Timmay

A little off-topic...but DANG! I thought when we were paying $175/week for two kids it was ludicrous. We moved to a much lower cost-of-living area, a 4 year-old and a 1 year-old going to preschool/daycare are running us $100/week, and it's a superb program. Sometimes I can't believe how fortunate I am.

TOGA

Leo -

Congratulations! It sounds like you're thinking the right things, no matter what happens. Keep the family first, and everything else will work out. We had a six month old & some debt when I was hired at a regional . . . then a three year old and a newborn when I was downgraded from Captain to FO after 9/11. My wife's been at home with the kids from the beginning. I'm not gonna kid you, it's not been a pleasant time. But, if you won't be happy doing anything other than flying, a lot of your decisions are already made for you. Take solace in that simplicity and especially in the fact that your wife is supportive . . . those are two of the most important things. Keep flying & work on school online. If you're just kinda a little into flying, get out now! For whatever it's worth, go forward knowing thousands of us have been in similar predicaments in the past. Maybe it's some sort of rite of passage! Good luck!

LeoSV

WOW, thank you all for the advice and support. I am so far planning on finishing my CFI as soon as possible and being a CFI for a few years. That way I can be at home and do something I love. I know the money will be tight, but we have a great support structure with the grandparents and we also have a pretty cheap lifestyle and cheap house. I am looking into the national guard, and other military options. I wish I had known about the military options before I already paid for 2 years of college at UoP, that place is EXPENSIVE!! but that's my fault for not going to school when I was younger I guess. Life will be tight financially for a while, but when my wife goes back to work, things will be a little better and I should have enough hours by then to maybe get a corporate gig around here where I won't have to be gone so much. And if all else fails, I will get a regular job and put flying aside. But I am definitely going to attempt it, and finish my last 2 years of college online when things calm down a bit. That's the plan at least. man, twins.. Life is so random.

LeoSV

Well, turns out getting your CFI as quick as you can isn't very quick at all when you have a full time job, a wife that is pregnant with twins, and a son. I get the chance to get to the field about once a week, and since I'm still working on the INST, I can't file IFR to get my X-C out of the way, so I'm still at the mercy of the clouds. Anyway, I'm going to try to finish my INST before February, and call it quits until later on in life and then get my CFI and just be a part time CFI as a hobby. Right now I'm going to finish school, get that bachelor of science for business accounting, and just concentrate on family and work. Goodbye career pilot.
When you have the time/money, the pleasure of flying outweighs the sacrifices you have to make to get there, but getting your ratings with a new family, the sacrifices far outweigh the pleasure. Gotta do what's right. It's not really a tough decision, as the decision has pretty much made itself.

FlyArmy

Doesn't sound like you are, but if you happen to be interested in flying for the Army let me know. Age could be waived fairly easily. Then you get the GI bill and good flight training. Easy way to get r/w Comm/Inst rating to add to your f/w ratings. But if you were AD you would most definitely deploy and move around. If you found a guard unit you could stay put. Could also be some reserve f/w units who could hire you. Just a thought before the aviation career dream gets tossed...

FlyNSail

Sorry to hijack the thread, but just a quick question for FlyArmy as I don't have enough posts yet to be able to PM. Is 32 (just turned!) too old for consideration with respect to helicopter training in the Army; is a waiver possible? I do have a 4 year degree and a F/W PPL. Thanks!

FlyArmy

I have a friend who is 39 going through flight school. I think the limit is 32 by the time you finish applying, but there is a waiver for everything in the army. From what I understand it wasn't very difficult to get the waiver. I can find out more on that if you would like...just let me know.

FlyNSail

Thanks FlyArmy, I appreciate the response. I remember speaking with a recruitment chap that came round to my house and he was telling me that I could not directly apply to be a pilot (Warrant Officer program I believe?) and that I would have to get in on another trade associated with aviation and then try to apply to get a pilot spot; is that correct? Assuming that there is the possibility of my getting a waiver, what's the best way forward for me and is there a way to get into pilot training from the outset? I turned 32 on September 3. Thanks again for your help.

FlyArmy

tried to PM, didn't work. one of my extra email addresses is [email protected] if you want to email me...

FlyNSail

thanks for the offer FlyArmy, I'll drop you a line!