Thinking about making a complete 180 and pursuing my original dream.

GJ1

GJ1

Well-Known Member
Hey guys. I'm a long time member, although I haven't been posting much recently.

Long story short: Throughout my childhood/teen years I wanted to be a pilot. I soloed at 18, and I currently have about 16 hours but I haven't flown since 2007.

Due to family/personal issues I gained interest in the healthcare industry. I graduated from college with a BS, and currently pursuing a masters in medical science; I'm applying to medical school next year.

Everything has been going great. I have a 3.8 GPA, I'm a research assistant in a lab, and I'm also a graduate assistant. But I'm willing to drop everything and pursue my dream to be a pilot.

My question to you all is where do I start? As far as the quickest/most cost effective way to get from 16hrs---> ATP and flying for an airline?
 
Research it well...there's a lot of things that can delay the fat track. When I started in 2001, you could go to the regionals with the ink still wet on your commercial ticket. Then 9/11 happened. Then the age of retirement got moved up to 65. Then the FAA made an ATP a requirement. Be prepared to be an entry level type job for years.

My advice, stay in medicine and fly for a hobby.
 
A doctor that is only a doctor because him family made him isn't the kind of doctor I want working on me. Go fly.
 
Here's the brass tacks: You want it badly enough, and are willing to make some sacrifices both personally, and financially, you can make it happen. I just re-located my life to Alaska to make my dream happen. I'm 37 years old. But, for me, flying is all that I wanted to do. And the photography opportunities were an added bonus, and one that I can use to supplement income. Finding a job in today's aviation will most likely require you to re-locate. For not very much money. Get your mind wrapped around that, and you're all set.

Then, it comes down to a question that only you can answer; HOW BIG IS YOUR DREAM AND HOW BADLY DO YOU WANT IT?
 
I say do it!
I just did, and I was out of flying for 5 years. You need to just get back in the aircraft and start building a lot of hours. You need to get an instrument rating, then commercial and CFI if you want to tech to build some time. Those will allow you to get to the magic 1500 point. If you are able to financially cover it, you can forego the CFI and just keep building. If you do a lot of x-country time it will go fast. Take a CFI with you when able and continue to learn along the way. When you get close to 1500 go build about 50-100 multi hours and then the your ATP ride. After that you will get interviews.

Honestly 1500 sounds like a lot of hours, but if you really want this, you can get there. It just takes time and dedication. Any connections to friends with aircraft helps with saving money! Send me a message if you want to chat. I just went through this as well and now am entering training with Republic!
 
GJ1 said:
Hey guys. I'm a long time member, although I haven't been posting much recently.

Long story short: Throughout my childhood/teen years I wanted to be a pilot. I soloed at 18, and I currently have about 16 hours but I haven't flown since 2007.

Due to family/personal issues I gained interest in the healthcare industry. I graduated from college with a BS, and currently pursuing a masters in medical science; I'm applying to medical school next year.

Everything has been going great. I have a 3.8 GPA, I'm a research assistant in a lab, and I'm also a graduate assistant. But I'm willing to drop everything and pursue my dream to be a pilot.

My question to you all is where do I start? As far as the quickest/most cost effective way to get from 16hrs---> ATP and flying for an airline?
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What kind of pilot? What was/is your dream as far as flying goes? Commercial Passenger? Freight? Private flying? Deifine your thoughts and dreams about this and we'll be able to provide better input/advice.

escapepilot said:
............My advice, stay in medicine and fly for a hobby.
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Houston said:
You won't get better advice than that.
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THIS!!!
Be the best Doctor you can and fly for the pure enjoyment of flying; there are very few on this forum that get to do this
 
On the other hand, flying is really expensive. Even as a doctor it could be years decades before you can afford to fly as a hobby. So why not get a job as a pilot, and let the folks running the airline spend the money while you just fly?

To actually answer your question: I would find a part 141 flight school, but not at a university if you are trying to save time. Get your Private, then Instrument Rating, Commercial and CFI, then plan on instructing for 2-3 years to build hours. Like everyone already said, you can't count on anything in this industry so it's almost pointless to plan out that far. But hopefully after 2-3 years of instructing you could get a job at a regional or Part 135 cargo operation.
 
You are a successful Doctor and made time of money. Good family life and your kids aren't screwed up. You are now on your death bed. Are you sorry you didn't piss it all away over a profession you know nothing about?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
 
Ah the money argument.... I can talk about the money because I chased the money. Think about this angle... You're working some gangbanger who was shot in the face, in some ER at 4am on a Sunday morning. You have just worked your 24 or 36 hr turn, and see an airplane fly over. Are you thinking, "Man, I cannot WAIT!!!1!1! to go fly today?" or are you thinking, "Man, I cannot WAIT to get home to the wife and kids, and to my own bed."?

The point, and I know you know this; there are tradeoffs for everything in life. You'll have the money being a doc (eventually), but you'll lose the time. Between being on call, and all of the joys that come w being a doc in today's medicine, there's a lot of lost time on your part. Fly airplanes, and you lose the money. Some may say you'll lose both time and money, but I think if you choose your path correctly, you'll find the medium.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you value, and what is important to you. I don't know you. Never met you, so it's hard to point my finger, and say "DO THIS!" with any confidence, or knowledge. Every job has some level, or some measure of suck in it. Everything. That's life. But, whatever it is that you pine about during the day; Whatever it is you find your mind gravitating to in your moments alone; do that. Pursue that with vigor. You will, ultimately, gain the most contentment, joy, and satisfaction from whatever that single thing is.
 
thevideographer said:
On the other hand, flying is really expensive. Even as a doctor it could be years decades before you can afford to fly as a hobby. So why not get a job as a pilot, and let the folks running the airline spend the money while you just fly?
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+1000 Internets for use of strikethrough type.

Also, and it could be my age group, but my friends who are doctors all seem to be interns or freelance gynecologists[1], and even after they're done with those phases of their career it's not the instant, "make money now" profession that pilots (particularly airline) seem to think it is.

[1] No, I'm not kidding.
 
Autothrust Blue said:
+1000 Internets for use of strikethrough type.

Also, and it could be my age group, but my friends who are doctors all seem to be interns or freelance gynecologists[1], and even after they're done with those phases of their career it's not the instant, "make money now" profession that pilots (particularly airline) seem to think it is.

[1] No, I'm not kidding.
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Just for clarification, I never said I was a doctor, just that I would take a look.
 
First off, get a few more hours before you jump ship. And a medical. Plenty of perfectly healthy individuals have had their dreams implode after a trip to the AME.

What's your life status? Age, married, kids? That has a lot to do with it. Chasing dreams when you're single and nobody depends on you is one thing, when you have a family it's entirely different.
 
Autothrust Blue said:
+1000 Internets for use of strikethrough type.

Also, and it could be my age group, but my friends who are doctors all seem to be interns or freelance gynecologists[1], and even after they're done with those phases of their career it's not the instant, "make money now" profession that pilots (particularly airline) seem to think it is.

[1] No, I'm not kidding.
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Absolutely true. As usual, most professional pilots think every other professional works a couple of days per week, making big bucks and having 2 hour martini lunches. Sadly, this is far from reality.

A friend of mine is a doctor. Brilliant girl, currently a resident specializing in neurology. She has also worked her butt off most of her young adult life, has tons of loans, and still doesn't make that much money. Someday she will be making a ridiculous amount of money, but will no doubt be very busy as well.

I graduated with honors from one of the best engineering schools in the world, and HATED my career. It paid the bills, but I hardly had any free time and that only got worse as one climbed the career ladder. My younger brother and many friends are still in the engineering world, and any time I'm bummed about my job, I talk to them about work and quickly forget my troubles.

I still remember waking up one Monday, just dreading the upcoming week of BS meetings and talk of action items. I was wishing the week to be over, and then it dawned on me how messed up that is - wishing away major portions of my life. It was a major turning point for me, and caused me to pursue professional aviation with added vigor.

I've now been working as a professional pilot for longer than I was an engineer, and don't regret it at all. I love it, even though I've faced my share of challenges and setbacks along the way. It's a roller coaster, but I love it and the AMAZING amount of free time it gives me to pursue my passions in life. I'm also very glad I had my previous career, as it has given me perspective. By far the most bitter and burned out pilots I've ever met are the ones that have only had careers in aviation.
 
What is it about flying you love? Make sure flying for a living is going to fit that. More than a few people have ruined their "love of flying" by rushing into the right seat of automated equipment where someone else tells you when, where, and how to fly. Nothing wrong with making a good living and buying the aircraft you want to fly when where and how you want, really enjoying it.
 
Bottom line, there is no longer a fast track into this part of the industry.

In order to get to the point of being paid to fly passengers, the cost has gone from $100,000 to over $250,000 and the time has gone from a possible 2-3 years to a realistic 6-10 years until you are able to make $22,000 a year flying passengers around. Frankly, I think economics have finally killed it.

I just don't see how someone can put in the 6-10 years to get in the position for an interview after spending $250,000 getting to that point, work at McDonalds (or wherever) while the dream is being chased and then have to take a pay cut (from McDonalds pay) in order to fly passengers.

Joe
 
JOEFRIDAY2 said:
the cost has gone from $100,000 to over $250,000
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At Riddle maybe. The actual flight training portion costs about $60,000 realistically. A college degree could be another $80,000 or so depending on the school you go to but the OP already has a degree.

I don't know what the fixation on flying right seat in a CRJ for $22,000 is either, that's not the only job in aviation.
 
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