My name is Haile (Hi-lee) Andrews, a 22 yr old. When I came to the United States from Ethiopia in 2009, that was my first time ever flying in an Airplane (the plane was so ginormous!). As an 8-year old who didn’t know planes existed, I was awestruck by the beauty and intricacies’ of a such craft!
Since then, I have not thought about it as much since I have been in the US and have flown pretty much every year to see my grandparents, down south on Southwest. I graduated college with Bachelors in psychology and Minor in communication, because I was intrigued by the human mind and behavior. I applied to PHD programs in clinical psychology and this round, I have been put on waitlist. I have been critically and extremely contemplating about pursuing a career in aviation (as an airline Pilot) because I love traveling, uniqueness of airplanes and I believe flying from pilots position give a different perspective on life and how beautiful everything is from high above and somewhat of a work-life balance.
I plan on taking a discovery flight, as that is a crucial part in making a decision but I still am hesitant due to the fact that it may be a risky path to take and very costly (financially). Any thoughts and advice? Especially, on the life of a pilot, best route for financial efficiency, the time it takes from zero experience to airline pilot or from PPL to airline pilot and honest opinion whether one should pursue such a dream?
It sounds to me if you hadn’t been waitlisted flying really wouldn’t be on your mind.
While I love my job its certainly not for everybody and taking a Discovery flight (or 5) is critical as you might not enjoy the experience (it’s very different than ginormous Commercial flying). Even if you do flying requires a huge commitment in both finances and time and shouldn’t be done as an afterthought.
Thank you for your response. I should have been a bit more clear. Even if I am admitted, I’m not 100% sure I’d pursue that route as it takes about average of 6 years to compete the education. I am a very hands on personal and the aspect of doing Aviation delights me and may be something I’d enjoy? I thought I’d hear from people who have years of experience in that industry.
Many of your questions can be easily answered by spending some time on this website, particularly in the FAQ section and the “Flying the Line” section. ATP also has a wealth of information on their main website. As Adam said, you really need to take an intro flight to see if flying is for you.
I am going to make an assumption here based on your name and nation of birth that you might find this article interesting:
As both Adam and Chris mentioned, the real way to know if becoming a pilot is truly for you, is by taking a discovery flight. While one might seem sufficient, sometimes it takes a few and that’s okay. Regardless of if you’re looking at ATP or a smaller-scale school, I recommend giving ATP a chance and seeing what the school has to offer for you. Doing your research prior to entering a flight school IS important, just the other day here on the forum, someone was inquiring about entering ATP with most of the certificates that ATP offers to students. A school like ATP is admirable and aspired for many reasons, the brand, partnerships, schools’ record, and more.
Please let us know when and how your discovery flight goes.
We don’t want you to pursue any serious airline orientated training until you are sure this is the future you want. The best thing you can do is just explore the idea! Go flying as many times as it takes to see if anything clicks, or doesn’t! Take a look at our schedules section and read through the forums so you can see what it takes to get from zero time to being an airline pilot. If you’re still not sure, dip your toes in by getting your PPL license. I’d think by the end of that you’d know if you’re in for more or it’s not quite your thing.