Hi guys!
I have a problem. It may be a luxury problem, but still there's an important decision to be made. So obviously, I'll ask my favourite internet forum for advice.
I've just gone through the selection process for Lufthansa's sponsored ab-initio flight training programme. And I've made it (yeeess!). Now besides "normal" flight training they also offer to take up an engineering degree in aviation systems technology (which is basically a "light" version of aero eng) before you go to flight school. This would take 4 years instead of less than 2 years for the normal route.
Now, even if I hadn't made it into the LH scheme, taking a degree would have been a consideration for self-sponsored flight training. So maybe this is of interest to other student pilots as well...
I've thought about this thing for quite a while now and while my heart tells me to go flying as quickly as possible... my brain seems to insist that having a degree might be advantageous some time in the future.
By going to university first, what you loose is
- 2 years worth of salary... and if you think about it, that's actually 2 yrs of a captain's salary
- 2 years on the seniority list
- The relative safety to have a contract as early as 20 months from now
What you gain is
- a Bachelor's degree (you can call yourself an engineer
)
- a lot of background knowledge & life experience
- a second qualification in these turbulent times for the aviation sector
- the chance to MAYBE assume further responsibilities beyond the flying job some time in the future (therein lies the main attractivity, I think)
OK, so what do you guys think?! The other option of course would be to get into the right seat as quickly as possible and think about distance learning etc in the future if one should ever be bored in the cockpit...)
I'd be grateful some pilot's opinions on this - because ultimately you guys know what matters for a cockpit career these days...
Thanks & best regards,
Holger