For those of you that are contemplating a career change, think reallly hard about this industry before you make any moves. low wages, crappy quality of life, and idiots that continue to ruin the proffession by paying thier way in continue to drag pilot careers into the toilet. After paying a fortune to get your ratings and qualifications, you can look foward to flight instructing or some other low paying job to build hours, and good luck getting multiengine time as insurance companies are doing there best to keep low time guys on the ground. If you are lucky enough to find an aircraft to fly, enjoy paying $200.00 an hour (more or less) to rent it. Afterdealling with the above mentioned, you can look foward to dealing with lots of pilots that think they are god's gift to aviation, and do thier best to make sure you know it, as you attempt to interview successfully. You can attempt to get a job at a regional for s*** money, while living in a crappy area ( sfter moving there at your expense), fly in sh*** weather, and hope you don't get furloughed, only to have to start all over again. Or you could attempt to get hired by a corporate flight department, make a better living, but still be on the road most of the time, flying in sh*** weather, wait around in some airport lounge for another flight, cleaning the plane, making sure there is ice, newspapers and catering, for the privilage of being the captains switch bi***. Still want to fly? my advice is to make money in whatever feild pays the most, as all jobs, including aviation, suck eventually. Buy your own airplane and fly on your own terms, you'll enjoy it more.
Think twice
- Thread starter PFactor
- Start date
Chris_Ford
Well-Known Member
Okay, but don't cherry coat it, what do you really think? 
Good post though to knock people into the real world.
Good post though to knock people into the real world.
meritflyer
Well-Known Member
Amen.
I have always loved aviation and wanted to be a professional pilot. But what other professional level job exploits people who are gaining experience like aviation?
Other entry level professional jobs like medical Interns or lawyers have to work looonnggg hours but, at least they are paid a livable wage. Your lucky to make 21K before taxes at most regionals. Sad......
Other entry level professional jobs like medical Interns or lawyers have to work looonnggg hours but, at least they are paid a livable wage. Your lucky to make 21K before taxes at most regionals. Sad......
fender_jag
Well-Known Member
If you decide to do this for a career, minimize your debt. I hope to have my student loan paid off sometime this year (a few thousand $$ remain), but I've heard some outrageous debt totals and hate to think how long those people will be paying interest, let alone principal...
Debt = :banghead:
Debt = :banghead:
Windchill
Well-Known Member
That's me! Aviation will remain a hobby that I will use as an escape from the stresses of work, etc. Keep the romance alive in aviation through fun trips. I do intend to work my way up through the ratings and instruct ... but for the joy and mentorship moreso than any type of time-building for other purposes.
jtrain609
Antisocial Monster
I'm coming to the conclusion that this is a great industry, if you're young, single, don't mind eating ramen all the time, and enjoy having a company trying to kill you on a daily basis (depending on where you work, I'm thinking about flight instructing/freight). I get the impression though, as life slows down for kids and they find somebody they want to marry, this career simply isn't worth it to *most* people. I can't speak for everybody, Kellwolf made it work with TONS of sacrafice, same with R2F.
Just depends on how much you want it I guess. Personally, I'm much more interested in a family a few years down the road than I am having a "cool career."
Just depends on how much you want it I guess. Personally, I'm much more interested in a family a few years down the road than I am having a "cool career."
BoilerPilot2007
Well-Known Member
Flip side of the coin here... flying is a passion for me. I've wanted to fly airplanes since I was a kid. Yes, the industry isn't what it once was. It will never be the same. But don't let negativity and the current conditions change the pursuit of your dreams.
My biggest fear is that 10 years from now, I'll be sitting in an office making 100,000 a year, staring at airplanes on final approach... and wishing I was flying them.
My biggest fear is that 10 years from now, I'll be sitting in an office making 100,000 a year, staring at airplanes on final approach... and wishing I was flying them.
SibePilot311
New Member
John Herreshoff said:
I definitely agree. I loved flying, and some people have the family life to be able to continue doing it. Most of us, however, acknowledge that we gain responsibilities that we have to put above our own desires. My plan to follow my buddies to the majors ended when I became a single parent. Life is about choices and priorities. Thank God there is more than one way to skin a cat....I'm already building Plan B to get my flying ya-ya's in on a regular basis.
Windchill said:
I don't know about that...you know once you start getting a little older..you start accepting things the way they are...before you know it ...you are married with wife and kids...a mortgage, car payments ...does'nt matter if you are making a $100 G's or $150 Grand a year.....priorities are different and as someone already said...you will end up staring at airplanes from the window...wishing you were flying them.
i work for the government ...not married with wife or kids yet...but yeah ...i make a lot of money....but i ca'nt stand what i do all day long at a desk staring at a wall with a paper pushing job.
It will be hard for me to go back and try for a regional making 20g's if that...but you know.....somehow people do get by....it's just human instinct....and i believe if you do what you love to do....money will follow.
My 2 cents.
Windchill
Well-Known Member
What I meant was ... I would like to think if I'm making $100k/year with a company ... I've got enough clout, seniority, etc. to take a little bit of a longer lunch to take the plane up around the patch for a bit after watching them through the window at work (thinking in terms of watching planes from a GA airport).
SibePilot311
New Member
Flyingbug said:
Not everyone is just talking about the money. Depending on the flying job and its requirements, one big factor is time away from home and unpredictability of schedule. Some families thrive in this type of environment. Others shatter, and there is everything in between. The main thing is that you have to assess how this will affect your relationship with your spouse and your kids. This is hard to do when you don't even have those things, but to not even consider them at this point may cause you problems down the road.
notawannabee
New Member
Windchill said:
While I'm not trying to discourage anyone from their dreams, I think this is sound advice.
I'm in the process of deciding if I should pursue aviation as a career. Based on my age (33) and having a family, I believe that I will keep flying, but only on my own financial capability. I called a student loan company today, and based on 45k I would need to complete my training, I would pay ~550 / month for 15 years !! REALITY CHECK !!! The shiny brouchure from the flight school loses it's lustre and finds it's way under my car seat next to some dried up french fries.
On the idea of starting a flight school, I've given that some thought myself.
Finding a niche in aviation where you can enjoy your passion of flying and not have to deal with the beurocracies of management sounds like a dream come true. Let's face it, if our motivation for flying is because it is truly a passion, and not have anything to do with prestige or a 6 figure salary, you cannot go wrong with flying and not getting paid to do it. Providing you have another source of income.