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Thread: Aviation Colleges

  1. #21

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    Those are all different careers. I will weight in on the A&P Side as compared to a pilot (because I wanted to be a pilot originally)Most of this advice comes down to what you put into it, what connections you make, and being smart about the path you go. I am an A&P/IA and my Dad and stepdad are both professional corporate pilots, so I've lived in a pilot family and I work in the industry as a 26yr old.

    First and foremost the amount of energy, blood, sweat, long hours, tons of training, lots of money for that training, overtime, working your way up that is required of an Aviation Maintainer or a Pilot is honestly NOT worth the money you will make. What makes up for that is passion and enjoying the job...so first and foremost do you have the passion to make up for all those negatives above? As a pilot, working 14 hour + days, living in hotels for days on end, crossing multiple time zones, (unless you work for an airline) you can plan on losing or changing jobs every few years. As a mechanic, tons of overtime, hard physical labor at times, being outside in the blaring heat or freezing cold, working on extremely complex machines with arguably just as much a factor in the safety of those that fly on the plane, all while being considered a blue collar worker, wrench monkey, bottom of the totem pole, unskilled laborer and paid that way (more on pay later).

    Now with that being said, let's go back to the Pilot vs. Mechanic. I would argue that as a mechanic there is just as much potential to make the same or more then a large majority of pilots. Although, with that being said, the ceiling of what a pilot can make is higher. It all comes down to how hard you work, how hard you network, who you know, and how good you are. As a 26yr old, I make $100-140k a year, but my job requires traveling 6 months out of the year to make that sort of money. As a crew chief on a corporate jet there is also potential to make that much or more. Again, it's a path, you aren't going to fall into that job, but neither will you as a Pilot. My father has been flying corporate jets for 30 years and I make more then he does. Is there potential for him to make more? Yes, but he chose a better schedule (works 8 days on 8 days off roughly). How many pilots out there are stuck making $50k a year flying a king air? A lot, just as there are mechanics making that much. There is a shortage of A&Ps, and the starting pay for most jobs is increasing. $20-30/hr seems to be where a lot of those jobs start, but again, they are increasing. But how many airline pilots flying regional's are making $15/hr? As with any career you choose, the potential is there, but it's the path to get there that you have to figure out.

    I chose to not be a pilot because of the schedule, being on call, slippage in pay and I thought I could make just as much as a mechanic yet have a better schedule, life, etc. I found by working on cars that I really enjoyed turning wrenches and had an aptitude for understanding systems and troubleshooting (that diff between a Technician and Wrench Turner is that ability) Also, flying is 99% sitting on your ASS being bored at altitude, then spending the other 1% taking off and landing (the exciting part). It can ruin the fun of flying, it was 15 years before my Dad got back into flying single engines for himself! I'd rather make money doing something else in that enables you to do your true passion (flying) Obviously with the path I chose, I travel a lot, but enjoy it. Ultimately for the sacrifices that people work in Aviation, I cannot recommend it to anyone, again, read above, except for the true passion to do it....

    I guess with any career there is going to be a low, middle and high pay scale. I think most Pilots and Mechanics fall into the $40k-80k a year range. But there is potential for into the 6 figures. It's not the norm, but the potential is there. Just as if you were going to become an Engineer, there's a low, middle, high. If you have the smarts and desire to be an engineer, and then fly for fun for yourself, that's another path to consider.


    sorry if that is kind of rambling, and doesn't make sense. Just keep asking questions. I'm not trying to scare you away, but these are the things you need to consider, the negatives, of the aviation industry. It's a very cyclical industry too.
    Last edited by uavmx; 10-22-2011 at 04:35 PM.

  2. #22
    Anymouse's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ryan Hornback View Post
    Thanks so much guys for all of the advice.

    One other thing I am still considering is the actual career in aviation I will pursue. I plan to try to get a job with UPS as the big World port hub in Louisville, KY is not to far away from where I live. My current ideas are either a A&P, Avionics Specialist, and of course flying for UPS would be a dream job. What other jobs are there with UPS? And what other careers in aviation do you think might be good for me, or ones that they would have at UPS. Thanks again my fellow aviation enthusiast!
    The only one that comes to mind immediately is Dispatcher.

    http://www.sheffield.com/home.html

    Of course, you have all the ramp rat jobs as well.
    Someday I'll come up with something profound to put here.

  3. #23

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    I would definitely recommend going to a state college and getting your flying in on the side. I had originally planned to go to Embry-Riddle, but got some real sticker shock on the cost of the program. Both main State U campuses here in Alaska have an A & P program. If I wasn't sure what direction I was to take in an aviation career I'd get the A & P in conjunction with a four year degree program. The A & P training gives you many useful skills and training you can use even if you never touch an airplane.

    One good alternative for getting flight hours, especially if you have an A & P is to buy a Champ, Chief or T-craft and log some (relatively) cheap flight hours. I consider this sort of time more valuable for aquiring basic flying skills than the new glass cockpit wonders.

    Getting any sort of job with UPS would probably be a good move in your area. Do they have any sort of college assistance program? I wouldn't be surprised if they did. You might also look into the Air National Guard, if you're so inclined. I was in the Guard in Anchorage in the early 80's and got financial assistance for both flight training and college and aquired enough experience in the Guard to get my A & P...Louis

  4. #24

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    Just wanted to say that I didn't mean to discourage you from getting into aviation. Just wanted to reiterate that it's not a easy gravy train, it's not this glamorous job as it can be made out to be, or that it once was. If it's a passion it will be a good career and take care of you. Work hard and it can take you places.

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