Captainjon From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (5 years 9 months 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 1293 times:
In 2005 I graduated from university with a degree Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. I have started doing a non-programming entry level position where I feel unfulfilled. I haven't decided if I want to take this career further or make a career u-turn. I've always loved aviation and took an introductory flying course, but I am now 25 years old and I spoke to the career advisors at my univeristy i graduated from and recommended I go full time in flying instruction. He recommended Delta Connection Acadamy. Has anyone here recommend them? I live in Northern New Jersey, where I still live with my parents so my only bills are credit card, school loan, and car loan.
I know I love flying as a passenger, as a pilot for that one hour I did the discovery flight but not sure if I want to do this as a career. I don't want to spend a lot of money and time if I decide this isn't for me career wise. What questions should I ask these schools? I think 25 is still young enough to start training, but the advisor from school says I shouldn't do weekend lessons as i will spend a lot more money and time that way.
I hope I put this into the right forum and hope to hear back from you. I am sure this topic has been discussed several times, but I think this is rather unique.
NorthwestEWR From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 394 posts, RR: 3 Reply 1, posted (5 years 9 months 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 1283 times:
You need to be 100% sure you want to be an airline pilot before you get started because it will cost you about $50,000 by the time you finish all of your training. If you aren't 100% sure then don't do it...... You have to love being a pilot to do it because the pay isn't great.
Captainjon From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (5 years 9 months 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 1270 times:
That is the problem--I am unsure what I want to do period. I know I don't enjoy what I am doing now. Though the field I studied in school I can explore several other options, most without further education. Though if I decide computers is not for me, and I decide aviation also isn't I do also have another option, but that also requires extensive education and training as well (pharmacy is my other main interest).
RNOcommctr From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 823 posts, RR: 4 Reply 3, posted (5 years 9 months 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 1250 times:
Before making a huge commitment to a flight academy, why not take a few more private flying lessons? A couple hundred dollars for a few lessons would be a relatively inexpensive way to determine your interest and aptitude for flying.
Captainjon From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (5 years 9 months 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 1247 times:
Quoting RNOcommctr (Reply 3): Before making a huge commitment to a flight academy, why not take a few more private flying lessons? A couple hundred dollars for a few lessons would be a relatively inexpensive way to determine your interest and aptitude for flying.
That is an excellent idea...I'll use the same place where I did my discovery. Does it make sense to complete the private license there and I i wish not to continue I have a hobby, and if i wish to continue I have some understanding and basics completed, a head start so to speak.
Flyboy14295 From United States of America, joined May 2005, 80 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (5 years 9 months 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 1239 times:
Exactly. If you feel like all you want to do is fly, maybe for a living, then a career seems more of a better choice. If you want to fly for enjoyment and once in a while, as you said, you have a hobby. Either way, completing the PPL would help you understand more what you want to do.
Greetings from New York. "Take It to the limit." -Eagles
Kevin82277 From United States of America, joined May 2000, 179 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (5 years 9 months 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 1192 times:
Finishing your private first is a great idea. Delta Academy is a nice program, but expensive. Check around your area, there are plenty of airports where you can get all your ratings for half of what you will pay at the Delta Academy. Talk with your instructor and ask him how he likes it. Flying is wonderful if you love it. But, make sure you do before you go, it is a lot of money to spend only to find out this is not for you.
RoseFlyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 7609 posts, RR: 51 Reply 8, posted (5 years 9 months 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 1188 times:
Quoting Captainjon (Reply 4): Does it make sense to complete the private license there and I i wish not to continue I have a hobby, and if i wish to continue I have some understanding and basics completed, a head start so to speak.
Starting with a PPL is a good idea, although a PPL can run you about $10,000, so that is no small amount right there. I earned my PPL and loved doing it, but I could never do it as a career. I really wanted to do it as a career while growing up though. Flying is fun, but it is a difficult career that you have to love since it isn't very lucrative. So many CFIs work full time and have to have second jobs in order to be able to afford to live and pay off student debt. And then you're looking at low salaries around $30,000 to start out with when you get a full time job as a pilot with some air carrier. With a computer science degree, you'll earn a lot more than that. I know that I earned the equivalent of more than an entry level pilot during an internship with my mechanical engineering degree and that is before even graduating college. You have to love being a pilot in order to be happy in that career since it is tough not only financially for your first years, but also as you get older it becomes tough from a family aspect.
Have you ever considered using your technical skills in an aviation environment? There are tons of jobs that would utilize your computer skills at aerospace companies. I love the fact that I work on parts for planes every day, but am an engineer with a more stable career outlook. Having interest in the product that you help build really can motivate you. Afterall designing and building the planes is way more profitable than operating them.
If you have never designed an airplane part before, let the real designers do the work!
Captainjon From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (5 years 9 months 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 1155 times:
All very good advice. I guess for the time being I can do the PPL or at least do a few more lessons and see if I enjoy it...talk to pilots and see how it goes.
CaptainJon From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 11, posted (5 years 9 months 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 1115 times:
Thanks, I'll take some time to read this over. I spoke to a pilot friend of mine from school who just offered some advice and pretty much agrees with everyone else here, finish the PPL and go from there. I have three options now for career paths, I just need to decide which one to take while I am still young enough to make it, though I am also at the point where two of them are equally as expensive to do, I just need to know which is more rewarding and if after I finish it, and get a job, will I feel the same as I do now, which is why I need to know if I am 100% sure.
EGTESkyGod From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 1681 posts, RR: 17 Reply 12, posted (5 years 9 months 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 1027 times:
Basically, you'll start with the PPL. We say to our students, that while the PPL takes some commitment, it is meant to be a hobby, it is meant to be fun. So, why not do your PPL anyway? That way if you decide it's not a career for you, you'll still be able to go and fly every now and then, for FUN!!
Trust me, if you do a few lessons, then quit, in 10 years time, you'll be looking up as a light aircraft buzzes overhead and you'll think "I could be doing that for fun"
It's up to you at the end of the day, but with the experience I've had with a lot of our students, this is what I'd recommend.
COewrAAtysAZ From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 196 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (5 years 9 months 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 939 times:
CaptainJon,
Where did you do your discovery flight in NJ?
Continental Airlines: Trabajar con empe�?��?�±o, Volar con Pasi�?��?�³n
Sponsor Message: 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 1681 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
