Electrical Engineer thinking of becoming pilot

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nxg157

New Member
Hello All,

This is my first post. Let me give some background information about myself. I am a 23 year old guy with a B.S. in electrical engineering. I graduated in May of 2003. Since then, I have been working as a electrical design engineer at a global firm. The type of work I am doing is not exactly electrical type of work but more or less mechanical. Therefore, I have been thinking of leaving this job. The two options I have is to either go for pilot school and fulfill my dream of becoming an airline pilot or to go to graduate school to get my masters degree. About 2 months ago, I was almost set with the decision of becoming an airline pilot. I thought that even though the market is currently pretty bad, it will get better by the time I am done with flight school and have attained enough hours. But, I have been doing some research and after reading some of the posts on this website, I have totally become scared of the profession. It seems like no matter how hard you work and even if you get into the majors, they will furlough you after 5 years of service. All I read is grim stories of pilots who have worked for more than 10 years in the majors and are now on furlough for 2 years.

If I go to a graduate school, I will get a masters degree in engineering. I am sure that it will not be hard to find a good job. But, on the downside, I would have to give up my dream of becoming an airline pilot forever.

So, I am asking all you guys, what is you take on this.
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Flying is a rough game ... no other way to look at it. Some people think it's worth it, some don't.

Get your masters and fly on the side. You're 23, you're young and with a good job (like electrical engineering) you can probably afford to fly some decent hours on the weekends (i.e. pay as you go). Then once you have your ratings, find and fly a part-time CFI gig or jumpers/etc. If you find you like flying more than electrical engineering, make the plunge. If you find flying wasn't what you thought it would be, well then all you've lost is a "few" weekends.

But for the love of god do not go to an accelerated academy or worse some PFT scheme and just drop your job outright. There are no shortcuts in this game - no matter what the fancy ads in Flying say.
 
First off, WELCOME ABOARD.
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As far as the pilot career goes it's tough right now, but your plan is a good one.

You're young

You have your degree.

You have a good fall back career

The job market is improveing in fits and starts.

You can plan on spending 2 years before you will be able to be hired by a regional, so you shold be in a good position.

If it is really your dream, go for it. I did, and I don't have any regrets. Look at the good as well as the bad.

Think seriously about working part time and flying part time to ease the financial burden.

The advice you get on this board is worth exactly how much you paid for it.
 
I wish I were smart enough to be an electrical engineer.

Tell you what...I'll trade you all of my pilot certificates and flight time for your M.S. in Electrical Engineering...hows that? What? You can't do that??
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Hello..

I'm also pretty much at the same place as nxg157, except an administrator for an insurance company insted of an engineer...and a little older.

I had a question though, everyone says to fly for a major airline, you need a masters. What about 2 BSc degrees? I spent sometime looking for a 4 year degree when I was first going to school, but there were not that really interested me to the point that I would pay for them.
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Would 2 BSc be considered the same as one masters?
 
Isn't a BS a 4 year degree? or was I just really slow?

Anyway, the above advice seems very sound. Keep the good job (and untill you have some senority at a regioanl, anything that keeps you above the poverty line counts a a good job), and fly on the side. Enjoy it. Go for weekend trips with friends, fishing or whatever. Live simply and stay out of debt if you can. Build the time, save some dough if you can, and when the time comes to take the plunge, go ahead. But if you've got a good job, theres no reason to give it up untill you've got your commercial multi and instrument.
 
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everyone says to fly for a major airline, you need a masters.

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Huh? I don't think too many major airlines pilots have masters degrees. Degrees yes.
 
perhaps this is diffrent in Canada. In the US I believe

2 year- AS
4 year- BS

Masters- more work than interests me
 
Sorry, the only big difference is in the beer you drink before posting and the people around distracting you
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It's 4 years here for a bachelors degree, theres 2 and 3 year diplomas, and 1 year certificates. In general anyway, there are a few programs that have a year less for a degree or diploma.
 
What if I wanted to be either a mechanical or an aeronautical engineer; could I be a pilot at the same time? I personally don't see myself taking the engineering classes but who knows what can change. Whatever I do, I'll be getting a non-aviation degree or backup for sure.
 
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What if I wanted to be either a mechanical or an aeronautical engineer; could I be a pilot at the same time?

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Yes.
 
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4 year- BS

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I know quite a few folks on the 6-year plan....
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6 1/2 years buddy
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I should be a doctor or lawyer by now
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The airline industry has always been a rough game. Airlines as a rule don't make money (SWA excepted) which can make them a bad bet for a stable career. But there are other aspects of aviation, like corporate or fractional that are possibilites too.

Either way having a fallback career is definitely in order. Like Doug I have flow with lawyers, at least one chiropractor, I know of a practicing dentist who also was an airline pilot, and lots of guys who have started businesses with varying levels of success.

Otherwise, if you decide to fly someone else's airplane for a paycheck you are putting your career in their hands. There is no such thing as a guaranteed job.

Dave
 
Hi. Welcome to the board. I too am an Electrical Engineer and 4 years ago, I was 23 and trying to make the same exact decision as you.

I chose not to pursue a career in flying for an airline. There are pluses and minuses. Pluses are that I am getting paid well and I have a stable job which allows me to fly for fun whenever I want. The minus is that there is not a day that goes by that I wonder "what if ...". But then I wonder if I would have been one of the guys who had a job at a regional or someone who would still be waiting for an opportunity or be furloughed.

It all comes down to how much you are willing to sacrifice. I have found a new area of work which will keep me very involved in aviation and I am happy with it. But make sure you find a career which will keep you happy. If you are sick of a job at the age of 23, you have GOT TO change it!! You will be miserable at 28!

Mahesh
 
Hi. As I've said before I am also interested in becoming an engineer. I see there is some dofficulties being both, but I also know that it can be done. It sounds like a good idea to get a stable job and do flight training with the money you earn at your job. At least you will also have a stable source of income. One question though...Would it be too much to work as an engineer, work on flight training and work as a part-time CFI on the side?
 
Well, as long as you are working for someone else instead of running your own business, you're always going to be depending on someone else for that job, and it may disappear very quickly.

Imagine working for, say, Enron or WorldCom, doing a great job, and then, boom. You're laid off.

I know people who had that happen to them. It really sucked.
 
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