Ditch my current career to fly??

jesse said:
Let me know when you do - so that I can start sending my students you're way. You've never been afraid to call bull**** on me.
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LMAO. IF I pursue it, I think it will be many years before I get a slot, but who knows? :dunno:
 
Last week took my instrument checkride. I slapped down $400. 15 min of paperwork, two hour oral and practical test, followed by 15 minutes more paperwork. The actual time that it took an inkjet to print my temporary certificate was a significant part of the paperwork
 
Update: career abandonment averted. Okay, so I've been reading up on some other pilot boards (who shall go unnamed here) and it seems that the prevailing wisdom is that if a happy medium can be found in the aviation world, then by all means find it and take it. No immediate need to pursue a 100% aviation career that has potentially numerous pitfalls associated with it (lowww pay, "crash pads" [new term I learned], time away from family, no weekends/holidays/etc., etc) if I can take it at a more manageable pace, on my terms. That means for me, practically speaking, that I ought to continue in my current career (which has its associated ups and downs), finish this danged professional degree that is currently consuming my nights and weekends (I've always planned on finishing it btw, wasn't going to drop out), and dedicate my free-time outside of work to building hours on the weekends when I can. My tentative plan now is still to try to get to the CFI point eventually and see how flying-for-work appeals to me. I can reassess my options once I'm there. Thanks everybody for your input.
 
Good decision, good plan.

Irish_Armada said:
Update: career abandonment averted. Okay, so I've been reading up on some other pilot boards (who shall go unnamed here) and it seems that the prevailing wisdom is that if a happy medium can be found in the aviation world, then by all means find it and take it. No immediate need to pursue a 100% aviation career that has potentially numerous pitfalls associated with it (lowww pay, "crash pads" [new term I learned], time away from family, no weekends/holidays/etc., etc) if I can take it at a more manageable pace, on my terms. That means for me, practically speaking, that I ought to continue in my current career (which has its associated ups and downs), finish this danged professional degree that is currently consuming my nights and weekends (I've always planned on finishing it btw, wasn't going to drop out), and dedicate my free-time outside of work to building hours on the weekends when I can. My tentative plan now is still to try to get to the CFI point eventually and see how flying-for-work appeals to me. I can reassess my options once I'm there. Thanks everybody for your input.
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I know I'm tardy to the party, but I'm also working a full time 7-4 job that I can leave at work. In my spare time, I'm pursuing my ratings through a community college at a staggeringly lower cost than one of those churn and burn schools. I only have a girlfriend of one year and some college debt. I don't have any kids, I love exploring and being away, and like to experience new things that may or may not be bad. I figure I'll eventually get my CFI and see if I can do it on the weekends a little bit before I decide to really go full time instructing. I'd rather enjoy my ride along the way should anything happen. I already have fall-back plans as my current degrees are pretty versatile.

Long story short, I'm in the same position you were. I think you made a better choice, as reading up on being a pilot means long hours away from your home - wherever it may be.

I actually didn't really even contribute anything to this thread.
 
Irish_Armada said:
Thus, I have options, and a decent amount of debt.
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If I can offer any advice on this... the biggest limitation in your life will be the debt. Get rid of it. It will be a huge drag that will keep you from being able to do what you want. Spend a few years just getting rid of the debt you have. It can probably take a lot less time than you think, if you make it a priority. I speak from experience when I say life gets SO much better once you are as debt-free as possible.

Total up all of your car loan and credit card payments, and any other debt you have. Now figure out how much you could do with that money if you weren't using it to pay off debt. Try to imagine a life with no car or house payments... that will buy a lot of flying time, or allow you to work for a lot less money doing something you enjoy a lot more.

The only "decent" amount of debt is zero.
 
Irish_Armada said:
Update: career abandonment averted. Okay, so I've been reading up on some other pilot boards (who shall go unnamed here) and it seems that the prevailing wisdom is that if a happy medium can be found in the aviation world, then by all means find it and take it. No immediate need to pursue a 100% aviation career that has potentially numerous pitfalls associated with it (lowww pay, "crash pads" [new term I learned], time away from family, no weekends/holidays/etc., etc) if I can take it at a more manageable pace, on my terms. That means for me, practically speaking, that I ought to continue in my current career (which has its associated ups and downs), finish this danged professional degree that is currently consuming my nights and weekends (I've always planned on finishing it btw, wasn't going to drop out), and dedicate my free-time outside of work to building hours on the weekends when I can. My tentative plan now is still to try to get to the CFI point eventually and see how flying-for-work appeals to me. I can reassess my options once I'm there. Thanks everybody for your input.
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Hello Irish Armada,

I was in your place 5 or so years ago, but at the time I was 35. I also had an established career in Engineering but as the economy was crashing my field of engineering was having trouble. I was let go durring the hollidays and was about to do the same thing. Take a huge loan and go to one of those schools to be an airline pilot. Even though I thought to myself how good can the training be if they compress the timeframe. After speaking to a friend of mine who worked throught the ranks in flying to build hours, went to embry riddle all in hopes of being an airline pilot he set me straight. He ultimatley ended up working for the FAA and oversees much of the operations at LAX. From his experience he said "keep your engineering profession". Why would I start now to struggle to get a job that starts out paying 1/3rd what I make now? He also said he talks to pilots low on the ranking that say they wish they chose a different profession. For the time away from family and also all that time away brings in so much less money than an average job. I took his advice and continued in engineering and found a job within weeks. I now make more then I did before, and it does afford me the oportunity to take my flying lessons. Something I wanted to do since I was a kid. True I dont fly as much as I would like, but its not all due to my profession. Its due to family and other obligations as well. But the bottom line is I am flying when I can. I also fly sailplanes and Hangliders and you might want to give that a try as well. Its much more affordable than putting fuel in a plane. And with the HG it costs nothing to run off a cliff once you own your own glider...:D..

It is truely sad how the airlines expoit the newbies entering the field of flying. It is time they revamp their idea on salary.. This mentality can not be sustainable if when people ask about the flying profession actual pilots in the profession turn them away with all the downsides mentioned. Things definatley need to change to make it a profession worth aspiring toward with real monetary rewards.


I am unsure what field your going into, but with my background in engineering I also have designed a few products for General aviation and hangliding and in doing so it gives me the ability to write off many of my flying expenses. It helps a bit, but the most important thing is that by having the write off regardless of how small it might be, my significant other thinks flying is not as expensive as it truely is..:rofl:

Oh one other thing that has really been a blessing in my working toward my license is I recently joined my local EAA chapter. Through that and helping members build their planes, I have made so many connections with pilots who are so willing to help a new student. Help with low cost plane rental, lessons just going for a flight in an unfamiliar airplane and such. I wish I sought them out from the start. Do yourself a favor and look up your local EAA chapter. It can only bring a possitive outcome toward any path in flying.

Id say go the CFI route and then just do it to supliment your income. It will allow you to fly and also give you a sense of acomplishment teaching others how to do something your so passionate about. Also its something fun to fall back on when you retire.

That is the path I chose over a complete 180 in my career..


Results may vary..

Marc
 
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Otoh, another pilot I know decided 2 years ago at age 40 that his management career wasn't really something he wanted to do for all of his life. He already had the IR, a college degree and somewhere around 1000hrs. Sold his plane, used the proceeds to go to one of the puppy-mills to get the CP-MEL, CP-SEL, CFI, CFII, MEI and started teaching for them. Mostly multi-engine instruction and babysitting overseas multi-engine timebuilders. A couple months later he interviewed for one of the regionals and is now an apprentice on the ERJ-145. Happy as a clam because it is what he wants to do. Once you can get past the desire to actually earn money for your work, you can do a lot of things and be happy with them, be it volunteering or even working for the airlines. It helps to have a positive net-worth and a spouse that is willing to support your crazy plans.
 
Also late to the party, but you can fly some neat stuff and not ditch a normal career. I was an engineer, manager, small business owner. Over time I got hours and picked up ratings as time permitted. I hung around airports.

Then somebody calls and asks if you can sit in the right seat cause the passenger wants two pilots. You're professional on the radio, friendly and know IFR procedures. More things come up cause you've done a good job. Happened to me. Today I'm on a Hawker 800 trip to Medellin and Bogota Colombia having a great time.

There are a LOT of flying possibilities out there besides flying an RJ for minimum wage and eating noodles every meal to pay off big loans.

Have fun.
 
Have you run the numbers on your dream? A good financial plan going out to maybe 3-4 years or whenever you can see a steady job (if there is such a thing) with potential improvements in earnings? What do the numbers say? What does your wife say about the numbers?
 
I think a lot of people say they want to fly for a career and set off for the airlines. There are a myriad of flying jobs for just about anything out there. You just have to go find them somehow.

Personally, I'd be happy flying a light twin for something like Cape Air or even air ambulance stuff. Or freight. I like small piston twins and turboprops.
 
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