d22block

Hi everyone--im just asking for the best advice possible

Im a high school senior in South Jersey and my dream in to be an airline pilot. Want to pursue cargo more then airlines because I heard it is just a much better industry and job. Is this true?

So im about Half Way done applying to colleges

Big names im applying to: ERAU-Purdue

Small names: Dowling University in Long Island--Avvertt University in VA--Vaughn College in Queens

So what do you think about them and anyone every go to them?

Also im thinking about getting my private before I go to college--the people in some admissions offices said it would be cheaper then just proceed on the rest of my ratings in college

Also I know the hiring indiustry isn't so hot but I know ATC will be--so I'm going to minor in that--do you think that is a smart move?

But flying is my passion and would much rather be traveling the world then being at one airport.

So just if you guys could give me the best advice possible

Thanks a million

PS-I don't want to do the military rout because that isn't my thing and i heard your not gurenteed to fly. Also if you go to a normal college but do ROTC heard you have to serve for 10 years and I'm not to sure about that.

So if you could please your best advice on everything-thanks

de727ups

I'd get a degree is a second area of interest, as a back up. You don't need to major in aviation to be a pilot. Also, I'd not worry too much about cargo vs passenger or whatever. It doesn't matter at this point. Your desire is to be a professional pilot and that could lead you down many paths. It doesn't matter which path you end up on at this point because you are just getting started. Concentrate on school and initial flight training. You can get your flight ratings at any local school near your college.

I'd suggest you go to Jetcareers.com - Welcome and read up on the info Doug has posted about entering the career. Also, see the perspectives section to see how others did it.

Brendan

de727ups is right. Looking back, I think most people (at least here on APC), including myself, that go to school for "Professional Flight" or Aviation Sciences" would say to major in something more marketable and just get your ratings elsewhere. I would recommend engineering if you are willing to work hard in college. It will pay off big time and I think you will find MANY more opportunities available to you after graduation. I have a few friends at Boeing that graduated from here (Purdue) with degrees in aerospace engineering and are making six figures after two years. You will not find that as a pilot.

A few less hits to the head in high school football and that's the route I would have gone, too

unemployedagain

no way will my kids get near anything aviation, go to med or law school.

W0XOFF

Hmmm... . NOT the coolest thing to come onto a board where perhaps 80% + are former military and/or drilling Guard/Reservists and say 'that isn't my thing'.

Would you care to elucidate on that? Makes me wonder where your head is. You don't love your country? 'So, my fellow Americans; ask NOT what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country!' -John F. Kennedy

Think you are getting bogus information. Unless it has changed recently, ROTC obligates one for only 4 years of payback service. And. . you don't have to worry about how you are going to PAY for school. PLUS you have life-long warm & fuzzy feelings about 'serving' your country. IF you take flight training, that is where the 10 year obligation comes in. It is going to probably take the same ten years to run up through the civilian ranks to get the necessary qualifications to be considered for hiring. THEN, there is the mandatory 'personal references' you are going to have to produce. The BEST way to come by those is from military buddies, with whom you have served and flown.

Have you had a 'flight physical' to see if you are physically qualified to fly? That would be a good place to start. Go to an FAA certified doctor and see if your eyes are good enough -or if there would be anything else that would disqualify you.

If you decide to pursue the 'civilian' route, be prepared to 'live poor' for the maybe 10 years it will take to work your way up to the majors. At least, in the military, you are getting a good rate of pay and 'earning' your tickets on the taxpayer and you will arrive without the crushing burden of student loans and owing everyone tens of thousands of dollars. AND . . if you don't get flight, you can fly at military flight clubs and will have the GI Bill when you are finished your four years.

Get as many ratings, as early and cheaply as you can. But don't put off school to do it, as the BA/BS is a major prerequisite at most majors. I almost had enough hours for the commercial when I went to school, but ran out of time and money as studies pressed and the flying went on hold until I finished AOCS after graduation. Get the degree and then consider the Air National Guard, if the military 'isn't your thing'

Cubdriver

Good post, however your information needs a little bit of a reality check. No one starts at six figures out of school as a fresh aerospace engineer no matter what degree they obtain or what school reputation they bring along with them. People tend to overstate their salaries. I think you may have heard some stretches of the truth from your friend.

I entered the aerospace engineering industry a couple of years ago for a major parts manufacturer at about $50k. I then went to a major bizjet manufacturer in Wichita for a few thousand more as a salaried employee. After two years my company boosts its fresh engineers to about $60k if they have a B.S. degree like I have. If you have a masters degree, this figure is about $70k. From there you will not break $80k no matter who you work for as a salaried employee for at least 5 years total experience.

Your friend may be a contract engineer for hire. This cannot occur before a minimum of at least two years of industry, which means that they have to have a least a couple of years of salaried work experience in order to qualify for the lowest experience point as a contractor. No one will hire a contract engineer before at least two years of industry experience. But if at that point an engineer gets a contract and one were to extend the monthly income out to 12 months, yes it may very well be in the six figures.

The problem is, contract engineering positions are not as stable as are salaried positions. In times like now with our depressed economy, contractors are the first to be laid off. Even when times are not tough they are likely to be laid off when a project is mostly done. So that six figure number will get averaged across a longer time in almost all cases.

Contract engineering is good money though. I enjoyed New Years Eve last year in a hot tub of a million dollar home which was one of two owned by two contract engineers in Wichita. They kept another on the west coast so they could work for Boeing. The takeaway is these people have been in the business for about 25 years.

Brendan

Haha, sorry Cubdriver for the misinformation. Thanks for the correction. I guess I was just jealous and willing to buy the BS I was being fed.

He does have a sweeeet 7-series Beemer though!

ryan1234

Good advice previously about getting a medical before anything.

Personally... in all hind sight... after going to ERAU... I would say... don't go there! Go to a nice, cheap state school and have fun... if you can major in economics or something to do with money.. learn the market... invest carefully right now... and remember that the decisions, especially financial, will have a big impact on your future. Be very careful about going into debt, often times there is a better way.. and it may not be the easiest.

Your ratings will be like a degree in aviation anyways...
Also... the military route is a great route..there is a lot of competition.. so if you do that make sure you really, really want to do it.

You may consider joining the Air National Guard as enlisted, perhaps flight crew.. and they will pay your college (at least in FL) .. and you may get a good chance at getting a very coveted pilot slot with them...this doesn't guarantee you a slot, but is a good opportunity to serve, go to school, and pick up references.

Either way try to pick up your Private first and see if you even like flying... perhaps start with an orientation flight or something

Cubdriver

Understandable mistake. He probably makes about 80k as a contract engineer, and if he makes more than that he wouldn't care what car he drives.

Airbus and Boeing contract engineers make a bit under six figures if they are usual people. Contract engineers working for the major bizjet company I work for in Wichita, with 20 years experience make about $85k. The ones I am thinking of both drive new Honda Pilots. If you have good credit you can get approved for a 7 series BMW, that's a fact, but good luck keeping these cars if you do get laid off.

Some poor engineer's spotless hand waxed black late-model repossessed 7-series BMW is sitting right down the street from me as we speak, sort of like an orphaned stallion from the racetrack. There are also about 5 repossessed newer Chevy Silverados sitting there also. These trucks are lost items from the workers at the Plant. I am temped to go get one of them for peanuts except my mother gave me a nice 90's Buick that runs fine and has everything on it. The 7-series Beemer is $27k. I could get approved to buy it probably despite the layoffs in town.

John Wayne drove a secondhand Pontiac station wagon until he died. It's not about cars, folks.

-Cub

BOYCAPTAIN

hey dude....i am from south jersey...grew up in bridgeton...went to st augustine(87)....went to erau in daytona and got a business degree learned to fly outside the school while getting the aviation credits as electives in the business course....graduated in spring of 91 and flew cargo lears for 3 years and then got hired at FDX....starting 15th year in january...best of luck from a fellow south jersey redneck!!!