Finacially Viable to be an Airline Pilot?

[tiggermoth]

Say if you are an Engineering Graduate, with a career ahead of you, is it viable to train as an airline pilot?

Say, you graduate with a 2:1 with an MEng (Masters Degree) is say, Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, or Chemical Engineering, is it worth the time off from engineering, and the projected pay as a PIC to train to become an airline pilot?

In this, bearing in mind, loss in income, job security, time spent at home, expenses during training, job availability, job security (and risk of bad health - losing Class 1 medical).

In this too, bear in mind family committments that you envisage (say meeting the woman of your dreams, having children, and staying with all them until you die of old age), instead of running off with the first air hostess that flutters her eyelasses at you?

Is there an "in between" where I can train to be commericial (ie. get a job) without the all out commitment and (aparrent) personal sacrifice?

T.

[mazzy1026]

In answer to your last question - I doubt it :{

Your in a similar position to me (assuming it's you with the degree) whereby I would love to do all the above but am stopped by commitments and money etc (get the violins).

The good thing is, that you have your qualifications to fall back on should you not make it to airlines...

Best of luck
Maz :ok:

[east_sider]

I've thought about this decision quite a bit, until I got snookered by colour vision problems :ugh:

Simple fact IMHO is there are many many better ways to make yourself reasonably rich than commercial flying. Average partner gross earmings in the accountancy firm I used to work at was £600k pa for example. Its 10-15 years of working 60+ hours most weeks, and some luck to get to partner, but still £600k isn't bad. If you are in IT with the right skills £100k plus a year should be very possible. Etc etc. How many captains with 15,000 hours plus make £100k? And what are the chances of getting an engineering related job paying over £100k by age 30? Fairly low I'd guess, its an undervalued profession compared to Finance, Law and so forth....

So overall if you are trying to justify the investment relative to your other earning options, it will never make sense. There's no rational reason to spend £40-80k of your own money training. But if you are fairly young, with a degree to fall back on, able to just about afford the investment and willing to lose it, have a realistic view of the committment required, then go for it. Good luck whatever you do! :)

[Penworth]

Say if you are an Engineering Graduate, with a career ahead of you, is it viable to train as an airline pilot?
Say, you graduate with a 2:1 with an MEng (Masters Degree) is say, Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, or Chemical Engineering, is it worth the time off from engineering, and the projected pay as a PIC to train to become an airline pilot?

It depends what you want to do with your life really. I graduated with a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering and worked for a large aerospace engineering company for 3 years, but it wasn't what I wanted to do, as aviation was in my blood and I didn't want to do anything but fly. I already had a PPL so did the ATPL's and advanced training part time. I now fly jets for a living and earn a lot more than I would have if I had stayed in engineering. I'm not doing it for the money though. If all you are interested in is the best return on your invesment (as east_sider implies) then you are better staying away from aviation.
In this, bearing in mind, loss in income, job security, time spent at home, expenses during training, job availability, job security (and risk of bad health - losing Class 1 medical).
Is there an "in between" where I can train to be commericial (ie. get a job) without the all out commitment and (aparrent) personal sacrifice?
The fact is, all the problems/disadvantages/sacrifices you mention do exist as an airline pilot. If you are not prepared to put up with these then I would suggest commercial aviation maybe isn't for you. If you want to sit in a cushy office job, I'm sure you could earn more. Some people like that kind of work, personally I hated it and couldn't see myself anywhere but in a cockpit. I go back to my original comment, it depends what you want to do with your life....

[Pilotdom]

Depends what you mean by financialy viable doesnt it? If it has always been a dream for you to fly as a job then Finacial viability doesnt come into it because you will be doing a job that you are passionate about and enjoy,now that has to be better than being in a job where you earn 100k but hate the job. Its all very well saying lawyers etc make 100k plus a year but think of the paperwork and hard work they have to do day in day out.

If its a dream of your to fly then the money side of things is irrelavent in my view!

[S-Works]

It does depend on your dream, but beware the grass is not always greener. I know many airline pilots who hate the job and are counting the days to retirement. Aviation was in there blood until they did it for a living, the first few years are fine then the novelty wears off doing the same thing day in day out, shuffling paper at a flying desk. It's just down to your perception.

Oh and IT people are just as capable of earning lawyer salaries thankyou.

[Say again s l o w l y]

If you are worrying about the financial side of it, then I suggest you don't bother, but get a PPL and pay to fly.

Most of us could be earning a lot more if we were doing something else (engineering in my case too) but I don't worry about that. I don't consider flying to be a job and I love every second of it. I can't put a figure on that. I don't want to either, because that would cheapen it somehow.

If you want to get into flying because you love it, that has to be the over-riding factor, because financially it will never be worth it.

[I Just Drive]

I think it was Oscar Wilde who said find a job you love and you will never do a days' work again. Im not sure i'd go that far but there is no going back for me.

[Tiger_ Moth]

You can't just look at it in terms of investment. Surely most pilots do what they do because they love it and not to earn loads of money.

I don't care how much someone would pay me to sit behind a desk and look at a list of numbers all day long, it wouldn't be worth it because when all is said and done: would I have enjoyed my life? No.

Anyway, who needs £600K a year? I will be happy with the very reasonable salaries paid to airline pilots.

[Slopey]

If you're not currently working, and don't have financial commitments (mortgage, kids etc), then it might be easier to persue your dream.

The problem I've run into is the very high cost of entry into the profession.

Given that you're looking at probably £40-50k ab-initio with no guarentee of a job at the end of it, it's something I would have given a go maybe 10 years ago - I could always declare myself bankrupt if it went pear shaped.

Now, later in life, on a respectable salary but with kid + mortgage, in the big picture it's just not worth it. My 'dream' is not worth the loss in income or the investment.

Mind you, from the posts I read on here from professional pilots I've come to the conclusion that there would be no better way to put me off a hobby I love than to try and make it a career! ;)

It's swings and roundabouts, and if your debt free and just starting out on the career path it might be worth giving it a shot, especially if you can source the cash without (or with a low need for) borrowing.

If you're in an established career with a progression path that you're happy with, it might just not be worth it.

But if you're determined to do it - go for it! Personally, I'd prefer to fly for fun and be able to afford to live quite well, than fly for work and be on a much much lower income.

Ultimately its up to you!

[S-Works]

You can't just look at it in terms of investment. Surely most pilots do what they do because they love it and not to earn loads of money.
I don't care how much someone would pay me to sit behind a desk and look at a list of numbers all day long, it wouldn't be worth it because when all is said and done: would I have enjoyed my life? No.
Anyway, who needs £600K a year? I will be happy with the very reasonable salaries paid to airline pilots.

I am glad I don't sit behind a desk looking at numbers..... :p In fact 470hrs flown this year!

If it is your dream to be a commercial pilot go for it, life is about fulfilling dreams. I prefer to fly on my own terms and my chosen career supports this. We all make our choices and mine is not to ruin a perfect hobby by turning it into a job. again....

[tiggermoth]

I am glad I don't sit behind a desk looking at numbers..... :p In fact 470hrs flown this year!

Does an airline pilot sit behind a flight deck and look at numbers? (only joking!)

Luckily as an engineer I work in 'commissioning' mainly, so my time behind a desk is at a minimum.

Anyhow, thanks for the replies, my question was whether it was tinancially viable seems to have been answered. There is probably not much doubt that it would probably be more fun to be an airline pilot. It seems though that following ones's dream is the driving goal, which is very commendable.