Don't get me wrong. I too got a Aviation Degree and a business minor. Eventually I went back and finished the business degree. I worked several jobs and self funded my education as well. They did not have loans for flight training when I was in school. I had to pay as I went.

Aviation is still a poor educational choice though. Business helps you throughout your life in many ways. Other majors broaden your appreciation and understanding of our world. However being a pilot and having only an aviation degree leaves the pilot one a one trick pony. Not very interesting.

SkyHigh

 

I think that junior pilots at most legacy airlines today have a choice to make. Their jobs are not as secure as past generations and do not offer the same promise of a return. Even the better major airlines only offer FO's an income that only slightly beats that of a UPS delivery guy.

How are they supposed to feel good about spending a decade or two as a junior FO in the line of fire in a declining market? Of course UPS, FedEx and SWA are exempt from the above statement. However the next ten years could prove otherwise.

Skyhigh

 

Tony, Don,

Times have changed. You guys seem to be evaluating my statements based on your current situation and past personal experiences. My guess is that the both of you started flying in the 1980's.

The situation today is very different. New pilots do not have the same opportunities and will not enjoy the same return as you guys have. My suggestion is that you take a moment to consider where you would be if you were to be applying to your airlines today with the resume you had when you got hired.

The market is flooded with RJ kid captains. It is not enough to have jet PIC anymore. Competition is fierce and truly good opportunities are scarce.

SkyHigh

 

There are people out there who are very successful and have become very wealthy in their business pursuits. And a lot of these people do not have a business degree - in fact they have no degree at all.

Don't get me wrong, a business degree will give you knowledge. But, it is the spirit of the entrepreneur who builds his/her business by trial and error who ultimately succeeds. No degree in the world can rival first hand, real-world experience. And many people who are multi-millionaires went broke in the early years.

Many of the fine financial colleges offer great degrees. However, if the secret in attaining wealth and success is found in a particular degree outside of aviation, then why aren't these professors out in the world amassing wealth instead of teaching?

My whole point is this: success isn't going to be determined solely by which degree a person does or does not have. All of the education in the world is useless if the person possessing it lacks determination and integrity.

A person can spend thousands of dollars on advanced degrees of study in the pursuit of hoping to become wealthy. Or, a person can surround themselves with people who know how to make you wealthy. For example, if you know nothing about real estate but want to get into rental properties you do not need a degree in real estate. Buy the property and hire a property manager.

 

Told ya he was bored...

I got better things to do. See ya....

 

I agree completely A degree is not required for success. However aviation is a vocation and as such should not be offered as a area of study in college. Trade school is a more likely place for it. If one is going to college to seek an education then it should be in something that has value beyond auto shop.

If you are going to pay for a college level education then you should get one.

SkyHigh

 

An aviation degree isn't real work--it's just a fluffed up 120-hr vo-tech program. I can't fathom how anyone would honestly think it challenging. I didn't realize just how embarrassingly simple it was until I started working towards other degrees. Maybe the lack of comparison makes it hard for some people to admit it.

As far as worth goes, it's good for checking the "Have degree?" box on a job app, like any other. Definitely not something to pay private or nonresident tuition for.

 

You're simply a quitter like others have mentioned.

I have met about a dozen of these guys in the past two months.

A bunch of them are at one regional airline. They are there until they find something better.

Three of the ones that I met have already left after getting job offers at corporate flight departments near where they live.

It did take them a couple months though. They started at a regional airline to keep current and keep that option open if nothing else materialized. But their flying experience did lead to them finding a job where they can now have a car ride to their plane instead of commuting, and they will earn a decent wage.

It is called being persistent.

 

How do you call him a quitter? I don't know him from Adam, and this IS the internet and he could be some fat chick in Belgium or something. However, he did go back to school to finish his Business degree. He did start a real estate company. He does own a bunch of properties. How is this not persistent? Guys who live with their parents can go to the regionals and "wait out" until the big call comes. Not adults with responsibilities. That is all Sky is trying to say I think. Some things he says are a little militant, but I agree with 90% of what he is saying. Some of you guys know me by PM's, and saw how I went into a different sector of aviation. I have so much peace right now being home every night. I'll match my QOL with anyone. Some people think QOL is a Captains position at a major carrier (more power to you). Others think it is controlling your own destiny/schedule.

 

You guys are cruel! The whole thread was to get TM back into the spot light and now you guys are talking about degrees and education and stuff.
This world needs Skyhigh & TM, we know it!!! We just don't want to admit that we are all lost and don't know what to do if they stop telling us how this works.

"The MARINES failed us, because we could not run the 5 miles"

Distorted logic.

It's like arguing with a vacuum cleaner sales person.
First they get you down to their level and then they beat you with all their knowledge about carpets and how they collect dirt. You end up with a $400 vacuum cleaner even though you don't have carpets. DOH!

Sky - what do you do for a living? Where do you take the time for all this?
How do you not screw up your dayjob, with thinking of how this industry has failed you every second?