That's an excellent mesa analogy, I'll have to remeber that...


:p

Being a teenage father makes you either stupid or careless. Stupid if you did it on purpose or careless for not using protection. Yes, before you come jumping in there are the occasional "oops" children that happen despite birth control measures but condoms work 99% of the time. This is my opinion, you can either choose to agree with it or choose not to agree with it. This being a public forum and a free country I am entitled to my opinion just as you are entitled to think that he is 100% right and I am a total @$$. Because of my opinion in being a teenage father makes you either careless or stupid I am going to have to disagree with your opinion that he is closer to an airline captain than I think.

And while I do applaud the fact that he stepped up to the plate to help raise his child, which is a very difficult thing to do, I was pointing out the fact that the whole airline lifestyle isn't conducive to a happy family unless that family is very tight and willing to make it work. If you have an added strain in there it makes it exponentially more difficult.

push to get that A.S. and as much of your B.S. done as possible before you get to the regionals. Once you start working, you'll be doing twice as much to simply finish the B.S. which you'll need if you plan on moving on to the majors (it would also help you be competitive @ the regionals...don't think anyone in my class didn't have a degree...maybe 1) But, having a wife, kid, and job doesn't make it impossible to finish (plenty of people have) just more difficult and time consuming. You've got a lot going for you having all your "time buliding" done before you even hit 20, now get the rest of the hard stuff done before you bite off more than you can chew. Best of luck.

Don't discount flying some on-demand 135 charter, either. You'll learn more in a shorter time flying piston twins in and out of diverse, remote airports than you will flying a regional jet in and out of the same regional/hub airports for a month at a time off of the same canned flight plans. Find a good large charter company and you'll be able to progressively upgrade through turboprops and into jets.

I know a lot more people that went straight from a 135 job directly into the majors, than left a 135 job for a regional job. The turnover is high enough that positions can be found and you'll probably make about the same, if not more at a 135 than at a regional, at least for the first several years.

Experience?
 

Why would any modern airline pilot really need to know anything other than what is contained in the FOM and operations handbook of the airline that they work for? I can see how that kind of experience would benefit a 135 pilot but the airlines are on rails and there is no room for innovation or problem solving.

SkyHigh

I've just read through this entire thread and would like to make a comment or two. First and foremost, I'd like to say that I think this young man, at 19, is more mature and up-front than a lot of guys I know in their 30's and 40's. He is taking responsibility for events in his life, where most of his peers would probably just walk away. He is actually planning his future, and more importantly, taking steps to make that future come true. He's asking intelligent questions of his elders and actually listening to their advice. He's coming up, based on feedback, with a game plan for the rest of his life. How many of us have done that. Personally, I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. Secondly, I'd like to say that I think you, Mr. KZ1000Shaft, are a real jerk. Give the kid a break. Don't be such a stinker. Life's way to short to be so nasty.

Mr. Gonzalez, I'm impressed with you and your dreams. Keep your nose to the grindstone, love your wife and child, get that degree, and when you're a little older, let me know and I'll help sponsor you here at FedEx.

You can get hired at your age. At my first 121 job I turned 19 in GS. I know of a couple of carriers like xjt, qx, etc that you can get on with. I'd defnately keep in mind that there is no stability at all no matter what somebody says with very few exceptions. Make sure you've got a plan B in place and don't ever let anybody stear you away from the most important thing - your family!

That is good advice no matter what profession one is in!!!!

again, good luck

Mesa Airlines Pilot Development Program

Very well said!!