PearlPilot

I actually thought I might hear some positive stuff like, keep going, the industry will get better, hiring will resume, and there is always a shot etc. But I am not surprised to hear that the industry is not what it used to be, and that having a backup is the way to go, and flying for fun is a much better plan than trying to make it a living. Although hiring would resume, I also believe that trying to make it a living seems very unrealistic right now. So I will stick to my full-time job and enjoy flying and work on that IR. My plan is the same, I want to make it a living, and I will try my best and see how it goes. Good luck to all!

jcool411

I dropped out of flight school because of a mixture of not liking the money hungry academy I was going to and contemplating my future in the aviation field . I literally have been coming on here since I was a kid and I'm now 19. People on here are really negative about a career in aviation, I seriously tried to drop aviation because of people on here; being 12 at the time I was crushed. Like everyone else here flying is one of those things you can't shake and we all know it, it's the reason we come on this site. Well I started flying last year loved it even when I got sick and annoyed during training I still looked forward to saying airspeed alive and taking off. Realism hit me I was already getting into loans etc and the industry keeps getting narrower etc. I am now contemplateing things I really can't think of anyhting else I would do as a career other than flying because I like nice expensive things. I did plenty of internships over the years in serious fields, even though I was good at those things that would pay me 6 figures I would hate coming to work everyday for the rest of my life. Like the pharmacists I worked with they seem to dread their jobs even though their field starts you out with a 6 fig salary. If you're a free spirit and not materialistic go for it if not then find another profession. (It's always easy for people to say have a back up profession if you like aviation so much, but who in the world can go to school for a 6 fig profession and pilot training you have to be focused as hell and have wealthy parents med school is not cheap...)

Ewfflyer

I think what most people are trying to inform those that don't know, is that the return on investment will take many many many years as the pay-scales are horrible now, and work conditions aren't as glamorous as most people think. It's more about education than just being negative.

rickair7777

Med school is way too much. I would recommend nursing, pharmacy, PA, or maybe computer science.

If I could chose (I have more than one backup career, but that all happened accidentally) I would go with pharmacy. This job is extremely portable, not as stressful as nursing, and requires minimal on-going "proficiency" training. PA would be a close second (I'd rather do sick call than change bed pans).

Computer science (programming) has several advantages...
- You can get a 4-year BS and be employable without extra schooling.
- It's very portable and flexible in that you can do it anywhere, even on the road whenever you want (just meet the project deadline).
- If you move, you don't necessarily have to switch employers.

Downsides to programming would be that your income and work opportunities depend on your natural ability and the effort you put in. You also need to stay current because this field changes rapidly.

The ideal path to an aviation career would be to start out in one these flexible "backup" fields as your plan A. Obviously pick one you like or can at least tolerate which has good pay and lifestyle. Do flight training on the side as you can pay for it, then become a part time CFI. General aviation is a blast, so that in and of itself would be enjoyable.

Build some time and watch the airline industry...if it looks good at some point you can give it a shot. Remember to try to get in at the beginning of the hiring wave...if you wait too long out of caution or uncertainty, you will either get furloughed or stuck on reserve for years. If you make the jump your "backup" career warm on the back burner...it will help cover the substandard income and leave you an escape route.

The simple fact of life now is that aviation is totally unsuitable as a reliable career from an economic perspective (except for those who already CA's at FDX/UPS/SWA) ...if you want to partake, you need to take responsibility for your own financial well-being.

Might the industry improve someday? Maybe, but it's hard to say. There's nothing to indicate that any positive change will be forthcoming, but there are many potential hurdles. Fuel costs and rampant environmentalism are the big boggiemen IMO...hopefully some of the promising green fuels can be brought online quickly and affordably when the time comes.

N9373M

I did the Computer Science thing and started climbing the pay scales. Very happy where I am now.

Find a flying club. Usually there are instructors involved, the rental rates are cheaper, and you may not have to live with the FBO's restrictive rental policy (no IFR, limited overnights or 3 hour/day minimum).

Our flying club fizzled after we lost the leaseback on the aircraft, plus 9/11 put a damper on things, BUT five of the club members went in on a Mooney and we formed an LLC. Two of them were instructors, so we had cheap learning. I can hop in the Mooney 24/day and take her for weeks with no minimum daily charges.

It's a choice you'll have to make. Airlines and not being home and all of the other fun the working pilots on the forum have mentioned vs. ownership and the expense that will entail.

bpcw

Funny. I find a lot of pilots advising a career in IT/computer science as a backup in case the aviation career doesn't work out as expected.

Be careful though. Having a computer science background myself, I can tell you that in the IT industry, things have changed and are changing as well. And not for the better, as you might guess, since software and hardware are becoming more and more commodity.

Cheap labor from IT people from India, China and elsewhere is readily available nowadays, and IT companies do massive outsourcing and cost-cutting. And we're not talking about the low-qualification IT helpdesk/hotline support people only. Whole projects and complex engineering tasks are increasingly being done in so-called "low-cost" locations.

There are certain parallels to the development of the pilot profession.
Once being regarded as a highly trained and rare specialists which translated into the respective compensation and opportunities, IT people have been facing an ever decreasing reputation and pay over the past years.
You *may* be lucky and get a good job (like I did years ago), but bear in mind that the golden times in IT are over.
I think that devaluation is a general problem of "techie" jobs.

Being a physician or a business suit is probably a fine thing.

rdneckpilot

Yes you should pursue a career in aviation if you like flying as much as you stated. Just remember that passenger airline flying is just one of the many over rated jobs in aviation. Broaden the scope of your search for opportunities in the industry. Something will work for you and make you happy. Don't look at the pay for justification to take a job or specific career track. I have worked in law enforcement, 135, 121 freight, 121 passenger, flight instructed and corporate aviation. I have recently moved into agricultural aviation and love it. I'm home every night, make a fair living for my time investment and absolutely love the flying. I also have enough free time to teach again which is something that I missed. I will never make what I could as a career 121 pilot but I don't care. You will just have to open your eyes to other possibilities and find what makes you happy as a person. With all of the opportunities in the aviation industry the chances of not finding a job you really like are slim in my opinion.

AKASHA

This is outstanding advice. This is the best advice by far. There are many exciting opportunities in aviation. Its a very rewarding career. Don't limit your scope to airline flying. It's true... too much of what you hear from those guys today will only bring you down. There's lots of fun ways to get paid flying. It won't make you rich. But it can make you happy.

pilot1278

"And I've got some good friends at SWA who would do what they do for minimum wage."

Translation: they would do it, provided they didn't have any bills.

I'd say, keep going for it, if you enjoy it, but take your time with it and try to pursue a backup career if you can. There is no reason to rush right now. There will be hiring again, but it'll be a few years from now. Plus, there are other really cool jobs in Aviation you could do too.

I work in Telecommunications, and instruct on the side. I am fairly busy, but I try to schedule my flights when my wife works, so we still get to spend time together. I make decent money with my regular job, and enough on the instruction side to store for a rainy day. All in all, it's pretty satisfying to be able to keep flying, even if it's for only a few hours per week. Plus, I am home every night and there is no harm done if I want to suddenly take a week or two off for a vacation. It's pretty sweet.

Someone single like you, OP, could easily do something like this once you get your instructor rating.