married? Plan all you want, but the only sure way to avoid marriage is to move to an island. But hey, good luck.



So basically, what do you think? Aviation is the only thing that I have a true passion for thus far in my life. But is that worth it to shell out probably atleast 20k-30k more for the rest of the flight training and flight time I will need? especially when I'm going into an industry where regional FO's earn $18k a year?

First off, I think you better recalculate the cost. If you just got your private, $30k sounds line the bare minimum to me.
Is it worth it? that is up to you. Is it worth flying all day then overnighting in Snake Fart, Arkansas on Sunday while all you buddies are having a BBQ and watching the game? Is it worth having to explane to your girlfriend (who knows you are a pilot and "says" she is okay with it) that you can't take her out on her birthday because you will be in Snake Fart again? Oh, and as an added bonus, your cell phone batteries die, she tries to call, you don't answer, and when you come home she greats you with "WHo the H@ll were you with last night when I called you?"




Flying today is like the girlfriend who gives FANTASTIC B**w J*bs, but is a complete psycho. Do you REALLY want to marry her???