Roundhouse Jones
Filing Flight Plan
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2016
- Messages
- 2
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Roundhouse Jones
Good Morning From PA!
I am 100% new to forums of any kind, so please excuse me if I've posted in the wrong area or am otherwise breaking protocol.
At 28, I've decided to pursue my dream of flying, but I don't have money to spend up front, and I'm afraid of not being able to find a job to pay back the loan I'll have to take out once I reach at least CFI.
It seems that to finish the program at ATP with the 100 hours multi time, I'll have to request upwards of 85,000 in financial assistance to help with living expenses along the way. At least they guarantee me a job... But is their guarantee too good to be true? I was reassured as a CFI I'll be making $30-42k, and that CFI's at ATP have no problem getting 100 hours in monthly. They also say that throughout schooling and working as a CFI, I'll have weekends off. Their pay scales online and all of the information checks out, and while I understand that the guarantee only applies to people who meet all of the requirements and are proficient, it seems legit so long as I work hard and study diligently, despite what so many posts online say to the contrary. I've also been told it's not crazy to be making over 100k in as little as five years. I'm not afraid of being overworked or going through a grind if it means coming out the other side in a better position.
I've also looked at American Flyers, and Infinity Flight Group. Being based out of the Philly area, Trenton, NJ is a doable commute. I like the look of Infinity, being a smaller operation. If my math is correct, Infinity will get me the same ratings for half the price. It seems the trade-off is that ATP is expensive, but has connections, guaranteed jobs and interviews, and only 6 months of training. I have no clue how long it will take with Infinity, or if I can get financial assistance to help with living expenses while I cram in my training.
I'm not sure what route I want to take, whether it be working for the airlines, being a bush pilot, flying for the coast guard, etc. But I do know I'm eager to get my career started and not have my training take years to complete. I figure that I'll have a good idea of what I want to do somewhere in the process early on, since it seems all paths start with the same training, with adding tailwheel on later. So long as I'm flying, I'll be happy.
I apologize for the long post, but I want to make an informed decision before I commit a lot of money and time. Does anyone have any advice for the best route to take in terms of training time in proportion to cost and quality of schooling? Is it crazy to borrow money and stake everything on my ability to find a job once my training is complete? Thank you all so much!
I am 100% new to forums of any kind, so please excuse me if I've posted in the wrong area or am otherwise breaking protocol.
At 28, I've decided to pursue my dream of flying, but I don't have money to spend up front, and I'm afraid of not being able to find a job to pay back the loan I'll have to take out once I reach at least CFI.
It seems that to finish the program at ATP with the 100 hours multi time, I'll have to request upwards of 85,000 in financial assistance to help with living expenses along the way. At least they guarantee me a job... But is their guarantee too good to be true? I was reassured as a CFI I'll be making $30-42k, and that CFI's at ATP have no problem getting 100 hours in monthly. They also say that throughout schooling and working as a CFI, I'll have weekends off. Their pay scales online and all of the information checks out, and while I understand that the guarantee only applies to people who meet all of the requirements and are proficient, it seems legit so long as I work hard and study diligently, despite what so many posts online say to the contrary. I've also been told it's not crazy to be making over 100k in as little as five years. I'm not afraid of being overworked or going through a grind if it means coming out the other side in a better position.
I've also looked at American Flyers, and Infinity Flight Group. Being based out of the Philly area, Trenton, NJ is a doable commute. I like the look of Infinity, being a smaller operation. If my math is correct, Infinity will get me the same ratings for half the price. It seems the trade-off is that ATP is expensive, but has connections, guaranteed jobs and interviews, and only 6 months of training. I have no clue how long it will take with Infinity, or if I can get financial assistance to help with living expenses while I cram in my training.
I'm not sure what route I want to take, whether it be working for the airlines, being a bush pilot, flying for the coast guard, etc. But I do know I'm eager to get my career started and not have my training take years to complete. I figure that I'll have a good idea of what I want to do somewhere in the process early on, since it seems all paths start with the same training, with adding tailwheel on later. So long as I'm flying, I'll be happy.
I apologize for the long post, but I want to make an informed decision before I commit a lot of money and time. Does anyone have any advice for the best route to take in terms of training time in proportion to cost and quality of schooling? Is it crazy to borrow money and stake everything on my ability to find a job once my training is complete? Thank you all so much!
