Should I become a police officer or nurse or stick with it?

[Rally]

My 2 cents - go the police officer route, fly on the side and if available go into piloice aviation. From Pro Pilot mag it seems to be a growing segment of law enforcement.

I'm not a cop or nurse but have relatives who are cops and my mother (plus 3 aunts) has been a nurse since 1970.

One is a PHL detective (17 years) and the other is a state trooper (5 or so years). Both love the their jobs because its not regular 9-5 but complain just like every other joe schmoe. They make good cash have nice homes and their wives/kids are happy. They get to tell me good stories at xmas too.

The nurse thing is hard. While pay can be good I've really seen my mom slow down the past few years. Granted she has been in intensive care for 38 years almost all of it full time. She has been at the same hospital for the past 20 years so her sked is pretty good. no weekends and 3 days a week (12hr shifts) for 40 hours pay. its a tuff thankless job though. It is also in demand now because of the ageing boomers but what happens in 10, 15 or 20 years when the boomers and greatest generation is all dead - less demand. I always see bad guys around with the growing gap between the ritch and poor. Look at PHL for example - whenever the ecomomy craps or a rep is in office the city goes to sh1t like it have been for 8 years. Crime in PHL is thru the roof. they need cops bad.

Just my 2 cents

I'd love to get into aviation part of LE. Especially flying helicopters which is something I'll probably never be able to rationalize (the expense) otherwise. Plus still flying and you don't have to deal with as many deadbeats.

 

[DOVPILOT]

they need cops bad.

Being a philly cop ( or any inner city cop) has got to be the most dangerous job in the US. I think with the onslot of cancer and other diseases being a nurse would be the way to go.

 

[Captain Morgan]

I flew a Lear with a guy who was not only a Philly cop at one point in his career, he was a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam. The fact that he was still alive made me reassured I was in the right cockpit.

CM

 

[rickair7777]

I flew a Lear with a guy who was not only a Philly cop at one point in his career, he was a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam. The fact that he was still alive made me reassured I was in the right cockpit.

CM

There's no better guarantee of survival than a track record of survival.

 

[Rally]

I've flown with a vietnam vet one of the best pilots I ever have flown with. Quirky slightly but I would have been too, he has some stories.

 

[say again]

I I am almost 28 and want to get married and start a family.
If I were single I'd probably take a job and move to the base.

At such a young age?? JK. Dump the girl and become a regional pilot, you will pull more a$$ than Ron Jeremy.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

At such a young age?? JK. Dump the girl and become a regional pilot, you will pull more a$$ than Ron Jeremy.

Yea, but a lot of the a$$ will look like Ron Jeremy.

 

[pilotyip]

How old are you? look at the military, particularily the Army. A recruiter told me they looking for pilots. Decent pay, chances to travel, job security, well until the war is over.

 

[711-24-7]

I love flying I do not handle stress very well.....I am not talking emergencies, checkrides etc. Like for instance missing the last flight to commute to or from work. Or the instability of working hard showing up to work all to lose your job and go back to the bottom of the list, thats what bothers me. I think flying is a wonderful profession but while fun at the end of the day, its just that a job. I dream about being a airline pilot and its right there at my finger tips. I just don't want to invest any more time in something that might be futile, I am almost 28 and want to get married and start a family.
If I were single I'd probably take a job and move to the base.

Like I was saying pros and cons of the job. You are just going to have to accept the things that come with it ie. Commuting and being extended on the day you really wanted to be back home for family event(s). I use to commute, now I live at base!! It is all give or take. I love flying enough to put up with all that goes with the job. But ultimatley, your job should fit your lifestyle. Good Luck!!!

 

[Rally]

Well the way I figure it my dad lived to 56.....I would like to pop one out by 32.....even if I dump said GF (which u never know) get my act together and get in the regionals how am I gonna find A$$ on the road?
LOL Other then a some FA. I'm gonna start a new thread "have you ever dumped a wife or GF or for ladies bf or husband for a airline career? " This ought to be interesting.

 

[ALIMBO]

Its not like the pay is that bad once you put your time in with an airline. Look at the pay scales do the math ya Im sure it sucks real bad to be in debt and be on first year FO pay but hey whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Once you eat sh*t for a little bit you will have the seniority and time on to make a decent amount of cash. I think making upwards of 70K is more than enough to live comfortably especially if said gf has a decent job herself. My advice do it save your money as much as you can do the few years of garbage schedules then get married and have kids. Besides its a good way to see how much she loves you because if she cant deal with you schedule when you first start off do you really want to be with her for the rest of your life.

 

[Rally]

Well the winner here is I only have about 1500 in debt and money in the bank.........I have no idea how people survive on their first year pay at regional WITH debt.

 

[Way2Broke]

I have no idea how people survive on their first year pay at regional WITH debt.

I lived in a tent at a State Park while flying bank checks to build twin time. And no, I am not kidding. And that was paying dues to become a Jetstream driver. I knew if I stuck with it would be worth it, and it has been. By 25 I made Captain in a Jet and was making 50k a year. All that without a degree. My parents raised me to believe that "there is a price for paradise." I honestly think that anything worth having isn't going to be easy to get. I make a good living, doing what I want, have more free time than I know what to do with, and now my company is paying for me to go back to College. I also have some stories to tell that don't begin with, "This one time in a 172."

But then again I went the freight route, not the regional route. It's the road less traveled.

My Mom is a nurse and she loves what she does. She is a very giving and kind person and that is what allows her to enjoy her work. She is only a LPN so she has never gotten rich doing it. You can't pick a career because it pays well, you have to pick a career that allows you to feel like you have accomplished something at the end of the day. I'd rather be poor and happy than rich and depressed. You might pick a career but it seems to me that over time you don't pick your job, it seems to pick you. Bottom line, GET IN WHERE YOU FIT IN.

 

[ALIMBO]

I think you know what the answer is buddy. My mom's a nurse money is great but shes moved from the nursing spectrum to more management and for good reason working different shifts took a beating on her like 11-7 5 days a week and then dealing with kids its a pain. But then again she loved her job and it didn't bother her that much. If flying doesn't bother you enough to quit then don't do it. The thing with flying is there is never a dull moment its always changing same with nursing and being a police officer but It's just different with flying I guess Im just real passionate about it and don't care enough about money to let it make the decision for me.

 

[goahead]

I lived in a tent at a State Park while flying bank checks to build twin time. And no, I am not kidding. And that was paying dues to become a Jetstream driver. I knew if I stuck with it would be worth it, and it has been.

AHH you were so mistreated...... doesn't this belong in the employment area