'BBA' prior to flight training + climbing corporate ladder

[Lema]

Hi,

Even though I would love to become an Airline Pilot I am currently studying Business Administration. If all goes well I will receive my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in approx. 2 years from now. I am however, rather impatient to embark upon a career as an Airline Pilot. The wisest decision would be to obtain my degree prior to commencing pilot training. I could of course drop out, commence pilot training and once I have achieved this goal, acquire my degree during my pilot years. Willie Walsh is a good example of someone acquired a similar degree during his pilot years.

I would on the long run like to climb the corporate ladder. Perhaps do some part time flying, part time management functions. Eventually full time management, trying to achieve the top.

Does anyone think having a BBA is an asset when applying? Given the ambition to climb the corporate ladder. I would of course, get my master’s degree during my pilot years. I’ve also thought about working for a year once I’ve obtained my bachelor’s degree, so I could already get some experience and save approx. 1/5th of the total training costs during this year. However when doing this, I will be about 26 by the time I commence flight training. Which means I’ll be 27-28 when I’ve completed my training. Wouldn’t this be considered getting a bit ‘old’ to get your first FO job?

Kind regards

[pr00ne]

Lema,


You want to get to the top of an airline?

Train to be an accountant.

Being a pilot has diddly squat to do with the successful running of an airline.

[Lema]

I would at first, like to become an airline pilot and eventually do some side activities in the future. Becoming an airline pilot is and will always be my dream job. Perhaps when I've gotten older, got married, had children etc I could lay my focus more onto the non-flying related activities within the company. Depending on the opportunities I will be given and whether those outweigh being an airline pilot.

Primarily I would like to fly AND do some other work within the company. For example being part of the HR department, selecting new pilots etc. See it as an extra income and some sort of back up. I would love to combine the two worlds. Let's say the opportunity to get a high function, perhaps even running the airline comes along, I would of course stop flying. And do some leisure flying in my free time.

[wiggy]

Some/most airlines do have pilots who have a "part time" management function e.g. the Training manager or Technical Manager may well be a line pilot, but that's a slow road to the top. IMHO if you take that career path you are probably not going to progress fast enough to get to the very top at all in anything but a small airline.

Given the ambition to climb the corporate ladder. I would of course, get my master’s degree during my pilot years.

If you are lucky your airline will be employing you to fly their aircraft, and make no mistake that will occupy a lot of your time, especially if the proposed new European Flight Time Rules are adopted. I'm not saying it can't be done, I have no real idea of the workload involved in gaining an MBA or even if studying for the same is compatable with working full time as a line pilot but I suspect you will need a very understanding employer if you are expecting to be able take significant amounts of time "off line" for something they will probably regard as a hobby. Given the current state of the airline industry I would concentrate on getting any academic study you want to do completed now, then concentrate on pilot training.

Which means I’ll be 27-28 when I’ve completed my training. Wouldn’t this be considered getting a bit ‘old’ to get your first FO job?



No.