What are your career plans?

My five step process...

1) Walk around the airport with my uniform

2) Find a HOT RICH girl who is a trust fund baby (we are talking about 50+million dollars), who is attracted to me in my uniform

3) Sign a prenup which is favorable to me

4) Marry her

5) Become a beach bum
 
I want to eventually fly for a major...but who knows, I am a dumb, young CFI who has a hint of SJS (I'm half way done with a non-aviation related degree)
 
Adam2006 said:
I don't care if I work for a major, fractional, or freight. I just want to work for a decent company and make enough money to travel the world(and pay bills of course). I would love to fly internationally.....in a big-shiny-jet. I think UPS, FedEx, and SW sound good, but who knows what the future holds for these companies. Maybe work for a foreign carrier and move abroad. I would love to live in Japan.

They do have Aero Clubs looking for instructors out here in both Okinawa and Mainland Japan if you're interested, would be good time building if you're interested in companies like JAL or ANA.
 
Studies show that most millionaires living in the U.S. have done like USMC. They drive inexpensive older cars, put their money in th ebank, don't take loans for school, and...have a clear and detailed plan.

Like has been said, things don't always go according to plan, ehhhh. I have a plan, but I'm too scared to talk about it, since things so often don't happen as planned. Let it suffice for me to say, I want to be older and work because I want to and not because I have to, and also spend half the year in the mountains and the other half on the beach...or lake, I'm not picky.lol:insane:
 
deserteaglle said:
Studies show that most millionaires living in the U.S. have done like USMC. They drive inexpensive older cars, put their money in th ebank, don't take loans for school, and...have a clear and detailed plan.

Well I did all that (except take out a little bit for school loans, around $13k) and have ~$500 in the bank account after I pay rent and fix my car today ;).
 
The ultimate plan A - Quit my marketing gig, move to the Outer Banks in North Carolina and open up a chart fishing buisness. Also finish up my PPL, get instrument and commercial and banner tow part time along the beach.

The other plan B - Finish PPL, get other ratings, build time over years and utilize my families airline connections to land a job flying for a major.

The current plan C - Stay in my current career and step on as many people as I can to obtain that 100k a year. :)
 
I am adding a new step in my plan, perhaps an ultimate step....

In my hometown (home home, not USMC home, or deployed home, or Iraq home) There are many business parks with many small corporations pulling huge money. One down the street from me has a 6 pad helo landing pad. I believe roughly 60% of them own private jets, mostly gulfstream or C-X's (although this may change with citation shares and Netjets becoming the new game in town)

I would love to eventually have a job flying for a private corporation, i was talking to a family friend who works for one of the unmentioned companies in my town and he flies their Citation X. He says that he works 20 hrs per week and flies give or take 200 hrs per year, not necessarily time building but his 140k salary more then makes up for it.

His duties include every aspect of the operation from scheduling and planning all flights, scheduling all maintenance, keeping the hanger and plane spotless (it is scheduled, not done by him) and of course he arranges the catering and the newpapers and other details, and he contacts his destinations and arranges fuel and overnight logistics etc.

I know it sounds like a lot of work but the benefits are great and he gets to mix up his duties so it does not get too tedious, he has a nice office in his hangar with a view, or the citation and out the hangar door and he has good hours. And with good pay he can go out and buy a citabria or something to his liking and still go out and fly for fun when he feels the need.

Of course as we all know these jobs are extremely rare but who knows, since we are talking about dreams/plans why not aim high....to each is own but that would certainly do it for me.

Desert, living within your means is the secret that i have found. I make roughly 60 and my wife makes roughly 80 and i drive the 94 ranger and she has a 2001 focus that we paid cash for, cheap and reliable. We have no debt and instead of using a credit card we take out 400 dollars cash each month and use that for spending money, so that way there are no surprises when you get the credit card (anyone with a credit card knows EXACTLY what i am talking about....$2000 dollars?!! how in the.....) we have been fortunate to pay off all debt a few years ago and just kept on the track and are now forunate to be able to put 5k in savings per month and invest 10 percent of that, i dont want to rely on a pension that wont be there, i will make my own and use the 10% chance of actually getting a pension as a bonus if it actually happens to be there in the end.

Not preaching but we have done some things right and certainly done things wrong and learned from them, I have much more to my financial planning but that isnt what this post is for. Anyone can PM me and i can shed some light, it has nothing to do with income either as anyone can make it happen with less, just plan accordingly.
 
Work as a CFI

Get on at a regional

Apply at Chinese/Taiwanese airlines after 1-2 years & fly longhaul for a few years from China/Taiwan

Move onto Singapore Airlines or Emirates, letting them pay for all my living expenses while I save up the cash and invest

Retire ~50yo
 
1.) Start college this fall @ Central Connecticut State University (degree in finance)
2.) After graduating begin flight training
3.) Work as a CFI or something that involves flying
4.) Get a job with a major one day

Thats the plan but like everything else in life its subject to change:D
 
USMC-SGT said:
I am adding a new step in my plan, perhaps an ultimate step....

In my hometown (home home, not USMC home, or deployed home, or Iraq home) There are many business parks with many small corporations pulling huge money. One down the street from me has a 6 pad helo landing pad. I believe roughly 60% of them own private jets, mostly gulfstream or C-X's (although this may change with citation shares and Netjets becoming the new game in town)

I would love to eventually have a job flying for a private corporation, i was talking to a family friend who works for one of the unmentioned companies in my town and he flies their Citation X. He says that he works 20 hrs per week and flies give or take 200 hrs per year, not necessarily time building but his 140k salary more then makes up for it.

His duties include every aspect of the operation from scheduling and planning all flights, scheduling all maintenance, keeping the hanger and plane spotless (it is scheduled, not done by him) and of course he arranges the catering and the newpapers and other details, and he contacts his destinations and arranges fuel and overnight logistics etc.

I know it sounds like a lot of work but the benefits are great and he gets to mix up his duties so it does not get too tedious, he has a nice office in his hangar with a view, or the citation and out the hangar door and he has good hours. And with good pay he can go out and buy a citabria or something to his liking and still go out and fly for fun when he feels the need.

Of course as we all know these jobs are extremely rare but who knows, since we are talking about dreams/plans why not aim high....to each is own but that would certainly do it for me.

Desert, living within your means is the secret that i have found. I make roughly 60 and my wife makes roughly 80 and i drive the 94 ranger and she has a 2001 focus that we paid cash for, cheap and reliable. We have no debt and instead of using a credit card we take out 400 dollars cash each month and use that for spending money, so that way there are no surprises when you get the credit card (anyone with a credit card knows EXACTLY what i am talking about....$2000 dollars?!! how in the.....) we have been fortunate to pay off all debt a few years ago and just kept on the track and are now forunate to be able to put 5k in savings per month and invest 10 percent of that, i dont want to rely on a pension that wont be there, i will make my own and use the 10% chance of actually getting a pension as a bonus if it actually happens to be there in the end.

Not preaching but we have done some things right and certainly done things wrong and learned from them, I have much more to my financial planning but that isnt what this post is for. Anyone can PM me and i can shed some light, it has nothing to do with income either as anyone can make it happen with less, just plan accordingly.

Werd dude. Good plan, apparently though, you've also heard that only 1/2 of 1% of all corporate jobs are worth having...that sounds like one of those.

Wheelsup, I feel pretty bad with 500 in the bank and no debt.lol. I am excited about flying for a living, but in 5 years I'd much rather have waited and be two years behind making 35,000/year than making 45-50 with 20 thou in debt.
 
deserteaglle said:
Werd dude. Good plan, apparently though, you've also heard that only 1/2 of 1% of all corporate jobs are worth having...that sounds like one of those.

Wheelsup, I feel pretty bad with 500 in the bank and no debt.lol. I am excited about flying for a living, but in 5 years I'd much rather have waited and be two years behind making 35,000/year than making 45-50 with 20 thou in debt.

Yeah it sucks, but at least it's not killer debt. I was on a 'save for retirement binge' and have put around $6000 into an IRA and 401k in the last 10 months, so I sorta did it to myself.

Another thing is that it's not so much how much $$ you make, it's how much you spend, to an extent. Rent can only go so low, you've gotta eat, etc. Once you start making more money don't go buy a dualie like a CA I know did once he upgraded...pay off the debt and live modest. Hopefully I can make it to second year pay (checkride in two weeks) and see if I can uphold that theory :).

USMC's gross family income of $140k is $100k MORE than the average in the US....yikes! It's easy for somone in that position to say "just save" ;).
 
wheelsup said:
USMC's gross family income of $140k is $100k MORE than the average in the US....yikes! It's easy for somone in that position to say "just save" ;).


If you're thinking short term it is hard to see it that way, but since I slowed down and mess around with a calculator all the time, I see how much of a difference a little bit makes over a relatively short amount of time, and I definitely don't make 140, pfffft, not even 40.:mad:

If you're single and not allergic to saving money you got it made in the shade brutha.;)
 
wheelsup said:
USMC's gross family income of $140k is $100k MORE than the average in the US....yikes! It's easy for somone in that position to say "just save" ;).

Although that is our gross, we still live like we make <40k. My gross isnt really part of the equation...i think of it like this, i make what a 15 year captain at a regional makes, i will continue my training and do the CFI thing in about a year (basically furloughed) and be making 15k per year. The moral of the story is start developing good savings practice early and prepare for rainy days (read: furloughed, CFI at an academy etc) We have been fortunate though and my wife has a great profession and we have worked hard to be where we are. It is not impossible, and i will soon understand what it is like to go from 60+ per year to 15- per year. At least i will do it without debt. Even when i am making 15k per year as a CFI it will still go a long way with no car payment and no loan payment, and a roomate (wife) I expect to use all of my money to go towards bills ie. all of the rent, insurance, cell phones, misc expenses etc. and my wifes income will go to savings. Who knows, the world is full of what ifs but who wants to sit around forever not knowing.

As i said in my earlier career goals post, i am going to work back up to my current income at a local company and see what happens, there is always plan B.
 
1) Graduate High School (June 2007)

2) Join the Navy

3) While on the Navy get a free 2 Bachelors degree

4) Save 80% of all of my money! Let the navy take care of me.

5) Use my VA benefits for a small 141 operation,it only pays 60%, so pay the rest with the 80% I've saved up.

6) Move to Costa Rica, and work there flying Caravans for some years, and start a major bussiness down there.

7) One day fly for Taca Airlines.

But my major priority is to become rich! No matter what.
 
Not in any way bragging (not even something to brag about), but I know a good deal of wealthy people and many have problems in which money can't solve anything.

Look at those celebrities for example. It's like they can't go anywhere without people trying to photograph them and when its not the papparazi it's fans asking for photos and photographs. No thanks to being a celebrity.
 
A. Graduate High School
2. Get a job on the ramp
3. Get a B.B.A. or aviation business degree
C. Get involved at an airport or airline (internship?)
4. Get a real management job at an airport or airline
5. Own/run an airport or airline
-maybe have time for a little flying...
 
Back
Top