covsting76

Well I am 25 years old, have a good job working for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics as a computer programmer and currently make 56k a year coming right out of college...

Well I have always had a passion to fly, and to this day I still can't figure out why I didnt take that career path. Everytime i fly commerical I am like a kid in a candy shop and would give my left arm for 5 minutes in the cockpit. Just the thought of flying and hearing pilots take to ATC gets me excited...

So I am trying to decided what to do... I spoke to many airline pilots because I do alot of traveling for my work. The ones i spoke to told me not to get into the field because crappy pay, never home, and the whole senority system is junk...

From what i have gathered from reading other posts it sounds like the airline industry is not a good field.... So here I am stuck... I do want to be a pilot but i am having a hard time decide if it something i should just do as a recreational type thing? Get training on my own and fly whenever I can or so it something I should purse as a career and give up a job making good money?

I know only I can anwser this question but i was looking for any feedback anyone else had.

Thank you.

esa17

Keep your job but earn your certificates on the side. Maybe use your contacts at LM to move closer and closer to playing with those wonderful toys y'all have.

Jumping out of a good job right now is nothing short of foolish.

covsting76

Yes and thats what everyone has been telling me as well. Is there any difference between getting your certs on the side compaired to going to a college? advantage / disadvantage?

And yes tell me about all the nice toys.... I see F-35 / F-22 / C-130 daily... I am jealous...

IC ALL

Personally, I think we are in a perfect storm of badness for the career between the economy and age 60. That said, not everyone is cut out to enjoy flying as a career. You can easily see that by reading APC.

The great thing for you is, you are in a great position to pursue the career part time as you try to decide if professional flying is really for you.

Don't quit your day job, but work on your licenses and rating, and experience levels, as time and money allow. Your goal should be to get up through CFI and then spend some time teaching. By then, you'll have a good idea if flying is something you would be interested in as a full time career. Also, there are other areas outside the airlines where a guy could make your current salary as a pilot.

Diver Driver

There is no difference. Your certificates are your certificates, it doesn't matter if you get them at "Bob's flight school" or "WalMart University of flight". All a potential employer cares about is you have the licenses. You already have a degree, don't waste your money on another one.

You have a great job, stay put. Get your ratings on the side and once you are finished with that, find a place to instruct locally (probably the place you got your ratings) on the weekends or when you aren't at LM, and then decide if you want to make the full-time plunge.

Being a LM employee, keep your eye out for additional positions within the company, test pilot, corporate, etc, might all be options for you to transfer to once you get your ratings and a few hours.

HoursHore

You are young enough to go thru Military flight Training if you want. (And are physically qualified.) Look for some guard or reserve jobs in your area.

Go to Baseops .net for a lot of good info on how to rush, interview and get hired by a guard / reserve unit.

covsting76

I really apperciate all the advice... It does sound like the way to go is to get all the certs on the side and work my way up from there. Yes LM does have pilot jobs but almost all of them require a TON of flight hours and military exp.

I just know I love aviation and would like to at some point do something related to the aviation field... Just not sure what???

Thanks again!

Ewfflyer

I'd say start out, get your private and instrument. You'll need 250hrs before you get your commercial anyways, by that time you'll hopefully have some more insight in the business, and see a little more of what it takes to move up and around. It takes time, patience, and sacrifice. What are you willing to give up? Honestly, if you have a great career, I enjoy the "personal" flights I get to just as much as work flights, but I don't work for an airline. There's more to flying than working for them, so there are other options, but it's even harder to find that niche job for you. Good luck, keep reading and learning.