dcpilot

Don't be deceived by carreer placement programs. I did not listen to my CFI and went to atp fast track program, which I don't think is near as bad as Capt. The lies they told me before training about jobs and the entire industry is all bull****. They did not give me a job and with low time I was screwed. I finnally made it and then that is a matter of speaking of whether FO on a jet for 20K is making it. These type of programs are for rich kids and are screwing up the entire payscale for people trying to pay bills and support kids. If you have two kids as a first or second year FO you can get welfare, and I don't know if I would consider borrowing 50-75K to get on welfare. People who "love to fly" should leave commercial flying to people who want to make a living. They should go fly in the bush, aerobatics, 90 or 135 scenic tours because this flying is for people who fly for a hobby, for a career change or just have a rich family. Flying 5-7 legs a day is not fun after the doing it a hundred times. Don't let your dreams cloud your judgement, because you still have to make money, and ERAU and ATP are in it to make money too.

Linebacker35

The Delta connection seems a little differant than the rest in that you have about 1000 hours after you are finished. Once your done your training there, you instruct there for about 800 hours. Then they get you interviews with Delta connection airlines. But you could get to 1000 hours cheaper thru regular training and instructing. I guess the program would look good on your resume later in your career. But another problem is the bad shape delta is in. IF they go under, the program is history I would assume. That would suck if you were half way thru it and got shut down

freezingflyboy

From what I understand about the DCA program you finish with about 200 hours and then you are given the oppurtunity to apply to be an instructor there. IF you get chosen to be an instructor you do that for about 1/2 of what you could make instructing at an FBO until you reach the magic 1000 hours and then YOU get the interviews (they aren't handed out like candy) with a recommendation from DCA. There are much better ways to spend your money and enjoy flying at the same time.

NE_Pilot

So if you love to fly, you cannot make a living doing it??? Now correct me if I'm wrong, but you are your job, so it is probably in your best interest to love to do the work you do. Which would lead one to believe, that pilots who fly for money, love to fly, and that is why they do that as opposed to working as police officier, or at some corporation, etc.

If you choose a career doing something you hate doing, your going to be a very miserable person, I don't care how much money you make,your not going to be happy, since a fair amount of your time will be doing what you hate. You are better off doing something you would enjoy doing.

It sounds like your not very happy with your career of choice, maybe that is because you do not love to fly?

HSLD

LOL

If I had to choose my co-pilot and their aviation experience was the same - I'd rather have a "40 something" with life experience and a mature work ethic rather than a "20 something" with an entitlement attitude.

rickair7777

This is a true statement. In the old days, airlines wouldn't hire people much over 30, so military guys had to get out long before their retirement eligibility in order to work for an airline. Today it's very common for retired O-5's to get out and go into the airlines. An 0-5's twenty year retirement is equivalent to regional captain pay.

If you look closely some of the most lucrative businesses in America today have one thing in common...they do not need to employ their labor for a full career, either due to skilled labor that is inherently transient (construction) or the fact that all their labor is unskilled entry level (retail, fast-food).

The airlines would prefer that we were all inherently transient...

Flying Ninja

Dude, I love flying. I was willing to give up good money for doing what I love. But, at the pay level that the regionals are starting out FOs, well, it's laughable, almost criminal. Personally, if I can help it, I would never want to fly a regional carrier as a passenger knowing that 50% of the flight crew is probably malnurished, stressed financially, and worried about if the flight attendant saved any peanuts between hops.

As for the "you are your job" deal, I really hope you got a life outside of flying. My friends in the corporate and police line of work are perfectly comfortable with their lives inside and outside the office.

Linebacker35

Yah, I only think it would be worth it doing the 4 year degree at one of the universities. Because even tho you are getting paid alot less, you are instructing during your senior year of university. Thats the only reason I thought it might work alright. Not a bad way to spend the last year to getting a degree. But yah it would be increadibly stupid to do it outside of the university program

NE_Pilot

Well yes, everyone has a life outside of their job, but your job takes up such a large majority of your time, that no matter how you look at it, you are your job, and it has become a part of you. The Police Officier may do things outside of work, but he will look at things from the perspective of a Police Officier, whether he is on the job or not (this obviously does not apply for people just starting out).

When you get home, you tend to think about your job, and talk about what happened, right? It is a part of you, you are what you do essentially. Even other people identify their friends by their work, how many times have you heard, "Thats Bobby he's a [insert profession here]." People, upon first meeting you, tend to ask what you do for a living. They associate you by your job.

The main point, is that if you don't atleast like what you are doing, you should probably switch professions. (This is not direct at you, since you said you love to fly). Personally I would rather be successful, than rich. I don't consider every rich person successful, you are successful if you are truely happy with your life, which includes what you do, since it is such a large part of your life.

NE_Pilot

True, plus most of those universities, atleast the ones I know about, will give preference to those who went there for the instructing jobs.