As a kid I had always dreamed of being a pilot. I dreamed of the thrill of getting paid to cruise the skies as super fast speeds and see new and exotic places. That dream led me to one of the best aviation universities where I began flight training to become an airline pilot. While there I earned all my pilot licenses and ratings and got a top notch education. However, I also leaned the real truth behind a career as a pilot.
The days of six figure income glamorous pilots was now mostly a thing of the past. The airline industry was but a shell of what it once was. Destructive competition was a unique phenomenon not understood when deregulation took place. The average starting pay for pilots at small commuters is now only 10k-15k a year. No where near enough to live off of let alone pay off student loan debt. Also, you probably wont keep your job that long before you are laid off. Everyone I know who took the pilot route has gone into other careers. Like me they were frustrated by slave wages, horrible working shifts/conditions, and constant lay offs.
I was lucky to find my way into air traffic where I have a much better lifestyle and much better pay. I work with many ex airline pilots who tell me tales of horrific things. Meager pay, shifting home bases, not enough rest between shifts, and being forced to fly very fatigued are common from talking to all of them.
I would like to hear from some of you on your thoughts on careers as an airline pilot.
The days of six figure income glamorous pilots was now mostly a thing of the past. The airline industry was but a shell of what it once was. Destructive competition was a unique phenomenon not understood when deregulation took place. The average starting pay for pilots at small commuters is now only 10k-15k a year. No where near enough to live off of let alone pay off student loan debt. Also, you probably wont keep your job that long before you are laid off. Everyone I know who took the pilot route has gone into other careers. Like me they were frustrated by slave wages, horrible working shifts/conditions, and constant lay offs.
I was lucky to find my way into air traffic where I have a much better lifestyle and much better pay. I work with many ex airline pilots who tell me tales of horrific things. Meager pay, shifting home bases, not enough rest between shifts, and being forced to fly very fatigued are common from talking to all of them.
I would like to hear from some of you on your thoughts on careers as an airline pilot.