Originally Posted by ORDCRJ

By no means am I entitled. I want to pay what I feel is fair but I feel that being sold a bill of goods that you could pay off your student loans at a clip of $800 plus a month is not reasonable and furthermore I left the school not fully trained and able to earn a living thus my lack of PIC time.

Originally Posted by ORDCRJ

So, its obvious that a career change is in store for me.

Originally Posted by ORDCRJ

I want to pay what is fair ...

Originally Posted by ORDCRJ

There is no way that I will ever be able to pay these loans off withoug moving back in with my parents, riding a bike, and eating ramen noodles for the next 30 years.

Originally Posted by ORDCRJ

I am not trying to get out of what is fair ...

Originally Posted by ORDCRJ

Here is my sad story. I have been in aviaiton for almost 10 years. In that time I accumulated over 130k in student loan debt which is a payment of almost $850 a month. Now, I was "lucky" and advanced quickly. I had the chance to flight instruct or go and fly for a small regional. I chose the small regional to build time, from there i went to a larger regional, then finally my "dream" of flying a Boeing for a charter airline. Now, on the way I took up a few management positions (sim instructor, ground instructor, first officer checkairman, etc) and to date I do not have 1500 hours although I have been on almost every continent (except Austrailia) with an airplane. Now, my latest company has furloughed me and I am on the street with less than 1500 hours and not enough PIC time to get at ATP without investing an additional 10k to get the PIC time then start all over again at a regional making $18 an hour.

So, its obvious that a career change is in store for me. But, the problem is now I am loaded with all these student loans and no clue how to pay for them. I want to pay what is fair but I feel mislead but my training school that "trained me" correctly so I could make enough money to pay these loans off. There is no way that I will ever be able to pay these loans off withoug moving back in with my parents, riding a bike, and eating ramen noodles for the next 30 years.

Does anyone know of a lawyer or had any luck getting the amount of their student loan reduced? These are private loans and the answer the loan company gives me is basically "good luck" and you owe this money. I am not trying to get out of what is fair but I do not think it was fair to sell me a bill of goods that they knew wouldnt amount to anything.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Originally Posted by MEMbrain

Be a man and pay your obligations.

Originally Posted by galaxy flyer

Actually, in his crusty fashion, Burke has it right. By your own admission, tried to "get ahead" by doing things all out of step. FIRST, you need real flight experience and PIC time, THEN, become an instructor/check airman (what's a FO check, sounds like SAC). It looks like you trusted those who told you how to get ahead without the real hard slog. I don't understand how you got as far as you did. BTW, you don't have 4 Types, if you don't have an ATP.

Now, if you want to fly, get the PIC time, whatever it takes, get an ATP, get hired at a regional and move on, paying whatever you can. Flying has no place for the inept, the uncommitted, or the casual. There is ONLY one way to where you hoped to be--no shortcuts. Luckily, the shortcuts didn't end up in a funeral home as so many of my late friends did.

Also, pilots are quite helpful, just don't look like a whiner or someone who is trying to shortcut things. Innumerable pilots have helped me thru the last 35 years, one went out on limb to hire me at 52.



GF

Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes

It sounds like he's reached a point where this is not realistic anymore. How are you helping?

Originally Posted by ORDCRJ

Mr. Burke,

I know of many pilots who have paid well over 250k for "basic pilot" certificates.

I did not describe any course which I was "jumped to the head of the line" I simply had an opportunity (not a pay to get the the head of the line program as you seem to have suggested) to go and fly for a 121 carrier and not pay an additional 30k to get my cfi and cfii. What would you have done?

Now, the school I went to all paints a rosy picture of being able to pay back your student loans after paying a god awful amount of money for the training. To me that is misleading.

I need an additional 100 plus hours of PIC time to qualify for my ATP before anybody will touch me. Your solution is to instruct but I do not have a CFI and the other solution is to go and fly freight which I cant because I have below 1500 hours although I have great experience.

I was furloughed from a job whree I was paid $64 an hour and now if I chose to go and get my PIC time id have to start over at a regional making $25 - 28 an hour starting out and putting myself further in debt and chances are getting divorced and paying alimony.

By no means am I entitled. I want to pay what I feel is fair but I feel that being sold a bill of goods that you could pay off your student loans at a clip of $800 plus a month is not reasonable and furthermore I left the school not fully trained and able to earn a living thus my lack of PIC time.

I am well aware that you have to pay your dues in this business. I have been in for 10 years pre flighting 19 seat planes at 4 am in minues 10 degree weather to flying heads of state to forigen countries. Aviation is not what it used to be and if you call it throwing in the towel so be it. I call it waking up and realizing that after 10 years its going to be 20 more years of the same ol same ol.

Congrats on being futher into your career than me. Perhaps one day we can compare resumes. I am happy for you and I wish you the best of luck in my situation. There is an empty right seat in a 767 that I have left vacant. Maybe you can have mine?

Thanks to the other posters for the IP suggestion. I do love being an IP but I am not past military.

If anyone else has any other constructive suggestions I welcome them. Thank you.

Originally Posted by usmc-sgt

Too bad, so sad.

No sympathy from me. Get a job, get three jobs..I don't care about your debt. You had no problem taking on the debt in the first place.

Originally Posted by ORDCRJ

Mr. Burke, you seem to be a very crusty and bitter old pilot. You sir are exactally what I hope to avoid being by leaving aviation.

Sgt., im sure the core appreciates your helpful advice. You sir, sorry I mean Sgt (not an officer yet?), are another reason why people are flocking to aviaiton. I appreciate your suggestion to get a job. With the number of posts you have on here are you employed by airline pilot central or do you and Mr. Burke enjoy commenting on the misfortunes of others?

To answer a few of the other questions yes, I do have a college degree that is (thank god) in the field of Business so I am looking for a career change. To the newcomer here are a few answers to your questions and a few others....

Yes, I have 10 years in aviation and do not have 1500 hours. I am typed in 4 aircarft though. How did this happen? Well I was hired (or skipped the line as Mr. Burke would say) and sat reserve at a very very small regional for 3 years and left with about 500 hours. But while I was there I was also approached to be a ground school instructor becasue of my past experiences. I was told it would enhane my resume so I did it. When they furloughed me I found employment at another slightly bigger regional where I was there for 4 years until I was furloughed as well. While I was there due to being on reserve and asked again to be a ground school instuctor I left with about 500 hours. Then as luck would have it a charter company hired me to fly for them with very very low time. It paid $64 an hour (with a 60 hour a month guarr.) and I didnt think turning down a chance to fly a Boeing all over the world was a good career move so I accepted the job. Right after I finished OE and consolidation I was approached again to be a ground school insturctor, sim instructor, and first officer check airman. I was told this would enhance my resume (yes again) So, I did and became a managment pilot (Sgt will hate that this college boy had "power" as he would see it over little poges but I did) So, a majority of my time there was spent in the classroom, sim, and observation rides. Then, while I was in the training department we added another Boeing airframe to our certificate and I recieved a SIC type for that as well so I could instruct on that too. Now, at $64 an hour I could barely afford my student loan payments, house payment (Sgt not all of us are tough marines and can camp in tents), food and family expenes( Mr. Burke may not have this problem as his crusty attitude im surely is appealing to the opposite sex) Now, another layoff has happened to me and I find that the only way I can get hired my most airlines is to have my ATP which I do not qualify for because I lact the PIC time.

NewCommer I hope this helps you out id be more than happy to help you with your career choice. Flying is a fun and rewarding career but it is very expensive to get started and very difficult on the home life.

Now I expect to hear back from Mr. Burke and Sgt. I never blamed anyone I simply reached out to my "brotherhood" of fellow pilots and found my hand bit off.

NewComer this is another lesson to you. Most pilots are happy to help out "just enough" but if they feel that you are more qualified, or didnt do it the "right way", or perhaps they werent held enough as a child they will turn their backs on you.

Once again any HELPFUL advice would be appreciated.