Not much of question but I really needed to post this in order to clear that unsettling feeling after centuries of contemplating whether I should or not. While I spent the wee hours of the morning scrolling through FAQS, reading and getting acclimated with ATP and reiterating what it has to offer; I am drawing really close to my program start date which is less than a month away and still working at my current job . I know a life in aviation is what I really want or dream of. Hence, the reason I am taking the necessary step towards achieving that goal. Additionally, after careful consideration, I had to forego the many pilot academies/schools which is conveniently located 15 minutes away and choose ATP. The nearest ATP facility is about an hour and a fifteen minutes away (just one way/direction) depending on traffic. I can assure you it took a lot of reasoning to arrive at this conclusion but I remain positive and focused on whatâs ahead. Now the real struggle is letting go of the current normal which is working full time and preparing for the months ahead. Much of my hesitation stems from how rough the economy has been lately. It has me thinking if letting go of my job is worth the risk and the heavy loan Iâm about to accumulate. Anyway, Iâm open to receiving insights from the experts and fellow students on this platformâ:grin:
Obviously no one can say whatâs best or right for anyone else, nor do I know your financial situation. That said I was in a somewhat similar place many years ago.
I had a successful business, wife, 3 small children, a dog, a mortgage and a couple of car payments. Financially things were good but I was not happy. We spend much of our time working and if weâre not happy there, I feel it often seeps into other aspects of our lives (at least it did for me). I decided I wanted to fly and made the decision to go for it. It wasnât a popular decision with my family and placed a pretty large strain on our lives for a few years (I heard the word âselfishâ alot). Honestly for me I didnât feel I had a choice because my misery made me a lousy father and husband and a generally unpleasant all around.
It was tough but after the dust settled I (and everyone else) realized I made the right choice on many levels. Financially we more than recovered but more important I returned to being an absolutely delightful person (ok, well maybe not delightful but definitely much happier and DEFINITELY a better father and husband). It was literally the best decision Iâve ever made in my life.
Will it be the same for you? I donât know but itâs definitely worth trying!
Did you say you already have a start date at your local ATP school? Iâm assuming that means youâve taken a few discovery flights. Itâs not a secret that there are huge sacrifices to be made on your part and on those in your life to become an airline pilot. You need a strong reason why youâre doing it. There will be tough times and you need to be grounded in why you took the leap in the first placeâŠ
While my situation was different, I remember well having a very similar feeling. I was twenty two years old, fresh out of college with no college debt, but had packed all of my things into my 1997 Ford Probe, signed for a rather large loan, and was headed off with printed directions in hand to start ATP. I remember wondering what would happen if I couldnât make it, or didnât like it, etc. So while my risk was different than yours, it was still a rather large risk and I, like you, was worried about it.
That was twenty years ago. Training went well, although I had to work for it just like anybody else. I have now been with the airlines for nineteen years and cannot imagine doing anything else.
Only time will tell if this is the right decision for you and only you can make that call. I will say though that I know many pilots that left other careers to come fly and almost nobody who left flying to do anything else.
Thank you for your reply. Yes, I believe I will definitely be much happier once I complete the program and become pilot for a major airline. My current job is OK. Not very fun (supply chain - P2P) but it provides job security. However, considering I will be able to acquire my licenses quickly during the immersion, I remain hopeful it will be worth it in the future. Of course, I know I will have to put in a lot of effort to make it out successfully. I really appreciate you sharing your experience and the outcome of your decision. It is very encouraging. You and the other mentors a great resource. This definitely lets me know I am on the right path. Thank you.
@Chris Hello Chris,
Thank you for sharing your experiences with me. I usually avoid loans but this one is different. That is what I tell myself. Just like you there are a lot of what ifâs playing at the back of my mind like all the time but I canât surrender now. @Adam@Chris@Hannah I really appreciate your dedication and support for aspirants trying to make it into aviation. Each post counts. Also, thank you for your time as I know you are all busy but still take a moment to respond to posts. Much appreciated.
Yes, I took the discovery flight and I have a start date set for the first week of August. I still remember how stiff I thought I felt behind the yoke. Surprisingly, what I thought I felt was different from what my instructor noticed. I did well. Thank you for the heads up. I agree there will be tough times but I will try not to falter and remain focused. I will most definitely keep in mind why I took the leap and will continue until I get to the finish line. I really appreciate your support. Thank you again.
Iâve had to catch up on this thread, reading your original posting and then all the replies. Hereâs some of my thoughts/inputs after playing catch-up:
The financial intimidation happens amongst all of us. If flying was easy, we wouldnât see the pay-scales we are seeing in todayâs time. First year first officers are making approximately $100,000 their first year of employment at a REGIONAL airline. If you ask Adam and Chris (or any other senior airline pilot), they made a FRACTION of that in the beginning of their career. While inflation is at a high and nothing is cheap, itâs a sigh of relief seeing the reward that comes with the risk. We all had other jobs, Hannah and I recently left ours to pursue this career. I was a financial guy, working at a bank, playing with numbers, loans, etc. I took a steady hourly income to attend ATP, throwing my two cards on the table against the dealer, and kept my head down to make this happen.
I cannot find another flight school that competes against ATPâs statistics, facts, and fleet. Historically, ATP produces (weâll call it) 1,000+ pilots average a year and have been in business 40 years (this year!). The partnerships that ATP has created for their students/instructors are some of the finest in the industry, and they recently announcing the Delta partnership. I was fortunate enough to partake in 4 interviews that were in conjunction with the partnerships they made and was accepted into cadet programs because of them. Theyâre nice to have in your back pocket and can be a steppingstone to a career.
You mention about stiffness on a yoke, during a discovery flight and this is normal. Youâre not an airline pilot with over a thousand hours in planes and flight time. You will probably be stiff for your first few lessons until you ease your grip and get comfortable sitting in the left seat of the Cessna or Piper. I know students who had white knuckles after flying and I asked them: âWhy?â I showed them that the airplane isnât going to fall out of the sky if you ease your grip, if you put trust into the principles of why airplanes fly, and ultimately, showing how stable these airplanes youâre flying in to train really are. The airplane you fly in will ultimately return to its starting position if you were to let go of the yoke, allow it to accept the deviations of atmospheric changes and give it the opportunity to fly.
I recommend getting ahead on your written exams, between now and August, you could complete at least the PAR. Having at least the one written complete will make the transition into being a student a little more relaxing and give you time to focus on flying the airplane rather than studying for all these tests. (Yes, the program was built around doing all, but why wait when you can get ahead and make things a bit easier on yourself) Another helpful tip going forward, chair fly, donât hesitate making friends in the training center, spending time there when youâre off, and asking for othersâ opinions. If the simulator is open, ask another student to join, or instructor to sit in and give second thoughts. I remember seeing a difference in students that took the initiative to work during their off days do a lot better than just doing the minimum.
Please let us know if you have any other questions. Itâs tough going from comfortability to outside of the zone, but remember, with what comes with risk comes reward. I think once you start you will love it.
@Brady Hello Brady, thank you so much for your post. I truly enjoyed reading your experiences, sharing your thoughts, and the advice you provided. After hearing from you and mentors like Chris, Adam, and Hannah, I realized the financial intimidation is just a hurdle. I should be able to deal with it after successfully completing the program given the vast resources ATP provides although it isnât guaranteed, Iâll work on it diligently and share my success story someday just like everyone else
Additional, Iâll get started on the grounds training asap before my program start date. Again, thank you.
Success starts by looking at yourself in the mirror every morning and connecting the dots to all the paths it takes to be successful. Success lies in your fingertips each and every day you get to partake in the amazing journey of becoming an airline pilot. Yes, there are difficult times, yes, there are easy times, but itâs how you react to the adversity that sets you apart from others. Please let us know if you have any other questions and feel free to share your experiences here on the forum, we do like engaging with students and alumni.
Very poetic @Brady! Itâs true though⊠the biggest determining factor in your success is your attitude! Your attitude determines your perspective, work ethic and choices. You will either take an active role in your success and make all the right small choices along the way or you wonât. Youâll be proactive, or reactiveâŠ
. I know a life in aviation is what I really want or dream of. Hence, the reason I am taking the necessary step towards achieving that goal. Additionally, after careful consideration, I had to forego the many pilot academies/schools which is conveniently located 15 minutes away and choose ATP. The nearest ATP facility is about an hour and a fifteen minutes away (just one way/direction) depending on traffic. I can assure you it took a lot of reasoning to arrive at this conclusion but I remain positive and focused on whatâs ahead. Now the real struggle is letting go of the current normal which is working full time and preparing for the months ahead. Much of my hesitation stems from how rough the economy has been lately. It has me thinking if letting go of my job is worth the risk and the heavy loan Iâm about to accumulate. Anyway, Iâm open to receiving insights from the experts and fellow students on this platformâ:grin: