What Options?

Hello, I just had allergy tests to either prove or dispel my food allergies. Unfortunately, they were confirmed. I have an allergy to peanuts, fish and berries. This disqualifies me (to my knowledge) from entering the military at all. I originally planned to join the Air Force via the Academy.
I am 16 and now know that my flying will have to be done in the civilian sector. I will start my private pilot training in about one week. What are some of the options I have down the road regarding jobs other than charter or airline piloting? I have always wanted to fly but do not want to just fly the norm. Are there any options even close to military flying for me? Thanks

I often advise, in half jest, to get a good-paying job so you can afford
to fly what you like as a hobby. As to professional pilots, only
airline or maybe corporate pilots seem to get paid enough to buy and fly
what they like.

You are 16 you say. Really you have no idea what you'll like to do in 30
years, and it may not be flying. Unless you have a good chance at some
business venture which will be sure to pay well, get a degree in
something you like that pays, develop your job and get a spouse that can
also earn money for a flying hobby.
--
Rummaging in an overgrow garden will always turn up a bouncy ball.
--Peter Kay

gpick writes:

I have always wanted to fly but
do not want to just fly the norm. Are there any options even close to
military flying for me?

You can always fly aerobatics, but it's difficult to earn a living that way
unless you are very good.

Don't get me wrong. I would love to have a job flying corporate or airlines, but is the current trend going to continue in few jobs for a lot of pilots?

I have also thought about a seperate career. However, as farfetched as it may sound, 30 years from now, there very well may be good business in space travel. I've always wanted to go through an aviation career towards that goal. Would a job in airlines or corporate help me with that goal just from flying hours? Or will it be completely unrelated?

I guess what I'm asking is, are there pilots working for people like Vigin Galactic that do not have a military background? Perhaps one in the civilian sector?

"gpick" wrote in message
...

Hello, I just had allergy tests to either prove or dispel my food
allergies. Unfortunately, they were confirmed. I have an allergy to
peanuts, fish and berries. This disqualifies me (to my knowledge) from
entering the military at all. I originally planned to join the Air Force
via the Academy.
I am 16 and now know that my flying will have to be done in the
civilian sector. I will start my private pilot training in about one
week. What are some of the options I have down the road regarding jobs
other than charter or airline piloting? I have always wanted to fly but
do not want to just fly the norm. Are there any options even close to
military flying for me? Thanks

If you are college bound, consider majoring in Engineering or Business. Either
of those are helpful to an aviation career, or could happily and profitably lead
to some other career. If you are not college bound, consider becoming an
aircraft mechanic. This gets you inside the aviation world and can lead many
places, including the cockpit.

While you are doing the above, take flight lessons and start working on your
ratings towards CFI. The classic approach for a non-wealthy civillian to
accumulate flight hours is by providing flight instruction. Often this is a
part-time job. Pending changes in FAA regulations will require new airline
pilots to have much more experience than before, so start early.

Vaughn

I have also thought about that Msxmaniac. If nothing else, it would be a great hobby within aviation for me.

On Sep 1, 9:26*pm, "vaughn" wrote:
"gpick" wrote in message

...



Hello, I just had allergy tests to either prove or dispel my food
allergies. Unfortunately, they were confirmed. I have an allergy to
peanuts, fish and berries. This disqualifies me (to my knowledge) from
entering the military at all. I originally planned to join the Air Force
via the Academy.
I am 16 and now know that my flying will have to be done in the
civilian sector. I will start my private pilot training in about one
week. What are some of the options I have down the road regarding jobs
other than charter or airline piloting? I have always wanted to fly but
do not want to just fly the norm. Are there any options even close to
military flying for me? Thanks

If you are college bound, consider majoring in Engineering or Business. *Either
of those are helpful to an aviation career, or could happily and profitably lead
to some other career. *If you are not college bound, consider becoming an
aircraft mechanic. *This gets you inside the aviation world and can lead many
places, including the cockpit.

While you are doing the above, take flight lessons and start working on your
ratings towards CFI. *The classic approach for a non-wealthy civillian to
accumulate flight hours is by providing flight instruction. *Often this is a
part-time job. *Pending changes in FAA regulations will require new airline
pilots to have much more experience than before, so start early.

Vaughn

At the risk of being unduly pessimistic, it's my opinion the
opportunities on the general aviation side of the ledger are going to
continue to trend downward . Fuel costs will keep rising, the demand
for oil products is overtaking overtaking supply, increased regulation
will add artificial costs that have to paid for with real dollars, and
the need for physical travel will probably decline with increasing
digital communication. I see this happening now -- decision makers
that I used to visit are happier to take a virtual meeting than a
real one, and the coming generation is better at that kind of
communication than we are.

Think for a moment about a strategic plan for general aviation,
consider its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. My own
observation is the factors associated with the second and fourth items
on that list far outweigh the first and third. My version of the
coming realities may be much different and more negative than others
on this forum, and I hope they are right. Still, my bet is aviation
had passed its peak for careers and investments.

I can hear my grand children as adults asking this: "Granddad A, you
flew your own airplane? Why?"

"gpick" wrote in message
...

Don't get me wrong. I would love to have a job flying corporate or
airlines, but is the current trend going to continue in few jobs for a
lot of pilots?

I have also thought about a seperate career. However, as farfetched as
it may sound, 30 years from now, there very well may be good business in
space travel. I've always wanted to go through an aviation career
towards that goal. Would a job in airlines or corporate help me with
that goal just from flying hours? Or will it be completely unrelated?

I guess what I'm asking is, are there pilots working for people like
Vigin Galactic that do not have a military background? Perhaps one in
the civilian sector?




--
gpick

Well, when I was 16, the idea of space travel in 30 years really only looked
and sounded far fetched to the old farts. But the 30 years came and went;
and the old farts were replaced by newer old farts and, in a little more
than another decade, a second 30 years will have come and gone...

The idea is still very cool, but a good backup plan is very much in order.

Peter

gpick wrote:

Hello, I just had allergy tests to either prove or dispel my food
allergies. Unfortunately, they were confirmed. I have an allergy to
peanuts, fish and berries. This disqualifies me (to my knowledge) from
entering the military at all. I originally planned to join the Air Force
via the Academy.
I am 16 and now know that my flying will have to be done in the
civilian sector. I will start my private pilot training in about one
week. What are some of the options I have down the road regarding jobs
other than charter or airline piloting? I have always wanted to fly but
do not want to just fly the norm. Are there any options even close to
military flying for me? Thanks

The military has been down sizing for a couple of decades now and the
percentage of pilots that are former military is dropping accordingly.

In the 80's it would be unusual to find a helicopter pilot that wasn't
ex-military.

Now with Vietnam 40 years in the past and down sizing, things have changed.

Pilots have to come from somewhere, and if the military isn't supplying
them...


--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

On Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:01:21 +0000, gpick
wrote:

I have an allergy to
peanuts, fish and berries. This disqualifies me (to my knowledge) from
entering the military at all. I originally planned to join the Air Force
via the Academy.

I don't believe that is true, but I could be mistaken. And, you know
you don't just "apply" for the Academy. You have to have a
congressional appointment or some other method of appointment (I
believe CM Honor children have an automatic appointment as I recall).

Jim