23, Left my Job, In Limbo, Looking for advice

Hammair

Hammair

New Member
So the title says some of it. I'm 23 (Few months from 24), Graduated college with a BS in Finance about a year ago as of this post, and worked as an insurance agent/financial planner for the past year and just recently left because I wasn't making money (Sales wasn't for me).

Being young with no attachments, and no debt (not a usual case for people my age), herein lies my dilemma:

I've been flying for about 2-3 years now, have about 75.5 hours done on my private, basically I just have to get a couple xc requirements out of the way and take the check ride.

I'll say it right now, I live in the upstate NY which makes my flying almost non-existent in the winter, fly out of a small FBO maybe one day a week, and my instructor is an older retired pilot (who doesn't really want to devote much time if any to instruction anymore/lately/in the near future?).

I would like to think that I am an average if not above average student, I pick up on things very quickly and due to my tech background/hobby, I find airplane systems real easy and intriguing.

Since leaving this job I've searched for jobs and find myself saying "I could do that if they paid me enough, but would I be able to last long enough to get to a comfy position" This is not my career philosophy so I have been seriously debating becoming a professional pilot. I love flying (as little as I get to do it). This past job I could at least travel, but the past many internships and jobs I've had have been desk jobs that drive me nuts. I basically dreaded going to work every day. The only hope was in an end.

I really want a career and know wherever I go I will have to put in my dues. So I'm looking to do it young.

Situation 1:
-I stick with my degree,
-I'm almost positive I could get a job in the high 30k's if not 40k's (can't complain).
-It was tough to keep flying because in Finance (at least in my opinion, and I would hope in flying), You're dealing with peoples money/lives and really don't want to screw up ("don't want" is putting it nicely), therefore I want to devote a lot of my time to my career to become an expert.
-I would defiantly keep flying (and am at least going to finish my private before I got a new job) and possibly go through the commercial and just do something like run up skydivers (also a new love/hobby) or maybe go to a CFI school and get the ratings and teach part time.
+I think I could Be happy, If flying was still In my Life.

Situation 2:
-Go to a Fast Track school, Try to Find an FBO that I can get everything done faster, and dive right into the "jetcareers"

-there don't seem to be many FBO's around that would teach full time, and since I don't have too much savings left and might need to finance some training, I might run into problems down the run
-I've talked to Amer. Flyers because my Instructor recommended them (He knows the name), looked Embry through his recommendation but I already have a college degree, and briefly looked into ATP because you can't miss the goddamn posts about them. I know theres tons but was hoping to be somewhat close to home, but I guess I could care less (paying for housing is gonna be another issue)
-or do some mix match (which would make financing somewhat difficult)



I've been reading as many posts from this site as possible for a little while now and have just decided to join because I need to make a decision and as close as a lot of people's stories are, they're all unique situations.

I know the fast track programs are a super rip off because they need to make money and charge ridiculous amounts. Being a finance major going into this debt for a job where its gonna take me 3-5 years just to make, maybe, what I could start out with now, with 50-60k in debt looming over my head, is the stupidest thing you could do (especially when I have no debt now and a good little chunk saved). This way I am purely following a dream (and hope that I won't get bored flying and end up in the same situation).

On the other hand, I'm only fresh out of college. I'm sure there might be a job out there I could like, but what I fear is that I will lose touch with flying and do it once in a blue moon, and it will just float into the background (but like playing my bass, although I rarely pick it up anymore, I still do from time to time and remember how much I loved it when I was into it).




I have a hard time making decisions that take chances, which bothers me, and I'm not sure whats gonna make me happy (I'm sure that's not uncommon). I've over analyzed this decision for too long and its driving me nuts. I can rationalize either way to myself and have hit a road block.

If you made it through that, you might be inclined to offer your opinion. Thanks -John :banghead:
 
First of all, Welcome!
I think a lot of people on here may have faced the same dilemmas you are. After reading your post, my advice would be to stick with a finance job WHILE persuing your ratings. As a financial consultant, could you perhaps work only part time/take on fewer clients? By doing this you will still have income while you are getting your ratings and you will keep yourself out of debt. If you are dedicated, you can still earn your ratings in a reasonable amount of time. If it seems like your instructor is less enthusiastic about flying than you are, get a new instructor...find someone who you get along with, makes you a better pilot, and inspires you, even if it means driving to another FBO (I drive an hour to fly 2-3 days a week, but my instructor is great, and he's willing to work with me when it comes to our winter weather. He likes to fly as much as I do, and I think that makes a huge difference).
Big flight schools or the small local FBO are not your only options either. If you have the time, you could look into spending a month or so at a bigger FBO to earn a rating or two. Many of them have accellerated programs for out-of-town students who want to fly everyday.

If you love flying, do it. You won't regret it, and you have a college degree to fall back on. Choosing what you want to do is a big decision but you just have to decide, that's all there is to it....what do you want to look at everyday, the wall of the neighboring cubicle, or the view from above the clouds? Good luck with whatever you choose and keep us posted!
 
Welcome Hammair!


Your musings and observations seem to be right on. Now is the time in your life to do what you want to do.

And yes, this career does not make a lot of sense in terms of money and stability. But if you truly want to fly...... then nobody is gonna talk you out if it... so you will.


Are you 100% sure you want to be a professional pilot? I assume you've already researched the types of flying jobs, the lifestyles therein, and the career's pros and cons.


And along those lines... GET YER PRIVATE PILOT LICENSE DONE ALREADY!!! :-)


I know the VFR WX in the NE is limited in winter but keep on it!
As a former CFI, I have seen many student pilots get a case of high school "senior-itis" and ease up on the urgency of their training as they approach it's end. DON'T! It's an easy trap to fall into. [I did it as well.] Getting re-started wastes money, and more importantly, time.

Personally, if it were me, [and I was 100% sure I wanted to be a pilot at age 18,] I would choose the fastest route for training you can afford. Seniority is everthing.


The sooner you join the circus, the sooner you can become a clown!


Welcome and Good luck
 
Hammair,

You are in a perfect position to choose your next steps without constraints. Being 23 and without attachments, this is the perfect time to focus on who you are, what makes you happy and how you can utilize your skills talents and interest to discover what you're passionate about. It seems that you've already discovered the passion part.

Now, all you need to do is stop only dreaming about living your passion. Start doing what's necessary to realize it. To get yourself unstuck, try the following:

1. Get a piece of paper
2. Make 3 columns on the paper
3. Label the columns - Imaginary Costs, Real Costs, Potential Payoff
4. In column one, "Imaginary Costs" - write all the things that might happen if you took a risk: "People might think I'm being foolish, I wouldn't get a very good job"

These are imaginary costs, as you really have no proof any of these would happen, you just fear that they might happen.

5. In column two, "Real Costs" - write all the things that will definitely happen if you don't take action: "I'll continue to do work I don't enjoy, I won't get to fly as often as I'd like, I won't know what flying for a living feels like."

These are real costs, because it's easy to see that if you don't take some action, nothing will happen.

6. In column three, "Potential Payoff" - write all the positive things that could possibly happen if you took action:
"I'll get to do work I love everyday, I might get a great job with a great airline, I get to travel more, see more and experience more, I'll realize a dream."

It's easy to see that these potential payoffs are much more real than the imaginary costs.

If done honestly, this exercise will cause a shift in perspective. You'll see that feeling stuck (and not making a change) is actually more uncomfortable and more costly in the long run than taking action.

If you need a little more help with the process, pick up a copy of my book, Discovering Your Passion: The Thing That Makes Your Heart Sing http://discoveringyourpassion.com . I wish you the best in your decision process.

Kennette Reed
http://thoughtstream1.blogspot.com
 
Thanks for all your replies and advice, other's opinions always help.

I've finally gotten back in touch with my instructor again and am trying to be at my airport more, except he's barely ever down there, and it's pretty much like a ghost town.

I like your idea of writing down real vs imaginary costs. I'm getting tired of people telling me to write down the pros and cons, if you've noticed thats what is driving me crazy.

As far as slacking on my PPL, my job took literally all of my time, and what time it didn't take, I was too spent to fly. A combination of that, my instructor (after just finishing rebuilding/restoring his plane) sold his plane and and got a new one to work on so we fell off for a little bit, and the weather, god damn that weather. He would cancel a lot because of excessive x-winds because we only have 1 little runway and a rag-bag 172. Now that the weather is getting nicer and I can defiantly see activity starting to pick up.....I plan on finishing the PPL within HOPEFULLY the next month, based on the inst.'s sched.

To give my finance career one more chance to ease my mind, I applied to this company I've been hearing about a lot from friends and such. I will try to give it an honest chance and If I get an offer see what they would pay. If its a great salary, I might try that and be more diligent about flying on a regular basis to finish up Inst and comm.

I've also been looking at the schools, I've been reading a lot (or at least seeing the name) ari-ben so I decided to check them out. Seems their program might be a significantly better deal than what I've been finding. They offer (having a PPL already) an Inst-CFI,CFII,MEI and ME rating for 44,995. This is alot but, housing is included, maybe an extra 3k for books, writtens, and checkrides (ouch), and they do boast how none is in a simulator and how they're primarily a ME training place so pretty much all the time (except for the SE Comm/INST) is in a ME plane, logging 200 hrs ME. Unfortunately they wouldn't be able to start me until early June (possibly), which just makes me have to wait more.

I figure: If I get a job, I could hate it 5yrs from now and getting into flying might be harder (health and age). Or I could fly and if I somehow begin to get bored, or can't pay my bills on peanuts, I can fall back in a finance job much easier and fly on the side still.

--Update-- I went down to see my instructor and he made a few calls with me. He was all for the fast programs but when he heard the prices he re-thought that idea. He made a call to the FBO at Great Barrington, MA and we worked out some pricing of how much it might cost. I think what I am going to decide to do is get a part time job, preferably nights, that way I can drive down there about 3-5 times a week and get at least INST and COMM that way. Might take longer, but this way I won't have to incur massive amounts of debt, and be close to home. It's about an hour drive, but what I'd be spending on housing, I probably won't spend that much on gas.

:bandit: - the wise old man in me says:
I'm open minded enough to know that people older than me have had the same, if not similar, experiences and went through the same things as me.
I'm stubborn enough to believe that my experiences are much different and that their advice just won't work.
 
Mad Doggy Dog said:
The sooner you join the circus, the sooner you can become a clown!
Click to expand...

Hilarious

I hope that this works out for you. I am 21 and thinking about doing the same thing. Just not sure how I am going to juggle school. If I stay in school full time I won't graduate till i'm 23. If I quit now, do fast-track (or something close) I figure 2 years from now (if I work hard) I can have a paying job with an airline and start working on seniority. I know the salaries are terrible at first, but I can live pretty cheap till i'm about 30 or so.

What I really can't decide is if I want to do fast-track or part-time job and 3-5 days a week at an FBO, like you are thinking about doing.
 
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