had a campus tour about a week ago

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spend (optimistically) $200K on training etc

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Help me out with that one. Who spends $200K on training?
 
Hey I said the numbers were somewhat theoretical.
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Also perhaps I was assuming that they bought some multi-time.

So maybe I was off on the amount of money. Then again,

I paid about $80K for a degree. Then I've paid $10K to get my private (including equipment and renting newer 172's wet). And then maybe I decide to go to Riddle's CAPT program (which I wouldn't because it's expensive as hell...I mean $180 for a background check, $300 for psychometric testing, and another $300 for a sim evaluation, and then $39,500 for the program). That would put me at like $118K...okay so maybe I was a little off.

I think my point was made though. Pilots invest a lot more time and money in their training than most people save doctors and lawyers, and make significantly less once they enter the work force. Unlike doctors and lawyers (that's why I married a med student...can you say private jet?
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)

Anyhow, maybe I go and rework the numbers...will that make everybody happy?
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Jeeezez, man... if I spent $200K to get to the airlines, my wife would not only divorce me, she'd shoot me and re-enact the wood-chipper scene from Fargo with my remains.
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Figure with my four-year degree (Obtained in the mid to late 80's mind you), I spent $40K (Private college tuition then - now... double that), then add flight training on top of that.... Still "only" looking at around $70K.

But, if I look at it like that, I'll shoot mySELF and feed my fat ass to the woodchipper.
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I've been out of college for 14 years, so I've made up that $40K... in theory anyway.
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The U.S. Department of Education says different.
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if I spent $200K to get to the airlines, my wife would not only divorce me, she'd shoot me and re-enact the wood-chipper scene from Fargo with my remains.

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I hear ya. I've made the appropriate adjustments to my post.

Of course I went back again and looked at the ERAU CAPT program. Good god. It's $39,500 plus $780 for screening fees, and that's assuming you have your Commerical cert, and your ME and ME Instrument before you apply.

So by my count they'd have you go to someplace like FSA drop $45K (or so there), but you also need a 4 year degree, so that's another $80K (I went to a private college, I'm just using myself as an example...yes I know that other schools are cheaper, but I wasn't planning on becoming a pilot...oy vey). Then go and drop another $39,500 for this CAPT program? My god that's about $165K. And from what I can tell the only thing that you really get out of this program is a MD-90 restricted type rating and 550 TT. Which from what I can tell from reading posts here about type ratings they aren't really worth the money for a pilot with 550 TT since you're not going to be flying an MD-90 for a while. If I'm wrong on that let me know (I'm sure someone would whether I asked or not
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A note to anybody reading this, IMHO if you've already got a 4 year degree your commerical, ME, and ME Instrument start applying for jobs. Me personally I'd rather build 550 TT towing a banner and getting paid than plop down $40K for a restricted type rating and 550 TT in a trainer. Oh I forgot you get all those great classes like "Airport security" (no joke) and "Pilot career planning and interview techniques" (I could probably pay for one of John_Tenney's courses if I really thought I needed something like this...it's maybe worth $150, but not $40K
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). And if I really wanted a type rating I'm willing to be that I could get it much cheaper than $40K.

Anyhow, after all that. My point in the original post was, as I've said, don't do something simply for the money, esspecially flying. From what I've seen so far, you'll spend much more time flying and paying for your flying than you will rolling in money.

Oh one more thing...

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I've been out of college for 14 years, so I've made up that $40K... in theory anyway. The U.S. Department of Education says different.

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Tell me about it
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.

Later.

Naunga
 
Heck, if you have $200 G's, throw that in a diversified portfolio!
 
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Heck, if you have $200 G's, throw that in a diversified portfolio!

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Doug
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a jack of all trades!
 
everyones advice has been helpfull, and thanks for that.

my statement about no CFI's since 9/11 is wrong, its just low.

don't know his last name, but charlie was my tour guide.

and arguing about the details is moot. my point was that the CFI list is long, and the wait is longer.

which doesn't bother me, I just won't try to be a CFI there.

and I talked to my CFI yesterday, he gave me some good ideas.

i wish i had more time to reply, but i'm going out to solo
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later
 
Things are looking up for instructing here, they are doing a standardisation class soon because student numbers are increasing and more instructors are needed. Just to rehash on what others had said, fly because you like it not for the money cause it could be quite a few years before your in a postion to be making decent money. Just from riding around with my instructor over the past few flights I'm thinking, wow this guy get's paid to do this, sweet I want this job. I mean really I'm doing most of the flying and he's just sitting there giving instructions and enjoying the view. Sure he's not making a heap of money and has a 2nd job but I still think it would be a fun job, getting paid to fly is a good thing whatever the amount. I think that's the kinda attutide you need in order to suceed in this industry, there isn't any quick and easy way to the top just like anything else in life. Figure out what you want in lif and aim for it.. and it might have to be a compremise between job satifaction and income, personally I'd rather earn a little less with a job I like than more money in a job I hated.

All the best.
 
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I mean really I'm doing most of the flying and he's just sitting there giving instructions and enjoying the view.

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Ahhh, you make it sound so easy. If you only knew....
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Isn't it funny that the more hours you get, the less comfortable you are with certain maneuvers? I mean really, right rudder in slow flight is soooo overrated. hehe
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Just wait until Marcel flips you over in the Zlin on a demonstrated crossed control stall for your CFI! Actually I found it pretty fun, but of course we were at 7,000 feet AGL. hehe

That's not to say that I'm afraid to fly, but I'm sure a lot more conscious of what to do and what not to do than when I started. That's one reason why that instructor is sitting next to you. But I'm sure that you knew that and were being facetious.
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My instructor, when I first got here last November, was brought in for standardization in October of 2002. So, yes there have been instructors who have been brought in since 9/11. I'm not sure when the last stan. class was though, but like Snow said I've heard rumors (he was into female hocky players, ...it was like so hush hush - sorry, way inside Pixies reference - too much coffee) of a small stan. class coming up here in the not so distant future. We're down to about 50-60 instructors now and they're finally getting some descent time and student loads, but instructors are slowly streaming off to regionals, etc. so at some point they're going to have to bring in some people to get the ball rolling again. Then there's going to be a better idea of what's going on with the list because I'm sure that a lot of those people aren't going to find it beneficial to come back.

Dave
 
What? There's movement? With the new Chataqua contract and all, I'd hope a few FSI instructors would get hired on. Let's just hope it continues.

Lend me some sugar
I AM your neighbor
 
Yeah a few here and there. 3 went to Comutair and another 3 are on the list for next time. One went to Airnet. There are several on the Chitaqua, Chataqua, whatever list too... Keep you're fingers crossed. Their sucesses hopefull will spell sucess for all of us.

On top of that, there are three airline contracts here now. Germans, Swiss, and Koreans.

As it is now, the instructors are finally getting 3-4 students each. Below that, it doesn't really make much sense.

How's GA treatin' ya? I'm getting ready to make the big drive back to Chicago. Got my CFII checkride tomorrow and then I'm going to call it a day after that for a while. I imagine I'll get my MEI somewhere along the line, but I don't anticipate needing it right away.

Later,
Dave
 
GA is good for now. Finally getting some good weather the past few months has done wonders for my logbook. Hopefully the CFII went well. Keep us posted on how Chicago treats you.
 
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i'm kinda confused now, as to where i want my flight career to go.

I know i don't want to fly bus' at 35k feet.

i just don't know
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I visited FSA back in May and loved it--but I'm in the same spot you are, I just don't know if I'll be able to swing the debt when I'm instructing and working for a regional...plus the wait list is a downer.

And I DO want to fly a bus at FL 350
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(more than anything else...well, just about anything else.)

I wish I had a magic ball that could tell me the outcome of the different options.
 
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I wish I had a magic ball that could tell me the outcome of the different options.

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Whats the fun in that?
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the instructors are finally getting 3-4 students each

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Yeah one guy in my class had to be transfered to a new instructor because the one he was assigned already had 6 students! Another guy also had to be reassigned cause his instructor was a check pilot and was going to be too busy.
 
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