Airline pilot or MBA?

C

cheers!

New Member
Hi fellows,

I'm 20 yrs old and studying Business Administration. In two years I'm going to get my BS degree. After getting my BS degree, I'm thinking to get my PPL at my local FBO. Then, I'll have to choose between:

*persuing my dream to become an airline pilot :rawk:
or
*study an MBA at Europe :yeahthat: , lol

Now, I have considerable free time at college, so I would like to know what I can read to learn more or just to get advance of my free time. About being an airline pilot, do you recommend me to go to the big schools like Pan-am, PEA, ATP, etc? or where to go?

So, I would like to receive some wise advise from you guys.

Cheers!!
 
Hi,

You are almost in the same situation as me. I was considering going for an MBA but I realized that a B.S. degree in Aviation Management is plenty to get any sort of managerial position in aviation. I am concentrated on my academics right now and will pursue my flight training back home during the summer. I personally don't like big flight schools so it is really up to you. I would definitely do an internship one summer to see what an airline career is like because I hear that it is the most rewarding experience you will have as a pilot outside of any job.
I hope I helped
 
Welcome aboard. This seems to be a popular dilemma, because I'm right there with y'all. I'm gonna take the GMAT, see how I do and go from there. If I get a good score then I might entertain the possibility of going to some "better" schools. If not, then stay right where I am. I graduate in May. My feeling is I might as well get the MBA; it's only a few more years. Then do what ya want.
 
Hey Guys,

I just got my MBA so if you need some insight, here's my 2 cents.

The MBA has not really helped me in my career as of yet. I'm only 24 and I, as many others do, view my MBA as a requirement for the job I am going to get a few years down the road, not anything immediate so that doesn't worry me. I was fortunate enough to have my university baseball scholarship to pay for it, so that aided in my decision to do it. Most of the students with me in class, however, had been in the workplace for several years and were having their respective companies foot the bill...this I highly recommend. I can't recommend jumping right into an MBA until you have a little work experience because honestly at 20, who knows what you are going to want to do when you get out of school. And, finding a good company to work for and who encourages graduate intiative programs a.k.a paying for your degree is a killer bonus.

As for ATP etc and what to do about your dream, read these forums religiously and the perspectives. If you keep tabs on the guys on this forum, you'll get a great sense of what the industry is like and how this is not something to just dive into with a $50,000 check handy. You really have to know what you are doing and experiment with it; read books, start your ppl etc..It's always been my dream to fly and, as I see it, though I may not be getting paid to fly, I am still livin my dream everytime I hop in the warrior and head out up the lake shore.

Just some thoughts, PM me if you need some MBA tips on schools etc...
 
About MBA's, I'm thinking among London Business School, INSEAD, and IESE Business School.

I'm hopping I can save enough money to start my PPL next summer '07, I will be 22 yrs old.

Any books that can help me with the PPL or to know more about aviation?

G'luck to all of you too!!
 
cheers! said:
About MBA's, I'm thinking among London Business School, INSEAD, and IESE Business School.

I'm hopping I can save enough money to start my PPL next summer '07, I will be 22 yrs old.

Any books that can help me with the PPL or to know more about aviation?

G'luck to all of you too!!
Click to expand...


One book that I can recommend the the Jeppesen Private Pilot Manual. I know there are many other good books out there was well but this would give you a start.
 
How do airlines favor their labor (pilots), who may want to pursue a managerial position down the road, going back to school to get an MBA?

Anyone know?
 
Hmmm, let's see....
Airline Pilot: low pay, gone all the time, job dependant on medical, low job security, etc...

MBA: increased job security, increased pay with job changes, more respect, home everynight, more money for toys..

Gee, I don't know, that's a tough one!!! :D
 
braidkid said:
Hmmm, let's see....
Airline Pilot: low pay, gone all the time, job dependant on medical, low job security, etc...

MBA: increased job security, increased pay with job changes, more respect, home everynight, more money for toys..

Gee, I don't know, that's a tough one!!! :D
Click to expand...

True... but I think it's a little more complex than that for people who are very passionate about aviation - like myself. I wish it were that easy. It's my heart vs. my brain at this point. My heart is telling me to fly airplanes. My brain is telling me otherwise. I'm trying to come to a compromise here. :)
 
Boiler,
I would be interested to know more about the question of pilots seeking management positions as well. I'm pretty much in the same fight with heart and brain. Trying to get the best of both worlds as well. Of course good ol' Gordon Bethune was a CEO and had a 767 type rating so thats pretty inspiring. Then again he also had a Harvard MBA.

Anyone,
Like Boiler, I'm trying to find the best of both worlds, I was curious about this as well. If a pilot had an MBA, anyone know the usual progress a pilot makes that would want to move into management later on down the road? After doing a little research it seems that VPs of Flight Ops in several companies were former pilots....is that the norm?
 
Same situation

I am curious as to whether or not your degree matters rather it is business admin. or aviation management. I mean does aviation management give you that much better of a edge?
 
Dreampilot said:
I am curious as to whether or not your degree matters rather it is business admin. or aviation management. I mean does aviation management give you that much better of a edge?
Click to expand...

All that is required for an airline job is to be able to check the box that says "college degree."

Now if you're asking whether aviation management or business admin matters in the real world, well that's another question.
 
NTXPilot said:
After doing a little research it seems that VPs of Flight Ops in several companies were former pilots....is that the norm?
Click to expand...

Takes dedication, leadership, and contacts. It can be done, I'm sure.
 
I recently gave up a cush corporate job to do this full time. I have never been happier. If you are the type that will be in a corporate environment and want to just laugh at the useless B.S. that goes on and gets nauseated when you here a buzz word like "change agent" or "synergize", you will never be happy doing that if your dream is truly to fly, not matter how much money you are making.
 
It very much is a heart vs. brain issue. I have pursued many different things in life and had a chance to do a lot before I got here to flight school and am now working my way through my ratings. The reason I'm here instead of somewhere else where the money potential could be greater: Because no matter what else I was doing, every time a plane flew over, my heart leapt up to it and I had to watch or even just listen as it flew over if I couldn't go and watch. Now that I'm here at school, I know I'm where I'm supposed to be. I don't look at other people who aren't pilots with any disdain (hey, if everyone was supposed to be one, we'd have nobody to build or maintain them or create the business needed to have airlines!), but I certainly wouldn't want to swap what they are doing for what I am doing here and into the future. The office view can't be beat except for maybe by an astronaut and flying is just where I am supposed to be. I've had a few years out in the real world and it just wouldn't cut it for me. I'll make less money for a few years, sure....I'm taking on another debt, yes, but nothing beats being satisfied with what you do at the end of the day and loving to go to work or whatever. Sure, you'll deal with crappy things in any job and I've done that and you learn to deal with it and enjoy things anyway. I've taken the long way around on the journey and although mine wasn't an MBA that I looked at, I have made a change in my life that I believe will be for the better. Take some time and explore the possibilities in life and see. I knew I was supposed to fly from a very young age and it took a long time to find a way to do it the right way, but I wouldn't change a thing as I bring my experience with me here and into my future jobs. Find what you love to do....for me just having a job that would generate lots of money and never real satisfaction just doesn't work for me....you may not end up taking work home with you, but you do often take home headaches and dissatisfaction if you're not where you belong and that can make your time off a less fun than it should be.

....my two humble and very opinionated cents :)
 
BoilerPilot2007 said:
Takes dedication, leadership, and contacts. It can be done, I'm sure.
Click to expand...

And you have to be dedicated to destroying the pilot profession, lowering wages, eliminatng benefits and replacing older more experienced (read higher paid) pilots with low paid young pilots happy to work for crap wages and no retirement. In this day of union busting and pilot bashing, it is a rare quality to find an airline executive that doesn't blame workers, unions or the government as cover for poor decisions and an utter lack of leadership. There is a line between airline management and line pilots. Cross it at your own peril (spiritual not physical peril). Stay in the cockpit or go a different direction altogether. If you have a need to find greater fullfilment, become a volunteer fireman and EMT. It will provide the extra responsibility and satisfaction you seek. And the pilot profession is uniquly aligned with firefighting in many ways. The schedule allows you to participate in ways that a 9-5 job will not and the same skills that make a good pilot also make a good firefighter.

Tom
 
I've made my choice. I'm gonna learn to fly, but definitely, I'm going for the MBA with the dream to create my own airline: "Cheers! Airlines", lol.

I'll see you on the sky flyers!!
 
Brain

Not what you are hoping to hear I imagine but look around this board. There are professional pilots a plenty who are miserable.

You love to fly and so do I. Get the job that pays the bills. Get the job that pays the bills and then some and buy yourself an airplane. Its a beat up old 150 for me right now but that will eventually be a Pitts. Just a matter of time...

If you chose heart, you will be happy for awhile till your heart changes and you are tired of making crappy wages flying the same routes.

Just my take.
 
I am a Media Sales and Marketing exec and I hate that title, not to mention I have too many boss tpyes to deal with in one building and my life is turning into the movie Office Space. Captain Sean sounds much better to me. I am 32 and I start my PPL training next Tuesday. Whether I make it all the way to becoming a pilot? Who knows l will deffienetly let you all know the progress. Like someone said on the post it is hard to love your current job if all you think about is flying. Very true
 
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