Hawker445

So just throwing this out there, i know how terrible conditions and pay may be for many guys, but i think it is just who you know and where you end up. Just HOW you get there after all the ratings is even worse, and if having connections will still be there.

So i am training right now at Utah state university. working on instrument. great instructors, bad ground class. bad 'college' experience so far.

I am just so frightened from what everyone says about this industry, i mean i love flying. But what i am just freaked out about what would my social life would be like. it already sucks now because i haven't really made any friends in college, and it seems like i wouldn't really make any in the industry. Fear of losing my medical, maybe 5 or 6 years into the industry, no backup, having nothing else to turn to i am basically screwed.

So what would make you feel that this industry isn't meant for you? What will make you stop? What gets you motivated to get up, and smell the coffee?

JUG47

Sorry to hear college sux. I recently heard from an old friend who has been in the middle east for almost 20 years and he said "there is more to life than flying". How right he is. I do part time flying on the side and that is more than enough. I also have a great wife and kids.
I love flying but all I could say is look for something in this game besides being a pilot. Not sure what though as it's too early in the day for me to think! Something engineering based?
If you're not happy now you won't regret changing gears and direction for a better career. Just gotta find that something else and take the leap. It will feel good once you do it.
Best of luck.

yimke

Welcome to aviation. Fear of losings one's medical. job, or certificates could happen around any corner.

Don't get so caught up with school, that you don't have a social life. Enjoy the time, but study hard.

Thoughts like that were in my head, especially when going through 9/11 and the 2008 market. But every time I got down, all I thought about is why I am NOT a paper pusher. You have to love this job to do it. But offer yourself option B, by studying other items that are interesting.

I decided to learn about management, so if I couldn't fly anymore I could still be around airplanes.

bozobigtop

Hey Hawker,

You make some good points; one piece of advice my dad always told me was to always have a plan B, C, or D in-which you will definitely need for this industry or any industry for that matter. I learn a long time ago without connections especially in your better organizations no amount of experience, great background, pretty teeth/face will yield paydirt because that's not the way things work. I spent three years at a regional airline, 13 years at various freight companies before connecting with a good carrier. If I had to do this over, I would not do it. I can see myself quitting professional aviation and just flying for fun whereas I can work at something else I love. Good Luck!

JamesNoBrakes

What is it you love? Flying? Or being an airline pilot? Are they teaching at that school that "being a pilot "=airline pilot? There are so many ways to be within aviation, and within that, there are so many other professions where you can be a pilot. The problem is that the universities and other entities do not advertise or even research this, and the industry uses this perception against us. Regional airlines constitute more than half of the air traffic, wages have been cut way back with most majors, the industry is a never ending game to see who can lose the least amount of money. The odds are that you wont make ir to a 777 or 747, even any kind of major airline due to how many pilots there are and how the industry is split. This is wrecking peoples lives/plans because if or when they do get the chance to move up to a major airline, they have to work until the very last year tp get retirement or even miss out on it completely. This is the reality and it's not like no one "makes it", but there are far more passengers flying on small connecting (sometimes longer flights on regionals!) than mainline flights. Its not what it was 20-30 years ago, except those pilots from 20-30 years ago ARE the ones flying those big aircraft at the major airlines. It's not the same for the younger generations. The main point is that there's so much more to flying and aviation. Theres insurance(has flying! ), law enforcement, fish and game, other government flying, corporate, aircraft demo and delivery, test flying, instruction (not just in small airplanes for things like basic PP certs), medical evac, and the list goes on and on. And then there are the multitude of professional avation roles where you can be neck deep in aviation, and be able to afford and fly your own plane, anywhere you want, any time you want ....

paintyourjet

This is why you shouldn't major in a nothing degree, such as Aviation, English, History...get your ratings but major in something that makes money like Engineering or Accounting. This is something you can fall back on.

block30

Hope you are doing alright...you seem a bit sad. As someone else said, take some time to socialize. Do you have a job, club, or volunteer org you are involved with? Get involved, meet people. I honestly wish I would have picked hanging out over hitting the books a little more in college. Plus, your networking usually means a helluva more than a little extra on the GPA.

I'm not totally against pro pilot majors, but not enamored with them either. Majoring in something else and flying at a local flight school might be an option worth investigating.

Hope you are feeling better.

captain152

Hey brother. I've been in your shoes. Believe me when I say it gets better, but you need to take the initiative. You seem really down and almost depressed right now which is something we have all dealt with at one point or another.

Best advice I can possible give is get involved in your college/university/community. We all love aviation which is why we're here, but don't allow it to dictate your life in such an early part of your training. Join intramural (sp?) sports if you enjoy those, habitat for humanity, aviation clubs (good networking opportunities here), or even try to get a job on campus.

Bottom line is always study hard (join study groups if you can), but enjoy life outside aviation as well. The latter part has to be on you. There are plenty of opportunities out there to get involved, ya just gotta look for em. Most universities or colleges put up all kinds of fliers to join groups for various interests.

Keep your chin up brother!! This forum is always here for helpful advice. We just want to see you also enjoying your younger years and making possibly some of the best friends you'll ever have

captain152

Also another aspect is consider transferring schools??

I transferred twice before I found where I was happy. PM me of you want any other advice or personal insight brother.

Hawker445

Thanks for your input guys.
Sometimes i think i should just take a break from flying and look into something else that i would enjoy and be good at doing. For example i like economics, i think the stock market is intersting as hell but i just don't have that creative outside of the box thinking, but i never know unless i try.
But what i also don't want to happpen is regret dropping aviation as a proffession, because i am sure there is quite a lot of money to be made, but it just depends where you look, but i also realize this job is all about seniority.