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-   -   To major in aviation, or not to major in aviation? (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/regional/1781-major-aviation-not-major-aviation.html)

KiloAlpha 12-08-2005 04:22 PM

What happens when you lose your medical, then what are you gonna do with you big fancy aviation degree... absolutely nothing except teach aviation perhaps. Or I suppose you could the executive fry cook at BK.

Ask the ol' timers who majored in aviation and they will tell you that they wished they majored in something else. I majored in "flight technology" for 2 semester then decided it was a complete waste of time and money. Plus it makes you rather one dimensional, wouldn't you like to know things outside the world of aviation?? There's more out there in this world than lift, weight, thrust, and drag.

I now major in business management and I can guarantee you that when I graduate (1 week yay) I will know more aviation based information than 90% of the guys who come out of a pilot factory. Granted, I have had a lot of training from a former Air Force pilot (now the captain I fly with in the King Air), but the point still remains.

nick@FL350 12-08-2005 04:31 PM

I disagree. What the hell is the point of getting an education in something you don't plan on using in your field of profession? Myself personally have decided that aviation is an all or nothing committment. It's not like if you loose your medical that you have nothing to look foward to. There are plenty of other jobs that allow your previous experience to be used in the future. In my case i majored in Professional Aeronautics and am minoring in Safety so that I have other possibilities in the FAA or the NTSB. Just my 2 cents.

KiloAlpha 12-08-2005 04:33 PM

Notice the only supporter of this path are those individuals currently in the assembly line at one of the factories... pity they can't see past their blinders.

edik 12-08-2005 04:36 PM


Originally Posted by KiloAlpha
What happens when you lose your medical, then what are you gonna do with you big fancy aviation degree... absolutely nothing except teach aviation perhaps. Or I suppose you could the executive fry cook at BK.

Ask the ol' timers who majored in aviation and they will tell you that they wished they majored in something else. I majored in "flight technology" for 2 semester then decided it was a complete waste of time and money. Plus it makes you rather one dimensional, wouldn't you like to know things outside the world of aviation?? There's more out there in this world than lift, weight, thrust, and drag.

I now major in business management and I can guarantee you that when I graduate (1 week yay) I will know more aviation based information than 90% of the guys who come out of a pilot factory. Granted, I have had a lot of training from a former Air Force pilot (now the captain I fly with in the King Air), but the point still remains.


Okay...First of all why are you so sure people with aviation degrees will lose thier medicals. Second, most of the old timers were involved in some sort of governement flying (NAVY, Air Force...). And finally what sort of information you are talking about that you will know more then 90% of us.
Not trying to start a fight, i just feel if i am going to aim for something (becoming an airline pilot in this case), i might as well give 110%. Grand it some companies do not care, but some companies will notice that you took some time and got an aviation degree.

KiloAlpha 12-08-2005 04:49 PM

For instance, they (not necessarily you) can't explain simple things that have practical purposes.


Here are some examples:

a. When can you descent below MDA/DH. Most people will give you an answer fill will umm's and ahhh; not quite knowing the answer. Maybe it's just me but I think that's a pretty important thing to know.

b. Why do you have higher IFR clearance tolerances in mountainous areas? While we are on that subject, what constitutes a mountainous area?

c. What is a VDP, why is it important, and how do you calculate it... another good question often not known.

d. How far out to start your descent and at what rate for a given A/S?

AND THE LIST GOES ON....


P.S I'm not trying to seem arrogant (even though I am coming off that way)

SkyHigh 12-08-2005 05:03 PM

Sorry
 
Hey man,

Sorry to disappoint you dudes but you are both kids who haven't really tasted the dynamics of the real world yet. Universities push that BS to sell their overpriced dead end degrees. We all like to tell ourselves those lies while in school in order to justify a four year leisure tour without having to get a real education. I am sure that there will be someone who will stand out and testify that an aviation degree is great, but I can assure you that my assessment is correct. The only thing an aviation degree might qualify you for is to manage a Taco Bell. There are also universities who offer degrees in professional skiing, outdoor adventures and many other play boy ventures.

Good Luck !! We all will need it.

SkyHigh

edik 12-08-2005 05:08 PM

KiloAlpha,

So what are you going to do now? Log SIC in a C90? You have to have something more then that going for you.

Also another thing you said which i agree on 100%, there is much more to the world then Lift, weight, thrust and drag. That is the problem going to an aviation college, because you have all of these guys who think they are the sh_, when in fact they have less then 200TT. Especially in present you would be foolish not to double major with something outside of aviation.

KiloAlpha 12-08-2005 05:22 PM


Originally Posted by Edik
Kilo Alpha,

So what are you going to do now? Log SIC in a C90? You have to have something more then that going for you.

Also another thing you said which i agree on 100%, there is much more to the world then Lift, weight, thrust and drag. That is the problem going to an aviation college, because you have all of these guys who think they are the sh_, when in fact they have less then 200TT. Especially in present you would be foolish not to double major with something outside of aviation.

First off a King Air 90 does not require a two man crew so I am not and can not be logging SIC time.. thanks for illustrating my point about understanding important regs :cool:.

With that said, I am logging PIC every other leg; so for the record that is turbine PIC if you're keeping track. Kinda a big deal in this industry, dont worry someday you will find that out.

As far as having something better going for me, I think I am in a pretty sweet situation; especially considering I am salaried with full benefits and making more money than a FO flying an RJ; let alone a flight instructor. I have enough time to leave for a regional, but I can't because I am under contract.

Plus that little turbine PIC dealy I was telling you about. :eek:

Plus I dont have a $150,000 school loan hanging over my head for a degree with as much usefulness as one in water skiing.


** Oh yeah, one last thing, my current company is looking to buy a jet.

edik 12-08-2005 05:34 PM

Okay I know the C90 is one man crew since it is less than 12500lb. Well I guess this argument is not going anywhere. I still think aviation degree will look much better then something completely irrelevant to the job. And I am not going to be $150,000 in debt, you must be thinking of Embry Riddle.

Best of luck to all

KiloAlpha 12-08-2005 05:36 PM

I agree we are going nowhere with this thread :D.

Also, MTOW is not the reason it does not require a crew. A B200 is over 12.5 and can also be single pilot as can some small corporate jets


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