I want to finish! (Advice Needed)

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AnthonyM

Filing Flight Plan
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Jun 25, 2012
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Anthony
Hello everyone!:wink2:

Alright, so long story short:

I'm 23 years old, I have around 200+ hours, private license, was on my way wrapping up my instrument rating, but I ran out of loan money:(

I've been out of flying for a couple of years now (I was going to change my career path) but I realized that I can't picture myself or want to do anything else than fly. So I want to finish up my ratings. Problem is, I don't have any money and I refuse to take out another loan.

I was thinking of going into the Air Force, but they're so backed up right now that my chances of getting in are slim..

I'm still young, and I don't want to give up on my dream. Any advice fellas?

Thanks
 
All of the services are, to my knowledge, backing down on the recruiting effort. However, they ARE still recruiting, and the new GI Bill will cover an entire flight program. IF you do it through an institution of higher learning (community college, university, whatever), every penny from zero to CFI can be covered while you receive a monthly stipend (to help with living expenses). I think you need 36 months of service to earn the full benefits. So, if it's something you HAVE to have, enlisting could be a way to get you there.

I was 23 years old when I enlisted in the Army. (I didn't do it for the benefits, I did it because I felt like it was an obligation, but I'll happily utilize the benefits that are now extended to me.) I'm almost 27 now, and nearing the end of my four year enlistment. If everything goes as planned, I will become a civilian this fall and will be using my GI Bill to help me through an aviation program. I will leave that school in two years as a CFII with an Associate's Degree.

The old GI Bill worked differently and wasn't nearly as aviation-friendly as the new one.

Don't take a decision like joining the military lightly. Military service is a serious thing, and some people don't realize the commitment they've made until they step off the plane in Afghanistan.
 
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Hard work at a good job?

$100 on a good pawn shop mower, edger, and some biz cards. Work the neighborhoods to sell your service.

I know of one fellow with his 2 friends that knock out a medium size lawn with mowing , edging and clean up in about 30 minutes. And ask $50 per, plus $20 if you also want the bushes and hedges trimmed. Satisfaction is guranteed, and they are always booked a weekmin advance. They do about 6 to 9 homes a day, 6 days a week.

Hard work, now hot work. But do the math for what could be earned in 10-12 weeks. All cash biz and they do pretty well.

Find something similar and have some real skin in your game versus trying to score more debt. Very possible that you could have more than enough to finish the rating and have something left over for the fancier Top Ramen.

Also, get a copy of Dan Miller's "48 Days to the Work You Love". http://www.48days.com/store/
 
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Of course, even though it's a cash business, you must still report your income. Also, you will probably be considered self employed, so be sure to account for all the extra tax that normally gets sent in by the employer, but which you will have to send in yourself. Oh yeah, don't forget to put some money aside to pay your estimated quarterly taxes (certainly federal, but depending on your state, you might neet to pay estimated quarterly taxes to the state, too) since no one is withholding for you.

Sorry to be such a downer. I didn't make the rules, though.
 
You have to give up going out to the bar with your friends. Don't go out for food. Whatever you were going to spend on vacation, spend on flying. Don't spend any money on anything, but your goal.
 
I want to buy a 2012 C-182 but I have no money, no job, no ambition, and no rich uncle. Can anybody help? :D
 
FlySince9 said:
I want to buy a 2012 C-182 but I have no money, no job, no ambition, and no rich uncle. Can anybody help? :D
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Nothing in the original post seems to rate that kind of mockery. Posts 2, 3, 4, and 5 actually gave reasonable advice.
 
Work..save up some money..and then do the training with me.

I've paid for all of my certificate/ratings out of pocket without a loan -- private, instrument, commercial, cfi, cfii, cp-amel...I'm just a punk 20 year old high school drop out. If I can do it, you can too.
 
jesse said:
Work..save up some money..and then do the training with me.

I've paid for all of my certificate/ratings out of pocket without a loan -- private, instrument, commercial, cfi, cfii, cp-amel...I'm just a punk 20 year old high school drop out. If I can do it, you can too.
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How much instruction do you get off this forum? Think it's cash positive or break even?

I'm certainly NOT busting your balls with the question. Far from it. I'm very impressed with the resourcefulness. If this site drives enough business to keep you airborne 80 hours a week and you make a gajillion dollars a year I say 'nice work, you earned it'.
 
Captain said:
How much instruction do you get off this forum? Think it's cash positive or break even?

I'm certainly NOT busting your balls with the question. Far from it. I'm very impressed with the resourcefulness. If this site drives enough business to keep you airborne 80 hours a week and you make a gajillion dollars a year I say 'nice work, you earned it'.
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I work full time as an IT guy / software developer for one company, do some consulting and development for my own company part time, and flight instruct as well.

Flight instruction makes up a very small portion of my income, probably 5%, and certainly consumes more then 5% of my time. I do it because I enjoy it not because I need to.

I instruct 3-500 hours per year and very little of that comes from this website. Most of it is from word of mouth.
 
jesse said:
I work full time as an IT guy / software developer for one company, do some consulting and development for my own company part time, and flight instruct as well.

Flight instruction makes up a very small portion of my income, probably 5%, and certainly consumes more then 5% of my time. I do it because I enjoy it not because I need to.

I instruct 3-500 hours per year and very little of that comes from this website. Most of it is from word of mouth.
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Well good for you. I mean it too. You're my new hero as I'd like to move more your direction. Computer stuff I mean. Not sure I'd like to flight instruct so much though...
 
Question is, what other skills do you bring to the table? Have you looked at tutoring? Buying on Craigslist an selling on ebay? Can you fix computers in the neighborhood for less than the geek squad? I had one friend start a car detailing business he ran from his house. He would clear $200 for 4 hours of work, and got to drive some sweet cars in the process. Plenty of options that require little capital, just sweat equity.
 
Why do I feel like I am talking to myself? :D

You've received some good advice if you're still around. Do what ya gotta do. Flip burgers, cut lawns, wash planes, etc. Save your money and apply it towards your ratings. Do not go into anymore debt.
 
If I posted on the bulletin board at my FBO to wash planes. How much is reasonable to charge people? What if I never have washed a plane before?

Anthony said:
Why do I feel like I am talking to myself? :D

You've received some good advice if you're still around. Do what ya gotta do. Flip burgers, cut lawns, wash planes, etc. Save your money and apply it towards your ratings. Do not go into anymore debt.
Click to expand...
 
I wanted to immerse myself more deeply into aviation, so I got a part time job at the local airport working Saturday mornings (in addition to my full time IT job).

The extra $80.00 a week is cool, but I did it mostly to mooch what free flight time I could.

I'm not sure if that's an option for you, Anthony...but it's something to think about.
 
The only thing standing in the way of your dream is you. The only thing that can make you give up your dream is you. Every pilot here, (except for the guy in a certain thread :D), has had the same dream and found their path. Mine wasn't easy, had more than a few bumps, but got me there. Hack through the bushes, find your path.
 
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