Need to know more about getting into piloting?

Question

hi, im 18 years old and is currently registering for community college that has an aviation class, im not sure if im at the right place? meaning should i go to a private flight school or transfer later after community college? and im starting to have second thoughts on actually getting into aviation because of the costs that i've read around here, dont get me wrong i still want to be a pilot as much as i wanted before, i can work but worried if i dont have enough money to actually get 250 hours done, can i get a loan somewhere? please tell me

- am i going to the right school?

- loans?

- which pilot job is good? commercial pilot or like a helicopter pilot?

- pay rates? which one will i better off be going for? or which one you think is better?

thanks

Answer 1

I apologize in advance for the long answer. In aviation there are an almost limitless number of possible career paths, and there is no one path that works best for everyone. It will be up to you to do the homework and research necessary to choose the best path for you. Every pilot has a different perspective and different experiences, so you need to get information from as many different sources as possible to make an informed decision. Aviation is an awesome and rewarding career, but you can get burned if just dive in head first. Talk to pilots, research schools, get information from several different sources, figure the costs, and go into it fully prepared and knowledgeable about every possible path towards your goals. Don't start until you can prove to yourself that the path you have selected is the right one.

Airplanes vs. Helicopters

Each has pros and cons. It's not like one is good and the other is bad. Only you can decide which one you want to do. I recommend an introductory lesson in each one to get a feel for what is involved. Here is my opinion of the pros and cons of each. Get other opinions as well.

I think that helicopters are more fun to fly, but airplanes can travel further and faster with more cargo/passengers. People will tell you that helicopters are ridiculously expensive, but they forget that helicopters only require 150 hours for a commercial certificate, and there is no need for multi-engine training. It's expensive either way. As far as pay is concerned, you will make more money early in your career with helicopters, but you will make more over your lifetime with airplanes. DO NOT get into flying for the pay. You will be severely disappointed. I would say that competition for jobs is much tougher among airplane pilots because there are so many of them. "Furlough" is a word you rarely ever hear in the helicopter world.

Military

It is a myth that all pilots come from the military, but it is still a very good way to start your career in aviation. Remember to consider all branches of the military. Read more on the following sites.

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforcej...

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/armytrng/...

http://www.justhelicopters.com/Topics/de...

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/milita...

College

If you want to be an airplane pilot, especially for the airlines, then you need a four year degree to be competitive at all. Think of it as a minimum requirement. The degree can be in any field whatsoever. In fact, many people recommend studying something other than aviation in college to serve as a backup and broaden your experience. Furthermore, many of the universities like Embry Riddle are very expensive. The pilot certificates are the same whether you get them at a university or a local flight school. Read more here.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

A four year degree is not the minimum requirement for helicopter pilots that it is for airplane pilots, but it is still recommended to make you more competitive for jobs and to provide a backup plan.

Community College

I don't know anything about the community college programs. I do think you should definitely seek a four year degree, in any field. You should also make your decisions about airplanes or helicopters, because your school probably only does airplanes. Finally, the training you get there will probably be fine. Just make sure it is not too expensive compared to flight schools at local airports, and make sure you actually earn pilot certificates through flight training, rather than just going through some ground class.

Second Thoughts

I totally understand having second thoughts. There are many pilots who get out of the industry due to bad experiences, loss of medical certification, or they just want something better/different. Being successful in aviation takes a lot of commitment, and there are many hurdles and potential pitfalls to overcome. You take a risk whenever you choose any career, but if you make yourself as informed as possible before starting, then you will have a better chance of making the right choice.

Financing

Paying for your flight training and getting loans is really, really tough. You can read my answer about it here:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

http://www.faa.gov/education_research/ed...

For more information, check the sites below.

Aviation forums are a great way to get input from many other pilots.

http://www.verticalreference.com/

http://www.justhelicopters.com/

http://www.pprune.org/

http://airlinepilotcentral.com/

Helicopters

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

http://www.helicopterflight.net/

Helicopter Flight School Listings

http://www.sacusa.com/1directory/states....

http://www.verticalreference.com/MoreStu...

Airplanes/Airlines

http://science.howstuffworks.com/pilot.h...

http://www.becomeapilot.com/adv_ratings/...

http://flighttraining.aopa.org/learntofl...

http://www.alpa.org/DesktopModules/ALPA_...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

http://www.geocities.com/av8trxx99/FAQ.h...

Airplane/General Flight School Listings

http://www.flightschoollist.com/flightsc...

http://flighttraining.aopa.org/learntofl...

http://www.bestaviation.net/flight_schoo...

http://www.aviationschoolsonline.com/sch...

Good luck!