Your College Degree.

[semperfido]

try chinese language and international finance or foriegn affairs then you make da big bucks

 

[capt. megadeth]

capt. meg'

Thank-you. I can definitely remember those probationary-pay days, and I'm happy to hear that you have a way to supplement it. Hang in there, it won't be too much longer and that decimal point slides over a little bit more to the right.

It's all good. I am just glad to be here.

 

[808pilot]

its creepy how close to home this post has hit.....
i didn't know i was going to go into aviation when i started collge so i took classes that interested me.....i graduated with a geography degree (meterology, hydrology, climatology).....halfway through my sophmore year my dad (who was a USAF pilot in vietnam and flies 135 today for fun) gave me a call and said he met a few guys from the ANG wing back home that fly commercially as well and have a blast.....he said "imagine being able to get paid to fly and travel the world for next to nothing!"......thanks dad for the grand illusion.......
anyway.....i was all about this idea.....got my private, started working on the instrument....jumped the paper work hurdles for the guard, got the interviews.....FOUR interviews later and no dice with the guard.....(go figure two buddies of mine applied and on their first try they got slots...one had a finance degree, the other had a sociology degree)....its all about who you know and if you hobknob enough.....
so....i didn't let it get me down b/c at this point i was really diggn' flying.....i busted my a$$, moved away from home to get better experience around our country and now fly for a 121 carrier.....i wouldn't change anything i ever did.......sure this profession can get you down and have you re-think your plans, but if you love something, do it.....too many people in this world and this profession get wrapped up in how much money they have to have...yes its important and i feel the hurt all too often, but man....life is fun...the grass will always be greener.....one of your buddies will always make more money than you, someone WILL have the bigger house, the nicer car.....are they happy? maybe......maybe b/c they followed their dream OR life sucks and they need the big toys to feel happy......whatever, i'm rambling courtesy of my dutch style pilsner next to me........
bottom line......survival of the fittest, you'll adapt to the changes and figure it all out like the rest of us....and for god's sake have FUN!!!!!
i'm out......

 

[PilotOnTheRise]

its creepy how close to home this post has hit.....
i didn't know i was going to go into aviation when i started collge so i took classes that interested me.....i graduated with a geography degree (meterology, hydrology, climatology).....halfway through my sophmore year my dad (who was a USAF pilot in vietnam and flies 135 today for fun) gave me a call and said he met a few guys from the ANG wing back home that fly commercially as well and have a blast.....he said "imagine being able to get paid to fly and travel the world for next to nothing!"......thanks dad for the grand illusion.......
anyway.....i was all about this idea.....got my private, started working on the instrument....jumped the paper work hurdles for the guard, got the interviews.....FOUR interviews later and no dice with the guard.....(go figure two buddies of mine applied and on their first try they got slots...one had a finance degree, the other had a sociology degree)....its all about who you know and if you hobknob enough.....
so....i didn't let it get me down b/c at this point i was really diggn' flying.....i busted my a$$, moved away from home to get better experience around our country and now fly for a 121 carrier.....i wouldn't change anything i ever did.......sure this profession can get you down and have you re-think your plans, but if you love something, do it.....too many people in this world and this profession get wrapped up in how much money they have to have...yes its important and i feel the hurt all too often, but man....life is fun...the grass will always be greener.....one of your buddies will always make more money than you, someone WILL have the bigger house, the nicer car.....are they happy? maybe......maybe b/c they followed their dream OR life sucks and they need the big toys to feel happy......whatever, i'm rambling courtesy of my dutch style pilsner next to me........
bottom line......survival of the fittest, you'll adapt to the changes and figure it all out like the rest of us....and for god's sake have FUN!!!!!
i'm out......

Thanks for the advice, we seem to be in a similiar situation, just you a little ways down the road from me.

I think you are 100% correct. It is all about loving what you do. It shouldn't be about the money. Money doesn't buy happiness, despite what most people believe. I've seen people go into career fields and see people everyday spending their college days majoring in something, simply because it pays a lot of money, yet are miserable, and will be miserable once they enter that career field, because it is not what they want to do.

I think one of the problems with the aviation industry today, is that pilots believe that they are underpaid. I'll agree 1st year FO's at regionals are underpaid, but after that, and overall, pilots make a good living. They certainly don't make less than most other career fields. I don't want to get into this debate again, because I've already started it in another thread on the regionals board. But, there aren't many careers that can eventually lead to a six figure salary, and being a pilot happens to be one that can. I think its all in each person's perspective though. Bottom line though, if you love what you are doing, and can make a decent living at it, that is all that matters, and everything else will fall into place. .... I think I'm preaching to myself here.

 

[kilroy]

I like your style.. I barely finished high school yet I am V.P. flight operations of a multi million dollar flight department.. And get 1 free subway sandwhich for every 5 subs I purchase.. 6 figure with no school would make Jethro and Granny proud not to mention uncle JED.

No College here. HS diploma only, 1.7GPA in fact! I'm now a mid-level seniority captain at UPS. Guess I should have gone to college afterall!