jetcareers - View Single Post - The Big Plan

LoadMasterC141 · September 10th, 2007, 16:45

Hello from a fellow career changer! You can read my progress and stories in this section.

I cannot stress enough to read and participate here at JC. The knowledge I have gained in the year and a half I have been here is INVALUABLE! The people here, for the most part, truly want to help you and pay it forward. Other sites, **cough*** APC ***Cough***, are not quite as inviting to newbie career changers.

As far as the degree, well it certainly cannot hurt. It does not seem that it will help you an awful lot unless you plan on getting to the majors someday, but even then, a 4-year degree will suffice.

The next part: Where to go. As many have said, it does not matter where to go. You may want to ask yourself, “How fast do I want to get there?”

If you are in a hurry, schools like ATP will get you zero to hero in no time at all. From what I hear and see, people are headed for a regional within 6 months of starting the 90 day ACPP course. You would also have the opportunity to instruct in almost exclusively multi engine planes. You’ll blow your whole $60k at ATP though. I looked at some other big academies and I just do not think all that more money is worth it. FlyingNinja is a CAPT grad and will tell you horror stories.

However, the cheaper route will be to go through a smaller FBO type school. You can be done with all your ratings for around $35-40k.
It will generally take longer, but some (People with WAY more experience than I) will argue the quality of your education will be better. That being said, DesertDog, the guy posting above me, went from middle-aged truck driver to Saab 340 pilot in the same amount of time I have been on this site. He pushed through training quite quickly at a small school in Okiehomie, instructed, flew people around the canyon, and made it to a regional in a short time.

As others have said, it takes a bit more time to get to a corporate gig, and I have noticed it has A LOT to do with who you know. Give consideration to going to a regional to build up turbine time quickly while looking for a corporate gig if that is the route you want to take. By the way, I will get crucified here for saying “go to a regional to build time”, but oh well. You will learn the taboo topics of the site soon enough.

Welcome aboard again!

September 10th, 2007, 16:45	#7
LoadMasterC141 Old Skool Join Date: May 2006 Location: Live in Arlington, TX - From Ithaca, NY - Wish I was on an island in Fiji Posts: 1,928	Re: The Big Plan - 36 year old career changer Hello from a fellow career changer! You can read my progress and stories in this section. I cannot stress enough to read and participate here at JC. The knowledge I have gained in the year and a half I have been here is INVALUABLE! The people here, for the most part, truly want to help you and pay it forward. Other sites, cough* APC *Cough*, are not quite as inviting to newbie career changers. As far as the degree, well it certainly cannot hurt. It does not seem that it will help you an awful lot unless you plan on getting to the majors someday, but even then, a 4-year degree will suffice. The next part: Where to go. As many have said, it does not matter where to go. You may want to ask yourself, “How fast do I want to get there?” If you are in a hurry, schools like ATP will get you zero to hero in no time at all. From what I hear and see, people are headed for a regional within 6 months of starting the 90 day ACPP course. You would also have the opportunity to instruct in almost exclusively multi engine planes. You’ll blow your whole $60k at ATP though. I looked at some other big academies and I just do not think all that more money is worth it. FlyingNinja is a CAPT grad and will tell you horror stories. However, the cheaper route will be to go through a smaller FBO type school. You can be done with all your ratings for around $35-40k. It will generally take longer, but some (People with WAY more experience than I) will argue the quality of your education will be better. That being said, DesertDog, the guy posting above me, went from middle-aged truck driver to Saab 340 pilot in the same amount of time I have been on this site. He pushed through training quite quickly at a small school in Okiehomie, instructed, flew people around the canyon, and made it to a regional in a short time. As others have said, it takes a bit more time to get to a corporate gig, and I have noticed it has A LOT to do with who you know. Give consideration to going to a regional to build up turbine time quickly while looking for a corporate gig if that is the route you want to take. By the way, I will get crucified here for saying “go to a regional to build time”, but oh well. You will learn the taboo topics of the site soon enough. Welcome aboard again!