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Old 08-02-2007, 03:19 PM
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Hello. I recently delayed my pilot training to work for an extra year and pay for training in full. I have been unsure of that decision lately as I am single and realized I could have probably made the loan payments. I am 26 and will; be 26 1/2 when I start my training again. I imagine I will get my first regional job when I am 27 or just turn 28. If anyone knows someone who made these similar choices and could give examples of how they have made out. I am concerned about working for such low wages through years when raising kids. I have been reading about 24 and 25 year old working for netjets and such and think maybe I waited a little to long after to school to jump into this. Any insight would be appreciated.
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Old 08-02-2007, 03:22 PM
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I am 44 and getting back in after many years out.....but my better half is very well employed so its not going to be a back breaker.
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Old 08-02-2007, 04:08 PM
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how much training do you have done? Can you work part time and fly on the side? or even full time and fly on the side litle by little? Even when working you should be able to find an hour here or there
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Old 08-03-2007, 05:38 AM
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Don't know you're situation but I think you desision is a sound one. You could as Cloud suggests, work full time and train part time so you don't have to take a huge hiatus from flying.
I went all the way through CFII/MEI working full time and flying whenever I could and now get paid to fly (that first flying pay check is great). There are plenty of P61 schools that can meet you're schedule needs.
Don't get sucked in by the big P141 schools and there so called direct link to the regionals. I know several Kids (I'm 41) who took the bait and are applying for regional jobs with over 100K in debt. Not saying it's not possible, just our local state school program that is tied in with a big 141 school is serving up to much Koolaide. I never financed a penny. My wife would have killed me.
With you're finacial skills, you'll go far.
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Old 08-03-2007, 07:19 AM
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I worked until I could pay for it all. I have had mixed feelings about the decision, sometimes I think I should have jumped in as early as possible. However, not having a debt was actually a nice feeling when the post 9/11 unemployment hit.

Since you are single I would probably attempt to start now AND keep your day job...bust your hump to train on weekends and evenings and knock out the ratings as quickly as you can. Your social life will suffer, but if you can keep your civilian job until you start work as a CFI you will probably be better off...you may be able to stay employed until you take a regional job. This would necessitate training at your local airport (which is often the best way to go anyway). This plan will be easier if you are a self-starter who can study on your own (if you're not, the airline biz may not be for you anyway).

Make a spreadsheet breaking down costs vs. income for full-time and part-time training. People often talk about one year seniority being worth $200K at the end of your career...this may be true if you make it to a good major, but is $200K in 35 years worth going into debt today? Probably not...if you can save $50K or more now by keeping your job and avoiding interest payments, that money will likely be worth more than $200K if properly invested. Plus you won't need an FAA medical certificate to acccess money that YOU save.

The big variable is industry dynamics...when will the hiring boom stop? Hard to say, there certainly will be ups and downs in the future and the big issue here is where are you sitting when the music stops? Better to be a regional CA than a regional FO...probably better to be a regional FO than a CFI. While I might not recommend a lot of debt, I would suggest moving forward ASAP if you are committed to doing this.
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Old 08-03-2007, 05:32 PM
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I have attempted to resume my training, but I live in an area without much flight training, and I wasn't able to find a reliable school. I decided to just save as fast as I could and spend it all at a school where I know flying will be the number one priority. I was working with instructors who had other full-time jobs and families and seemed to just be doing it as a hobby. I may try to start again, but it very expensive to waste blocks of time without making any progress. I am not worried as much about retirement as I am about hangng out for a decade of low pay through my thirties. Who knows maybe my financial freedom will allow me to pick and choose between regionals with low upgrade time, if any are even hiring by the time I am done. I wasn't much worried about until recently when I have reading of people in their young twenties getting very good job, net jets and such. Its unsettling to hear of others with a almost a decade head start on you.
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