What do you think I should do?

S

ShaggyAce

Filing Flight Plan
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ShaggyAce
I want to fly for an airline someday. I realize the long and arduous process but it is my dream. I'm a college freshman right now and have figured two routes for me. I can delay my education by a semester or two and join the Air National Guard while taking flight school on a private loan and continue college in a semester or two eventually applying for a flight slot. Or I can finish college as scheduled, join AFROTC and hope for a chance at a pilot slot but risk an 8 year period of Active duty. What should I do? If I choose to go the Air Guard route, I would also transfer colleges to make my commute easier to and from my guard unit easier. What should I do?
 
Finish college pick up ratings during the summer. Take the first flying job you can get and that will hopefully beat some sense into you.
 
If you consider 8 yrs of active duty a "risk," then I think you've answered your own question.
 
Flying for the airlines is a long and hard climb, and once you get to the top of the heap it is not as glamorous (or as well paid) as it used to be.

The union seniority systems mean that you well be laid off at least once in your career. Airline travel is cyclical in step with the economy, and for sure you have noticed the ups and downs in the economy lately.

Therefore you absolutely must have a career you can fall back on. Finish college. As others have posted, use the summers to fly.

Good luck with your career! -Skip
 
Skip Miller said:
Flying for the airlines is a long and hard climb, and once you get to the top of the heap it is not as glamorous (or as well paid) as it used to be.

The union seniority systems mean that you well be laid off at least once in your career. Airline travel is cyclical in step with the economy, and for sure you have noticed the ups and downs in the economy lately.

Therefore you absolutely must have a career you can fall back on. Finish college. As others have posted, use the summers to fly.

Good luck with your career! -Skip
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Not so sure about that Skip, Greg is a airline pilot, he is considred dashing by many a real POA Glamor boy, has gobs of money Parties all night at the hotest clubs and women are constantly throwing themselves at his feet.:D
 
Become a dentist and fly in your free time. That's what the ex-airline pilots who have passed through my classroom have done.
 
AdamZ said:
Not so sure about that Skip, Greg is a airline pilot, he is considred dashing by many a real POA Glamor boy, has gobs of money Parties all night at the hotest clubs and women are constantly throwing themselves at his feet.:D
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Methinks Sharon would guffaw at that!:cornut:
 
AdamZ said:
Not so sure about that Skip, Greg is a airline pilot, he is considred dashing by many a real POA Glamor boy, has gobs of money Parties all night at the hotest clubs and women are constantly throwing themselves at his feet.:D
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Yabut he has never even offered me a drink!

-Skip

(and the truth is he has never had the chance)
 
For one thing, you don't finish college and then join AFROTC. AFROTC is completed as part of your college education. Second, I'm not sure about being in both the ANG and AFROTC simultaneously -- check with the AFROTC detachment at your college to see if that's possible. Finally, as mentioned above, if you consider 8 years of active duty flying in the USAF a "risk," you shouldn't even be thinking about being in the ANG in the first place, especially for a flying position like a loadmaster. If nothing else, the way things are today, as an ANG flyer (pilot or otherwise), you'll probably spend nearly as much time deployed as you do at home.
 
Ron Levy said:
For one thing, you don't finish college and then join AFROTC. AFROTC is completed as part of your college education. Second, I'm not sure about being in both the ANG and AFROTC simultaneously -- check with the AFROTC detachment at your college to see if that's possible. Finally, as mentioned above, if you consider 8 years of active duty flying in the USAF a "risk," you shouldn't even be thinking about being in the ANG in the first place, especially for a flying position like a loadmaster. If nothing else, the way things are today, as an ANG flyer (pilot or otherwise), you'll probably spend nearly as much time deployed as you do at home.
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Ron I agree with you here, but I read his post to mean that he's risking 8 years in the Air Force in a non-flying capacity.
 
Jack Spectre said:
Ron I agree with you here, but I read his post to mean that he's risking 8 years in the Air Force in a non-flying capacity.
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It's only a 4 year hitch if you don't go to UPT. If you do, it's 10 years AFTER graduation - so really about 11 years of service.
 
I can't speak to ANG or being an airline pilot, but I do know a lot about doing AFROTC hoping to get a pilot slot and not getting one. I commissioned in '07 and was always hoping to fly C-17s. I didn't get a pilot slot and planned to apply for one of the pilot selection boards for active duty personnel. Ultimately I decided that being a pilot was something I wanted to do for fun, and not as a career.

Times are tough everywhere right now, and the AF isn't immune to cutbacks. We're over manned by 2300 officers. I've heard about AFROTC grad pilot selects being put on extended casual status and then let go before ever going to UPT.

http://www.dm.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123240945
 
My experience was simliar to Lionclaw. I had a PP fixed wing rating and was already in the Army Reserve when I joined the Army ROTC with the hopes of flying helicopters. I completed my 3rd year of ROTC when they offered voluntary seperation from it. Realising I was unlikely to get a flying slot and didn't think I would enjoy it that much even if I did, I opted out. I did have to complete my 7 years in the Army Reserve. But Then used the Student Loan Repayment program to pay off my student loans and complete my Instrument rating. I went on to get my CFI. My only regret is that I didn't take out a loan and get the CFI rating sooner. I instruct part time to support my flying habit and pay the bills doing tech support for printers. Makes even the instructing fun to do.

My recommendation finish college 1st, an airline is a lot less likely to consider hiring you without a college degree.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
 
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