young hs grad here looking for some guidence
#12
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Joined APC: Nov 2016
Position: 6th place
Posts: 1,826
Yep. I've had a great ride so far and have been super lucky but if I could go back I would 100% try for med school.
I don't like the unknowns about this career (oil, terrorism, me3/NAI, pilotless, etc). If I knew my career would pan out the way it looks like that'd be different, but obviously that's impossible.
#13
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Joined APC: Feb 2017
Posts: 7
But in all seriousness, Thank you all for your advice and support. I got to hear some great great advice here, as well as what you guys have gone through to get where you are.
#14
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Joined APC: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,169
I actually wasn't being funny. Stay away from this business, it will never love you as much as you love it. Unless you want to be a career drone pilot, the odds are not in your favor going the military route.
#15
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Joined APC: Apr 2016
Posts: 376
One of my mentors says the first piece of advice he gives is "take any other job but airline pilot".... but none of us are listening...
#16
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Joined APC: Jul 2016
Posts: 463
Kid, don't listen to Grumble and don't listen to the negativity on these forums from some. Being a pilot, civilian or military is a kick ass way to earn a living. Does it come with its risks? Yes, but which career doesn't?
#17
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Joined APC: Aug 2009
Position: A320 CA
Posts: 282
If you are graduating from high school this month and don't already have an appointment to a service academy, you most likely missed the boat already. Folks that are going to the academy directly after high school have already been working that process for a couple years and likely are in the top 5% (or higher) of their graduating class. There are a tiny few that get selected through other avenues.
Most direct path (with its own associated pain level)...Think about a four year college with an AFROTC program. There are over 1,300 of them either with an ROTC detachment or a cross town agreement with a college that has one.
Get your four year degree and compete for pilot training while you are doing ROTC.
Worst case, you end up with a 4 year degree, don't get a pilot slot, do four years AD as a support officer then get out. Best case, graduate, go to pilot training, but then you're stuck on AD for 10-12 years.
THEN AGAIN, the advice previously given to stay away from AD is wise. Enlist in an AIR guard unit, get college money, get your degree full time, then compete for a pilot slot.
A good resource at your stage: Go to baseops.net and click on FLIGHT TRAINING and JOINING THE MILITARY.
Most direct path (with its own associated pain level)...Think about a four year college with an AFROTC program. There are over 1,300 of them either with an ROTC detachment or a cross town agreement with a college that has one.
Get your four year degree and compete for pilot training while you are doing ROTC.
Worst case, you end up with a 4 year degree, don't get a pilot slot, do four years AD as a support officer then get out. Best case, graduate, go to pilot training, but then you're stuck on AD for 10-12 years.
THEN AGAIN, the advice previously given to stay away from AD is wise. Enlist in an AIR guard unit, get college money, get your degree full time, then compete for a pilot slot.
A good resource at your stage: Go to baseops.net and click on FLIGHT TRAINING and JOINING THE MILITARY.
Last edited by kme9418; 06-13-2017 at 07:53 PM. Reason: added info
#18
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Joined APC: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,169
Are you drunk? No business will love you as much as you love it. Yet no other job pays as much for as little "work" as being an airline pilot, unless you are Kim Kardashian. Gheezus young kid has aspirations to be a pilot like you and I did when we were young. Besides, I'd hardly call flying 300agl low levels to airdrops and landing on assault strips being a drone pilot in my niche. Is it a risk going active duty, yes, but hence why we mentioned the guard.
Kid, don't listen to Grumble and don't listen to the negativity on these forums from some. Being a pilot, civilian or military is a kick ass way to earn a living. Does it come with its risks? Yes, but which career doesn't?
Kid, don't listen to Grumble and don't listen to the negativity on these forums from some. Being a pilot, civilian or military is a kick ass way to earn a living. Does it come with its risks? Yes, but which career doesn't?
Manage your expectations kid. Yes it an awesome job, but have a back up plan.
#19
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Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: Window seat
Posts: 5,157
It's such a terrible career even the junior guys at a major airline rarely quit. One a year? Two? If even that much?
Guys would ask "why do the furloughees come back?" It's simple, it was better than the other options.
Guys would ask "why do the furloughees come back?" It's simple, it was better than the other options.
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