engineering to flying

jetstar242

jetstar242

Well-Known Member
So yesterday I have been given an offer by Air Wisconsin. I am still few hours short of 1000 and need at least 5 month to get to ATP minimums before I can attend class. Anyway, I have been working as a full time mechanical engineer and part time CFII for the past 3 years. Flying is everything I ever wanted to do and the idea of doing it full time is beyond imaginable. I really enjoyed CFII'ng and pretty much have worked without any days off for the past 6 month (thanks for an understanding fiancé). However, I've got somewhat accustomed to financial side of engineering over the past few years (now my first engineering job payed slightly more than 38k so I know I can survive). I don't really enjoy engineering much, as well as the people I have worked with in the past years at 2 different companies..... I wanted to get your opinion as to my decision based on the way industry is at the time. Do you thing this a good or a bad move? Also I'm 25 years old.
 
I was an engineer for a big construction company before I switched to flying. I have found flying to be much more rewarding. There are some things I miss about construction, but not so much about engineering. I haven't really looked back since leaving that career field. It's also nice to have some practical experience instead of just a random degree to fall back on should flying ever not be viable either temporarily or indefinitely for whatever reason.
 
I spent almost six years as a mechanical engineer before making the change to aviation... I was 29 when I had all of my ratings and quit the industry to go work as a CFI. That was 10 years ago, and I'm finally making more than I was as an engineer.

Of course, I'm definitely behind financially when looking at cumulative earnings over the past 10 years. But I managed to stay out of debt, set aside money for retirement, and still have plenty of "play" money that whole time too, as I prepared for it before I left engineering.

I don't regret the decision to switch careers at all - I would absolutely make that decision again. I'm MUCH happier now, and I have more free time (a lot more).

Feel free to ask me any questions, I'd be glad to help however I can!
 
Awesome, this is a great inspiration. After all, there is a plan B, and it is better to start sooner than later! Seems like everyone here, and everyone who I met at AWA interview are happy to be where they are!!
 
Go for it man. The engineering degree will always be there. I went aerospace engineering in college in lieu of an aviation degree because of the recession and horrible state of the regionals at the time. Now things in the industry are looking great and it seems like now is a great time to get in and get a seniority number. During school I figured that engineering would be the "backup career", except that my first gig out of school took me to the desert to a company where all my coworkers are pilots and the projects are... very cool. :) Moral of the story is go where you want to go. Maybe this will get old one day and I'll make the career change to flying (like I originally intended), but right now I'm still very much enjoying the ride.
 
jskibo said:
@ComplexHiAv8r
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I'm a late career changer from Engineering, ending with over 10 years owning my own company. I'll never make the money flying to engineer, but you have to be happy. I saved to allow the switch to be easier. I'm now on second year pay, so its better. If you want to make the move, start reducing you budget to what 2nd year pay is, saving the other to allow to make that first year without the burden. Enjoy the ride!
 
You are only 25 years old, LAUGH MY ASS OFF , you can do whatever the hell you want with your life at that age, and at almost any age. I am 43 years old with a BS,MS and MBA. I was an engineer working on satellites and military communications equipment for 15 years and I gave up a job paying over 6 figures. I was an engineer, manager, financial analyst, etc, etc. Now I am time building and at 400 hours working on flight instructor ratings, I want to retire as a pilot. If I can do it at 43, you can do it at 25- and from talking to my friends who are airline pilots, now is as good a time as any to start an aviation career, even at my age. And you are too young to worry about money, do what you have to do to financially to get thru it- it will work out in the end.

And consider this, there are technical jobs out there for pilots who have an engineering degree, not as much competition for these jobs so they are good paying jobs. Go for it !
 
Eddie_X59 said:
You are only 25 years old, LAUGH MY ASS OFF , you can do whatever the hell you want with your life at that age, and at almost any age. I am 43 years old with a BS,MS and MBA. I was an engineer working on satellites and military communications equipment for 15 years and I gave up a job paying over 6 figures. I was an engineer, manager, financial analyst, etc, etc. Now I am time building and at 400 hours working on flight instructor ratings, I want to retire as a pilot. If I can do it at 43, you can do it at 25- and from talking to my friends who are airline pilots, now is as good a time as any to start an aviation career, even at my age. And you are too young to worry about money, do what you have to do to financially to get thru it- it will work out in the end. And consider this, there are technical jobs out there for pilots who have an engineering degree, not as much competition for these jobs so they are good paying jobs. Go for it !
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I did it at 50! 8)
 
Thank you guys!! This is going slightly off topic, but how do major airlines look at exam failures and incidents? I was involved in an incident where my student screwed on takeoff having some kind of stress attack and pulled back the yoke as hard as you can...long story short we hit a light without knowing on a 40' wide strip as i recovered and came for a landing with broken brake which ran us off the rwy. I wad 709ed after the event but there were no damages or injuries. Also i have a failure on my private IFR and initial CFI (thanks to brutal NY FSDO :) ). Thank you all for your comments and great opinions!
 
Regarding both the accident and checkride failures, you need to get past the "it wasn't my fault" mentality. Take ownership of them, and explain what you learned about them and how they made you a better pilot.
 
GypsyPilot said:
Regarding both the accident and checkride failures, you need to get past the "it wasn't my fault" mentality. Take ownership of them, and explain what you learned about them and how they made you a better pilot.
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Don't get me wrong, totally my fault as I was the PIC and was there for a reason and MANY things learned from those experiences! I've become thousands times better pilot/ CFI just because I went through the whole experience, even though it was not pleasant one in any way.
 
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jetstar242 said:
Don't get me wrong, totally my fault as I was the PIC and was there for a reason and MANY things learned from those experiences! I've become thousands times better pilot/ CFI just because I went through the whole experience, even though it was not pleasant one in any way.
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You'll be fine then... That's the mentality interviewers want to see. Lots of people out there with similar circumstances (many times much worse), so don't sweat it.
 
Eddie_X59 said:
And consider this, there are technical jobs out there for pilots who have an engineering degree, not as much competition for these jobs so they are good paying jobs. Go for it !
Click to expand...

This. There are some rather unique jobs out there that combine both aviation and engineering.
 
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