Career change to pilot
05-20-2008, 06:14 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Posts: 63
Career change to pilot
So, as the industry is surrounded bybad news all around from these threads on APC, is it worth getting flight training and actually going for my dream or find another government job after I retire and make more money and not have to worry about all the stuff pilots are saying through these posts altogether??
Thank you for your advise. I don't want to engulf myself in a dream that won't come true or unattainablea and be able to progress in the occupation.
Thank you for your advise. I don't want to engulf myself in a dream that won't come true or unattainablea and be able to progress in the occupation.
05-20-2008, 06:16 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: 744 CA
Posts: 4,772
Personally I would say this is NOT the time to start from the beginning. IF you have a desire to flight instruct for a number of years while this all shakes itself out.... maybe... but even then if you have other options I would probably pursue them.
05-20-2008, 06:18 AM
#3
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Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Right hemisphere of DCFranken9's brain
Posts: 238
Go with the govt job. Gaur. retirement. If you want to fly you can do it on the side or even later. I have been in the industry for over 10 yrs as a pilot. I spent most of it at Comair and now at NWA for 3 months. If I had to do it over again I would have worked for ATC or something else. It is not worth it. I still do it though....
05-20-2008, 06:56 AM
#4
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Joined APC: Jan 2007
Position: CRJ
Posts: 2,356
i think it is pretty sad that everyone here is telling you not to not to try and get your dream job while they all have the job you want. if you want to be a pilot then go for it. a lot of what is said on here is true, and a lot of it is exageration by a group of people (pilots) who are notorious for complaining. even if i were starting out right now i would still do it. it would obviously be more expensive now than it was 9 years ago, but i would find a way.
i came from the same sort of position you are in. had a good professional job. but i wanted to be a pilot. always have. i have had to make some sacrifices but in the end i would do it all over again. people who say go to med school, or be a lawyer, or get your mba have no idea what it is like to be on that side of the fence. so do what you want. i came from the medical field to do this and my life is 10 times better for it.
i came from the same sort of position you are in. had a good professional job. but i wanted to be a pilot. always have. i have had to make some sacrifices but in the end i would do it all over again. people who say go to med school, or be a lawyer, or get your mba have no idea what it is like to be on that side of the fence. so do what you want. i came from the medical field to do this and my life is 10 times better for it.
05-20-2008, 07:02 AM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2007
Position: E170 FO
Posts: 686
What I would recommend to you though is that you don't rush through the training right now. Don't go to ATP or one of the academies. Just train part 61 at your local airport while you continue in your current job. This will allow you to ride out the current down trend. It will also give you time to build your experience as a part time instructor to meet what will be much higher than recent hiring minimums.
05-20-2008, 07:07 AM
#8
No Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Position: CRJ FO
Posts: 362
I'm not saying don't pursue the dream, but keep your eyes wide open. Working conditions, pay and quality of life at most regionals are poor at best and are not getting any better. A lot depends on which regional you end up at, whether you have to commute, etc. If you're willing to put up with the potentially worst case scenario -- bad QOL, long upgrade, etc. -- and are still willing to do it, by all means take the plunge, but just be aware of what you're getting into.
05-20-2008, 07:11 AM
#9
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Joined APC: May 2007
Position: MeSAABa
Posts: 79
In most cases where one has the dream to become an airline pilot there is a myriad of misconceptions and illusions about what the career really is. Sometimes it is very difficult to see past these to understand what it is that you are getting into.
Amazingly there is some remenant of respect that goes with being a pilot. Perhaps it has to do with how long and difficult the road is to get to the flight deck of a 121 carrier. If you are getting into the job for respect ask yourself why you need that respect; ask yourself why you feel you have failed somewhere along the way and need to prove you are not a failure. Don't get into a pilot career because you need to prove to yourself you can take up your dreams and complete them. If this is the case this career may be not the wisest of choices. Find something else that challenges you and is more financially rewarding with less financial risk. This may seem harsh, but a little truth telling sometimes goes a long way.
Which brings me to my next point... Getting into flying is very, very expensive. Sit down and make up a real budget of what this is going to cost you. Preferably not with a sales person at the local FBO as their interest is too often not the same as yours. Educate yourself on the cost and then see if you can even get close to recouping that cost with the career over the time that you could be in the career. You may be much better off getting a private license, learning to fly a tailwheel, and buying a share in a Super Decathlon or a seaplane. This plan is a lot more fun and plenty difficult.
If you like travel, that is if you like going places and seeing what there is in these places... you might consider using some of the money you saved not getting into a pilot career to buy some airline tickets to the places you WANT to see. I go places all the time and see little to nothing of them. I am a person that makes the extra effort to get out and about too. However, the overnights are too short or you are usually too isolated - no car in a hotel near the airport - to get to see or know much about exotic places like Omaha, Muskegon, or Marquette. Someday there is the promise of sushi in Narita and cedar plank grilled salmon in Anchorage, but these fabled evenings are a long way off even after a ten year career.
Understand that the industry is clearly not in the growth mode it has been over the last few years. You may instruct for a very long time. Maybe you will like it and find a way to make instruction offset the cost of training. However, there is traditionally not much money in instructing. This has been changing some lately as there has been some talk of CFI jobs with pay in the range of regional Captain salaries. But if things continue in the direction they have been as of late you will come to know the situation of a flight instructor well. You should like teaching; it is a dissapointment to fly with instructors that don't like teaching.
I am the last person to tear down someone's dream, but know exactly what you are getting into. It might not be what you think. It is unfortunately very difficult to see and know what the job is before you are there. It is very difficult to get there, it is hard on your family, the travel wears you down, and the money is very bad. Again, the money is very bad for a very long time. But, if you really want to do it and have torn down the misconceptions and illusions do it and do it well.
Amazingly there is some remenant of respect that goes with being a pilot. Perhaps it has to do with how long and difficult the road is to get to the flight deck of a 121 carrier. If you are getting into the job for respect ask yourself why you need that respect; ask yourself why you feel you have failed somewhere along the way and need to prove you are not a failure. Don't get into a pilot career because you need to prove to yourself you can take up your dreams and complete them. If this is the case this career may be not the wisest of choices. Find something else that challenges you and is more financially rewarding with less financial risk. This may seem harsh, but a little truth telling sometimes goes a long way.
Which brings me to my next point... Getting into flying is very, very expensive. Sit down and make up a real budget of what this is going to cost you. Preferably not with a sales person at the local FBO as their interest is too often not the same as yours. Educate yourself on the cost and then see if you can even get close to recouping that cost with the career over the time that you could be in the career. You may be much better off getting a private license, learning to fly a tailwheel, and buying a share in a Super Decathlon or a seaplane. This plan is a lot more fun and plenty difficult.
If you like travel, that is if you like going places and seeing what there is in these places... you might consider using some of the money you saved not getting into a pilot career to buy some airline tickets to the places you WANT to see. I go places all the time and see little to nothing of them. I am a person that makes the extra effort to get out and about too. However, the overnights are too short or you are usually too isolated - no car in a hotel near the airport - to get to see or know much about exotic places like Omaha, Muskegon, or Marquette. Someday there is the promise of sushi in Narita and cedar plank grilled salmon in Anchorage, but these fabled evenings are a long way off even after a ten year career.
Understand that the industry is clearly not in the growth mode it has been over the last few years. You may instruct for a very long time. Maybe you will like it and find a way to make instruction offset the cost of training. However, there is traditionally not much money in instructing. This has been changing some lately as there has been some talk of CFI jobs with pay in the range of regional Captain salaries. But if things continue in the direction they have been as of late you will come to know the situation of a flight instructor well. You should like teaching; it is a dissapointment to fly with instructors that don't like teaching.
I am the last person to tear down someone's dream, but know exactly what you are getting into. It might not be what you think. It is unfortunately very difficult to see and know what the job is before you are there. It is very difficult to get there, it is hard on your family, the travel wears you down, and the money is very bad. Again, the money is very bad for a very long time. But, if you really want to do it and have torn down the misconceptions and illusions do it and do it well.
Last edited by Radar; 05-20-2008 at 07:30 AM. Reason: Proper English
05-20-2008, 07:11 AM
#10
On Reserve
Joined APC: May 2008
Posts: 23
I wouldn't ask that question on this forum. If it is your dream that become an airline pilot than do it and don't listen to all of the negativity.
Most of the opinions you get will be from guys that have been in the industry less than two years.
Right now the industry is down but it will turn back around by the time you finish all your training and gain enough experience to be marketable.
I have been in the industry for more than ten years and I still love it. That is even working for a company that everyone is saying to stay away from.
Most of the opinions you get will be from guys that have been in the industry less than two years.
Right now the industry is down but it will turn back around by the time you finish all your training and gain enough experience to be marketable.
I have been in the industry for more than ten years and I still love it. That is even working for a company that everyone is saying to stay away from.
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