My new hire class at Eagle in 99 had a viper guy, b52 IP, and a hornet driver. Not always the case

Going the military route is good way to start but I made that mistake. Instead I went into rotary wing HA. unfortunately I join to crew and maintain the ch-47 chinook. Overall it was not a bad decision I have picked up a load of good information about rotary wing but I think I should have gone the other way. It doesn't help expidite anything because I was leaning toward the other direction.:confused:

Horizon has been consistently...good....air wisconsin was at one time the cream of the crop...I have a letter from them requesting 500turbine just to interview..today they are nothing....airlines like go jet or gulfstream will get you blacklisted and are career enders...

unfortunately yes I am married with one little boy (best thing that ever happened). Right now I am in the US Army serving as a ch-47 mechanic/ crew member and I have about 2 years left in the service. I do not have any logged flight hours. I would have to start from scratch and work my way to the top. I am only 23 and I have always loved to fly so I joined the military and when aviation but not to fly. I just what to crew and see how everything is. Now I am about to get out of the military and go to school where I will start working on all my ratings and certificates that I will need. (Yea I know I will not be able to get all of them). The 9/11 bill will be cover most if not the entire thing. I'm trying to look around see what would be the smartest route to go with. I would like to fly for a major airline but however I am still doing the research. (not easy doing it while you are deployed)

Well you are doing the right thing by doing your research and asking all the right questions. You should have all or most of the info you need to make a decision when you ets in 2 years. The good thing about that is you'll still be young.....only 25. But you do have a wife and kid. Just know that if you do decide to embark on a career of a professional pilot, be prepared to be poor for a long time......and yet no guarantees of having a stable, decent paying flying job EVER! That's the sad reality of it with no sugar-coat. You'll have a lot of disappointments and let-downs.....mostly in the form of a bad economy/recession, but also could be due to bad managment and overall general bad luck! But you'll have to find the inner strength and determination to never give up no matter what if you want to "make it" in this career.

If you are gung-ho and do your training full time, you can go from 0 hours to having a commercial pilot certificate in a year or less (not including the flight instructor certs). That'll run you anywhere from 35-45k.....give or take 10k. So use the heck out of your post 9/11 GI bill. The more it pays towards your training, the less debt you'll have and want to have when you get all your ratings and licenses.

And at some point later in your life, if and when you do make it to a successful airline or company that you can retire from, your pay will be great, retirement should be great, life will be great and finally the career you embarked on would be truly rewarding! Atleast that's the picture that most of us have in our heads and are truly hoping for! Only time will tell!

I wish you nothing but the best!

Thanks. yea im going to to use as much of that GI bill as I can. Im going to see if I can use the Army's TA to complete some while I am still serving.

I was in a similar situation as you; same age when I got out, married, former 15U ;). Dunno where yr stationed at but I got out at Ft. hood TX. I went to school got my associate's and bachelors while getting the flying done. My goal is right seat somewhere flying for a living by 30. Im 28 now, wrapping up my CFI and working as a station agent at Colgan at KGRK. I have about 320 TT. As soon as finish my CFI I will be moving onto ME, CFII and MEI while instructing. I can tell you it hasnt been easy. Enjoy yr GI bill it paid for a majority of my stuff but not everything. I waited tables and did minor maintenance on school planes for extra cash. As for regional airlines, I wouldnt worry too much about that right now. Like everyone has stated, **** changes! Figure out where you are going to go to school at and where are you going to learn to fly. I dont think I could have come this far without my highly supportive wife encouraging me hope you have one too cause yr gonna need it. Alot of my friends that got out with me did contracting jobs making 100k/yr and its very hard to fight the temptation to do the same because you will never make that much flying for a long time to come. But I really want to do this, not for the money. Its my dream and until I am told I cant medically Im gonna keep on trucking along. If you have questions PM me. Good Luck!

Don't make it sound so easy! I'm going on two years applying to those companies and many more after leaving active duty. All I've received are one request for my 30,60,90 and quite a few "thanks, but no thanks" emails. Thank goodness for the Guard!

My stats (if you care):
2200+ TT, 2000+ PIC Turbine, 800+ IP, 2200+ MEL, ATP, FEw, and 737 type rating. I have five recommendations from guys working for four different companies.

Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong?
Stallog

trying to make sense of the aviation industry. DUH ;)

I'd like to know where you get your information? They are far from nothing today. In fact, many desire Air Wisconsin.

It's unfortunate that AWAC is now a hollow shell of what it was ten years ago.

Give me one airline out there, Major, Regional, or even International, that is anything like it was a decade ago.

With that being said, again, if you're going to make a remark like that, back it up. Do you work for AWAC? In the past? Now? Ever?

Everyone is entitled to their own views, but if you're going to make a bold statement like that, better have something to support it. That really goes for anyone on these forums.

From what I know of the current industry:

• West Coast - Skywest
• East Coast - Air Wisconsin

Try and find pilots at these carriers and get their take on things.

I've always liked Horizon, but with changes in the works it could very quickly become a bad place to be. Best of luck.

I was there pre 9/11 with the 328's and Bae-146's when only 10 CRJs were on property. Watched a continual erosion of the airline as we were continuously whipsawed against other regionals willing to do it cheaper. 328's went away, concessionary contract, loss of UAL flying, watched 146's parked and moved all domiciles east, good commutable schedules eroded to noncommutable schedules (some two to three day back to backs that just plain sucked), erosion of medical benefits, and over all QOL went down the tubes. All that is left is a fleet of 70 CRJ-200's that are too expensive, yet still pay more than most other 70 seat jobs out there. At least until 2015. I left at the first opportunity after the USAir change over, It was no longer a place that had career potential as it was when I was hired. AWAC went from one of the few regionals with career potential to actually retire from to an agressive cost cutter competing with all the other cheap regionals.

That enough back up for you?

Quite frankly, no. If you were still here, I'd say that you know exactly what you're talking about and know exactly where we are here. Things have changed significantly over the past 5 years here. AWAC is very much an airline people retire from, just look at the DOH for many of the people working here. Go ask any pilot here right now if they would leave to another regional right this moment to if given the chance. Can't guarantee anything, but I'm sure that most of them would tell you they'd stay. It's not our pay that is high for CRJ-200's, it's more like their pitiful pay flying anything bigger.

All regionals have gone down in QOL in the last decade, but very few, if any, have the type of contract (which in itself, outside of pay/hr, hits just as nice as some majors), pay, and QOL like AWAC flight crew do.

Just curious if you were there back in 2001? It was much different then compared to when I left.

I agree that there is no reason to leave AWAC for another regional. That is a losing proposition for most. Personally, I was at the point of being ready to just find another job outside of aviation then I had the opportunity to move up for a short time. I also agree the pay at the other regionals for larger aircraft is what makes AWAC's concessionary contract too expensive.

I still visit the AirWilly board and by the comments on there, the QOL has not improved since I left.

I do have to disagree in that even my worst day at the major I went to was better than my best day at AWAC. What major do you have personal experience with to back up your statements?

If you are planning on retiring from AWAC I wish you luck with your career and sincerely hope there is an AWAC after 2015. It would be nice to see the quality of that organization restored. I left a lot of great guys there when I left and I do miss the pilot group.

When did they start stuffing 70 seats into the CRJ-200's????

Fixed it, thanks for pointing out my error.;)