Became Pilot - Yes or No?!

[MadTuesday]

Hi,

so it is my dream to became pilot since i was a little child, i think even since i was a baby ;)

now i'm 17 years old and time has changed...flight companies have often financial problems and resign many employees too...especially the austrian airlines...

so i'm a young guy with not very much money in my pocket, but with the big wish to fly

now my questions are:
- do you recommend me to save all my money to pay in any way the recruitment?
- or do you think time is getting much harder in a few years so that austrian airlines finally goes bankrupt?
- and how lucrative is a pilot job in austria?

[by the way: i'm from austria - that's why i'm always talking about austrian airlines ;) ]

i'd be very happy if somebody can write their attitudes about that content.

so...best regards from vienna
MadTuesday

[Trentino]

Hey Mad.. Here is some pros and cons

Pros.
1. Flying is something that will give you the chance to see the world.
2.It will teach you a myriad of things..Geography,Weather,Politics,Human Relations
3.It will snag you some serious tail. <--my favourite aspect
4.Best seat in the house

Cons.
1. Not much stability (atleast for me that is)
2. Wife
3. Income vs responsibility is not that good

I live in the U.S and over here things are different than there. I became an Instructor when I was 20, I am 25 now and through many many flying jobs,health problems(job related) and the likes. I still enjoy the flying. I do however hate my job as a flight instructor.
I never regretted being a pilot as far as job satisfaction but I do regret It when I look at my wallet.
You are verrrry lucky to live in Europe. If you can buy your way into Austrian you will have a good life. You must be 120% commited because in Europe it is challenging to get your ratings but once they are done you will be in a shiney CRJ at 200 hours as opposed to here in the U.S where many fly a C-152 at over 2000 hours.
Good luck and NEVER EVER COMPLAIN once you are in that seat.

[square leg]

Dude, I don't know too much about Austrian and its future, BUT all I can say is that if your dream is to fly, then go ahead and live that dream. There are many who fly for other reasons, but if I sensed your motivation correctly, then you will be an ideal candidate for the airlines... love for flying is the key.

I would recommend a good flight school which would open doors for you later. Go for an "integrated" course and do a JAR ATPL, not a german/austrian ATPL which might mean you have to convert it to JAR anyhow. I think that Austria is going JAR soon, or has already done so.

Never been there, but if I had to do it again, I would go to OXFORD in England.

P.S. I don't work for them... not even been near to whereever they might be?-)

[Farrell]

Trentino

That has to be the most concise and intelligent response to a wanabee I've seen here for a long time! :ok:

[Trentino]

Thanks Farrell!!..we should never forget where we came from..we were all wanabees at one time or another..
:)

[MadTuesday]

thank you very much for your comments to my questions...

but it would be nice if anybody else gives his opinion too...

[Farrell]

MadTuesday.......

Ours are the only opinions you really need! :p

[sstaurus]

My biggest fear is the industry going down the tubes if fuel prices don't stop skyrocketing. After all the investment, I'd like to know there will be fuel around to fly the planes still!

[jb5000]

Yeh that one has been troubling me as well! Worrying that the cost of oil has more than trebled (after inflation has been accounted for) over the last forty years, the rough career length of an airline pilot.

Who's to say whats going to happen to the prices over the next forty?

Unfortunately, as with most things in aviation, a crystal ball would be useful.