sas97

Hey there, just registered and I want to ask your opinions on something. I know there are threads with such questions however my situation is a bit different-
All my life(I am now 20 years old), the only thing I have ever wanted to do is to be a pilot and I think everybody knows what that feels and how it burns you up inside. Now sadly, my parents aren't in a financial good situation and so this limits my options to only two:

Military
Pretty explanatory by itself however there are a few catches-
1. The military pilots in my country don't fly much- the luckiest ones do about 100 hours/year in the very best case scenario.;
2. If I chose military there is 4 years of education and 10 years duty- which make of about a 1000 hours of total flight time- Do you think that at 34 it would be easy/manageable for me to land an airline job as I do not want to spend all my life in the military with those hours;
3. The first four years studying is spend in a city of no more than 15 000 citizens, where social life is pretty noon existent(I am not a cry baby, but everybody needs at least a bit of social life to stay sane);
4. I know that the military is pretty exhausting on the personal life, so if I fear I would be 34 with little to no friends and no girl

Commercial
Now, as I said, my parents are not financially stable and cannot support me. So if I choose this, I would have to go to Scotland, where i would study Computing Science(something I enjoy as a hobby). This in turn taking 4 years of education and then finding a job where I can earn enough to pay for lessons. The catches here are:
1. As my parents cannot sustain me, I would have to rely solely on my own- I would have to get a job while I am studying and if I cannot find one I am done(or say if I am 3 years into studying and cannot find a job, I would have to come home);
2. By my calculations, the process would take about 10 years and I am afraid that life will get to me and I would be unable for one reason or other to change professions;
3. I am not sure that I want to go straight ahead to civil aviation, as I am a bit of adrenaline junkie and live to the fullest kind of guy and I fear that commercial piloting may be boring for me for the most part of it (just sitting and checking instruments for hours)

What would you choose?

Scraggly Heron

Keep in mind that in the military there's always a possibility that they'll stick you behind a desk.

One possibility that you might consider is coming to the US and enrolling in one of the aviation universities (e.g. Embry Riddle), building your hours there, and using that as a basis to start at a regional-type air carrier. It would involve students loans, however.

Anyone who took that path have opinions on this?

F4E Mx

Can you be a military pilot in your country without a college degree? At 20 years of age you do not seem old enough to have graduated from college. If you are in school, what is your major? My advice to young people is to never spend one thin dime on civilian flight training. If you can't qualify for military flight school go have a career in your college major. As an aside pick a college major that is stable and rewarding like civil engineering. Do not waste your money on some 'aviation management' degree at an 'aviation' college like Embry-Riddle.

FlyingBulldog

Does your country have an equivalent of the Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve? Something where you can serve out your commitment part-time, while working at an airline simultaneously? That's a great deal in the States.

Albief15

Look at the fighter pilots in your country. Look at their wives. If you like what you see then go be a fighter pilot. I have a lot of FB friends that are fighter guys--some from past experience and others that I have met in my consulting work.

Pilots, in general, and confident people. That confidence attracts many good spouse candidates. When I look at my friends FB pages, especially the young fighter guys--I see a high percentage of good looking gals.

I think if you worry about making YOU the best person you can be, the kind of women you are looking for will find you. I met my bride of almost 28 years in town of maybe 15k as well...and I've never looked back.

Last point--I met more and better gals once I was out of college than I ever did in college. Your a "boy" with a dream in college, but a man with a career after you graduate. There will be women looking for someone just like you...

Follow you heart. If you want to serve your nation--go do it. The social will take care of itself...