I don't think I've ever read such a ridiculous post. Here is a fellow who can afford to operate a multiengine turboprop and yet you point out how bad he is doing.

Is your own car worth more than $5k?


I think SkyHigh has a good point in regards to a flying job. Pilots will spend $30k+ on getting certificated in order to land a job paying $12k-$20k (average) as a CFI. We will then move on to a regional or small freight company making $20k-$40k after 6-18 months of CFI'ing. After several years of that we will upgrade or transition to bigger aircraft making $60k-$85k. A few will get lucky and get on at UPS, FedEx, or legacy and break $100k (for the first time) a few years after that, and possibly have a career to look forward to provided the bottom doesn't drop out again. For most though, especially in this day and age of farming out flying, they will be stuck at that income level for life ($60k-$80k). Maybe a few corporate guys will be pushing $120k flying the big aircraft, but you are on call a lot of the time. Not a great way to live a life.

Instead SkyHigh has gone from poor regional pilot to almost-retired builder in a few years. I think his point (hopefully I am not putting words in his mouth) is that what if we, as pilots, took all that dedication and money and put it towards something else, like real estate. We could retire a few years out of college.

I like flying as much as the next person but let's be honest - retire before 30 or work 70% of our life like dogs and hopefully be able to enjoy the remainder of our life on our meager 401k savings? Hmm, I know which one I would pick.

Now one thing I will disagree with though is that someone would be better off working as an electrician, plumber, garbage man, police officer, or fire fighter. Those types of jobs might pay better but if your heart isn't in it you won't like it. I am happy making ~$40k as a second year regional FO vs. working out in the elements 5 days a week. But I also have bigger dreams. One of the benefits of a pilot is how much down time we have. You can either use it constructively or not.

Whatever...
 

I didn't get into aviation to be rich...I did it because I wanted to fly and not be a ditch digger...

It all worked out...and now I'm rich, I have to go pay the ditch digger now putting in my pool!

BWP...out

The way the industry is heading, you can be a highschool dropout at age 16-17, finish flighttraining age 18, instruct for 3 months get hired with a regional, age will hold back an early upgrade so wait for age requirement. Then make it a career in the regionals. Making 60-90K as a highschool dropout isnt bad....

Yes, because there is an overwhelming majority of fresh college grads who are retired. If it was really that easy, everybody would be doing it.

So would everyone else, but life isn't like that. College grads, in general, hope to retire by 55, and are considered lucky if they manage that. Most people aren't even around long enough at a single company to collect retirement benefits, and those that are have their companies trying to find reasons to fire them so they can't collect their pensions in the nest two years.

There is no easy way to the top, whether it be in Aviation or not.

Here are some interesting numbers:

The average income in the US,
Without a High School Diploma: $19,915
With a High School Diploma: $29,448
With a Bachelors degree: $54,689
With a Master’s, Professional, or Doctoral degree: $79,946

This is according to a US Census report released.......March 15, 2007.

Yeah your right, you will still be making 60-90k 10-15 years from now when a bus driver makes 150,000k and is home every night.

Amen.

In today's day and age, if you just have a job that you enjoy you're not too far from the top.

I know very few people that really like their job. Most say they do but are so obviously lying...hell, I do it.

Ehhh... 150k to drive a bus?? Dont know about that... its more like 20-40k.

One way to look at it when you are working as a cfi or building time is the same reason that a student loan borrowed during college is considered "productive debt", thats because you are investing in yourself. Another thing about being an airline pilot is it gives you the mobility and spare time to start other ventures. I know a number of airline pilots who have made fortures with their side businesses. How many jobs are there really that you could make much more than major airline pilot while actually working for someone else besides a doctor or lawyer? Not very many. Not to mention, you wouldn't make six figures flying a plane until you are in your thirties (if you started early) and a surgeon doesn't actually start practicing medicine until around the same time after he goes to medical school and does a residency. A neurosurgeon whom I taught how to fly once told me he would have traded positions with me. Read the book "The Millionaire Next Door", it will make you feel better about being a pilot from the financial standpoint.

Why would you want or need aside business? I'm going to be an airline pilot and I'm not going to work a second job or have a side career on my days off. I plan on using the downtime to concentrate on my family, my friends, and other interests - mentoring others. My life will revolve around family and flying the line for the next 20+ years.

Do you guys have a passion for aviation at all? Doesn't sould like it to me.

You take the good with the bad and make your life work out....Thats what proactive people do...Reactive people blame management, the price of oil, weak unions, etc...They blame everything / everyone except themselves for their problems.

I'm not perfect or even close but I know how to hold my head up high and am not worried / concerned that I'm going to be a poor, uneducated, under employed professional pilot. If its not working out its time to look at myself and change those things I have control over...

-LAFF