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Texas_Toyman · March 21st, 2008, 13:18

I have spent the last nine years working in the IT field. Help Desk to Desktop Analyst to Network Administration. In January, my company of the last 4.5 years released me from employment along with three others in my department. For the first two weeks I did not look for a job. I spent that time deciding if I really wanted to get another IT job. But after that time I reasoned that I had been doing this for the last nine years, what else would I do? So I filed for unemployment and began searching for jobs. The market seems to be tight right now and employers are waiting for the perfect fit. I've come across several great opportunities, but then lost them due to another candidate having a certification or experience in a particular product I did not. Other potential employers only want to pay what I made when first getting into the IT field 9 years ago.

Anyway, others have been telling me the IT job market is really tough right now. A few weeks ago, as I was thinking of what else I could do to avoid going back to an IT job staring at the four walls of a cubicle and going no where, and I started thinking about flying again.

I grew up on as a child of missionaries. For a couple of years I lived on a mission base with an airfield. They had a Piper Cub and 2 or 3 Helio's (Brazilian single engine planes). During one flight (I think I was 7 or 8 years old), the pilot let me fly (no take off or landings). It was great. Flying had been an option for me ever since.

Later on, when I was about 21, an aquantence(sp?) of mine who was an instructor at Simuflight at DFW, invited me to fly a Cessna Citation 2 jet virtually around Santa Ana, CA for 45 minutes. It was exilerating.

I considered going into aviation then, but back in the day it was a long road to a rewarding career in Aviation. I was told that it took about ten years to get on with a commercial passenger company.

Well, from what I'm being told by flight schools and reading online, there is or is going to be a shortage of pilots, and schools can fast track you into a First Officer seat.

I have concerns though.
What is the right school to go to?
Can I really get the training and experience I need to be a FO on a regional jet w/in 3 or 4 months?
I was making a little over $51k last year in my IT job. I've been told due to my age (41 as of yesterday), that I would be making a little higher pay as a 1st year pilot and have better opportunity. Would anyone say this is true?
I have heard you don't make much money as a first year pilot. What about the following years?

Anyway, I was thinking I could go to flight school during the day and get an after hours help desk job for some sort of income while in training.

March 21st, 2008, 13:18	#1
Texas_Toyman Newbie Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Duncanville, TX Posts: 19	IT 2 AV8R at 41? I have spent the last nine years working in the IT field. Help Desk to Desktop Analyst to Network Administration. In January, my company of the last 4.5 years released me from employment along with three others in my department. For the first two weeks I did not look for a job. I spent that time deciding if I really wanted to get another IT job. But after that time I reasoned that I had been doing this for the last nine years, what else would I do? So I filed for unemployment and began searching for jobs. The market seems to be tight right now and employers are waiting for the perfect fit. I've come across several great opportunities, but then lost them due to another candidate having a certification or experience in a particular product I did not. Other potential employers only want to pay what I made when first getting into the IT field 9 years ago. Anyway, others have been telling me the IT job market is really tough right now. A few weeks ago, as I was thinking of what else I could do to avoid going back to an IT job staring at the four walls of a cubicle and going no where, and I started thinking about flying again. I grew up on as a child of missionaries. For a couple of years I lived on a mission base with an airfield. They had a Piper Cub and 2 or 3 Helio's (Brazilian single engine planes). During one flight (I think I was 7 or 8 years old), the pilot let me fly (no take off or landings). It was great. Flying had been an option for me ever since. Later on, when I was about 21, an aquantence(sp?) of mine who was an instructor at Simuflight at DFW, invited me to fly a Cessna Citation 2 jet virtually around Santa Ana, CA for 45 minutes. It was exilerating. I considered going into aviation then, but back in the day it was a long road to a rewarding career in Aviation. I was told that it took about ten years to get on with a commercial passenger company. Well, from what I'm being told by flight schools and reading online, there is or is going to be a shortage of pilots, and schools can fast track you into a First Officer seat. I have concerns though. What is the right school to go to? Can I really get the training and experience I need to be a FO on a regional jet w/in 3 or 4 months? I was making a little over $51k last year in my IT job. I've been told due to my age (41 as of yesterday), that I would be making a little higher pay as a 1st year pilot and have better opportunity. Would anyone say this is true? I have heard you don't make much money as a first year pilot. What about the following years? Anyway, I was thinking I could go to flight school during the day and get an after hours help desk job for some sort of income while in training.