Careful thought and in need of advice from experts

[aloft]

Re: Careful thought and in need of advice from exp

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If I was 22 again and no responsibilities other than myself...I would "Jump in".....but....need to face reality and do not think I could afford to make 25K for the next 10 years!

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No offense, but you need to do some more homework. If you make only $25k/yr for the next 10 years as a pilot, you've done something seriously wrong! You'll make that or less the first 3 years or so (including your time flight instructing/freight dogging, and your first year at a regional), but it gets better after that. Do a search on SkyWChris' posts, he listed exactly what he made as a pilot at SkyWest his first few years there. A SkyWest pilot in year 5, for example, will make around $63k as a CRJ captain (multiply the hourly rate by 1000, which is the FAA-mandated limit on the number of hours an airline pilot can fly).

 

[Mr_Creepy]

Re: Careful thought and in need of advice from exp

Well Aloft it gets better if you stay in one place!

If you change airlines, for whatever reason (like your airline goes out of business, furloughs you, or just plain sucks) then you start at the bottom again.

When I left Mesa (approx 60k/yr as a CRJ Capt) and went to Midway (as a B737 FO) I went back down to about 28k. Then the airline shut down.

BUT if you are blessed enough to get a keeper job right away, then yes - after 10 years you should be making near 100k.

 

[LAX_Airport]

Re: Careful thought and in need of advice from exp

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I was 33 when I left the computer industry to fly full-time. I am currently employed by a regional airline. Although I enjoy my job, it's a financially UNREWARDING career with little job security. At my age (now 47), it's unlikely that I'll ever make it to the ranks of a major airline. According to my last tax return, I made just over $29,000 last year - my 14-th year as a professional pilot. It should also be noted that my current employer doesn't have a pension plan - just a 401(k).

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Hey Fearless!!!!! Are you serious? 14 years.....and 29K? I guess people aren't leaving therefore you can't move up? Can anyone give some insights on this? As one who wants to get into the industry, this is some scary stuff!!!!!!!!!

 

[av8trxx]

Re: Careful thought and in need of advice from exp

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Are you serious? 14 years.....and 29K? I guess people aren't leaving therefore you can't move up?

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He said 14 years as a professional pilot, not with the airline. I think he means he got his first paying flying job 14 years ago.

 

[Budroe]

Thanks so much for your post. My story is about the same, exept for one major factor.... I don't have squat for savings. I do have a wife and two kids. I don't zero hours and like you am looking for a career change. I stumbled across the board and have been reading posts like crazy the last few days. Initially, before I found this board I was gung-go to attend an academy. But then I had to figure relocating my family, hoping my wife could earn enough to support us and the cost of the academies. After reading so many negative and positive posts on the academies I really don't know what to think of them. Yeah, you get out what you put in but dang that's a lot of money to pay in one chunk. After all the reading, I'm pretty sure that route is not a viable option now. Living in Jackson, TN we don't have many (1) Part 141 flight schools. I am thinking about going through one of the local schools (SkyVenture, Inc.) getting my private, instrument, Commercial, ME and CFI. I could get the training and stay local. But then my problem is getting in the hours to even apply to a regional. I have talked to people and read on this site my options. Banner towing (never seen one towed in 12+ years here), Traffic (too small a market for traffic reports), skydive pilot (once again, small market), pipeline patrol or fish spotting???whatever the heck that is. That pretty much leaves me with flight instructing. Who knows how long that could take to get me the required hours? But this seems to the only option at this point. If after reading this someone has ANY input on my situtation I would GREATLY appreciate it. Thanks for your post. Reading the replies has been very helpful.

 

[wheelsup]

From doug's own words:

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"Are there enough jobs out there to stay in a region I want or do you take what you can get to get your foot in the door. I don't really want to move my family 5 times to find a job, but maybe I'll have to?"

Well I'm a Californian and when I was looking for a regional job, knowing that I'd never reach the cockpit without time in a regional airliner, I decided that I'd move anywhere in order to gain that experience. So why would a Californian move to Wisconsin during the winter? Because it was a sacrifice that I was willing to make to progress in my career. In 1995, Skywest, West Air and American Eagle, all airlines with a strong west coast presence, were only considering applicants with 3,000 hours above because the entire industry was experiencing a downturn. I could have waited for another two years until I had 3,000 hours or wait until the requirements came down.

Two years or so waiting for the requirements to fly for a specific regional is a lot of time in an aviation career. Here's an example, I was hired in January 1998. Pilots that were hired only six months earlier than me are now becoming 737 captains earning nearly twice my salary. I would strongly suggest that you take the route that is going to get you to a major airline as expeditiously as possible because once you make it to where you want to be, both you and your family benefit.

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Why did I quote this? From the way it sounds, you live in a smaller community with not much going on. You're at a servere dis-advantage simply in having the opportunity to aquire more flight time and experience.

If you can make friends with a twin owner on the field, that would be a start. I was re-doing my resume today and realized I've held 3 CFI jobs in a year, all in different locations of the country (Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest) all to attempt to get the much needed multi time (which is happening, finally, at my current job

). You've gotta be able to move around in this industry.

~wheelsup

 

[Budroe]

I see your point. My only hope is that I could get hired as a CFI from the flight school I attend locally, not totally out of the question as I have discussed it with them as I toured their facility. I may have an ace in the hole and not realize it. There is a family friend who does own a twin here, hangered just down from the flight school. But where does that get me? If after obtaining the CFI and all other ratings what do I say to him? "Mind if I take your much beloved twin up to get some time in?". I hadn't thought about that scenario. But if it played out my dreams may not be dashed yet. Seriously, what and how would I approach him about using his twin? Thanks a lot.

 

[wheelsup]

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My only hope is that I could get hired as a CFI from the flight school I attend locally,

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Take it from someone who's been there. If you're gonna instruct, go someplace that has a steady flow of students (i.e. college program or large 141 school) and career students who get in the twin.

I've worked at 3 schools now, finally on my last one I hope. The first was busy, but had no twin.

With no twin time, you don't go anywhere. So I came to a large/busy 61 school with 3 twins at the time. While I was doing my MEI they were always booked, so I thought I was golden. Well, I ended up with maybe 20 hours in 6 months there. I finally bit the bullet and came to a large 141 college type school and wished I would've come here a loooong time ago. I could've cut a year off my instructing days.

Knowing the guy with the twin helps a lot in this case. How much does he fly it? If you could do 20 hours or so a month in it, possibly safety pilot time or flat out dual given in it, you should be ok.

~wheelsup

 

[Cachon]

I have never seem a more negative or pessimistic thread on this website.

It is true that the industry is in a bad position right now but things are looking up, a lot of regionals are hiring
I believe you are in a great position, you have the cash (You don't need any loans).
And like someone said, If someone is making 29K after been in the industry for 10 years or more, I think that is the exception not the rule.

They are a lot of success stories on this site. Don't give up so easily, don't spend the rest of your life wondering, what if?
Stay working part time or full time if you can, then go to a FBO that offers 141 training and that have a twin aircraft and do your training that way.

There are no easy shortcuts, but you already have a degree, and a decent amount of money believe it or not you are in a great position to realize your dream.

 

[Flyboyz]

That was well said. There is so much negative posted on many of these threads. Can anyone tell me a perfect job. Every job has its negatives, and every job will be affected in a down economy. That is all part of life.

Look at the guy who started this thread. Great job, $400,000 in the bank and is not content in doing what he is doing. You either fly because you love it, truly love it. Or you think its cool to wear the uniform and say you are a pilot. And if that is the case, you will constantly be posting nbegative threads on this forum.