t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

I'm 15 (16 in a couple weeks) and thinking about trying to get a private pilot's license. I want to get one because I think it would be awesome to just hop in a plane and go fly when and wherever you want, I think just flying in general would be awesome. It would be awesome to eventually own a plane and after some research it doesn't look like it has to be as expensive as you would think. The obvious downside is it cost's alot to get your license (probably around $7,000) and how often would I really use it? On the other hand you only live once and why would you not do something you want to do just because of money if you can? Two of my great granddads where pilots, one even built his own plane and one was an aircraft mechanic, so it's kind in my blood lol. Any input?

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

Look into the Young Eagles program.

collector1231

My Feedback: (1)

I've always wanted to (its my dream to become a 767 pilot; prolly will never happen), and if you have the time and money, then why not? If you really want to, then try a simulator first. A cheap stick ($30) and Microsoft Flight (free) will help you decide if you want to fly. Also, considering renting a plane with someone to cut down costs. You'd use it if you want to go anywhere you want. I've done my research, having a dream to fly, so if you have any more questions, then PM me. Thanks for reading!

Fly RC II

My Feedback: (5)

Not a bad idea if you have a good job, but right now you should be thinking about college or what you want to do when you graduate HS. First things first.

Food for thought.

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

I don't want to go to college unless the job I want requires it, so many people go with no idea what they want to do and are left with huge loans and no job, my cousin is a prime example, she went to a very nice college for 4-6 years (cant remember) and now works in a pizza restaurant because she can't find a better job, it seems a college degree means less now than it used to. Iv'e never been able to think of a realistic job I would like to have for long term, except now I thought an aircraft mechanic or something similar would be nice, and while a pilots license probably isn't required for that I'm sure it would help to get a job like that.

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

My uncle by marriage who I haven't seen since i was two lol has a pilot's license and I'm pretty sure owns his own plane, I'm sure I could fly with him sometime to try it out.

Fly RC II

My Feedback: (5)

You can't wait to determine college when the job you want requires it. You will be behind the eight-ball. The economy will not be like this for very long. It will be a roller coaster ride all your life. You have to think of the long term investment. Your cousin will be ahead in the long-run because she made the investment. She will land sooner or later but the pizza place is just something you have to do in the interim.

I didn't intend to stray off topic but don't down-play a college education at this point in your life. You have plenty of time to make the decisions as to what you want to do, but the higher percentage of successful young adults go to college - this is a life-long investment. Think of it as 60 plus years you have to look forward to (or more!!) my two younger kids are in college now and my son works at Walgreens. My daughter is holding down 3 jobs and going to undergrad school as well - they have to make money.

I'm sure you're mom and dad have similar ideas I have given you here but ultimately its your life to live once you are old enough (past 21) to make your own decisions. That's when it becomes a little more difficult to deal with. Hang in there, you will make the right choices.

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

Yes I know, I meant the career I choose now will determine if I go to college or not If I decide on one. I'm not putting down college at all, but I would prefer not to go, I just simply don't like school and don't want to go even longer if it's not necessary. If you really think about it it's pretty dumb how the average American person lives, go to school until your 18, graduate and then go to school at least another 4 years and then go work In a job you don't like until you die, what's the point in that? Who cares how much money you made if you never really lived, why not do something you will actually enjoy even if it may mean making less money? Which of course doing what you want could require college dependent upon what it was. That's off topic and Im done thinking out loud now lol.

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

My parents don't try to push me to go to college if I don't want to but rather want me to do something I will look forward to doing and if that requires college then I'll go but if not that's fine too. Of course they don't want me to be some lazy dead beat either lol.

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

8 posts since mine and all a waste. [:-]
If you followed advice from post #2 you would see that expenses following a solo get reimbursed along with free hops till you are of age once a month (to see if you like it) and a pretty smooth ride into Embry Riddel...
Never mind, if you don't have the attention span to do a simple Google search it isn't worth explaining, all a waste.

There is no magic wand to wave over a kid making him/her a success.

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

I looked it up but I didn't see anything about any reimbursements just a free first flight but I must have over looked it, I wasn't ignoring your advice at all.

t-max97

My Feedback: (9)

I looked more into it and it's looks interesting but I don't see anything about any reimbursements, just scholarships.

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

I have been 'close' to getting my license for a few years now. I had a friend take me up and let me fly around and I loved it. Every year I think I will use next year's tax money to get my license. Then a different reality sets in: after getting the license, the costs don't stop. I think about how much money it will realistically take to fly a plane and stay current. I am not that interested in flying circles in the sky, I would prefer to go places, and that cost money.

And this is coming from a guy who spends 90% of his energy focused on airplanes - I live just off the 'Aviation Corridor', work for a major aerospace company, travel several hours to fly in AMA contests, etc. You would think if anyone was going to get a license, it would be me.

When I moved out here, I found where I would learn to fly, a great little family-owned air field with amazing prices. They teach 'Stick and Rudder' style, starting you out in taildraggers so you learn to use the rudder, and move you up to Cessnas and other aircraft as necessary. You can rent an airplane for about $65/hr which includes gas. But then I think an hour is not a long time and I am not debt-free so that $65 could go somewhere more practical. Maybe if I didn't have all the student loans I would be more willing, but without the student loans I wouldn't have my amazing job in the first place and probably still couldn't afford to fly.

That being said, the advice I have heard time and time again is: if you can do it now, you should, because if you don't you probably won't.

About college: I think going to college right out of high school is completely asinine. I was 'forced' to go to college (wanted to go to tech school, wasn't allowed by my parents). I failed out, or at least was told to do a semester at community school to pull my grades up. When I was 21 I had a job where I was doing all the work and my boss had a degree so he was making the big bucks. I decided I should go to college, and decided for myself when I was ready.

There are two sides to every story. The danger of not going to school right away is you get sucked in to this capitalistic life. You get a job, an apartment, and some expenses - and it gets harder and harder to go back. It is not impossible - I went back again at 28 because I realized I was supposed to be an engineer (didn't know much about engineering until then). Put myself through a lot of stuff to get back into school and get through some pretty tough courses, but it is what I am supposed to be doing, so I made it work. And it is paying off.

CafeenMan

On the college thing - I understand the realities of the world, but I'm of the mind that the real reason to go is to become educated about whatever it is you want to be educated about - not just to make a living. Of course there are a gazillion people out there with degrees they can't use who think like I do and many of them may regret it.

For example, one person I know wanted to be an anthropologist. Problem is there are only 4 anthropology jobs on the planet. OK, I may be exaggerating just a little bit but you get the idea.

I think Tech is where it's going to be at for many, many years to come. If you're a genius you can design hardware. If you're merely intelligent you can get into network administration (always big bucks), software design or something like that.

Also, think about the jobs that can not be out-sourced. Medical will always be hiring. Nobody is going to India for common medical issues. With a high school diploma you can get all kinds of medical tech jobs that start around $10/hour and max at around $18/hour. LPNs and RNs make more.

OldRookie

My Feedback: (13)

If you think that you would like to get your pilots license, why not look at a career as a pilot?
You don't need a college education to fly a plane. Glorified bus driver.

Greg

fly210sv

My Feedback: (1)

The desire to fly for many people is very strong. It is like a virus that never goes away. Whether you get your license now or later, the desire will not go away. Every time you hear an airplane fly over you eyes will turn skyward. Every airport you drive by your car will want to pull in and check out the aircraft. I have been flying for over 35 years. I know many young people who were able to get their license and go to school. Many of them have done it by getting a job at a local airport. Pumping gas, working on the ramp, etc. just to be around the aviation community. I have never regretted getting my license. If you wait you will run the risk of life getting in your way.. ie. job, family, etc. Your first solo, cross country, and passing your exam are accomplishments that very few people ever experience. The feeling after each step never goes away. The feeling of freedom of flying and going were you want without the hassels of everyday traffic is fantastic. All these years later, I still get a thrill every time I take the plane up. All that said, you need a good paying job to pay for the continued ability to fly.

rgburrill

"I want to be a pilot but I don't like school".
"I want to fly planes and own my own but I don't want a job that can pay for it.."
"I want to have fun all my life and not get stuck working."

That about sum it up?  Ah, the blind enthusiasm of youth.

impulse09

My Feedback: (3)

I want some of that....

lopflyers

My Feedback: (12)

Pilot's license: $$$$$

toolmaker7341

Do not listen to RCII do what's in your interests. A degree can be earned at anytime in your life. You won't be working at a pizza place waiting for a job that may never turn up. Collage degree's are a thing of the past to earn a good living. You can earn $80,00.00 - $100,000.00 in the machining and manufacturing trades right now. If you like what your doing you'll never work a day in your life.

OldRookie

My Feedback: (13)

What toolmaker7341 said.
I'm at 67K without over time on a trade school diploma.

Greg

mattnew

My Feedback: (2)

way to encourage a kid not to be educated....

More importantly than anything else.. college teaches you how to think and problem solve, or at least the good ones do. It doesn't really matter the degree when your going for your bachelors... granted don't go to Harvard for a liberal arts degree... you'll end up owing more than you'll ever make... but a bachelors of science from a good state school can be turned into almost any career imaginable.... and you'll start after a 4 year degree higher than 67k. Its an invaluable experience... not to mention there are sorority girls :-)

OldRookie

My Feedback: (13)

You can get educated without college. What is wrong with a trade school degree?

When is the last time you tried to find a job?
There is no way you are going to START at 67K+ with a BS in science.
Trade school is usually only two years for a degree, and way cheaper per year. You don't have the investment to get the earning potential.
mattnew...If you can get people entry level jobs only having a BS degree for 67K starting pay, you should start a job placement service.
With overtime I make close to 100K/year for less than 50 hr/wk. The slugs with BS degrees in the engineering dept work a lot more hours than I do to make the same. Salary jobs don't pay OT. HA

Greg

AMA 74894

My Feedback: (1)

I'd say follow Vicman's advice, and if possible go to your local airport flight school and ask for an orientation ride (it's basically an airplane ride in a 172 or whatever brand of airplane they fly there.)
I grew up at the flying field (not the airport mind you... model airplane flying field) and held aviation / pilot jobs in the Military (F-111 Crew Chief, C-5 Galaxy flight engineer) Civilian (Aircraft Mechanic) and Corporate
(Gulfstream G-3 G-4 Pilot) it was an absolute BLAST ... until I turned 40 and realized how many things I'd missed out on be being 'on the road' all the time (well, 200 nights per year on average)
I left the aviation career field entirely and am now an IT guy, (Corporate airplanes ARE sort of little computer networks ) with a Son (who LOVES model airplanes and could not give a hoot about full scale aviation.)
IF you can, go to college or join the military (AND go to college )
there are a LOT of things that aren't so much fun at the time you're doing them, but the rewards last for the rest of your life.
as stated, I do not work in the aviation career field anymore, and would not go back... then again if I had it to do over again I would not change a THING
(heck, the simple memories of some of the trips I've taken and training I've accomplished are well worth the price of admission.)
do it.

GerKonig

I graduated of my last degree one week before my older son. The oldest is now a senior engineer, the middle one runs finances on one of our biggest car dealers in the area (finance and real estate mayors), the youngest one graduated this year, he is a teacher. A degree is no guarantee in life. You know what the guarantee is: attitude, hard work, and ambition.

Ask yourself: What is better, to have no education like lot of others and look for a job, or to be an accountant and look for a job? Or an engineer (odiously you would never be an engineer), this is just an example.

As a company owner for over 2 decades, I can telly you do not need a college education to get a good job. Plumbers make good money too, and we all need them. I know a business mayor that has a landscape company. And you know what? He is better trained than some guy with a lawnmower starting from the bottom. I know a friend of my son with a chemistry engineering degree that owns a company that does home improvements. An education takes no room at all, you take it with you, has many applications, and opens doors.

But, it takes effort, and that brings us back to attitude, hard work and ambition.

In closing, now that I think of it, most successful people I know have a college education. And they love what they do.

Good luck to you! There is a real world out here, the sooner you figure it out better it will be for you. Just think that education will make you more valuable for a potential employer.

Gerry