You guys have me scared

[414Flyer]

I agree with AZpilot. Do your private first , at an FBO or small flight school, and make sure it is what you want to do.

It will save you alot of money, and you are not risking 80,000 dollars. A lot of people do go into it and change their minds.. THere are many stories of people who dropped major cash and never go it back, after decided flying was not for them

 

[bobbysamd]

Are you sure you can't do it cheaper?

now that i have a firmer grip on what im getting into, I would like to thank all of you for your replies. what i assumed was negative was actually just certain posters way of looking out for me. Know that im not so worked up. i see you were only trying to help.

You've got it. Exactly.

I am still going to attend the academy. I have really done research, and talked to current students. Here is what I came up with. The school is high price but the training is top notch as is the aircraft. Many students do not finish the school on $80,000 alone they need more after additional check flights etc. if you fail or your instructer is having a bad day. I found out not through administration, that this is the best route to an airline if your finaces permit.

From whom did you find out? It still seems like an awful lot of money.

I . . . will leave with a in writing CFI position for 2 years I believe and for that time they try to place you with some of the airlines they work closely with.

Now, that is the right way to go. Notwithstanding the heavy bread that you, or other flight school attendees, shell out, the opportunity to instruct at the place after you graduate is a paramount consideration when deciding upon a school.

Do keep us updated. I agree 100% that you should not think about working and concentrate fully on your school. In looking back, that's what I wish I did. Do keep us updated and best of luck . . .

But, it still seems like a lot of money - and I'm a fan and former employee of high-priced, well-known schools.

 

[xlr857]

The only thing that really upsets me is of all the jobs in world. The one job I really want has a 1 in a million chance of success. It seems like I have better odds winning the lottery than becoming a captain for a major airline. So my strategy is going with who I already know and who I can become friends with. I know there are many more experienced pilots waiting for work so you really need an inside connection is what I am gathering. I plan on working for my parents when out of school and CFI since working for parents will give me flexibility. It will be rough no doubt but I have alot of support and family that wants to see me suceed. So I really feel as long as I apply myself and work hard, keep my nose clean. Ill come through ok.

 

[Wiggums]

Single Mom...Airline Bound

Thanks, Wiggums!

Westwind took Shirley Kreyling "from flight attendant to First Officer"

Source: October 2002 Flight Training magazine.

With this amount of fertilizer, we should be classed under agriculture instead of transportation.

Nice...

I guess you haven't seen Jan 2003 Flying magazine. Not to pick on Westwind, but is becoming an airline pilot the best thing for a single parent? How can you raise well adjusted children with no father and a mother that is hardly ever around. I guess the subtle point is that if a single mom can do it anyone can.

The aircraft in the picture is a former Pan Am PA44 that was so crappy they wouldn't fly it. Westwind bought it and promptly geared up the thing inside a week.

I've always liked ATPs ads. They show their locations, prices, and phone number. I've done some ratings at ATPs and their programs are pretty decent.

 

[Wiggums]

xlr: Pan Am will sign you up at any point in your training and you still get all the benifits of their ACE program and job placement. If your set on Pan Am the best thing to do is to take your private and instrument courses somewhere else first. You join the program at a point that will work at will and you still get to do the ACE program and get a CFI job.You'll also save plenty of money.

 

[KlingonLRDRVR]

XLR857,

Best of Luck.

"Relish the Battle"

KlingonLRDRVR

 

[dpipes44]

Hey Bro I'm in the same position wanna make a change in carreer and have always wanted to fly.

As far as the deal these guys are feeding you sounds too good too be true. And you know what that means, it probally is. I have looked into all the schools in FL (Have a stack of brochures next to me right now). With the current situation of the industry you have time.

I decided to go local and get my PPL and take it from there. I figure I'll meet more people and get more advice.

I thought about the $80,000 deal but just think you'll be paying about $600 a month for the next 20 years. That is a HUGE investment. Then if your making $20,000 a year that leaves you only about $800 to support your family. A lot of mac and cheese. I just don't want to see you make a big mistake you'll regret for 20 years.

I wish you all the luck in the world. Remember if you want it you can have it. No matter which route you take be the best you can be

 

[B190Captain]

I am new to this site and pretty much new to flying. I am currently 26 and after 8 years of driving trucks I decided Im never going to make any money this way. I just dumped $80,000 into a flight academy and start in mid-January. But from some of the posts I read no ones really working and that kind of bothers me plus alot of you seem real negative. Im not trying to flame anyone or start trouble. Is finding a job flying making at least $30,000 a year that difficult. I know everyone seems to want to be in the major's making six figure incomes, but Im realistic all Ive ever wanted to do is fly. I just want a job I can enjoy going to the rest of my life I dont care what kind of flying that is. I know everyone on this board is more experienced than me so I would appreciate any feedback, or advice for someone just starting out. I will be out of school in mid Feb. 2004 with a hefty student loan payment.

Don't worry. It may be a hard road to make real money in this industry but it's not like being an artist. You don't have to be dead to make the real dough.

Good Luck!!

 

[metrodriver]

XLR857, the first post from the UPS guy reflects excactly my situation. The first 10 years I never made more than $15000, till the last job on a 727 that sadly enough lasted very short. my loan has gone substantially above the 80.000 you are paying for your training now, and I never had a chance to pay back anything. Why am I still in aviation? because I love flying.
For some of you that are wondering why he was driving a truck? A lot of people don't have parents with enough money to pay for flying lessons. I know a lot of pilots who had a different career before flying: bus drivers, heating/AC techs, lawyer, cops (you know how many of those that fly?)

 

[Mr. Cole]

Good point Metro. When I did my flight training, I saw a lot of young people who had parents that could afford to pay for their flight training. I have nothing against parents supporting their kids and hope to be able to do the same things for my children. But in many cases I found that most of the younger students didn't really appreciate the gravity of what they were doing, partially because they weren't footing the bill. One young lady was the daughter of a 777 captain who is also a great guy in general. I think her mother is also a pilot. But what I noticed is that she didn't seem to take her training that seriously even with having that type of exposure.

I wish I had that same opportunity growing up and maybe I would have started flying at 16 instead of 29. But I believe that doing it at this stage in my life, given my current level of maturity and having the pay for it myself, gives me a better appreciation for such an awesome activity.

TXCAP and D gave some pretty realistic numbers for what you can expect to pay back. I just consolidated my undergrad and b-school loans and I currently owe about $90,000, which is spread out over four degrees, although in all fairness my employer paid for the one of them. Even given the very favorable rates on student loans, most people in my position are paying back anywhere between $500-$1000 in student loans. I don't have a car note, but live in the NYC area so pay a lot for rent. But I also don't have a family and I do make six figures, and the loan payments still hurt.

While I look at the planes flying into Teterboro, Newark, and LaGuardia on a daily basis and think how great it would be to do this flying thing full-time, for me becoming a CFI to build the hours and then to start at the bottom of the ladder is a very negative Net Present Value proposition. So I'll just have to be satisfied renting for the moment, working on the IR, and maybe buying a plane sometime in the near future. Anyway I'm almost 31 so while it's not out of the question, my desire to have a family someday soon, once I find the right woman, forces me to rethink my priorities.

But best of luck to you guys that are still young enough to do it, and who aren't necessarily faced with the decision to leave higher-paying jobs to follow your dreams. But to XLR I would suggest, as numerous others have, looking at a local FBO and doing the PPL there. At least you can make an informed decision about the rest of your career trajectory once you're in the community of pilots, even as a student. Best of luck in whatever you decide.