My goals are still the same as they were at the beginning of the semester. Listening to all the guest speakers was definitely beneficial to me and did help me to realize all the options that are available as a pilot. After hearing about the other jobs and all of the pros and cons I feel that the airlines is still the best option for me. The reason I want to go to the airlines is because I do not like the idea of having to do everything that the corporate pilot is required to do along with the unpredictable schedule and having to deal directly with a boss all the time. I do not want to do cargo because of the hours they work. After being in the military and working all hours of the night and on call all the time that is not something that interests me. Drones would also not be for me because of the overseas deployments, not because I don't want to go over seas but if I do I want my rifle with me. It wouldn't feel right to be there as a civilian, plus the fun part is the flying, not sitting on the ground playing a "video game".
My plan for the future is to become a flight instructor in South Carolina after I graduate. Once I have my hours I plan on flying for the regionals. I don't have a specific regional in mind as long as it is not to far of a commute. After the regionals my goal is to be able to fly for Southwest. Even though they may not pay as much or have as much room to move up as Delta I have heard really good things about them and I feel like it would be the best fit for me. I also plan on getting my MBA so as I get older and may not want to be gone all the time so I will have something to fall back on.
I also plan on flight instructing somewhere a bit warmer in order to teach year round. Southwest would definitely be one of my top choices as well. They certainly have one of the best atmospheres there in terms of overall employment satisfaction.
ReplyDeleteCargo would be a little rough, the hours and on call most of the time. Plus the flight benefits with the airlines is a big plus.
ReplyDeleteGood plan - yes, the pilots I know who fly for Southwest are pretty happy. A MBA is a great plan....always good to have a back up when your job is dependent on a medical.
ReplyDeleteGood plan for your fall back idea also good luck going to southwest personally I have never liked flying with them but as a pilot I am sure that it would be waaaaaayyy different.
ReplyDeleteIf you are a flight instructor, it is always a great idea to move to a warm / nice weather state where you can fly 99% of the time as the weather is nice.
ReplyDeleteYou can definitely not do that in Michigan unless you are a CFII and you train on aircraft that are FIKI approved.
Good luck on your ventures!
Nice Steve, there's a recent flight school that just opened in Arizona that pays really well. It would be nice to fly all year round and not have to cancel a bunch of flights like here in the winter.
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