Am i going crazy?

[QF347]

Hey Guys!
So I just finished year 12 yesterday (yay! only exams to go =] ) and i want to pursue a career in aviation as a commercial pilot (like alot of people here) but ofcourse being a young whipper snapper dont want to be in debt 50 grand to the bank. So my plan at the moment is to go to uni and get a commerce degree (majoring in accounting) and work for a couple of years while similtaniously getting my CPL/ATPL.. i looked at the rex cadetship and found it to be utter Cr*p and im guessing you guys would agree. my only other option is the CX cadetship but im not counting on that. so would it be wise in this day and age to get a degree in something completly different and work in that profession for a while and flying on the side? cheers =]

Cam (YPAD)

[tmpffisch]

Kudo's to you, sounds like a great plan to me! :ok:

[One9iner]

That's fairly similar to what I've done over the last 8 years...Went for the degree, worked my way up in a non aviation related industry over the last 5 years. I aim to enter training in the next 6 months, with the plan to finish training early 2012.

By then I'm going to be in a position to pay off large levels of debt raised for training through the selling of a property I bought with the proceeds of working for the past few years.

[bluelearjetdriver]

QF347, I did it exactly the way you described, and it worked out perfectly for me, with minimal debt (£12k).

You will end up wiser, and not be forced to marry a hostie :}

All the best.

[ONCALL]

good plan...stay away from debt as much as possible. Airlines are always going to need pilots so don't rush take your time.

[Flintstone]

Yup, that's the way to go.

One thing though, there's no such word as "alot" ;)

[built4flying83]

I would ditch the uni degree shin dig. I did uni whilst flight training and all this did was made me couple of years older than my competition. If you can't fork out 50 grand via parents or bank loan and do a one year full time course (recommended) then Just do a normal temp job (coles, bar work, servo, labourer) and try and do as many flying lessons as you can and work towards getting your licences. Then whenever the airlines start doing there cadetship stuff again apply. if no good, go travelling or work in the mines with no qualifications earning close to 6 figures and wait it out until they want you.

[Ronand]

@built4flying83 where can you get a mining job with no qualifications earning close to 6 figures?

[built4flying83]

Ronand: Northern Australia, basically anywhere rural in Australia, chick worked in retail for 10 years no quals, she quit and 3 months later got a job driving trucks for the mines, 100 grand/yr.

[Ronand]

You have to be Citizen though, right? I tried to look online for Mining jobs without qualifications but couldn't find anything.....