What to do?

[Luke Ryan]

Hello,

I am currently finishing up my private pilots license and I have plans to continue with my commercial to my goal of becoming a airling pilot, but now I have aspirations to become an aircraft mechanic.

my question is to ask what are the pros and cons of each line? Im 20 years old and my parents want me to make up my mind by the summer about what to do, so Id like to hear what people can tell me.

Thanks

Luke

[sky's the limit]

GO wrench.

You'll get paid better, have more work, and most importantly, you'll have work about three minutes after you get out of school.

Flying, it could take you years, especially if the industry takes a bit of a downturn in the next couple years. You can always fly for fun, and if you decide to fly for a career later, simply finish your CPL.

If you have interest in wrenching, it'll set you up 100 times better than flying will intially, and at your age, you can always change careers. I'm on my third career modification already, nothing's set in stone.


stl

[matt foley]

Fly.

[Red Line]

I'll second the wrench. If you have any aspirations at all to be an aircraft mechanic, I'd go that route first. Like STL said, you can always further your flight training at a later date (perhaps concurrent to working in the shop). I think it might be more difficult to do it the other way round.

Red

[Cat Driver]

I'll third the wrenching, for several reasons one being that it takes a lot more knowledge and problem solving to be a good mechanic than it does to drive stuff.

And I agree with those who think flying is once again going to start a downturn.

[altiplano]

Whatever you decide don't let some pressure from you parents force you into a decision.

Take whatever time you need to find out what you really want rather then sticking yourself to a path that's not going to make you happy in the long run. Take a year and travel; Go live on a tropical island for 6 months; Join the peace corp; Whatever! Just be a twenty year old and let this shit sort itself out when it's ready to...

[North Shore]

What Altiplano said!! What if you really want to become a Lumberjack? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clPYfaTvHT0

That being said, I'd go with the wrenching first - always good to have a 2nd career. If, afterward you want to be a pilot, then go for it.

[Airtids]

Well, I'll make it 6 out of 7 professional pilots reccommending you go the maintenance route. There's nothing I can add to the "why?" that hasn't been answered by the above posters. My wife had the same dillemma, and went flying. years later, when we were running our own company, both of us regretted that decision.

It'd be interesting to see what the response to the same question would be in the Maintenance forum.

Tids

[NWONT]

If your parents are paying for your education forget bumming around in the islands, grow up and get down to work. At twenty you're an adult not a child. If you want to hear how glamorous it is to start a career in flying just read the thread on Wasaya.

[SeptRepair]

I entered tech school at 17 and was graduated by the time i was 19. Ive been an engineer ever since. Been a great life to date and have never had any regrets being a wrench. The opportunities are endless. I started out working in shitty little flying school in Saskatoon and 20 years later Im smashing rivets on helicopters on the west coast. I have never been out of work for more than 2 weeks in all those years. Then again i dont think i have had 2 weeks holidays either, but thats another thread.

[complexintentions]

AME would be safer. I also know a lot of people who regret taking the safer path.

If your main goal is to never be out of work then go the engineering route.

20 may technically be an adult, but don't listen to that nonsense about "growing up". I'm nearly twice your age and have never completely "grown up", but I still managed to turn out a pretty decent life!

[CLguy]

Just remember they have never made a movie about an Engineer!!!

Sorry guys couldn't resist!!!

[square]

Just remember they have never made a movie about an Engineer!!!

Sorry guys couldn't resist!!!

Movies called "The Mechanic":

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068931/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0820929/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0864973/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472399/

There's even a Disney movie, which looks pretty awesome! "The Brave Engineer" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042280/
'Legendary engineer Casey Jones is determined to keep his train schedule and nothing is going to stop him.'

fkn rights!

[CLguy]

Wow Square that is pretty impressive!! You were able to come up with those links faster than Lilfssister so I truly am impressed!!

For me I would still take the flying side of things even though it is a far tougher and less secure route.

[bmc]

If you love to fly, fly.

Lots of flying jobs. All kinds of flying jobs in Europe if you're willing to move.

[iflyforpie]

Go with what you desire.

Being an AME is a lot easier in terms of finding a decent paying job close to home and working somewhat regular hours. Also when I did it my tuition was payed for by the government. I got my first job a week out of school with regular raises, bonuses, benefits, and pension plan. Don't expect anything like this with a flying career until a few years down the road.

However, I always wanted to be a pilot so I became a Commercial Pilot a few years later (actually, I got my CPL signed off a few months before my AME license). Not the easiest route to take but no regrets. Now I fix every plane I fly. It encourages me to do good work and at the same time treat the planes nice.

[Luke Ryan]

Hi, thanks for all the replys, I didnt think so many people would reply so quick. Im a little confused, I looked at the aerospace enginnering program at carleton, ( Im local to Ottawa) and it says its a 4 year program, how do you do this in 2 years? Right now Im leaning towards being a pilot, as soo many people are telling me the industry is booming now and it wont be long until Im an airline pilot.

Thanks again for the input.


Luke

[sky's the limit]

and it wont be long until Im an airline pilot.

INCOMING!!!

I'll pass on this for now.....


stl

[square]

Right now Im leaning towards being a pilot, as soo many people are telling me the industry is booming now and it wont be long until Im an airline pilot.

I'd be careful about trusting today's market for tomorrow's opportunities. It'll take you a year or two to finish your CPL, then a year or so ramping/instructing, then a year on small aircraft, a year right seat twin-turbine, a couple years left-seat twin-turbine and maybe then you'll have about 3000 hours, which meets the bare minimums for airlines. So probably 6 to 8 years til you're marketable to the heavies, assuming you work at it full-time. The economy and the industry are cyclical and could easily take a dive by then. But if this is what you want to do with your life, then what's going on with the industry doesn't matter, it'll make plenty of ups and downs in the next 50 years. And trust me when I say 'with your life,' if you pick aviation you gotta commit; people working in this industry eat, sleep and breathe aviation. They can't afford to eat food.

[lilfssister]

Wow Square that is pretty impressive!! You were able to come up with those links faster than Lilfssister so I truly am impressed!!

I was at work

[synthpro]

I would take a different path... especially since your not too sure what to do... and especially if you think you might want to go to the airlines.

With all of these pondering thoughts, it is best to keep as many doors open as possible, therefore, i propose the following:

Go to University and get yourself a higher education. Being educated is worth a million times more than whatever money a job can throw you. At the end of the day, as my mother always told me, someone can always take your money (ie. ex-wife, job), but can never rob you of your education.

Once you have a degree, than decide. If you decide to get your pilot license, and you eventually overcome in getting that oh so tough 1st flying job, you'll be worth much more to the airlines like Air Canada than you would with just your flying experience. Insiders there tell me the stack of resumes from regular pilots is gigantic. The stack of resumes from pilots WITH a degree... is only yay high.

Go for the degree!

synthpro

[b1ngnx33]

FLY!

Dammit do what you love to do.

I wanted to fly since 14. But I can't. Won't go into detail.

If you can't fly, then do something else.

[MZUNGO]

Hi, thanks for all the replys, I didnt think so many people would reply so quick. Im a little confused, I looked at the aerospace enginnering program at carleton, ( Im local to Ottawa) and it says its a 4 year program, how do you do this in 2 years?

Thanks again for the input.
Luke

aerospace engineer and aircraft maintenance engineer, two different things. aerospace engineers design em, ame's fix em

I would go the wrench route first, it will take 4 years but by then you will be a fully licensed engineer. you can also finish off your comercial pilot license while working as an ame (and making alot more $ than slinging bags 0. canadore college in north bay has a great program.

[PITA]

You wont be able to afford the cost of training while working as an apprentice or licenced AME - so if you qualfy for a gov't program...........
and you will not qualify for any gov't programs if you have a trade (read AME)

PITA

[Lost Lake]

Hey I've had a dozen different jobs in my life. Always wanted to fly, but couldn't afford it until my mid 30's. Decided to go bankrupt at 40 and become a bushpilot. Can't really say I've regretted it. I've just upgraded(?) to mult-turbine medivac flying. Point is at 20 I didn't know what I wanted. You've got a lifetime to do things. If it burns in your heart to fly bigger stuff, go for it. If your not sure, keep up the flying, get your cpl as you go and enjoy life. And oh yeah, unlike some writers seem to think on here there are OTHER jobs besides turning wrenches on planes. (sorry guys, I like tinkering and understanding the planes I fly but if I can't fly it, I don't want to just fix it).