Going for Private License!

[Leardriver]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Wayne
	LOL. There is hope Lou. They could wind up with a killer flying job like I have. This is what Lou was lucky enough to retire on.

Like I said...if you ALREADY have senority with American you have a shot (but will most likely be furloughed along the way). But starting out now is career suicide! The numbers don't lie... but I promise you Embry Riddle (was headed there myself once upon a time) will paint you a beautiful picture of aviation and it's future because THEIR financial existence depends on it! They are gonna throw all kinds of stats about how ER Grads are professional airline pilots and what % of them get "interviews"..bla bla bla. In the end you end up with a degree that cost 3 times more than the average with a job outlook that pays equally below standard. There is no more expensive way to learn to fly than at Embry Riddle and in the end you are no more qualified than any other Flight School can prepare you. Of course ER grads will claim different..after all they spent the money, but I have seen/trained all types and it simply comes down to the individual.

This is of course your choice and it is much easier to listen to those who paint "pie in the sky" outlooks. But reality is that life is rarely like the postcard and you are young and very idealistic...as I was. many people tried to discourage me but I wouldn't have any of it. And to a large degree I succeeded..I have managed to support myself though aviation since I was 27. But, if I could go back and do it all again......no way. The end does not justify the means.

Oh yea...I forgot...the last stats I saw estimated that there are currently 9000-10,000 furloughed pilots right now. Nice.

Leardriver

[Wayne]

No dount the industry looks bleak right now Especially the airlines. But, the industry is cyclical. Its will come back some day and be good again. Probably not to the point where it was about 10 years ago but it will be back.

For these young guys just starting out, their outlook may be a lot better than someone who is already out of school and is looking for that career job.

My best advice, is get your degree, keep all yout options open and be ready to pounce when the aopportunity arises. It will.

[Flyinrazrback]

The best way IMO is to let the military pay for your aviation training, and you dont have to do it full time. The best kept secret is the air national guard or reserve, fly cool planes part time, and do whatever else you want to do after that. Leaving active duty myself end of this year to go to the guard

[todhog]

Kevin, when I get get home next week we can talk at the field. Don't lose hope, there are options out there. See ya then,

Todd

[GremlinX]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Kiwi
	Keith, If you think you can spend a few bucks easily on RC just watch it flow with full scale. It is an even worse form of the disease. Kiwi

Looking at 170's. 180's a little too out of reach. I understand the cost involved... I race cars for a living!

[Dan767]

Go have a good time and enjoy it. Flying has been great for me. I'd do it all over again in a minute. A little over 9 years to retire. A pic from my home 'drome, Boeing Field, WA

Dan

Captain B767/757 UPS Ontario, CA

[DKjens]

I can't say I have any experience what so ever as a professional pilot, but I will say this. Loving to fly RC planes, whether it's small or big, scale or aerobatic, I doubt has anything at all to do with flying heavy jets. Flying model planes, with what we have available to us today, is pure fun, pushing the limits and your own fun envelope, getting better all the time, getting new, different, better planes and engines. Flying a heavy jet, the way I see it, is not much more than like driving a bus, though the pilot has a much more expensive education, maintenance is more important, and more planning goes into the trip. If you love flying giant scale aerobatic planes and you want to bring that love and you into full scale, get a good education as an engineer, lawyer, or other field with prospects, make good money and buy your own Extra/Edge/MX2/Yak or whatever and have a great and normal life.

Yes, careers and businesses go up and down, but with the price of fossil fuel, the diminishing number of airlines, world politics et al as it is, I don't see air transport picking up or becoming any more affordable to people. Big business politics and ethics and responsibility to share holders dictates, that less and less funds will be alocated to travel. Video conferencing will be the way of meetings more and more.

I would take a real good listen to Leardriver, he is not writing all that because he likes to write. He and others in this hobby feel the same way as he expressed.

Hey, just my 2 cents, but a decission like this extremely important.

[aviti]

You ever notice that people outside our hobby think we fly toy airplanes because we really want to fly real ones? However, I see a lot of full scale professional pilots who can fly anything they want in their spare time choose models. I got my Private License when I was 17 and quit full scale shortly thereafter because RC was more fun and more challenging. That story may be different though if I had access to a full scale Extra or similar...haha

[moose]

Leardriver I gotta tell you that it is not so dark at the end of the tunnel......actually aviation worldwide is booming.....If you're type rated maybe on a A320, A330, A340, B777 then you would have NOOO problem getting a job outside the States. I am currently working as a Capt. on the A320 in the gulf for one of the major airlines and I can tell you all the airlines are desperate for pilots and you get to enjoy a TAX FREE salary and let me tell you it is a hell of alot more than 28k/year.

Even non type rated are accepted but have to sign a bond to cover the type rating.

We have just had a couple of guys from the States join us !

In the end everyone has to do what they think is best for !!!

Good luck to all.

[Sukhoikid]

Thanks for the information guys. Its nice to have all of these people online to give there advice and opinion on things. Thanks a lot guys. I live about a quarter of a mile from 2 private airports where I live and when I wake up hearing the sound of Cessena's, Biplanes, Cubs flying over my house I just love it. I sometimes just sit out and watch planes approaching to land.

[EKI16]

i am currently working on my ppl and i am still in high school. i would like to fly something for a job after i graduate, i plan on going to a college to continue with the multi, commercial, all those things you know. for those of you that are airline pilots and such, what does a CFI make a year? im guessing not much, just curious. as thats where i would start out. the thing is that if i didnt fly for a job i dont think i would really enjoy going to work sitting behind a desk, working on the computer all day, that just doesnt intrest me that much, but even if it is little less money than other jobs i would rather be a pilot because it is more intresting and fun.

[JoeAirPort]

Man talk about an interesting thread. Very cool to hear pilots talking with experience. If I ever did any full scale flying it would be just like this hobby, only for fun. I couldn't afford to spend as much time at a real airport as the local r/c field. I live there in the summer. I'm not sure it would be half as fun as playing with these big toys either.

Also people always ask me if I fly "real" planes too. I always tell them that the real ones can't do what I like to do with rc planes. I can't imagine doing torque rolls, harriers, and walls in a Cesna. Not gonna happen. Of course some of the top guys in the full scale edges and CAP's can come close but you don't see too many of them doing blenders. How fun is it to just fly straight and level in a flight plan? Ok I'm gonna get flamed for that last one.