You have a degree, and yet, you still can’t type a sentence correctly. Imagine that.

 

It’s refreshing guys like you are a tiny disappearing blip of our group just like the scabs and SLI lawsuit dopes…

 

Not a UAL guy…I’m at AA but have flown with several FO’s with no degree, a few with no TPIC, all were great. Definitely no issues flying wise or personality wise. I think it’s the smart way to go currently.

At the extreme, take ERAU. Pay nearly $300k have 250 hours at year 4, start working 3 years later, regional 3 years later, major 3 years later than the 18 year old that jumps right in. ERAU guy pays about $200k more, so that’s millions over a career in TVM, starts earning later, contributes to 401k later (DC). And loses 3 years at his highest earnings at the major. Figure $6 to $9 million career difference. right now paying for ERAU to go airlines is like paying for a 4 year degree from a private university to become an electrician or plumber (which would require additional training after college) It just doesn’t make sense.

Yup, the majors could easily require a degree again, mitigate that by getting an online aviation degree while instructing and working at a regional…just in case.

 

A couple things on this…

I’m not sure I agree with your timing/math here. When I went to ERAU (now 2 decades + back) I was a CFI by my junior year and taught for the remainder of my time there graduating with close to 1,000 total time (and back then the important 200 multi). Someone motivated gets the time quick whether it’s a college or other 141 school. Those that arn’t don’t - again regardless of the program. So I’m a little fuzzy on my ATP/R-ATP stuff (as it was obviously after my time) but this same Riddle kid gets the reduced hours of 1000 hrs and over 21 yeah? So in my case basically the day I graduated I was qualified. No degree needs 1500 hours and still at least 21. So I guess a motivated person who starts at 18 could conceivably get 1500 hours by the time they hit 21 and beat the motivated college kid by a few months. I think that would be an exceptional time, perhaps in both cases, with the averages taking longer. The college kid probably takes on more debt but the independent 141 kid is taking on serious debt too (ATP website currently saying $105k not to mention housing/food/etc likely going on the credit card).

Don’t construe this to be a ringing endorsement of Embry-Riddle as I doubt I’d go there again (even at early 2000’s prices) but that’s another matter.

A comment on degrees and hiring generally. I don’t have a strong opinion on degrees qualifing pilots one way or another. If I did life again I suspect I still would get a degree in something not aviation related, but that’s just my personal choice. In my life outside of aviation I’m responsible for recruiting/hiring at a mid size non-profit. I get about 10 applicants for every spot I can fill. In my experience a small handful of applications are easy automatic no’s, a small handful we are really excited about, but the majority are in the middle. Nothing wrong with their application by any means but nothing jumps out. The first two categories are quite easy but the big middle chunk is tough. Looking for easily quantifiable criteria is a convenient filter. Our filter has nothing to do with education but it is an easy yes/no with some relevance to what we do. Rightly or wrongly education is an easy yes/no separator. In our current hiring market we don’t need that separator, but how long will that last?

 

I know plenty of post-graduate dullards and plenty of fascinating people who never went to college. Your generalization is pretty narrow.

 

LOL….the irony. I’m pretty sure even high school dropouts know the difference between “there” and “their”.

 

They’re not the same?

 

 

Yes, but ERAUAVIATOR has proven to be very “special” continuously. If you’re looking for stupid content he’s your guy.

 

One can also build time now, while working on the degree. Then if the world stops, you have the best of both worlds.....