Aviation College to Major Airline Rate

The big thing is don't "go to college to become an airline pilot".

Go to college for the experience and the degree, in whatever you would like and whatever you think is worth committing four years of your life to.


Why not? That sounds like a reasonable goal, no?
 
How the crap do you afford that?

I couldn't for a long time, so I maintained half-time student status at a community college to keep them in deferment. I started being able to afford to pay them after Omni's CBA was signed, and won't have much trouble once I'm off training pay at the new gig. It comes out to around $18,000/year being paid to the loan companies, so it's doable with a job that pays decently.

The issues arise if I ever lose the good-paying job... :p

P.S.: I could drop those payments down below $1,000/mo pretty readily if I were to refinance over 25-30 years. I'd rather pay more each month over 15 years, personally.

Oh, and let this be a lesson to everyone: Don't go to Riddle. :D That debt is from 2001 costs, too. My debt is small potatoes compared to people getting into it now.
 
I graduated an aviation college program back in 2008. CFI'd for 2 years, joined a reserve unit went through all the training and presently this is my sole job (flying KC-10s). Best choice I've made. Planning on skipping the regionals and going straight for major or LCC in a year or two.
 
Oh for sure, and the deferment didn't do you any favors getting them paid off either. All that interest capitalized. Ouch.
 
Oh for sure, and the deferment didn't do you any favors getting them paid off either. All that interest capitalized. Ouch.

Yeah, that actually hurt me a lot more than I care to admit, though I simply couldn't pay them working my way up through this silly profession.
 
I couldn't for a long time, so I maintained half-time student status at a community college to keep them in deferment. I started being able to afford to pay them after Omni's CBA was signed, and won't have much trouble once I'm off training pay at the new gig. It comes out to around $18,000/year being paid to the loan companies, so it's doable with a job that pays decently.

The issues arise if I ever lose the good-paying job... :p

P.S.: I could drop those payments down below $1,000/mo pretty readily if I were to refinance over 25-30 years. I'd rather pay more each month over 15 years, personally.

Oh, and let this be a lesson to everyone: Don't go to Riddle. :D That debt is from 2001 costs, too. My debt is small potatoes compared to people getting into it now.

:eek: Makes me feel better about the debt I have accrued. I haven't gotten locked in to making payments yet, seeing as I haven't graduated yet, but I think I'm looking at $500/mo. over a 10 year period. My goal currently is to save as much money as I can in the 6 months before payments begin so that I have some breathing room when all hell breaks loose in my career.
 
I don't think people succeeding or getting out of the industry has anything to do with school, it has much more to do with you and how much you want it. Most of the guys I know that have gotten out, either before or at the regional level, did so because of QOL issues or other personal reasons. If you want this, go for it! I would still recommend against going to an aviation school for ProPilot. If you want to go for something else in aviation like engineering, A&P, or anything else, go for it! I wish I had someone to tell me this before I started MTSU.
 
I graduated in 07 and although I got a bit of a head start on the economic abortion to follow I still got pushed out of the industry for about a year, joined the Army, bartended, and womanized in Miami. It was the most stress free 15 months ever (except Ft. Bragg) no check rides, early shows etc etc. My biggest worry was translating my drinks into Spanish. ¿Grande mojito con azucar?

It's a brave new world.
 
I graduated in 07 and although I got a bit of a head start on the economic abortion to follow I still got pushed out of the industry for about a year, joined the Army, bartended, and womanized in Miami. It was the most stress free 15 months ever (except Ft. Bragg) no check rides, early shows etc etc. My biggest worry was translating my drinks into Spanish. ¿Grande mojito con azucar?

It's a brave new world.
Haha sweet. I got to do some things i always wanted to during the slow years. Did some traveling and uh, socializing. Ended up giving up on aviation in 2011 only to have the best job ive ever had land in my lap a month later. No regrets, it just doesnt end up the way you expect sonetimes. Cerveza para mi, whey
 
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