Pilot's Opinion

How good is my plan?

  • Awesome Plan

    Votes: 2 8.0%

  • Okay Plan

    Votes: 1 4.0%

  • Needs some work

    Votes: 13 52.0%

  • Bad Plan

    Votes: 9 36.0%
  • Total voters
    25
I just wanted to add as so many have stated, maintenance on any airplane is extremely expensive. You'll be on the hook by your plan for maintenance on a Cirrus for a year while you're still in high school. I had annuals done at cost (by an A&P friend who did them so he could fly the plane for free) on a Cessna 150 (dirt cheap airplane to work on) and it routinely ran over 1,000. Had to have a transponder worked on once and that was 400 bucks. Brake replacement, I wan't to say 600. On a Cirrus there is just so much more to go wrong on top of taking the monthly payments plus fuel etc.

Even if you're loaded, seriously consider a cheaper option. Nothing wrong with a 30K IFR rated Skyhawk or Cherokee. Seriously, you're training and building hours, not playing speed racer. Your goal is to fly one/two/three hours at a time, not fly 100/200/300 miles at a time. You log hours not miles. From my perspective as a controller, the worst pilots out there are the ones who have the bank to buy a sweet glass cockpit modern marvel, but absolutely capitulate when they have to use a VOR, or their XM weather subscription on their Ipad swears there is a HUGE storm five miles ahead when its clear and a million. If you as a future professional want to be the best, choose a plane that can make you the best. Not something chock full of electronic crutches.

Kudos to you for planning and REALLY planning ahead. Also, you're probably the first person I've seen on this or any aviation related website who has shown such maturity in the follow up. Seriously. Most 14 year olds come here, give their life's plan and an old hand gives advice basically stating it may not work out like that, change this or that and the 14 year old throws a complete fit. You are going to go very far with that attitude. I for one wish you the best and have no doubt you'll succeed.
 
Ryan Fitzgerald said:
I'm currently 14 years old and I have around 40 hours of flight time in a C172. I've been flying since I was 12 and have had my life planned out since I was 9. Haha. I would like to have an airline pilot's decision regarding my "plan" of becoming an airline captain.

I will continue flying until I get my private. I can't solo until I'm 16, and can't get my PPL until 17. After I get my PPL, my gift will be a down payment for a Cirrus SR20. So I'm going to continue gaining hours in that, but I'm also going to stay away from getting certificates. (As requested from the college I want to go to). Next, I'll enroll into Liberty University's School of Aeronautics, in Lynchburg, VA, to get my Bachelors in Science of Aeronautics - With my concentration on Corporate/Commercial Aviation. While I'm attending LU for 4 years, I will be going to the Air Force ROTC Program based out of the University of Virginia. When I get out of college I will have my CPL and hopefully my CFI. I want to go into the Air Force for how ever many years it is... I've heard from one person it was 7, and another 4 years. Hopefully flying Cargo jets (C5, C17) or the B52, or even the KC135.. Ya know,... heavier jets. Then I'll come out with putting in applications for Delta, United, American, etc.

My main question is.. How good is this plan? - How far will it get me?

Now, I realize I won't come out flying the 777/747s, but just like any other pilot, my goal is to HOPEFULLY one day fly the 777/747s. By using this plan, will I get accepted pretty quick in a major airline? Will I come out flying the 737 or higher? Will I start out as a Captain or F/O?

I have also considered corporate.. The only reason why I did, however, was for their scheduling. (Only working like 9hrs a month and getting payed $95,000 a year!). Airline's pay are a tad higher. I could score a 737 job flying for about $100,000 a year as a Jr. Captain with a major airline. How cool is it to get payed that much, for something that you love doing?! Anyways, the next question is, how is airline scheduling? I understand your schedule comes out a month before, and in order to make changes you need have more seniority, but how much CAN you change your schedule as a Jr Pilot? And, on AVERAGE how many days out of a month are you gone? ... around 20?

I know this post has a bunch of questions, and is fairly long.. But please answer back. I'm looking to get as much answers as I can. I love to look at different opinions from different pilots. That's why this plan has been changed so many times! But I'm trying to figure out what I need to do to get my dream to come true.

Thanks!
- Ryan
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Wait, what?
 
Life's what happens when you're busy making other plans.

And by the way, if you want to fly, fly. I don't think too many people on here can relate to your situation (Which, as you've described it, is uh.. rather nice...). I know that I, for one, have paid for every hour that I've flown out of my own pocket, and that many here, if not most, have gone into significant debt in the pursuit of aviation. I don't know if you'll appreciate it as much for having it all handed to you on a silver platter, but I won't begrudge you the opportunity.

That said, you've talked about everything -but- the flying. Why do you want to fly ... as opposed to, say, I don't know... managing a race track, or something else of that nature? What is it about flying that appeals to you, and why do you anticipate your career culminating in a 777?

~Fox
 
There is a big difference between having a goal and having a plan. TRUST ME...the worst thing you can do is to have a plan but the best thing you can do is to have a goal. When I was 14 I also had my life planned out. Was going to go to this college and fly that airplane and retire with this much money into a house with that many kids and a ford F150. I ended up going to a different college, flying a different airplane, and I'm still waiting on the F150....but truthfully I wouldn't have it any other way. Here are a couple reason why having a "plan" should not be of interest to you.

1. People who have plans end up disappointed when something doesn't turn out like it should and end up giving up on their goal.

2. Things change. The economy, your health, the "status" job in aviation, and just about everything else in the world has the power to change in the snap of a finger.

3. People who have plans often end up passing on opportunities that would actually have a more positive effect in achieving their goal simply because "its not what they want to do".

I could go on and on but please take from this that having a goal rather than a plan is substantially more important. I commend you for having a goal and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make a promise to yourself that you will do everything possible to achieve that goal and I promise you it will happen. It may take you down roads that you have never heard of before and you may even find yourself questioning the path here and there but once you get to where you want to be, it will all make sense. So keep your eyes open and your future in sight and that is all I could ask of ya.

Good luck and I wish the best for ya!
 
Just a thought on the cirrus idea. A 2004 cirrus will run you about $150-$170k and require a 10% downpayment at a minimum. Thats $15k - $17k dollars minimum. I would bet that everyone here would tell you to take that money and spend it on multi engine time. We have multi's for $230 an hour and thats about 75 hours worth of time for the price of a down payment on a Cirrus. If you want to go the airline route, multi time is more important that owning a cirrus. Just a though.
 
Bradg33 said:
As a general university, lots of people think Liberty is a joke (especially outside deeply religious circles). It may have a decent aviation program, but many people are going to look at you with a skeptical eye when you say you went to Liberty. I saw your other post above about also considering UVA for engineering. Do that. Do that 1000 times before you go to a school like Liberty, especially for an aviation degree. UVA is one of the most highly respected schools in the nation; Liberty is seen as a quack school that shuns science. Your resume, regardless of what job you ultimately pursue, will look 1000 time better with UVA on it over Liberty.
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This, by the way, includes most of "mainline" higher education and even theological schools...just so you know.

Ryan Fitzgerald said:
I'm currently 14 years old and I have around 40 hours of flight time in a C172. I've been flying since I was 12 and have had my life planned out since I was 9. Haha. I would like to have an airline pilot's decision regarding my "plan" of becoming an airline captain.
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You aren't allowed to pick what seat you fly until you have the seniority to do so (or if you go to an upstart, with experience, as a direct entry captain), but I figure you're already aware of this.

I will continue flying until I get my private. I can't solo until I'm 16, and can't get my PPL until 17.
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That's not a problem necessarily...go play volleyball and chase female volleyball players. That's what I was doing at 16. I became an airline pilot at 24, if you're curious.

After I get my PPL, my gift will be a down payment for a Cirrus SR20.
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Please do your airmanship skills a favor and buy a Super Decathlon (and instruction therein) instead. Hell, for what you'll spend on an SR-20, you can get a LOT of gently used older airplane, or even a twin.

So I'm going to continue gaining hours in that, but I'm also going to stay away from getting certificates. (As requested from the college I want to go to). Next, I'll enroll into Liberty University's School of Aeronautics, in Lynchburg, VA, to get my Bachelors in Science of Aeronautics - With my concentration on Corporate/Commercial Aviation.
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Go to public school. We don't bite. Much. Plus it's cheaper. Plus you'll get an actual education, and won't be a nudnick when you're done.

No, I'm being serious. Do yourself a favor. Go somewhere else. Go anywhere else.

Oh, also, it doesn't really matter where you get your ratings. Liberty is telling you that so you will give them more money. I went to school for something completely unrelated to aviation, and I fly airplanes for a living. The point is, do you have a college education—not necessarily "did you study aviation?"

While I'm attending LU for 4 years, I will be going to the Air Force ROTC Program based out of the University of Virginia. When I get out of college I will have my CPL and hopefully my CFI. I want to go into the Air Force for how ever many years it is... I've heard from one person it was 7, and another 4 years. Hopefully flying Cargo jets (C5, C17) or the B52, or even the KC135.. Ya know,... heavier jets. Then I'll come out with putting in applications for Delta, United, American, etc.
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Enjoy, it's a 10-year hitch.

My main question is.. How good is this plan? - How far will it get me?
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It almost never goes according to plan, by the way. ;) But it's good that you have some ideas. I'd leave the specific implementation details open until you're closer to doing any of this stuff.

Now, I realize I won't come out flying the 777/747s, but just like any other pilot, my goal is to HOPEFULLY one day fly the 777/747s. By using this plan, will I get accepted pretty quick in a major airline? Will I come out flying the 737 or higher? Will I start out as a Captain or F/O?
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Right seat.

As far as specific equipment, well, the one constant in this industry is change...so I won't offer you any warranty as to what sort of airplane you'll be flying.

I have also considered corporate.. The only reason why I did, however, was for their scheduling. (Only working like 9hrs a month and getting payed $95,000 a year!). Airline's pay are a tad higher. I could score a 737 job flying for about $100,000 a year as a Jr. Captain with a major airline. How cool is it to get payed that much, for something that you love doing?! Anyways, the next question is, how is airline scheduling? I understand your schedule comes out a month before, and in order to make changes you need have more seniority, but how much CAN you change your schedule as a Jr Pilot? And, on AVERAGE how many days out of a month are you gone? ... around 20?
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Let's merely state that I like to fly. No, I love to fly. It's pretty awesome to get paid to do it, but at the end of the day you're always going to want to make more. Especially your first few years...

At both my current and previous employer, I had 10-11 days off in domicile on reserve. The amount of changes you can make to your schedule varies depending on your work rules or contract.

I know this post has a bunch of questions, and is fairly long.. But please answer back. I'm looking to get as much answers as I can. I love to look at different opinions from different pilots. That's why this plan has been changed so many times! But I'm trying to figure out what I need to do to get my dream to come true.
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Keep your nose clean, don't do anything stupid (speeding tickets), and fly whatever you can get your hands on.
 
I would not go to that aviation school for your degree. I would just take it easy, get a degree that isn't aviation related so you have something good to fall back on, do the ROTC as planned though. If you went to a good engineering school for example and got a degree and just got your ratings while you were in school that would be great. I think it would be a much better educational plan. You will also save a lot more money doing your flying part 61. As far as the down payment for a SR-20 part, why not get your folks or whoever is doing that to buy a older used 172? It would be great to flight train on, it would be much cheaper, and would probably be cheaper to maintain if you find one that has been maintained well by its previous owners.

Just my .02. Good luck to you with whatever you do.
 
Read some of the threads here. Read in the "Airline Pilot Forum" particularly. Read all you can on here - pay particular attention to the plight of the Regional Airline pilots (eating Raman). Pay particular attention to the major airline guys - particularly American guys and their bankruptcy...and imagine being 10 years away from retirement and your pension just blew up.

Then, when you are done reading - consider that your parents own a "racetrack" of some sort and have the means to consider a Cirrus for their precocious 14 year old son. Hahaha! Then, once you've considered that, compare. Do any of the people on here sound like they are going to buy a Cirrus for their 14 year old?

I'd probably consider those things. And, also - people who know things - they hate Cirrus. In fact, people who know things - they prefer taildraggers. Seriously - learn to fly and get good at it - worry about the rest later. And by "learn to fly" I mean - fly a Cub or some other taildragger. I'd pick up some glider time too - you can actually get a license to fly gliders at 14. I'd do that now.
 
WacoFan said:
Then, when you are done reading - consider that your parents own a "racetrack" of some sort and have the means to consider a Cirrus for their precocious 14 year old son. Hahaha! Then, once you've considered that, compare. Do any of the people on here sound like they are going to buy a Cirrus for their 14 year old?
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On that note, whatever you do, don't buy an airline with that money. You'll go broke.
 
Actually - and I don't want to sound harsh, and I'm afraid my previous post could border on that...

Fall in love with airplanes, their mechanical workings, and their operation. I guess what was a little off-putting - and it is not just you but a LOT of youngsters - is that you're already talking about "days off" and "money" and such.

Now, I think it is GREAT that you have goals. I think it is GREAT that you are pursuing them. You have a GREAT attitude as far as I can see.

When I was fourteen...and four, and then ten, and then fourteen...and eighteen...and twenty-five...and now forty two...I was in love with airplanes. I joke a lot about only liking certain kinds (round-engined taildraggers) but the truth is that if it will fly I generally like it. Pretty (Concorde) or Ugly (Shorts) or Mundane (Cessna 150, Cirrus, etc) or just Cool (Pitts, Waco, Laird, etc) - I like them all. When I was young all I cared about was airplanes - how they worked, what the mechanics of them were, the operation of them, talking to anyone who flew to gain knowledge, etc. I didn't care about "days off" or "income" or anything else. The summer of my 14th year was spent trying to figure out the needle-valve in the carb of my Grandpa's Chief - the see if it was synthetic of some sort and if auto-fuel made it swell and the engine quit on take-off (I went with a steel valve and it fixed the problem). Anyway, you get the point - learning pay-rates, days-off, etc will do far less for you than reading "how to fly" books or "how airplanes work" or "basic aircraft mechanics" books (because I like to know how the equipment I operate works and how to fix it if it breaks, etc). Anyway - don't focus on stuff that will change a million times before you are even eligible to get in the game. I'd focus on the actual core things right now - operating airplanes, learning all you can about airplanes, etc. You want a Cirrus? You'd be much better off finding a clapped out Luscombe or T-craft or Aeronca Chief and actually learning to fly. And make sure it is a clapped-out version (safe, but needing things) so that you will be learning to wrench too.
 
WacoFan said:
I'd probably consider those things. And, also - people who know things - they hate Cirrus. In fact, people who know things - they prefer taildraggers. Seriously - learn to fly and get good at it - worry about the rest later. And by "learn to fly" I mean - fly a Cub or some other taildragger. I'd pick up some glider time too - you can actually get a license to fly gliders at 14. I'd do that now.
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You need to be 16 for a glider PPL. But I can sign you off to solo at 14. In the case of gliders, most of which are single seat, flying solo isn't such a big limitation.

Taildraggers are considerably more fun to fly :)
 
Ajax BU said:
You misspelled "college"
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Mehh, I had much more fun with my life going through high school than college. It was more of an adventure. Learning about sex, all the drama, backstabbing friends, more drama, fights, more drama, learning about yourself. I mean it was a good ride.

College was more about drinking, and partying, which is fun but it's not the same as being a 14 year old starting high school.
 
There is no checklist for life. You're still 14. Go out and live your life. Just don't go too crazy. When you meet your significant other, you're going to find out that whatever plans you had in mind goes straight out the window. Girls make us do weird things. Be ready for diversions.
 
I got a TriPacer I'll sell ya for less than 1/10th what a used cirrus will cost. For another 5 large I'll throw in dual to get you from Juneau, AK back to wherever home is for you. If you survive the trip without scaring the crap out of me you might even get a private ticket out of the deal.
 
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