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  #31  
Old 10-06-2012, 09:33 AM
flywithme623's Avatar
flywithme623 flywithme623 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Somerset VA
Posts: 77
Default Keep your dream and hold on to your vision

Tyler,
You are a very smart young man to reach out for some good advice from us who walked the road. I can tell you it was and still is worth it.
Though my road did not turn out exactly what I thought it would be but I am flying and still LOVE what I am doing. When I was reading the things of my fellow pilots here I think you are getting a very good picture of the real world and I can see you are already systematically analyzing there words of advice.

I am a corporate pilot and keep having to pinch myself, "is it real?" and sometimes just can't believe it that I am really doing it.
It was a long road to here but I had two major goals in life along side to that pursue of my dream.
1. Enjoy what you are doing right now, and if you don't like what you are doing change it!
2. Don't get into debt at all cost possible!!!!

To point one:
This is what I would tell my son, all you have is today, there is no guaranty for tomorrow, you have a dream and you have to pursue it today. Yes you have to plan for the future but you need to live today and you want to be happy. Only you know what makes you happy, and you read and can pick out a lot of great things hear on that thread.
Is it worth to you to sacrifice happiness today to MAYBE have a great job in twenty years? Maybe! Only you can answer that.
To point two:
Life is full of so many uncertainties, especially in tough economic times as we are living in right now. Debt is a recipe for unhappiness, you can ask anyone how is there. I have been there!!! Stay away from debt as far as you can.

To be at the right place at the right time is key and you can see that on here too. I can testify to that as well and know many others how have the same testimony. You are doing the right thing already. One more, be very careful and listen to your heart and to your wife. If you don't you can and most likely will lose both! Many times losing one will make you lose the other too. What you are left with is not much. You may still love flying......but are you happy?

My whole family is in the medical field and my dad, a retired RN, alway said, "there will always be sick people". He was never out on furlough, never laid off because the company was downsizing. He was and is still happy and now already 50 years happily married too.
I did not listen to him and had to go the hard way. I just could not do the medical thing, not everyone can. My brother did listen and he and his M.D wife are doing well and have another baby on the way.
Sounds you have a feel for the medical field already.

When I look back now I could not duplicate the way I went. I couldn't tell you to do this or that and you get there. You hear that everyone of us career guys have a different story and so will you.

I agree with you that aviation is a great field to work in, I am doing it now for 16 years since I came to this country, but if I would not have listened to my heart I would have never made it.
I believe I had one thing going for me though: I know and believe that my creator had a plan with me and put a dream in me and I wanted it so bad that I just could not help myself but follow that desire in my heart. HE talked to me by putting things in my heart that I just simply followed. Sometimes I ignored those feelings and had to pay for it, but in the end He brought me right around full circle and I am thankful to him for that.

Be blessed and good luck
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Michael Zimmermann

RV-8 Sold

Happy people don't necessarily have the best of everything,
But they make the best of everything they have.

German immigrant who's living the American dream!
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  #32  
Old 10-06-2012, 10:07 AM
alpinelakespilot2000 alpinelakespilot2000 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mopar591 View Post
Nick - I have honestly thought about ATC. What do you have to do to get a job in ATC?
It looks like you're doing a good job thinking ahead. I was surprised to find that, except with a couple exceptions, you cannot be older than 30 or 31 if you want to get started on a career in ATC. By the time I figured out I might like an aviation-related career, I was already too old for that.
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  #33  
Old 10-08-2012, 03:05 PM
Mopar591 Mopar591 is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SW Louisiana
Posts: 119
Default

Hey been away from the computer for a few days.. I really appreciate all the input I got from all sides of the aviation industry..

Bob Kuykendall_
I have seen the Drone Pilot jobs listed from lockheed and a few other companies to civilians. The requirements listed didnt seem to big, I figured maybe they want to train you they way they want and dont want someone that is too set in their ways.

pierre smith_
I have always been interested in flying ag. I would love to make it to that convention, it not this year next. I have looked into a few ag schools, flying tiger here in la and the other one in Ga (cant recall the name). How would I get a seat as a low time pilot flying ag?

FL370_
All the research I have done keeps telling me to stay away from the regionals. I dont want to spend a ton of money for the flight time required to get there and then have to work for peanuts and struggle to pay debt back. I wish there was a balance to the industry. 100k of school and a 20k a year salary doesnt intice me.. expecially with the risk of layoffs.. then I would be screwed..

apkp777_
I would love to be a 787 Captian. But Thats a long road, Im hoping to get one of the more interesting jobs in aviation.. I would love to fly for low pay but love dont pay the bills. One way or another is its meant to be it will happen..

humptybump_
I have good friends that would have said the same thing to the kid, Who knows it might have been them lol..
I would love to get a job that i can at least live off of the wages and also see different places eventually.

DAGO_
Fragile sometime seem to be quite the understatment. I have multible backup career options that I can easily start if needed. I was a civil air patrol cadet and have looked into becoming a senior member, to be able to fly with our chapter has quite a bit of red tape.. I would love to do skydive, towing, or anything that could get extra time.. I would love to take you up on your offer to get in touch with your buddy in pipeline patrol. Can you ellaberate a little more on the Boeing gig? Thanks for the help!

flywithme623_
Thats what I want, I want to pinch myself and see if im really at work.. Your dad is right, There will always be sick people and that would be a very stable career. Im gonna take the time to see what I feel led to do.. That way i will have no question. Thanks for the words! every little bit from different angles helps.

alpinelikespilot2000_
Im trying to hurry, lol. It seems I have 9-10 years to get it done..
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  #34  
Old 10-08-2012, 03:49 PM
RVFlyer RVFlyer is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Rockwall, TX
Posts: 103
Default Diversify...

You've received some great advice. I have a taken a slightly different tack on the aviation career. What I've ended up with is multiple "jobs" that add up to an overall aviation career. I started a common civilian route...lineman during college (Aviation Mgmt Degree), CFI, right-seat in a King Air air ambulance, charter, back to air ambulance but in the left seat (fun job that might fit your combined interests). The downside was getting laid off when the hospital contract went away.

We then moved to a town with my wife's job where the air ambulance gig isn't a realistic option (long commute). I'm now the airport manager in our small town, I do pilot service for a few local businesses (light twins & singles), a little CFI work, and fly my RV-4 for giggles. None of these would provide a good income, but the mixture is okay financially and keeps things entertaining.

I have a friend in a small town in Western Kansas who has a very similar setup, plus he is also Director of EMS for his community. In other words, get your ratings so that you can fly and then use your diverse skill set to put together a career that includes flying and other areas you might enjoy. There is a certain stability in diverse income streams, so don't think about "jobs" in too narrow of a sense.

Just one more way to skin the flying cat.

Oh, I almost forgot....a common option among pilots I know...marry well. My wife was working on her Phd when we met and it is finally paying off. You can be a little choosier about jobs, and the inevitable layoffs don't hurt so bad, when you're not the primary income earner.

Good luck out there!
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  #35  
Old 10-08-2012, 06:54 PM
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MartinPred MartinPred is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Overseas
Posts: 152
Default Uncle Sam Wants You

This is easy...

Join the Air Force!

See the world. Fly jets. Fight evil. Make good money. Women will love you and men will want to be you.

What else could you possibly want?!

-Matt
402BD
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  #36  
Old 10-08-2012, 07:47 PM
Mopar591 Mopar591 is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SW Louisiana
Posts: 119
Default

Matt_
Uncle Sam told me I was a fat A**.. And im married so I dont think my wife would be to keen on the idea lol. Besides the chances of getting into OCS and to flight school are getting slim to none..
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  #37  
Old 10-08-2012, 08:27 PM
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RV7Guy RV7Guy is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 2,904
Default Another perspective

Here's two additional thoughts on the aviation job front.

1) The ATC route is not a bad way to go. Think of a career, with retirement, where you can still do flying on the side to build time.

I have a neighbor (RV7A) owner who has been doing ATC for 25+ years. He is currently at the LA Tracon. He is working 6 days weeks most of the time. With OT he will make well over $200K a year.

I know a couple of ATC guys that are/were CFI's. They instructed on the side and built time. A couple of guys got into flying jobs on the side and later after retirement ATC flew full time.

2) Consider helicopters. I fly medical helicopters. This is my retirement job after 30 years in law enforcement. We have many young pilots, under 30 who are making lots of money, flying incredible equipment and enjoying their jobs.

Most got all of their ratings through CFI/CFII. Then they spent a year instructing to get the magic 1000 hours. From there, the tour companies in Vegas and the Grand Canyon will hire 1000 hour pilots and give them a turbine transition to fly tours. There they will get 1000 hours of turbine time in a year and now have enough hours to get a job almost anywhere. This will get you $60,000 plus. In tour work you can get another $15k in tips.

The airline route is tough, pays ****, and is a long road with no specific guarantees.

Pursue your dreams but carefully evaluate the options.
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  #38  
Old 10-08-2012, 08:44 PM
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Low Pass Low Pass is offline
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Houston
Posts: 2,012
Default

Become a plumber, grow a business, buy a plane. And I'm not joking. Alternate field - HVAC tech.

Coast Guard seems to like to grow their own. Enlist, play smart, work hard, get a college degree, apply for flight school, get a federal retirement. I believe (don't know but suspect) you can move between federal agencies from USCG. Almost guaranteed to sleep in your own bed each night and goodness knows the Federal police (DHS) is growing their ranks rapidly.

Last edited by Low Pass : 10-08-2012 at 08:47 PM.
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  #39  
Old 10-09-2012, 07:44 AM
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TomVal TomVal is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SC & CA
Posts: 907
Default

PM sent.

Best of Luck,
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Learn from the mistakes of others. You won't live long enough to make all of them yourself...Anonymous
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  #40  
Old 10-09-2012, 11:45 AM
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Beer30? Beer30? is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Longmont, CO
Posts: 215
Default I did it and love it.

Tyler,

As someone who made a mid-life career change, I also admire you for looking into this to pursue you passion.

I studied Engineering and was in the middle of a successful engineering career when I made the jump. This is significant for several reasons. The first and most important is that I have a backup plan. I can go back to engineering if I ever get furloughed. Secondly, this allowed me to buy a partnership in a used airplane to get my ratings and build hours. I flew part time as a flight instructor to both build time and save up for the expensive twin training. Finally, I was able to put aside some money to make it through the first year.

I fly for a regional, and enjoy it thoroughly. I fly both the shorter routes and longer ones; some days I stay in the state, and on some four day trips I've flown El Paso to Canada and hit SFO and Washington DC. The first year pay is just over $20K as you've heard, but almost doubles the second year. Six years into it, and I'm a Captain, living in domicile making over $85k per year. I will probably make the jump to Delta or Southwest if they'll take me, where I get to start all over again. It's the nature of the business. I still don't make what I made in engineering, but then I don't work anymore, I get paid to fly airplanes.

Do not go into debt to finance this career, there are other ways to get into it. Contact me offline and we can discuss further if you'd like.


David Dalton
Ddalton536@gmail.com
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