Whenever I fly in an airplane, my brain goes crazy(In a good way) I’ve always asked my mom if she could bring me to the airport to watch the planes. However, I’ve also taken a liking into programming lately and I find it to be very interesting. However, as I read more and more articles on how to approach on becoming an airline pilot, I start to gain more doubts about becoming one. All these steps you need to take, all the debt you’ll be in… I’m very determined but with all that going on, it just doesn’t seem worth it. Pretty much to sum this up, I love flying and programming equally. I just don’t know which one I should choose. This is my last year of high school and it’s coming to an end. I understand you might not be a programmer, since your a pilot. But if you loved something else too, what would you do.
Any higher level job will require education, costs and time to achieve. I highly doubt that you can just walk into a computer programming job.
The steps that you would need to take to be a pilot are obviously not unique to you, many before you have done it and found it to be worthwhile, but that was them and not you. You need to decide what is right for you and right now, flying does not sound like it is it.
Not really sure how you could expect us to decide what YOU should do. I fly because that’s what I love to do and honestly couldn’t imagine doing something else. YOU need to decide what YOU want to do. But if you’re simply looking for which is easier I believe it would be programming so if easy is what you’re looking for there you go.
Well, any input is valued in my opinion. As my years in high school have passed by so rapidly, so have my thoughts about these two professions. I’ve been programing for almost 3 years now and have taken a liking to it. From what you guys have said, I’m starting to realize that flying is not for me… Maybe a hobby, if I can ever finically support that. It seems like both are in high demand no matter which one I pick. Anyways, thank you.
You still have to go to college to earn your degree, right? So why don’t you earn the degree in programming while you are in college and if you’ll decide to become pilot after all, you can start training after finishing college with a degree.
Adam and Chris and other Mentors here always advise to get the degree first if possible. You still have to do that and while you are there, you’ll have about 4 years to truly decide what you want to do.
It is though just a suggestion and you can do what feels right to you.
I had the same delima 27 years ago. So I did a double major in computer science and aviation. At the end of college I made my decision to go computers and be a CFI on the side. I’m guessing if I went aviation I would be coding on the side. Now, after a 23 year IT career I’m looking for a change and flying is still an option because I stayed involved with teaching. There is no one right path, but the more you leave your options open, the better you may be. (I say “may be” as there are also financial concerns with a double major.). The joy of life is you get to continually refine the path you take, and that refinement is easier when you have options and some type of short term plan.