Of couse it can be deadly and expensive, but if you're not careful, sex can be those too.

Ninja, I feel for you. I'd be disgrutled if I were in the same boat you're in right now as well. CAPT gave you a bogus deal and unfortunately there are too many of you guys out there getting screwed by dishonest advertising and dishonest people. It's not right, and I really respect you for sharing your story on here. I really hope things work out for you.

I've been lucky. My jobs afforded me a lot of advice from veterans of the industry, I've worked at an FBO, and a bicycle shop near STL where much of our customer base was employed by TWA. My eyes were opened to the ugly side pretty quickly. I've seen firsthand what a buyout can do to the guys on the loosing side, I even lost a job as a result of it ($2000 bikes suddenly become an unimportant luxury when you can't put food on the table). I didn't know how much pilots made when I started training, and now I'm even happier that it wasn't the reason for this career path.

The only way I have afforded this is by sacrificing, and choosing a school where my flight training cost the same as any other degree. My parents aren't wealthy, in fact they're quite the opposite. I work a ton of hours every week but I wouldn't have it any other way. I have loans but they're managable. I won't be driving a nice new car anytime soon, or taking extravagant vacations but I know I'll make ends meet that's all that matters. I could make ends meet on less than I'm making now, I just haven't changed my lifestyle and have no intentions on doing that in the near future.

I've been offered management positions with the company that I currently work for at their ground handling stations. I'd have security, and a respectable salary, but I'd be looking at the ramp wishing I was that guy looking out from the front seat.

If all else fails, enroll in CEO school and major in thievery.

[QUOTE from FlyingNinja]
I've done everything I possibly can to get into the aviation industry. Unfortunately, people who encouraged me to chase this flying dream of mine are indirectly responsible for my poor broke ass as I have spent everything I earned to chase the dream. Have I done everything? I don't know. You tell me. Have I spent all my money chasing the dream? Absolutely! So your generalization, while appreciated, doesn't apply to people like me. What can you do when you have no more money and you're over $100K in debt with no way of paying it back and jobless? I'm open to your suggestions so that I can answer your question, "what have I done to improve this situation?" because right now, I'm asking, "what have I done that got me into this situation?" Of course, I'm being sarcastic. I know what I did. I listend to people who said, "go for your dream...so many people don't chase their dreams...flying is great, you'll get a job...oh, you're going to Embry-Riddle's CAPT program? oh...Riddle has a great reputation..." Yeah, all that bullsh!t landed my ass broke with no job and no options left but to go back to the desk job I had.

Dream chasing can be deadly and expensive.[/QUOTE]


Hey ninja, it definitely appears that you have exhausted all means to make you dream a reality, but you know that if you let this overwhelm you it will be that much harder to see things clearly, i.e. getting some aviation work! What I said is merely a self-reflective process that causes people to help uncover a solution to a problem as opposed to adding "fuel to the fire". You are in a pickle my friend, and I don't know your whole story but as others have noted, thank you for sharing it with the group. I was considering the CAPT program but was discouraged by the prices, and the negativity that I had heard from the grapevine. You have only helped other future aviators from stepping into your predicament, for that I salute you. However my salute will not land you a job, obviously, and considering I am rather new to the aviation world myself, I cannot offer you an easy way to any job. But I'm curious, why not instruct somewhere and earn at least some income and gain more experience? If you are already doing that then great. I'm not a pessimist, and fully believe if there's a will there's a way, so as corny as this sounds, "never give up". Look for opportunity every day, and stay positive even in the face of $100,000 looming over you. But to give up your dream when the goin gets tough is ultimate defeat.

I can definitly see how Mr. Ninja would be discouraged. $100,000 is a LOT of money. I myself am relatively new to aviation, but I have an idea to help him get out of debt. You could be a drug runner! I bet the pay is pretty sweet, and what could be better than flying a mexican lear jet. It's only a crime if you get caught! But I do agree that ERAU is a bunch of turd.

Hi ATP,

I'm done with the aviation career path. Unless I find a job that will base me out of my home, there's no way I can afford to pay my loan, bills with rent and utility (yes, that includes a crashpad). I wasn't kidding when I said I was broke. ;) Frankly, I'm not even sure how I'm going to pay my car insurance next month. I guess I'll have to find out just how useful those police PBA cards are.

I don't have a CFI certification so I can't instruct. You don't walk out of CAPT with a CFI. I've been whoring myself to some folks to act as safety pilot. I know it's useless flying since I'm not at the controls, but at least I won't have to pay for anything...it's the only way I can get any measurable distance AGL. Sad indeed. My presence here on the board is to act as a watch dog for people that inquire about the fast track program and the issues relating to that, and share my experience so that they won't make the same mistakes. There are issues that people just don't talk about. Most prefer to talk only about the dream.

I'm not overwhelmed anymore. I've accepted that I'm not going to be flying for a living. The stress and blood pressure suddenly dropped once I made that realization and decision. Of course I'm keeping an eye out for opportunities...if someone is willing to offer me a corporate job with my 460TT/101ME at a salary that I can make ends meet. You and I both know that is never going to happen. I'm a realist. And realistically speaking, I don't have any more money to chase this dream. My goal is only to make money to pay off the mistake of signing up with CAPT.

Need a safety pilot? ;)

Thanks for the suggestion, but I think I'll save that one for when I can't afford food anymore. At least in prison they feed you and give you a nice world class gym to use (most likely so that you can defend yourself from the boyfriends).

Ninja, I can't imagine it will help much, but I'm a CFI and and I'm planning on in a month or two flying the NY VFR corridor. If there's space, you could sit left seat, and I could give you some instruction. Free of charge. Help you get a couple hours. PM me if you're interested.

Ninja,
Now I feel your pain for real. I did not realize that you don't get a CFI ticket from CAPT, now that bites! Sorry to hear you are done with aviation, but like you said, you'll still look for those golden opportunities to jump back in. I can tell you this, "I will never attend the CAPT program!"
Drug running is a lucrative career, so I see on America's Most Wanted, but I'd have to suggest contract work in Iraq. Those cats are making some serious moola, that is if you enjoy bullets buzzing past your skull. Regardless of all this sh#&, stay upbeat Ninja, and good things just have to happen.

Flying Ninja:

Whatever you do, don't give up. We all have to make some tough decisions when it comes down to a career and I can truly identify with you. My decision came in the area of airport management. Although my situation then is different from yours, I had to make a decision as to whether or not I was going to continue to invest my time, effort, money and most of all PASSION AND DESIRE into something that wasn't showing any sign of getting better. Between 2001 and 2004, I applied to for at least 40 positions in airport mgmt. Alot of those positions were entry-level and I have a Riddle education. Riddle these days as far as I'm concern means nothing. I'm grateful for my education, but the name Riddle has lost its mystique, if you will.

Even though I was turned down for all of those positions I just redirected my efforts. I have turned my desire and passion toward flying. I always wanted to become an airline pilot. I wanted to fly for either Eastern or National Airlines. (i'm sure there are some out there who remember those two companies:) ). Like I've said before, I'm not looking to become Senior Chief Pilot of Airline ABC. I just want to fly for a living and that means flying as a CA or FO for a major or regional, given the time I have left, or doing the corporate, charter thing, or some other aspect of Part 135 or 141 flying. Either way, I don't believe that all of my or (your )time, effort, faith, passion and desire will go unfulfilled.

Continue to perservere my friend.

"but the name Riddle has lost its mystique"

I went to Riddle in 1981 because of it's mystique. In 1983, I found out it going to Riddle didn't mean anything in the industry. At least, that was my experience.

Good point on choosing schools
 

I started at Spartan because it was supposed to be such a great and reputable school What I found out is that their priority was training Chinese pilots for the Chinese government, and that the rest of us were navel lint. It took me 20 days to get my first stage check for private. I was scheduled twice during that period, but was bumped and was told specifically that I was being bumped to accomodate a Chinese student.