What Comes First...............

OnTheFly7

Well-Known Member
I have been at my line job for just under a month now and I must say that it has reignited my desire to fly. However, I am strugling with which route I should take to get to my desired location.

I have settled on a flying club and I have settled on a degree (which I will complete online). My deliemma is do I earn my ratings and then finish up the degree while I am instructing? Or do I earn the degree first and then the ratings? Or do I try to complete both at the same time?

Currently, I am leaning towards the ratings first. Then I will be gaining real world flying experience while I finish my degree. Yet, there is a part of me that says to get the degree first, get a better paying job and then work on the ratings.

I appreciate all suggestions and look forward to them!
 
First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a... oh, wait, wrong topic. Sorry :D

Then comes a second baby, then comes a mortgage, then comes payments, then comes hard times, then come divorce, then come bankruptcy, then come the grave. All for nothing, eh.
 
Mini............

Hows the game?

The degree I am looking at is in Turf Management from Penn State!

Figure maybe I can work as an assistant superindendant!?!

Who Knows!
I haven't played in a while actually. Last time I played was with my new pro and a co-worker. 39-34. Shoulda, coulda, woulda ... probably as low as 66. 73 was about as bad as I was going to shoot that day.

Since then, with buying a new house and moving and work and now having to find some place to "live" at a new base, I just haven't had any time to play. I'm struggling to get time to work on my putting every day.

Penn State has some great golf programs. Have you thought about trying to get into the PGM program there? Any interest in teaching or doing the club pro thing? I did that for a while, was fun, no money and not a lot of time to practice, but it was fun.

I'm not sure what goes on with the super side of things but I'm sure it can't be all that bad. It's got to be better than being an asst. club pro!

If you decide to head to Penn State, make sure you let me know! I'm a few hours away, but there's some good courses in that area of the state. I'm always up for a little road trip for golf!

-mini
 
It sounds to me like it should be no problem doing both now. I went to school while I got my ratings, and I was full time at a major university with a job and several extra curriculars. Does something make you think that studying for school will be easier while working vs. while training? I've studied way more as a CFI than I ever did during flight training...

Good luck and keep us updated.
 
If it is online, why not get ratings and do school? I am in school full time at the university and working as a line guy, while working on my ratings. I do have to admit, for me, school is getting in the way a little bit, but at least I am doing everything as quickly as possible.
 
I am looking forward to getting things done and done quickly. Being that I am hitting the big 30 at the end of the year, a sense of urgency has finally kicked in (5 years to late)!

The one thing that does concern me a bit thought is obtaining a loan for the degree. With the state of our financial system right now, I don't think anything looks to promising.

At least now I have it narrowed down to three different areas of interest as a career goes (EMT, Aviation or Golf). I just know something needs to be done soon. I will keep all advised!

Mini, if you make it into KDPA let me know and bring the clubs (I get great rates at Prairie Landing)! ;)
 
After some thinking, I feel that I may have it figured out. I think that I am going to get my ratings up through the CFI/II while working the line job. Then I will start instructing and while I am instructing, I will finish the degree. This way, I will have the degree about the time I have roughly 1500-2000 hrs. Also, I should have some good networking contacts by that time due to the line job and instructing. Hopefully, if things work out this way, I will be able to find a right seat 135 job.
 
You can get a turf management degree online?

No way. . .!


Yeppers.............I found it hard to believe initially also. After all, plant ident., soils, etc..............kind of hard on-line I would think. However, if Penn State is offering it, it must be possible and legit since they are one of the top 5 programs in the country!
 
Yeah, definitely sounds like they have their act together. I went to the website and investigated a bit.

If I wasn't so close to being finished with my current undergrad degree I'd be into that pretty damn quick.

But nevertheless. . .

Fly and School, at the same time. ;)
 
My wife has a friend getting a PhD in Turf management.

dirt nerds....
 
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