The Path to Choose

[780Pilot]

Hey Guys,

Got a scenario and wondering what your opinions are.

I'm 18 with 400 hrs and currently flight instructing. I got another year and a half of Uni then i'm looking to get my ATPL exams done and go from there. If all goes to plan I will have my ATPL by 21. Is the grind to an AC / WJ Capt worth it? Should I go corp? And if so whats the fastest way to get there. I don't have distractions (girlfriend, commitments etc) and wanna climb the hill. Keep in mind I got a lot of time ahead of me.

Lemme know

[GoHomeLeg]

Definitely go the airlines route at that age. Get on with jazz, Porter or whoever. Build you hours quick and upgrade when you meet the requirements to have that confidence as a captain. Apply to AC and keep updating your profile. Get that seniority number as soon as possible. You'll be living large at 30

[nottellin]

Corporate in Canada sucks.

There are a few good gigs out there but the management companies have taken over. Sure you could get lucky and snag one of the few good gigs out there. But the percentages for good money and schedule are so much higher on the airline side of things. Plus down the road if you dont like it, its way easier to go from airline to corporate and still make good money then doing it the other way. Corp time does not seem highly valued by the 705 types unfortunately. Plus it's all seniority based for the most part.

Good luck, as good a time as ever to be starting out. For the time.being anyway...
..

[derateNO]

If you get to Jazz now you'll be at AC before 25. That would have been unheard of a decade ago, and even now most new hires are in their 30s and 40s.

If you arrive with your ATPL you'll be a captain in 6 months or less at Jazz and make $80-100k a year for 1-3 years before you get a chance to likely go to AC.

Corporate sucks. No job security and basically on call for the rest of your life. No thanks.

[ChrisB]

If you get to Jazz now you'll be at AC before 25.

Would you want to work the same job for 40 years?

[derateNO]

If you get to Jazz now you'll be at AC before 25.

Would you want to work the same job for 40 years?

Absolutely.

Plus you really won't... lots of opportunity to do different flying. Plus who knows what the fleet composition will look like in 10-20-30 years etc.

Personally I am completely content working at the same place for the next 30+ years and spend my free time doing the things I love outside of aviation, of which there is a lot.

[ChrisB]

If you get to Jazz now you'll be at AC before 25.

Would you want to work the same job for 40 years?

Absolutely.

Plus you really won't... lots of opportunity to do different flying. Plus who knows what the fleet composition will look like in 10-20-30 years etc.

Personally I am completely content working at the same place for the next 30+ years and spend my free time doing the things I love outside of aviation, of which there is a lot.

That's true! I think might be nice to do a season or three on floats and skis while you can tho. Get pic time, have a bit of fun. The college I go to does have the jazz pathway which might be nice too if it is an optoon. Do those 2 or 3 years of seniority make a difference when you're 18?

[derateNO]

Big picture, everything makes a difference.

Will you care when you're 30 and have awesome stories to tell? Probably not.

I wish I had the chance to fly more machines before I made the jump to the airline world, but I also wasn't 18 when I started. So that was a factor in my choice.

[ayseven]

Man, nobody's happy! I wanted to go airlines more than anything, but it was never going to happen (bad timing) and I changed careers. I still want to, but fear it is too late, no matter what some people tell me. But to the original poster, get some unrelated-to-aviation education. It will make you a more interesting person. And never give up.

[altiplano]

At your age you should absolutely plan on trying to go to the airlines. You'll still get lots of great stories, have a long career, get a great schedule early in life, and make a pile of money to spend doing the things you love.

It's a great life...

[alkaseltzer]

Hey Guys,

Got a scenario and wondering what your opinions are.

I'm 18 with 400 hrs and currently flight instructing. I got another year and a half of Uni then i'm looking to get my ATPL exams done and go from there. If all goes to plan I will have my ATPL by 21. Is the grind to an AC / WJ Capt worth it? Should I go corp? And if so whats the fastest way to get there. I don't have distractions (girlfriend, commitments etc) and wanna climb the hill. Keep in mind I got a lot of time ahead of me.

Lemme know

Forget corp. Waste of time. They tend to struggle the most when transitioning to an airline and strict SOPs.