TP, I think one thing to sort out here is this. There is a pretty big difference between an Aeronautical Engineering degree, and a run of the mill "aviation degree" with the emphasis that it is based on being a pilot.

Most "aviation degrees" are labeled something like aeronautical science, aeronautical technology, or aviation with the same science/technology moniker affixed to them. Sure sounds fancy. And although one may learn a lot, it's not really all that marketable. Sure, I know plenty of people with those degrees doing all sort of other jobs not related to the degree. But what I'm saying in this;

An ACTUAL engineering degree, regardless of discipline, is much more marketable than a standard "aviation degree"

Amazing Reality Check
 

My father beat all this in me when I was 17.( Lucky for me he was an aviation businessman and Regional Air pioneer in the 60's and 70's) Now at 50 with 24 yrs seniority at the same Major I sit next to dream chasers whose $$$ College Professors failed to detail the realities of the business.... But gladly took the daddy's money.

My total college loan. was 7500.00

A/P, 4 yr degree Tennessee, work work work...7 yr college plan. work work work. Turn wrenches, drive 200.00 cars, work work work. No pot to pee in, work work work...

Lucky break at age 27. FE job on a DC10 with toes in the sand HNL base:) Work work work and more work...DC10 Fe, 727fe, 727fo, 727fo, 756fo, 737ca still working but back to stagnation again:(

Oh forgot...now Im supposed to work less and take less pay to keep jaded pilot on the property with 2 yrs seniority. NOT

Im quite proud of my path. Hand built custom not like a store bought Harley.

You need to get this out to the prospects so I dont have to sit next to some 28 yr old sucking the wind out of my cockpit as his reality sets in.

Regards,

Still driving 200.00 cars, wait it was 500.00:)
Happily married
three kids
house I built with own hands
Worked on Christmas
Work most weekends

NOT a Scab...

Great site, well thought out articles. Good Job!

Just one pesky suggestion:

Someone searching for info about entering the piloting field will not search for "The Profession", but for "Becoming an Airline Pilot". If you want exposure and search rankings, you will have to use a proper noun in your subject. There are many professions, from the oldest one to ours!

Cheers, and thanks for making your research available.

You should put a page on the site featuring testimonials attesting to the accuracy of your information. It will further add to your credibility.

The advice about the Civil Air Patrol or buying an old GA aircraft sounds like good, alternative advice. Click the link on my website and write a few sentences about both (under 200 words) and I'll put it under the "advice from others" section of the site.

Well Done
 

Well done Global Express !

I think that this is a valuable resource for those thinking about "the journey" to a cockpit seat. I actually wish I had something similar to read when I was a young pup.

Thanks for a well researched and written source of information.

G'Day and Happy New Year Mates :)

Great Idea
 

GE:

I second this idea. As someone who has spent 30+ years "in the business", I would certainly add an endorsement to your website.

Great stuff !

G'Day Mate:)

Thanks Typhoon. Honestly, I would completely disagree with your assessment about an aviation related degree, but I'm willing to put on the website why you think it is GOOD to get an aviation related degree (i.e. Aviation Science, Aviation Management, etc.) in the "advice from others" section if you want to put a brief, <200 word synopsis together (see that section of the website please). I specifically say those 2 types of degrees are pretty useless when the industry goes into the dumps because that's what I have seen, first hand, at my airline concerning the furloughees that I have flown with. I also have one of those "Aeronautical" degrees and although I received an excellent, technical education AND it definitely helped me with my understanding of my craft, it's pretty useless if my airline liquidates IMHO.

An aeronautical engineer degree is an engineering degree, and that is one of the example degrees I mention that is a "good" degree to get IMHO. In fact, I know a guy personally who was furloughed and because he had an aeronautical engineering degree he ended up getting a better paying job at Boeing during his long furlough.

From what I have read from weebly, it takes more than just a title (no matter what you title a website) to get indexed by a search engine, particularly google. In a previous post on this thread, I put the fields that weebly wants in order to be indexed by a search engine. If you know what I should enter in those fields to facilitate indexing, I'm more than willing to give it a try.

I hope that the "advice from others" section will do that somewhat. I also put on the home page of the site that the reader of the site should read what I write, but also use other sources of information as well to verify what I write as accurate. At some point, I'm going to put links to popular, active aviation forums like this one, because I know that if a young pilot or career changer comes HERE for advice, he will likely receive good information.

Nice website!

This is information that ALPA, APA, SWAPA, Teamsters, etc. should be pushing out loud and clear. Our contracts are currently grossly affected by the large of supply of new pilots who are doing anything they can to chase the dream that doesn't exist--because there are so many chasing it. It's been a spiral down that will hopefully stop.

The pilot shortage of 2009/2014 is something the pilot mills (thing puppy mills) and job jocks have been pumping to line there own pockets. The only thing that the retirements will help is to get the industry back to a respectable position--if the industry doesn't pump out 2 more pilots for each of the pilots who retire.

The parasites will do their best to profit again by over selling the dream. It's too much like the TV commercials touting $1,000 a week or more working from you own home.