Could you all offer some insight onto my plans!
06-27-2007, 04:33 AM
#1
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Posts: 33
Could you all offer some insight onto my plans!
First off let me say WOW this website and forum page are amazing. With that out of the way let me get straight to it. I have been a aviation buff from birth. I was in civil air patrol as a child and have been in The Texas Air national Guard as a F-16 crewchief for the last 6 years. I currently have a couple training hours under my belt and will be finally going all the way in the fall. A local school San Jacinto college offers a pilot program that gets you pp,com,multi, inst, cfi, cfII. My concern is that although i'm young (23) a family is a big deal to me and i just wonder how hard it is to raise a family or be married with children while trying to fly. Which route would give me the most home time. There is a large corporate airport (sugarland regional(SGR) that i work right next to and i didn't know if commercial would be the way to go or what. But my main concern is family life. For me to be a professional pilot will my family have to sit on the sidelines. Any experienced help and comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for the great website.
06-27-2007, 04:43 AM
#2
Big Poppa
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Posts: 613
I would like to see some responses to this also. I have a family and am trying to get into flying aswell. I know that no matter what I do, I will have to be away from family at least a little, so I'm curious as to what people say.
06-27-2007, 06:30 AM
#4
Flying Farmer
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: Turbo-props' and John Deere's
Posts: 3,160
Just as with any large/major move, there will be sacrifices. Aviation will have a lot of them. It takes extra money and time in aviation, as well as a sacrifice in pay/benefits early on. I'm 25, just married 6 months ago, and no kids. I don't plan on kids for another 2 yrs or so because my wife just went back to school. I would say if you go this route, some of these things will most likely have to wait just because of the mobility you need, and the lower funds you'll have. In the end, its' the love of flying that should drive you.
^^^^FDXLAG is right, save some money there if you can
^^^^FDXLAG is right, save some money there if you can
06-27-2007, 06:37 AM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: B747
Posts: 120
It's a way of life
That is a good question. Which way is the best way? That is similar to asking what are the winning lottery numbers! All kidding aside, first ask yourself.....why? Why do you want to fly? If the answer is anything but "that you would love to fly and be around airplanes etc etc", then I am going to save you years of time and heartache and vast sums of money and tell you to look elsewhere for a career.
This isn't meant to come across like a lecture, but very few ask themselves that very question. Worse, they get into aviation for the wrong reasons, with expectations, and with a rigid thought process. Look, I am not going to say go military, or go charter, or go airline....because I really don't know what you want in life. Sounds like you are proactively thinking about a future family quality of life, and that is great! How does your gf/wife feel about aviation currently. You both need to have a serious chat about what your values and beliefs are, because if your wife isnt "on board" with you being gone, then the #1 seniority postion at a SWA or a UPS wouldn't make things better!
Your wife needs to know about the many pitfalls, risks, fluctuations tha come with the aviation industry. It doesn't matter if you are military, corporate, or airline, they all are affected, and one day you can be sitting pretty, and the next be at another class starting at the bottom again.
If your wife is on board, and if you really love to fly, then I will now say that being a pilot is one of the most challenging professions that takes a high degree of commitment for your entire career. If you get into it for the love of it, then the best part is....that it will also be one of the most rewarding things that you can do professionally, and depending on what path you take, it can also be a good experience for your family as they will get to see many different things that aviation brings to your doorstep, that the average family will never get to see or experience.
Generally the best corporate job will have you flying very little with few overnights, while the worst one will have you on a pager 24/7, with ****ty equipment and get treated like **** for very little money.
The best airline job will have you living in your base, with decent pay and good amount of home time, while the worst one will have you away from home 20ish days a month, be very hard to commute to, reserve assignments that suck and have you at the very bottom of a seniority list with little to no movement making sure that your conditions prevail for longer.
As far as military, that is the one area where i dont have experience, but Im sure that if you go that route, during peacetime, it may not be so bad, but since we are in a war now....expect to be alot more active. I fly with ex military/NATO guys that flew heavies in the military and their families have had some of the best and most varied experiences around the world. Some have had children born in other countries, others still have homes in others, and other can't wait for their time to be up.
In all my friend, it is really hard to say....THIS is the best way....now go forward. You and your wife MUST know what you want for your lives, and then based on that, you may take the path that gets you there the best.
If your wife wants to experience other cultures and see the world, then perhaps the military is the best way initially. if she loves where she lives and isnt interested in seeing outside her town, then perhaps a small corporate outfit in your local airport would be the best for both of you.
I have been in aviation for 14 years and have 5 uniforms in my closet, so job security and longevity has eluded me. However, I have had the privelage of flying corporate, airline pax and "heavy" cargo. I have flown 7 different types of jets and still have the better part of 34 years before i hit 65. I am married and I am fortunate that my wife's value and beliefs are similar to mine, so that certainly makes it possible.
It's a way of life, for you and your family, which is why it really boils down to:
WHY?
hope this provides some points of thought for you and yours.
This isn't meant to come across like a lecture, but very few ask themselves that very question. Worse, they get into aviation for the wrong reasons, with expectations, and with a rigid thought process. Look, I am not going to say go military, or go charter, or go airline....because I really don't know what you want in life. Sounds like you are proactively thinking about a future family quality of life, and that is great! How does your gf/wife feel about aviation currently. You both need to have a serious chat about what your values and beliefs are, because if your wife isnt "on board" with you being gone, then the #1 seniority postion at a SWA or a UPS wouldn't make things better!
Your wife needs to know about the many pitfalls, risks, fluctuations tha come with the aviation industry. It doesn't matter if you are military, corporate, or airline, they all are affected, and one day you can be sitting pretty, and the next be at another class starting at the bottom again.
If your wife is on board, and if you really love to fly, then I will now say that being a pilot is one of the most challenging professions that takes a high degree of commitment for your entire career. If you get into it for the love of it, then the best part is....that it will also be one of the most rewarding things that you can do professionally, and depending on what path you take, it can also be a good experience for your family as they will get to see many different things that aviation brings to your doorstep, that the average family will never get to see or experience.
Generally the best corporate job will have you flying very little with few overnights, while the worst one will have you on a pager 24/7, with ****ty equipment and get treated like **** for very little money.
The best airline job will have you living in your base, with decent pay and good amount of home time, while the worst one will have you away from home 20ish days a month, be very hard to commute to, reserve assignments that suck and have you at the very bottom of a seniority list with little to no movement making sure that your conditions prevail for longer.
As far as military, that is the one area where i dont have experience, but Im sure that if you go that route, during peacetime, it may not be so bad, but since we are in a war now....expect to be alot more active. I fly with ex military/NATO guys that flew heavies in the military and their families have had some of the best and most varied experiences around the world. Some have had children born in other countries, others still have homes in others, and other can't wait for their time to be up.
In all my friend, it is really hard to say....THIS is the best way....now go forward. You and your wife MUST know what you want for your lives, and then based on that, you may take the path that gets you there the best.
If your wife wants to experience other cultures and see the world, then perhaps the military is the best way initially. if she loves where she lives and isnt interested in seeing outside her town, then perhaps a small corporate outfit in your local airport would be the best for both of you.
I have been in aviation for 14 years and have 5 uniforms in my closet, so job security and longevity has eluded me. However, I have had the privelage of flying corporate, airline pax and "heavy" cargo. I have flown 7 different types of jets and still have the better part of 34 years before i hit 65. I am married and I am fortunate that my wife's value and beliefs are similar to mine, so that certainly makes it possible.
It's a way of life, for you and your family, which is why it really boils down to:
WHY?
hope this provides some points of thought for you and yours.
06-27-2007, 06:49 AM
#6
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Posts: 33
Wow that was very interesting and completly right. The way i have been thinking is go through with school and get my certificates. The military will take on a big chunk and the rest i can pay for with my current career. At that point or while i'm getting my certificates i'll re-evaluate my situation. For all i know i could get into flying and say "ya this is fun but i'd rather make good money at what i do and fly on the weekend then pursue a career" To any extent i think the best path right now is to just begin school and flight training and take it one day at a time if i catch myself loving it and deside that route then i'll take on that route if not then i have a great career already.
06-27-2007, 08:46 AM
#8
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Spartan
Posts: 3,652
Goose,
Do you have a 4 year degree? If not, being successful in aviation is even more difficult. Flying for a living and finishing your degree is possible but not the best way to do it, especially if you already have a family of your own. You may want to bang out school while getting the ratings on the side if that is the case.
PS-Tell Fook I said hello.
Do you have a 4 year degree? If not, being successful in aviation is even more difficult. Flying for a living and finishing your degree is possible but not the best way to do it, especially if you already have a family of your own. You may want to bang out school while getting the ratings on the side if that is the case.
PS-Tell Fook I said hello.
06-27-2007, 09:57 AM
#10
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Posts: 33
The military route is out for me The Houston unit here has put such a sour taste in not only mine but everyone of us younger guys mouth that we are all not re-enlisting. I have 2 associates degrees right now and yes i knwo a bachlors degree is almost a must. I'll just have to wait and see how i like flight school again if its something i can't live without i'm still young enough to pursue it headon if not at least i still have my petrochemical career and you know thats making me money hahahahah 3.00 gas oh ya!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
