Need Serious Advice

Neither I nor any of my friends ever went to flight schools (nor did we join the military or any other group). We're all at airlines now and doing very well. Gliders, tow planes, make friends w CFIs, pass all writtens w home study, make friends w airplane owners, get CFI & CFIG, , fly jumpers, fly 135 cargo, fly Alaska a few summers, get on with airline. Super fun, minimal investment, and you come away with a deep well of flying skills that no flight school can ever teach.
Avoid the costly temptations of instant gratification and all will be well.
 
I made the jump from LE to airlines. It was a no brainer for me, as I was burned out in LE. But I did stay in and paid as I went until I had my CFI. Then I took a full time job flight instructing until I had my hours. If there’s an aviation unit, and you still have a passion for LE, I would stay in. We didn’t have an aviation unit, so I couldn’t go that route. But I’m very happy with airline flying and I don’t regret my decision at all. I would avoid large 141 schools, and find a 61 where you can just go at your own pace. I found a lot of people along the way that helped me out by letting me fly their planes all over the place. So I was able to build a lot of my commercial time that way. You’ll find a lot of people who have a very high regard for LE officers and will help you out. If you need anything, feel free to send me a PM.
 
Neither I nor any of my friends ever went to flight schools (nor did we join the military or any other group). We're all at airlines now and doing very well. Gliders, tow planes, make friends w CFIs, pass all writtens w home study, make friends w airplane owners, get CFI & CFIG...

While I don't fly for a living, this is essentially the path I took. I think the best part of this approach is that burnout is less likely.
 
Thanks for all the help and to those who contributed. The feedback was awesome. I even had someone PM who was in my exact situation who worked for the exact same department. I think my answer was pretty obvious and staying where I’m at and paying as I go is the best option. Thanks all!
 
Yes, come to NJ or PA for flight schools. Everything cost more on the island and near NYC. I highly recommend Somerset Air Service in Bedminster, NJ. Not too far off of Highway 78 W.
 
You already have a crazy amount of debt. Don’t go in deeper.

the debt in this career destroys families.

to give you an idea, I financed everything to the tune of about 100k. It took almost a decade to reach a level of income able to make my payments. Now imagine you get all that debt and another downturn happens in the industry, sallie Mae don’t care and you’re left begging for jobs that pay 30k a year, overwork you, but you get “experience.” LOL.

If I we’re you the first thing I’d do is get rid of all that garbage debt you currently have before doing anything p. ESPECIALLY the credit cards. If you’re paying interest you need to balance transfer as much of that to 0% cards right now. Right now. Like right after you read this.

With 60k in debt you shouldn’t be fantasizing about jumping out of your current decent paying career to fly shiny planes. Especially since you’re not going to see a return on investment for YEARS or possibly EVER AT ALL if we have another downturn.

I can’t stress this enough, if I had a time machine I would avoid debt like the plague and if that means I wouldn’t fly in the first place so be it.
Read the fine print on CC debt transfer, I didnt- transferred $10k into huge interest rates.
Shot myself in the foot again!
Everything changes in life, what if you
reached your goal and later decided it wasn't all you had it cracked up to be?
Debt is bad, you hopefully have easy 10 years to start. Buy a sport pilot plane after some debt reduction and fly your butt off, get a few hundred hours for cheap- even sell the plane for break even.
 
I made the jump from LE to airlines. It was a no brainer for me, as I was burned out in LE. But I did stay in and paid as I went until I had my CFI. Then I took a full time job flight instructing until I had my hours. If there’s an aviation unit, and you still have a passion for LE, I would stay in. We didn’t have an aviation unit, so I couldn’t go that route. But I’m very happy with airline flying and I don’t regret my decision at all. I would avoid large 141 schools, and find a 61 where you can just go at your own pace. I found a lot of people along the way that helped me out by letting me fly their planes all over the place. So I was able to build a lot of my commercial time that way. You’ll find a lot of people who have a very high regard for LE officers and will help you out. If you need anything, feel free to send me a PM.
I had 3 people supposed to fly my Cherokee,
Sold it cheap for cylinder corrosion,...
 
I think my answer was pretty obvious and staying where I’m at and paying as I go is the best option. Thanks all!

I’m a big fan of Part 61. I had a five year hiatus from flying after I got my Private in high school in 2008. It took two years of adjusting insurance claims out of college to convince me to pursue flying wholeheartedly. If you make some connections and have a decent support network (local pilots, CFI’s etc.) you can make it without dumping 70k+ at ATP etc.. I did it. Just take it one step at a time. Have realistic time expectations and don’t give up.

In fact, I did all my rating from commercial up with my older brother who was a detective with our local SO and had been in LE for eight years. By the time we got our CFI’s he left the Sheriff’s to pursue it full time. Being more of an outgoing person and a networker he managed to work out a C500 type and was flying citations single pilot within 2-3 years while I instructed to ATP mins. He’s now flying for CBP capitalizing on both fields of expertise.

My point is, is never too late if it’s something you truly love and want to do. There is still the community in flying and people willing to help (as evident by this website) without taking the financial hit of 141. At any pace it will be your own flying adventure/story. Just work hard and keep kicking the can down the road and you’ll be amazed where you end up. I am, for both myself and my brother. Good Luck!
 
Read the fine print on CC debt transfer, I didnt- transferred $10k into huge interest rates.
Shot myself in the foot again!
Everything changes in life, what if you
reached your goal and later decided it wasn't all you had it cracked up to be?
Debt is bad, you hopefully have easy 10 years to start. Buy a sport pilot plane after some debt reduction and fly your butt off, get a few hundred hours for cheap- even sell the plane for break even.

i suppose our parents learned a few things the hard way for us and passed that info on so we could avoid those pitfalls. We then learn a few things the hard way ourselves and if we choose to reproduce we can pass that info on! If I ever have kids, I’ll disown them if they take on certain debts I swear. It’s such a chain around the neck and it makes my blood boil sometimes.

Anyways, I think we would be hard pressed to find a pilot walking around without a few bullet holes in his foot.

I think the truth is, once you reach any goal it never is what you expected it to be. I remember being really disappointed after my first takeoff in a part 121 aircraft because it was so un-exciting. This is why I don’t recommend burying oneself in debt for anything, because nothing ever lives up to the hype and nothing in this world is worth being a slave.
 
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