I been considering becoming a pilot and was wondering which route a person should take to get the most money from flying without 10-20 years behind them. Also from your experience as a pilot do you enjoy it or do you wish you would have picked another career?

 

I'd get your ratings up through CFI, ASAP. Instruct to build time. And get a job doing 135 freight. A couple years of that and you'd be qualified for a career type air ambulance job, charter, or corporate job. I'd stay away from the regionals as an entry level job because the seniority system can make it take years to get to the left seat. Those years can be worth it for a younger guy, but the older you are, the less time you have to play with.

A lot really depends on the economy and hiring. Since the recession, there as been no, or negative, movement at the airlines, and the "upward progression pipeline", which is so important, ground to a halt. Also, the age 60 rule change has hurt the pace of upward progression. These things leave many folks who had greater expectations, upset about the career. They will tell you to stay away.

If you are in it just for the money, you won't last long. If you are in it to make big bucks, you might end up dissappointed. But if you love flying and are willing to make the sacrifices, then you may find happiness in the career. Myself? I love the job and would do it all over in a heartbeat. That's based on who I am, what I wanted, and my needs in the career. Everyone is different.

We have a forum at APC called "leaving the career". I'd suggest you check it out to see the downsides. If you still want to pursue the job after that, then more power to you.