pharmacist
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: uk
pharmacist
hey
I am a locum pharmacist earning round 50k a year. I want to know how long it will take me to get to that salary as a airline pilot if i was to learn flying. Can anyone advise me on my plans.
Also are there any pharmacist out there who are now pilots.
Thanx
I am a locum pharmacist earning round 50k a year. I want to know how long it will take me to get to that salary as a airline pilot if i was to learn flying. Can anyone advise me on my plans.
Also are there any pharmacist out there who are now pilots.
Thanx
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 122
Likes: 3
From: Manchester,England
It is largely dependant on your age and determination.You may never even get that first job and never get the same wage!
Give more details of your age and other relevant circumstances, then people may able to tailor their advice to you.
Give more details of your age and other relevant circumstances, then people may able to tailor their advice to you.
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Grobelling through the murk to the sunshine above.
abb911
A longer perusal of these pages may give you some indication of the uncertainty of anyone's plans to become an airline pilot. It would be a very risky business to give up what you have, but you may be able to do both if you're prepared to put in the effort to learn to fly whilst continuing with your career as a pharmacist.
If you have any flying experience, you'll know if it's worth the effort and risk.
The Alps looked wonderful from 37,000 ft yesterday afternoon, what's the view like from the pharmacy window?
A longer perusal of these pages may give you some indication of the uncertainty of anyone's plans to become an airline pilot. It would be a very risky business to give up what you have, but you may be able to do both if you're prepared to put in the effort to learn to fly whilst continuing with your career as a pharmacist.
If you have any flying experience, you'll know if it's worth the effort and risk.
The Alps looked wonderful from 37,000 ft yesterday afternoon, what's the view like from the pharmacy window?
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 139
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From: uk
i'M APHARMACIST TOO
I got my PPL and am going to Glasgow Nautical for grounds. The view from a pharmacy window is pretty poor. I'm not married and have no kids, so don't really care about money. Obviously if money is your driving force stick to counting 56 atenolol 50mg and 56 bendrofluazide 2.5mg every day.
I am a locum too and make similar money, was going to do it part time, but decided to go full time as a brain numbing day dispensing 300+ items is not conducive to an evening studying.
Suppose we have a similarity to pilots in that we carry a great responsibility in protecting the safety of the people we serve.
I am a locum too and make similar money, was going to do it part time, but decided to go full time as a brain numbing day dispensing 300+ items is not conducive to an evening studying.
Suppose we have a similarity to pilots in that we carry a great responsibility in protecting the safety of the people we serve.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 1997
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
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From: Suffolk UK
Broad brush answer - and there are many ifs and buts - would be about 10 years. That assumes you end up flying jets for a major airline. If you get stuck in the turboprop and commuter world, you may never make that amount. On the other hand, if you got lucky with one of the low cost operators, you could be earning a fair bit more as a Captain within 10 years from starting out.
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5
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From: uk
Thanx guys
thanx for the advice guys, my pharamcy window is real boring.
im 25 independent with no commitmants. My love for avaition if far more for me so i really considering this as an option. will my pharmacy backgroud give me an edge when apllying for jobs and stuff?
thanx for the advice guys, my pharamcy window is real boring.
im 25 independent with no commitmants. My love for avaition if far more for me so i really considering this as an option. will my pharmacy backgroud give me an edge when apllying for jobs and stuff?
Why do it if it's not fun?
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,782
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From: Bournemouth
Abb911,
If the salary is the first thing you're thinking about, then my advice would be not to bother. Money is not a reason to get into aviation - full stop. Yes, you might be able to earn £50k+ several years down the line. Or you might not. Along the way, you will be earning considerably less than that - so if your first question is about money, then I'd question whether this is the right thing for you to do.
A better way of approaching the financial situation would be to ask how much you can expect to earn during the first few years, and figure out if you could afford to live on that salary, and if you'd be happy living on that salary. If you would, then go and learn to do something that you'll love.
(Of course, this may be slightly harsh..... just because your first post on PPRuNe is about pilots' salary, it doesn't necessarilly mean that this is the first thing that you're thinking about - it just seems that way to someone reading your post. If you view your own question as relatively minor - it's just that you've already found the answers to the more important questions you had - then my reply probably isn't relevant to you at all. Good luck!)
FFF
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If the salary is the first thing you're thinking about, then my advice would be not to bother. Money is not a reason to get into aviation - full stop. Yes, you might be able to earn £50k+ several years down the line. Or you might not. Along the way, you will be earning considerably less than that - so if your first question is about money, then I'd question whether this is the right thing for you to do.
A better way of approaching the financial situation would be to ask how much you can expect to earn during the first few years, and figure out if you could afford to live on that salary, and if you'd be happy living on that salary. If you would, then go and learn to do something that you'll love.
(Of course, this may be slightly harsh..... just because your first post on PPRuNe is about pilots' salary, it doesn't necessarilly mean that this is the first thing that you're thinking about - it just seems that way to someone reading your post. If you view your own question as relatively minor - it's just that you've already found the answers to the more important questions you had - then my reply probably isn't relevant to you at all. Good luck!)
FFF
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Joined: May 2003
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From: Midlands
abb911
The people you would be competing against for those jobs will be wide and varied, but the crux of the matter is that in aviation the only relevant experience is aviation experience.
There are a great many people out there who have completed all of the commercial qualifications and have 200 to 250 hours experience and the competition for positions is fierce. many of these currently earn 10k a year as flying instructors, such is their drive and determination to gain experience and seek their first airline position.
Hence my advice is do not lose the day job and go into aviation if you are only doing it for the money. The biggest single reason people don't finish the training IMHO is that they can't afford to live on the bread line. Most first airline jobs are turboprop with earnings of 25k or so, adequate but not that appealing. The big money comes with jets and captaincy, which you've guessed needs experience.
obs cop
The people you would be competing against for those jobs will be wide and varied, but the crux of the matter is that in aviation the only relevant experience is aviation experience.
There are a great many people out there who have completed all of the commercial qualifications and have 200 to 250 hours experience and the competition for positions is fierce. many of these currently earn 10k a year as flying instructors, such is their drive and determination to gain experience and seek their first airline position.
Hence my advice is do not lose the day job and go into aviation if you are only doing it for the money. The biggest single reason people don't finish the training IMHO is that they can't afford to live on the bread line. Most first airline jobs are turboprop with earnings of 25k or so, adequate but not that appealing. The big money comes with jets and captaincy, which you've guessed needs experience.
obs cop
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Joined: Dec 1997
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From: Suffolk UK
FfF, actually I don't see a problem with a prospective pilot asking about potential salaries. I think too much is made of the idea that flying is a vocation. It may be a profession that relies on enthusiasm for the machinery and the 'glamour' 
rather than pay to attract new entrants, but it still has to put a roof over our heads! Asking about what pay one's likely to get is perfectly reasonable for someone considering flying as more than a romantic dream!
Scroggs
rather than pay to attract new entrants, but it still has to put a roof over our heads! Asking about what pay one's likely to get is perfectly reasonable for someone considering flying as more than a romantic dream!Scroggs
Why do it if it's not fun?
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,782
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From: Bournemouth
Sroggs, I agree completely - I probably didn't make my thought process very clear in my first post.
The fact is that the salary, certainly in the early years, is barely enough to "put a roof over our heads" as you put it. We all have a list of priorities, and money will be on that list, somewhere, for all of us. What I'm trying to say is that if money is near the top of that list, then aviation probably isn't the right career for you - not because you lack enthusiasm for the machinary, but because the career will not be able to deliver enough cash to keep anyone happy if that's one of their main aims.
FFF
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The fact is that the salary, certainly in the early years, is barely enough to "put a roof over our heads" as you put it. We all have a list of priorities, and money will be on that list, somewhere, for all of us. What I'm trying to say is that if money is near the top of that list, then aviation probably isn't the right career for you - not because you lack enthusiasm for the machinary, but because the career will not be able to deliver enough cash to keep anyone happy if that's one of their main aims.
FFF
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I say there boy
Joined: Mar 2000
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From: Somewhere
I see exactly where FFF comes from that money shouldn't be your prime motivation, however I think that knowing all about airline pay progression is important from the outset - it's important to balance the huge cost in both training and lost salary against the benefits (both monetary and personal).
For abb911 we're possibly talking about him (her?) being well over £250,000 poorer over the next ten years, both in cost of training and lost salary.
That's one hell of a lot of money. If armed with all this knowledge, it still doesn't stop you, well that only goes to prove your personal motivation, which can only be a good thing.
For abb911 we're possibly talking about him (her?) being well over £250,000 poorer over the next ten years, both in cost of training and lost salary.
That's one hell of a lot of money. If armed with all this knowledge, it still doesn't stop you, well that only goes to prove your personal motivation, which can only be a good thing.
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 139
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From: uk
why not do it part-time?
If you say you earn 50k a year why not cut down to 3 days a week and earn 30k. The remaining four days a week would be plenty for you to fly, study sit exams etc.
As a locum you can do this rather easily and schedule your time off around your flying. And I think you could keep the wolf from the door on that kind of money.
If you say you earn 50k a year why not cut down to 3 days a week and earn 30k. The remaining four days a week would be plenty for you to fly, study sit exams etc.
As a locum you can do this rather easily and schedule your time off around your flying. And I think you could keep the wolf from the door on that kind of money.
