Newbie here, question on my plan

[tried20names]

Have PPL with 200hrs, A&P, BS-ERAU, Age:34

Have been mapping it out to see if I could do it in this economy,
any advice on my guesstimation below would be appriciated. My goal would be Charter or RJ's.

Would probably hit the fast trak with AllATPs so I can knock it out asap.

How many years to a decent job flying charter or RJ's? All instruction would be at ATP and would be multi time. I know it's impossible to predict in this economy but I'm trying to get close.

I've also considered going into a different proffesion at this point as many of my flying freinds tell me. "I never thought I'd tell you this but, pick another career." and "It just isn't the same anymore, I would just fly for fun if I did it over."

Just don't know if I'm totally crazy for taking this on at 34 in this economy. I would like to get at least to the 50K mark with flying 5 years from now.

My biggest fear is the industry is no longer what it was when I decided to fly for a living, and I would be better off going for $$$ in a different job and just buy my own **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** plane!

Thanks for any thoughts on this, Todd

 

[generaltso]

It would really boil down to if you have a family or not. Without a family, I would say it is doable... why not. With a family, if you decide to pursue the flying stuff it is going to be a stress on your family because you will have to pay a bunch for the training, and you won't make jack $hit starting out.

 

[tried20names]

no family, no wife, no responsibility, no debt, no job...

 

[DC9stick]

no family, no wife, no responsibility, no debt, no job...

Go for it, All may change, Especially the DEBT.
A lot of things can happen in five years.

 

[ClassG]

Dude,

You asked for advice, here it is!

No wife, responsibilities, debt - you got this bull by the horns.

I assume you've made the decision that you just CANNOT stay away from flying and HAVE to do it for a living. Remember:
For some, flying is a hobby, others a mode of transportation, others a career. But for ALL of us it's a DISEASE. (Just like crack addiction!) Be careful how you abuse it.


Let's see:
You want to "Fast-track" your training. Good. Get it done fast, but do it right. Study all the time. Learn more than your instructors know. Add a multi-engine intructor rating to your plan.

Realistic expectations:
Find a CFI job at a relatively busy school with a twin-engine airplane or two. Instruct as much as safely and legally possible. Plan to be there 2-4 years while building time. Don't plan to make more then $15-20K in these years (sometimes less). Be willing to relocate for the job. Have a positive and energetic attitude even when things SUCK!

Take advantage of the REAL opportunities:
Depending on your tolerance for pain, you will come across some pretty interesting opportunities to build quality flight time. Be cautious. People will sometimes STRETCH on how much flying, what equipment, how much money you can make, etc.

Future Prospects:
EXPECT that the RJ operators will continue to grow (probably double the number of RJ jobs in the next 5-10 years.)
EXPECT that corporate and charter will only grow marginally until the economy turns around.
Jobs are and will continue to be available. YOU are the variable. If you're willing to relocate, be flexible, have a good attitude, be professional but fun, get by on meager wages, there will be plenty of job opportunities for you.

Reality Check:
Yes, the job is changing. Money CAN'T be your focus anymore. BUT, $50K in 5-7 years is realistic, even in an RJ, if you're willing to WORK HARD. Timing is everything, so get started now. Stay committed. One day you might earn $100K+ in an RJ, but you need to position yourself for it now. Therefore, you need to treat this like a MARRIAGE. Be faithful to it. Be willing to make every sacrifice for it. (Try to stay single till you've reached your goals and are happy where you are.) Network! Talk to every pilot you meet at the airport. Be on these message boards. Ask questions all the time. Oh, and did I say be FLEXIBLE?

Don't RUIN it for the rest of us:
PLEASE don't pay for training, don't buy a rating every time someone offers to "get you a job," don't take a job at an airline unless you understand the industry and the (particular) airline's position within it. Some airlines these days exist for the EXPRESS purpose of (further) fragmenting the pilot brotherhood by exploiting those with limited backgroung and a willingness to take work for crumbs just to be a part of the action. Often, this is the reason why you're hearing so much "it ain't what it used to be" out there. If you play that game, it'll only get WORSE! I promise. As trained professionals who have invested highly in our trade, we deserve at least middle management-type wages, NOT the lower than minimum wage that some of us have agreed to accept for the chance to fly. Believe me, I was one of them. As a first officer making $18K to fly near 1000 hours a year while putting in an average of 20 14-hour duty days per month, you'll make less than $5.50 an hour WHILE ON DUTY at many airlines. If you count the TIME AWAY FROM BASE (overnights, etc) even when you add PERDIEM, etc., your per hour earnings can be more like $4.00 per hour.
The point: Try not to let it get worse.

Anyway, I think you're in for a fun ride, if you don't expect too much, and if you work real hard. It'll pay off. You won't regret your decision - as long as you keep yourself out of trouble and you remember that it's hard to juggle OTHER responsibilities at the same time. In some ways, I'm a little jealous of guys like you. Every career choice I make these days DEPENDS on my OTHER responsibilities.

Best of Luck to you.
PM me with any questions.

 

[350DRIVER]

Todd,
With the current slump and down turn currently taking place in the industry present day I could not imagine a better time for you to get back into the game than now. This would be an ideal time to start working your way up the ladder in my opinion, and by the time you will be "competitive" things should be looking up. 34 is not old and you have plenty of time left so I would not even let "age" play a major factor in what you decide to do. With that said, finish up your training and shoot for the stars. You are the only person that can prevent yourself from achieving your dreams and goals within the industry. Do not solely "choose" this profession for the money or you will be quite dissapointed, do it for the "enjoyment" and for the "love" that you have for flying. I have never met anyone in my 24 years of existence on this planet that has ever gotten rich from being a "pilot". One of the good things is that once you are established and you have settled into a career in aviation you should have plenty of time to pursue other ventures that can supplement your income and give you the financial freedom that most Americans want. I fly with many "old salts" who have made quite alot of money from different ventures, start ups, etc, etc, and each and everyone of them attributes there success to being able to devote the time needed and they all have said that if it wasn't for their flight schedule and "time off" that flying affords them then they probably wouldn't have been able to do it. They continuosly joke around and say that flying is no longer their "real job" to pay the bills, just spending and play cash.


I agree with all the above and I feel that you have gotten some great advice so far and I can only wish you the best.

I wish you wind at "your six" and dreams come true at "your twelve"

s h o o t 4 t h e s t a r s

3 5 0

 

[wil]

Very good responses!! I can only say ditto to those fine posts!! All the best! Wil
ps- the average age of my ASA 6/00 class was 35!

 

[bobbysamd]

Why not??

I like your quals so far. Degree (in what?) from Riddle and the A & P. No responsibilities which would impinge seriously on your plans. You've set realistic goals.

You need to train. Maybe not quite as fast as the others suggested because hiring is down at the moment. You can take more time to absorb the new learning. Then you need to build enough hours for scheduled ops. Your A & P can open doors. That's where I believe that you have an advantage over the average career changer.

Best of luck with your plans.