Opinions on flight school?

Question

I have decided I want to work my way into the airline industry and through some personal research I've found the best way for me is to start as a pilot. I'm one year from graduating from college.

Anyhow I have a couple of options, one is to go with a local flight school for everything, a local FBO does all multi and instrument ratings. The second option is the military, though being short I am excluded from the Air Force and barely pass for the Navy so I fear it may limit my chance, also is the Air National Guard that who didn't seem to have a problem with the height, but again still could be marginal. The military would save money, actually earn some, and provide the costly flight school, but 8 years in the service and no guarantees of being a pilot are hard to deal with.

I already have some student loans from school, though they would be a fraction of flight school. Would it be better to get through school as fast as possible and begin working or get a job with my degree first?

Answer 1

Consider the Army and Coast Guard too. They have numerous fixed wing aircraft as well as helicopters, and you do not need to be as tall as the air force requires. Also, despite your worry about the time spent in the military and "no guarantees", consider that going the civilian route you can easily go into debt up to $80,000. Though it can be done for less than half that if you are intelligent about it, any way you cut it you will have a large debt to pay off, the starting wages as a pilot are typically $20,000 per year or less, and you will need to work several years at that level (certainly under $30k) before you will have a shot at the major airlines.  Despite the few who get on a "fast track", getting a job straight out of flight school is not easy and the competetion for jobs is fierce. If you go civilian, I'd recommend that you take any job you can get with an airline, earn your ratings and build flight time in your spare time, and then apply for a pilot position when you meet  the minimum qualifications.