pilot career...worth it?
 

Hi evryone!

I am a new member and am a long time lurker. what an awesome forum! i have learned a ton of great info so far. i am a private pilot, 24 yrs old, who loves aviation and anything to do with it. After watching the movie TOP GUN at 3 yrs old i knew that i wanted to become a pilot. since then aviation has been a huge part of my life. my question to all you professional pilots out there...IS IT WORTH IT???

I am about 3 semesters away from graduating with a degree in Geography and have just started my instrument phase of training. with all of the troubles that the industry is going through right now i am wondering if i have chosen the right career for myself.

Would You choose a pilot career if you could do it again? Thanks for your help!!!

Absolutely. Having had jobs in several other career fields I can say that flying airplanes (and the airline lifestyle) beats the heck out of working ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. Not many other guys my age can fly first class to Europe with their girlfriend for a week. Not many guys my age can fly back home for just a day to see their new baby niece. I guess I'm in love with the lifestyle more than I am flying the airplanes, but flying airplanes is still about the most fun you can have with your clothes on.:D

What he said. It sucks at times but I know that If I decided to go do something else, I would long to get back in an airplane........
This coming from someone who complains more than he should

I'm still fairly new in the airline profession. But, I worked in management with a number of Fortune 500 companies before changing careers to aviation. I would never consider going back into business. You'll run into some old guys who seem to do nothing but gripe about the arline management, the union, the passengers, the schedule, contract issues... whatever the topic of the day is, they'll find a way to complain about it. But, in my short experience so far, you can find just as much to complain about in any other job as you do the airlines. The most important thing though is this; if flying is something you really want to do, then do it. I really wanted to fly professionally for many years while I was working in management, and I absolutely hated going to work every day. Now I'm making about 1/3 of what I was before, but I can honestly say I'm much more satisfied.

I made the jump from another career (several actually :rolleyes:) prior to 9/11. I was attracted by the opportunity to do something I really enjoyed, make decent money, and have a flexible lifestyle.

Post 9/11 the money situation is totally different, ESPECIALLY for new people entering the industry today. Personally I could not have justified the move if I had been contemplating today's compensation packages.

I still enjoy it, and have reached a point where my lifestyle and schedule are under my control (at least until my next airline)...so I'm not going to quit at this point.

But I probably wouldn't enter the field today. My perspective was different because I already had a good career and was accustomed to a certain lifestyle. A young person who knows nothing else might be OK with it for a while.

But it really comes down to long-term finances...can you REALLY commit yourself to the idea that you may get stuck at a regional and earn truck driver wages for the rest of your life? Obviously flying is more fun than driving a truck, and you may get more time off, but if you plan on getting married and having a family money is REAL issue...

Some young folks like to say they don't need money, just a shiny airplane to fly. That might actually work long-term for a few bohemian types, but most folks have second thoughts when their friends are buying houses and cars.

Another option is to have a solid second source of income (I have several, and I probably couldn't stay in flying if I didn't).

EDIT: Be very wary of taking advice on this subject from people who are new to the airline business...the shiny airplane is still clouding their vision. You need to take the long-term view...think about the girl you want to marry, and the kids $$$$$.

I complain a lot, and I mean a lot but today I was at the super-market and there was almost 45-minute lines to check out, I got really annoyed, but then like a ray of sunshine :) I said to myself, "These poor SOB's only have off 2-days a week they have to take care of everything on there measly 2-days off a week, it actually put a lot in perspective, but then again I was using Food-stamps............haah j/k (G/F paid muwhaaaaaaaaaaa).

I am trying to figure out how I can save $5,000.00 for a Vortech Supercharger on 2nd year F/O pay , if I had a real job, probably wouldnt be an issue

I fourth what all the guys before said-
It is one of the best careers you can choose. All of the guys that you hear out there crying are for the most part people who decided to do this way to late in life and are never going to have the chance to make top tier money because they will be to old to have put in the amount of years of service to get there. Are we ever going to make the amount of money that pilots did before deregulation NO WAY but most of us were not even born when Pilots made this kind of cash. My advice for you is if you really want this career go for it-the next thing that will help you out tremedously with the low pay at first is to not get into huge amounts of debt doing your training-Good luck and dont let the glass is half empty type of people get you down-people will always need airplanes therefore we will always have jobs- Good luck and hope to see ya on the line one day.

If you are considering an airline pilot career for the money and glamour...then no.

But if it's something you honestly enjoy......go for it.

I'm one of those with the SJS clouding my eyes, but I've been around airplanes long enough to know I'm miserable without them. Is it worth it? I donno yet, but at least I'll know the answer in about 38 years when I sit back in my rocking chair and start looking back.. Then I'll know for sure. Will you know?

If that is how you feel, then yes it is worth it. I know that I would be miserable doing anything else in life. If you, like me, love to fly.... then you will look back with no regrets. I complain a lot, as many others do (I think it comes with the job), but at the end of the day, I look forward to going back to the airport tomorrow.