? about aviation jobs

[shack]

Maybe a few of you guys out there can help me. I'm granduating from ERAU this summer with a B.S. degree in Professional Aeronautics with a minor in Aviation Safty and Management. I've also spent 6 years in the Air Force as a C-130 mechanic (no A&P). My question is to the guys out there flying for the airlines or working for the airlines. What kind of jobs are avialible in the industry for a newbie like myself? I understand the industry is belly-up but would like any advice anyone might have.

I'm starting my PPL this summer after graduation and think this will help. I've saved up a little over $15000 for my training. I attempted flying in 2001 but with school and work I found it hard to put 110% into ground school and the lessons as well as finding time to fly. I decided to finish school first so I could dedicate all my time in being a safe and educated pilot without the weight of school and work.

Like most everyone on this message board my dream job would be a pro. pilot. I'm 28 years old and am not sure it's reallistic due to my age and the down turn of the industry. From my research it sounds like I'd be 35 or so before I'd get hired making decent money. I love to fly and have a passion for aviation and would like to get any information on ANY types of jobs in the industry. I'm just out of the Air Force and don't know that much about the civil avaition world.


If you're wondering why I got out of the Air Force, it's due to the LONG deployments to the sandbox. I really enjoyed my time Air Force though but am ready to move on.

Thanks for any input

 

[avbug]

I thought we did this already. Ah well. Your degree is a degree, is a degree. The discipline doesn't mean anything.

Obtain your mechanic certificate and you have opportunities turning wrenches.

Obtain your pilot certification, and you have opportunities to fly (albeit limited, for the first few years).

Otherwise, there's line service work.

28 years old is just starting out. You have the same opportunity and chance as anybody else.

 

[LR25]

Go to the FAA and see if you can get signed off on your Airframe or Powerplant, or both if you can!

Get your A&P, work on your ratings. I know its alot to do, but I see you being really succseful as a wrench first off before you will as a pilot. You already have the experience neccesary to find a descent A&P job, you just need the A&P.

If you do this, it will most likely lead you to flying, its just going to take some leg work.

The altenative is, you start from scratch with the flying, spend all your money, and struggle for a while not making any money and hardly flying, if any.

If you get signed off on any of the A&P ratings, within a year or just over, you will have the ticket, and you can actually earn a living doing what you already know how to.

Good luck.

 

[bobbysamd]

Career development

I'm a little confused. I thought that Riddle's Professional Aeronautics degree required pilot certificates. Perhaps not . . . .

I second the others about getting your FAA A & P certificates. The A & P are excellent credentials which many pilots do not have and can give you an advantage down the line. Your A & P will codify the knowlege you have and maybe help you find work sooner.

I don't think that 28 is too old to start flying, but you don't want to drag out your training over a period of years. You need to have your pilot credentials in place so you can (try to) find work sooner instead of later. Your problem could be climbing successive rungs of the ladder. Each rung will harder because of the glut of pilots who are already there. For example, you could finish your ratings in a year and a half, get a job instructing, and a year and a half later build up enough experience to apply to the commuters. You would be 31, which is not too old for them. You could upgrade to Captain, build the magic 1000 hours of turbine PIC, but hit a brick wall at 34 as the majors start to sop up their furloughees. That could take a couple of years at the least. By that time, you could be pushing 40 and could face age discrimination problems.

Of course, there are other opportunities besides airline flying which you might like even better. And, your A & P could help you with them.

Hope that helps. Good luck with your plans.