LAXspotter From India, joined Jan 2007, 3650 posts, RR: 5 Posted (5 years 8 months 3 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 929 times:
This post is a request for advice. I am in my second year of Junior College, and am getting growingly frustrated with life and family. I've found it hard to secure even the most basic walk in jobs, and havent even secured one airline ramp/CSA job in applying with over ten different airlines. School isnt going bad, have about a 3.3 GPA, but I'm really frustrated. My goal is to get a CPL, and my folks are not going to support my decision financially, they believe in the traditional going to college thing. I've been only left with one option, and I dont really thinks its a bad idea, I have singled out, service in the armed forces, particularly the Navy. I want to pursue something related to aviation, as flying isnt open to enlisted officers. Financially, I figured it is a good way to save money, and get a head start in life, and once back to civilian life, service is a definite plus, so the question is, what should I do, keeping in mind that my goal as of now is to get a CPL, build some hours and get hired by any regioal, even Mesaba.
"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel" Samuel Johnson
LAXspotter From India, joined Jan 2007, 3650 posts, RR: 5 Reply 1, posted (5 years 8 months 3 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 927 times:
Keep in mind, that life my folks is getting extremely boring, and living out here in a small town in the heat of the California desert with nothing to do is no fun either.
"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel" Samuel Johnson
Ajd1992 From UK - England, joined Jul 2006, 2645 posts, RR: 6 Reply 2, posted (5 years 8 months 3 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 873 times:
I'm not sure what a GPA is - but all i can suggest is stick at it and eventually you'll get someplace. It's not surprising your parents won't support you financially, over here (UK) You're looking at a sum in the region of £60,000 to go commercial flying (before you get hired... $120,000 is a lot of money).
Stick at it, eventually you'll get a job you like.
LAXspotter From India, joined Jan 2007, 3650 posts, RR: 5 Reply 3, posted (5 years 8 months 3 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 851 times:
Quoting Ajd1992 (Reply 2): You're looking at a sum in the region of £60,000 to go commercial flying (before you get hired... $120,000 is a lot of money).
Its much lower where I am, I still dont know why. Well, that is why I'm looking at the military service.
"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel" Samuel Johnson
CanadianNorth From Canada, joined Aug 2002, 3371 posts, RR: 10 Reply 4, posted (5 years 8 months 3 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 842 times:
Well first of all always be very careful with your money. Keeping that in mind, remember that it's often better to have a little money and be happy than it is to have a lot of money and be miserable. For example, I could be making more money doing nicer work doing something other than cleaning airplanes for $12/hour, but I like what I do and I like the people I do it with, so overal I'm quite happy doing what I'm doing...
STT757 From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 16256 posts, RR: 52 Reply 5, posted (5 years 8 months 3 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 836 times:
Military is service is obviously a way to get training in different career fields cheap, the Navy is a good choice for Aviation.If your profile is correct your still real young so don't get discouraged, if you would allow I would like to play Guidance counselor for a second and make a recomendation. You need to climb the ladder one step at a time, here's my recomendation.
1.) Join the Reserves, Air Force or Naval Reserve. Even check out the Army Reserve or California National Guard as they have all sorts of flying units flying both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. They will give you the training you desire, plus money to continue with college, and some great experience to put on a resume.
2.) Stick with College while in the Reserves, my personal recomendation is to move towards a degree that will get you a teaching job when you Graduate. Teaching is in very high demand as there are not enough, especially in Math, Science and Special Ed. However Social Studies or even Physical Education is interesting.
3.) Once you start teaching you will be making decent money, I don't know what the salaries are like in California but for a recent College Graduate here in New Jersey you will start at between $40,000-$46,000. While teaching is not as exciting as full time active duty in the Military you get paid a heck of alot more, work a heck of alot less (Summers off) and have time and money to persue your true career goal. I know alot of people such as Dentists who started out teaching to help pay their way through Medical School, teaching gives you plenty of time to persue other studies such as flight trainning. It would also provide you with the resources to get out the house asap. Not that it helps but radio personality and Fox News star Bill Oreilly started out as a Social Studies teacher in a Middle School, now he makes like $30 Million a year. Even porn star Ron Jeremy started out teaching in a NYC Middle School, look at him now .
So to summarize:
A.) Join the Reserves and persue aviation related MOS.
B.) Finish College while in the Reserves and get a degree in teaching.
C.) Graduate College and start teaching, you will be making atleast $40,000 for working only September-June plus benefits. You will have the financial resources to get your own place, and plenty of time off to continue your Reserve Drilling and enter flight training.
MCOflyer From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 8552 posts, RR: 14 Reply 6, posted (5 years 8 months 3 weeks 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 819 times:
I agree with STT757. Joining the reserves will make life easier as you will not only gain your licence's but also the GI Bill for college. I believe you can get some pretty good bonus's.
Luvaulter From United States of America, joined May 2006, 44 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (5 years 8 months 3 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 800 times:
another thought..... i was on the path to the flying life and in school i also got my dispatch lisc and now i'm doing that....
if you don't know the dispatcher does the flight release which is required for all airline flights that are 121 operated. we do all of the pre-flight planning for the flights eg. fuel load, route, altitude, dest altn if needed and weather briefings. Just an idea it could be a good way for you to get a foot in the door later on. also keep your head up.
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