Will Fly For Food Pilot Forums: 135guy - Viewing Profile

TSmith,

Thanks. I hadn't really thought about corporate flying much. One of the flight schools I've been looking at has charter flying and I was thinking about doing that along with CFI for a bit to build my hours. I don't suppose sliding over to corporate from charter wouldn't be that difficult if you know the "right" people.

135guy

abaluka27,

x2, thanks for the information. That definitely adds to the options.

I'm no spring chicken either. I'll be 40 this year. I suppose the advantage I have over most that want to change careers is that I have a retirement from the USAF coming up in the next 5 months, that is if I decide to retire at that time. I have the money from that to add to the low wages of being a new FO. I do know it's not going to be all peaches and creme for a few years but we will manage. I'm going to use my GI Bill to pay for my training once my private license is completed. You can always be a flight instructor to build up hours and make a pay check at the same time until you can get the hours needed to apply for a regional job.

Currently the aviation industry is in a down swing. From what I've read things are starting to pick back up but it's not going to happen over night. I am like you, looking at doing a career change. I'm retiring from active duty Air Force soon and want to fly for a living. Yes the training is expensive and the pay back situation does look bleak, but the way I look at it the industry can be in a down swing now and by the time I'm ready to get into the airlines things will hopefully look better. I say if you really want to fly then fly. Be careful about the flight schools that promise you all your ratings in 90 days or what ever they claim. I've read and talked to alot of people that say the schools are only there to make money and the they're not looking out for you or your best interest. Most people will tell you to fly at an FBO to get your ratings. That's what I'm doing. I will probably have to go to different flight school for my MEL because the flight school I'm flying with doesn't have a twin.

Keep your options open and definitely look around at different flight schools.

Good luck with what every you decide.

135guy

Where was the ATP that you went to? I've been looking into going to ATP since they are VA qualified and I can use my GI Bill. There's an instructor at my flight school that went down to the Vegas location to get his MEL add on and said it was a joke. The instructor didn't teach him anything that he didn't already know. He feels that it was a waste of time and money. So now Vegas is out.

I have read from other pilots that say ATP was a good place to go. They said the ATP in AZ had good instructors.

135guy