School is a Beast!

[paffy]

	Quote: Originally Posted by RudderAuthority
	I think flight school is a cool way to go especially to be surrounded by a common interest but as said before also, the aviation industry is slowly going to get worse and the availability's of a job depends on the market which is always fluctuating. If I were to go to embry riddle I wouldn't have many options in a career if I found that the job opportunities or the career didn't fit me, so after some serious time and thought that I put in today I thunk that an aviation engineer and a flight class anywhere. The spots for an engineer are growing and don't show much sign of slowing down (most engineers are getting old and retiring and not much new blood is coming in). I still have another year before it's really necisary for me to totally decide what I'm going to do for college. whatever I do I would like to have a backup plan and be able to be involved in flight which may be just for hobby.

Think twice before you convert your hobby into a career. I did that with computers and let me tell you - I don't consider a computer my hobby at all at this point.

As a pilot, you're really in a niche labor market and at the mercy of airlines. There's few (none?) other jobs where you could apply your specialized education at. As an engineer, you have much more flexibility into the future.

[budgetdude]

You have Air Force Reserve C-17's at Charleston AFB. You could try and get in touch with someone and start campeining. If you keep the grades up in college and have at least a private you would have a shot, and they pay for everything aviation wise. I to have heard the riddle is overated and over-priced especially when you consider the current job market.

[Diablo2006]

Dude, i had the same problem the past few months, i spent hours a day on the sim and then finally last weekend i got enough time for 1 days flying and it was sooooooooo good. Just wait and you'll get your time to fly

[RudderAuthority]

I flew saturday, it was great. A lil rusty on the landings but just some smooth low slow flying, very relaxing and well worth the wait. A huge success, I will also be flying this coming up weekend at my club meating.

[3D_Kid]

same here, sim only (cap232), weather is cold here in ohio

[hipollito]

tell me about it....Im in my sixth semester of industrial design and is getting worse, Im living on my own so beside the school I have to take care of my house and everything and I dont have a car so I sometimes go to the field with some friends, but I have very little time to fly, and I dont have a sim, I fly foamies in a football court whenever I can, Design is hard!!!! but boooy I love it too actualy I think my career is my hobby and viceversa I like building things and all those things, somehow my hobby and career are very related, right know we have a car design project working with a lot of guys in my school...very big proyect, but yeah I miss flying!!!! but I always try to fly foamies for at least one day a week.... any way Im really happy and I know that two years from now...when I graduate I will be flying everyday and buying bad ass big planes!!!! yeaaaahhh!!!!!

[SargeNZ]

In August 2005 I wet solo in a PA-38 Tomahawk.

In 2006 I did zero full size flying as I completed my senior year at high school

2007: I am GOING to be a pilot, there are no two ways about it. I will find a way. In feburary I am moving away from the parents and beginning a diploma in Aviation at Southern Wings, Invercargill New Zealand. They tell me it's a tough industry to succeed in. I enjoy a challenge.

To infinity! and Beyooooooooooonnnd!

[fc330flyer]

I know your pain. I am currently going to college to become a professional pilot and time is not something that comes around very often. Neither are my beloved planes which are miles away from me. BUT, I know this is a temporary sacrifice. Just to give you some background...I started flying full scale 3 years ago at age 17, got my private in a Cessna 172, flew that around for a summer and then started flying a Piper Arrow for a little while. Enrolled in the university I currently attend and got my instrument in a Piper Warrior and Commercial in Cessna 152's and Piper Arrow's. I am about to start work on my multi. I have a tad over 400 hours to my name. It can be done!! Just keep focused on what you want to do and work hard. The rest will come.

[Turboprop3]

Yah I am a sophmore in high school also. There really isn't enough time to fly really. I just love to hover my little Pitts profile outside in the front yard. Then when I don't have basketball practice, go fly jets on saturday's. Nothing like the sound and smell of turbojet engines.

Andrew P.S. This is my first post here so sorry if I don't know anyone. Usually post on RCU.

[40%plane]

Dude,

Dont give up on what you want in life. I am kinda in the same boat as you. I just turned 22, I had a decent run at flying models airplanes in competitions and still could be doing that right now if i wanted. But i took the advice that is given here by your fellow modelers and by my family and friends. I put aside flying models airplanes to pursue a career in Architecture. Not an easy task if you look into it. Right now i am in my third year and spend between 15-18 hours a day working on school related things. I havent flown a plane since last October and that was at a contest so I only got 3 flights in. I miss being able to fly on the weekends, but at the same time I look at it as being a good thing. If i do good now and set myself up for a great life, then I will be able to do many more things and be able to do them with a family. Yes money gets in the way sometime, i mean not ahving it, but there are many places to get it. You are correct when you said there was a bunch of paper work that you have to fill out, but think about this, the moer work you do now the less you will have to do later. There is always money out ther and you have s good a chance as anybody to get your hands on it. So go do it now while you still can.

A special person to me once said that the most important thing to anybody should be the one thing that cannot be taken away from them. And not knowing what that was I was inclined to ask him, that one thing is an EDUCATION, whit it you can do anything and nobody can ever take it away from you because you earned it through your hardwork same as those before you who are telling you the same thing.

Just thought I would pass that along to you and everybody else.

I would recommend doing what ever you have to do to get yourself an education, even if it means taking out student loans. Do wwhat you have to and if you have friends and family that want to help also, let them, but with the intention to return the favor for them if they ever need it.

You can fly an airplane later in life if you need to, but if you have no education and cant work, then when will you find the money or time to get one and go fly.


Mike

P.S. another great saying I heard was "if you cannot do it right the first time, then when will you find time to do it over again?"

thought you all might like this one.

[fly boy]

rudder

about a half a year ago i was gonna drop the hobby
due to no place to fly and no $.
now im busy as hell and things are looking up.
Monday to Thursday in collage getting my C level welding
o ya not to Meighen that u must stay over 70% on all
exams. Friday and sat i work part time hobby $
all the guys are right tho with out school your income will suck.
for example im going to school for the fowling trades.
HD mechanics
A,B,c welding levels
this hear will bring me to 10 to 20 grand a month if u know wear to go.
also in trades welders are in hight demand today.
with out this education
maybe bring home 1000$ a pay day deduck your living expense.
focus on school its gets way better afterwords.
PS, no girl Friends=more fly time to.

[RudderAuthority]

this is all really great advice, but right now I'm stressing. Today at school didn't help either teachers talking about careers and how you should know what you are going to do. I'm 16, I'm a sophomore I have 2.5 years of highschool left.

I don't know what field I want to go into, they (both pilot or engineer) look "cool" but is cool what I want to spend my whole career doing, what I think looks cool? I don't know, I see a pilot I like flying/aeronautics and all aspects of flying, do I want to turn that into a tedious activity that I do full time? Do I want to be an engineer, I've kinda always sorta liked physics and stuff like that, thought it was interesting and pretty cool.

All these questions are hitting me and my parents are trying to help my future with this stuff but it's causing me to freak out.