Reasons not to get a degree in Aviation

Actuarial Science is probably one of the hardest degrees out there. Extremely math intense.

From what I have heard when i went to school - Aviation is the easiest degree to get done with.

Pretty much the only thing I am trying to say with this post is the following:

Aviation will always be there regardless of when you want to get into it. On the contrary, if someone wants to get involved in a career that requires a 4 year degree SPECIFICALLY for that career (i.e. education, accounting), they will have to go back to school and earn that degree. A degree in aviation gives no competitive edge in the aviation business, so getting a solid degree in a career field in which you would also like to pursue is the best way to get involved in the aviation field.

Basically what I'm getting at here is there is no way anybody should ever pay 160K to get "degree" in aviation for fancy flight lessons.

If all you want to do is fly airplanes, then I might agree with you. But consider that the "pilot" job is an entry level position. It is the position from which you advance to instructor pilot, training manager, chief pilot, director of operations, etc. If you have aspirations of doing something other than just driving airplanes all your working life, then I would say that an aviation degree, or a business degree with an aviation concentration, would be a useful thing to have.

I got my BS in aviation at Baylor and I think that it was a good idea. On top of all the aviation courses we took classes on experimental fuels, atmospheric chemistry, and air pollution sampling. Our department chair flew all over doing atmospheric testing and we had converted our planes to ethanol or biodiesel. So if for some reason the aviation thing doesn't work I could get into atmospheric chem, and an MS in air science is my backup plan.

Ok, some a-hole here at purdue flight tried to tell me that pilots make 300k. Something tells me that the vast majority of flight students have no idea what being a pilot it really like.

No no, the a-hole was entirely correct. That claim is not unrealistic at all. If you figure a career of 10 years before you give up and decide to do something else. And you figure an average salary over those 10 years of $30k/yr. Then you get $300k over your entire career. Not unrealistic at all.

Good story.

I've often wondered what kind of grad program you could get into with an aviation degree. In June I'll be done with my "professional aeronautics" degree and hopefully by then I'll be instructing somewhere and getting a good feel for working in this industry. I'm going to take at least a year off after I finish but I'm already thinking about going back and getting a master's in something not related to aviation. I just don't know what kind of grad program for which an aviation degree qualifies.

I've wanted to be a pilot since I was a kid (call me naive if you want...) So I previewed one college, LeTourneau University. After previewing I decided to come here and did not apply to ERAU or UND, due to the fact that is cheaper professional, and have the chance to get your A&P, and flight ratings. I'm currently an Aeronautical Science Major in the Flight Science concentration. at LETU. It's really been a great experience I plan on having my private by Mid-June based on how training works here.

Some schools might be different but here I can get my A&P, and that means I can be a mechanic if the flying gig doesn't work so well, and maybe an aviation degree they don't care about but I'm sure some places would rather higher the guy with an A&P than one without one. Here I will get my private, tail wheel endorsement, instrument rating, commercial, multi, MEI, CFI, and then CFII. I feel I will be very well prepared when I leave college. It's not just college though you must take initiative outside of college to network, and work at other aviation places (FBOs, and flight schools).

My heart is dead set on flying, and I have loved all my classes that pertain to aviation and have excelled immensely, and nothing else would make me content in life like knowing that I will always be flying. My plan after graduation or before graduation is to flight instruct. Then when I find another job and I feel it is the right time I will move on from flight instructing.

One thing at a time though I gotta get my private.

I agree though it's not always the best route, and really depends on where you go and the quality and price of training and education you're receiving.

:yeahthat:

At the end of the day, a lot of it comes down to dumb luck.

I think like anything, a degree in aviation is what you make of it. If you can't adapt to changing market conditions or reinvent yourself during difficult economic periods, then you're screwed in any industry (not just aviation).

If piloting doesn't work out, you have management (though you start out at the bottom again), A&P, Rotorcraft operations, CFI, ATC, dispatching (121)...There's plenty I can do with my PFT degree outside of being a line pilot.

I graduated from Purdue with a PFT degree. The knowledge I accumulated has been extraordinarily useful to me.

I started in a complete bum market like today.

I graduated with no debt, and was able to do a few things.

I worked in airline management in various facets, I was involved in the union as a safety representative, I wrote training programs, I was involved in pilot hiring, wrote some procedures, revised some manuals, wrote some position papers on various things for the company.

I also was a line dude. FO, CA, Checkairman, now back to line FO at a new shop.

It worked for me. There you go, a first person example.

Here is a question that i have been wanting to ask for a while. Right now i am considering going to Western Michigan University and majoring in Aviation flight science. My question is. if i minored in something like... architecture or engineering or something like that. Would that help me get a job doing one of those jobs if say i got furloughed or i couldent get hired and needed a decent paying job?