Questions about going into the airlines as a pilot?

Hi, I have a few questions in regards to flying for the airlines. I would like to fly for a major carrier someday. However, I may not go into the military. How much money should I expect to spend for training? Should I go into the regionals after college, or should Ii go fly business jets for a type rating?
flyguy,

Let me ask you a few questions...no need to answer, just things to think about.
1. Have you even investigated the cost for a PPL in your area?
~ It can cost as little as 3K in some areas and over 5K in other areas.
2. Do you intend to go to college still? Will you be able to afford it with NO loans?
~ Remember you have to pay on top of college for those flight hours and if the folks have to pay for college, how psyched are they going to be to pay tens of thousands more for pilot ratings?
3. How many hours do you think you will be able to get done every year while in college?
4. Have you investigated how little regionals pay?
~ Big airlines will take 5 years before you make "money" The reason most AF pilots stay until 20 is due to the fact with retirement pay their belts only needed to be tightened a little bit.
5. Have you not realized that for major carriers many of the people that interview you will ask why you didnt go the military route?
~ Other applicants will also have their military connections. Pilots interview. Military applicants will use their networking and ask them for references, interview tips, etc.

i am sure you can go this path, but use my DS as an example. If he decides to leave at the first shot, he will be 33. He will have had thousands of hours in the left seat of a heavy plane under his belt. Plus, during those years he would have not paid a dime for his rating while getting paid to fly at a much higher salary than you. Flight pay maxxes out over 845 a month on top of base salary. If he decides to stay they currently offer a 6 figure bonus (225K) to stay until 20. 50% is given right off the bat with the remainder given annually. Smart pilots will invest it some way....buying a home, mutual funds, etc so they can tap into it later on when they are making pennies as a right seater.

If god forbid another 9/11 happens, the airlines are going to demote the major carrier pilots to the feeders and you will be the first to hit the chopping block.

Finally, every post you write is IMPO trying to find the path of least resistance. Life is not easy, and as harsh as this might seem you might be better off to face the harder path when you still have the safety net of the folks than in a decade from now, married with a mtg, car payments and a baby on the way trying to live on a 30K salary working your way up to the big league.
~ Whether my DS leaves at 33 or stays until 42 he will have two things you wont have because he didnt take the easy path. Networking and thousands of hours in a multi engine airfame.

Good luck and God speed
 
So as not to continue this thread, I am willing to answer your questions via PM. My spouse and I have been professional airline pilots for 30+ years. Both took the non-military route, yet our paths were vastly different.
Alaska66, Is there an age limit that you and your spouse will soon be forced to retire? I've read somewhere that there will be a huge need to get pilots into the airlines due to the forced retirement. Can you elaborate on this?
 
Alaska66, Is there an age limit that you and your spouse will soon be forced to retire? I've read somewhere that there will be a huge need to get pilots into the airlines due to the forced retirement. Can you elaborate on this?

In December of 2007, the FAA changed mandatory retirement age from 60 years old to 65. Due to this fact, there was minimal hiring done at the major airline level. Now, most of those older pilots have reached the retirement age of 65, and hiring has started to increase. There are some that are pushing to raise the retirement age to 70. Personally, we have 10+ years until mandatory 65 retirement.
 
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