Aviation careers

[deadnight]

Hello. I just signed up here. I've been lurking around on it for a few days now. A lot of usefull information. Great forum.

I'm not any kind of pilot myself but have concidered it alot recently. I've played quite a few flight sims in the past. Combat flight simulator 3 being my most recent purchase.

I was looking into some pilot lessons about a week ago. It's way to exspensive for me. If I really really wanted to I could probaby barely make the costs. But I would be cutting it close and it would be ruff. I'm not sure If I want to go that route. I have to work on getting a career yet. Im 20 and still have no plans for anything.

So what this message boils down to is I just applied for some information on a fighter pilot for the USA Airforce.
I'm not exactly sure if it's the choice I want to make yet.
I'm hoping their might be somebody here that can give me some first-hand information about it. If I did do this I would be in the airforce for the rest of my life probably. I don't see much of a job oportunity for a pilot besides commercial airline. If I got into the airforce I would be totally dedicated to it. Their isn't anything I do that I don't give my all.

I appreciate it.

[OTTOL]

Go to College! I have been flying airplanes for 22yrs, and If I could give anyone, starting out, advice. Go to school first, this will leave you with many more options; Airforce, Airlines or Air-nothing at all. I have a lot of friends who fly for the airlines that are either out of work or worried that they won't have a job soon, due to the poor state of the economy. The one statement I've heard more pilots make over the years is "I wish I had a real job that would allow me to fly airplanes for fun!" But if you decide to go that route, it has it's low points and tough times but when it's good, flying can be the greatest job in the world!

[deadnight]

Thanks for the info  :)

I'm under the impression that the US Airforce will give me a college education for free. Which isn't suppose to be any different from a normal college. I just emailed a recruiter to verify that actually.

I know if I go in as a pilot then I'm going to probably stay their until retirement. I don't see much of a job oportunity anywhere else for a pilot. I'm almost concidering doing something lest drastic too.. Maybe a cargo/transport pilot would be better. I wouldn't be right in the action if I had to goto war.. but then again the Airforce is suppose to prepare me for that. So if I went ahead as a fighter pilot it might not be a big deal if it came down to some kind of war.

Anyways I'll stop rambling on  ;D  I'm really excited and a bit frightened about making this decision.

Thanks again.

[Craig.]

if you want to fly fighter pllanes, you will need a 4 year degree first. i was looking into moving to the US to join the airforce and that was one thing i was told, the other is if you take the college option with them, i believe they require you to serve with them the amount of years you goto college with them. to be quite honest with you though it would prob be the best option these days, airline jobs are very rare, and those that do come up are usually filled quickly by those pilots who were furloughed(sp?) in the recent airline crisis. i am going more from a point of trying to get there myself rather than am there already, but i can tell you it isnt easy, but will be worth the reward if you stick with it.
but like ottol said goto college either way, i have heard of stories where some pilots earning over $50000's a year were laid off and then were only qualified to stack shelves at the local walmart for not even half that.
good luck which ever way you choose to go

[deadnight]

Thanks for the info. I'll have 4 years of college so I'll have plenty of time to think it out. But I've definatly decided to go into the airforce.

I appreciate it.  And good luck to you too.

[Matt]

Try getting a sponsorship with an airline. Usually you need a degree but they will fund all or most of your training and pay you at the same time. In the UK, Britannia, easyjet, BA and ryan air offer sponsorships

[Craig.]

BA dont offer one anymore i have tried. and easyjets sponsorship is very dodgy, you end up earn less than