My name is Tyler, and I’m pretty new to this site. I’ve been able to read through some posts; and I just wanted to share my perspective to see where I would fit.
I currently work as a supervisor right now making about 40k a year at a call center. I have been working in the financial/customer service industry since I was 16. My life is a bit complicated to say the least. When I was 17, I was approached by the air force for a fast track into pilot school after receiving my ASVAB scores. However, I was hurt in a car crash that causes temporary nerve damage (I used to not feel anything in the back of my head, and my nerves healed back together in a fun way the first few years (I was able to feel my chin if I touched the back of my head)). The air force did not pursue me after my car crash, since I had no feeling in my head, they had some type of reason involving the use of a helmet (didn’t make too much sense to me at the time).
I currently have no more than 5,000 in debt with a car payment every month and rent, so I am not locked into a 30 yr mortgage, or anything that serious. I have paid for my schooling out of my own pocket to obtain a Paramedic Certification after 2 years of schooling.
I am at a cross roads in life where, I can either get into my family business, and potentially make 6 figures with a stressful life, or invest into my dream. I just want to know what route is best for me. The questions I have are:
What is the best route for me to become a pilot?
What type of time frame/money invested am I looking at?
Is the industry a good thing for a man in his early to mid 20s to invest in?
Job Stability?
I know I’m asking a lot, but I stumbled across this website, and it’s just overwhelming to have options in my life again.
I am not married, however I am with a long time girlfriend who is currently becoming a doctor, and about to transfer to medical school
I live in Orlando, FL
I have good vision
I am healthy and fit
Every other weekend for the first 8 years of my life was spent in the cockpit of a 6 seater private air craft.
Welcome to the forums. The very first thing that you need to do is go get a first class medical from an FAA doctor. Because of your extensive medical history, you really need to make sure that you will not have any issues before you commit to flight training. ATP will require you to do this anyways if you enroll there.
There has absolutely never been a better time to get into the Airlines. There is a major pilot shortage occurring now and the airlines, especially the regionals, are dying for pilots. With that shortage comes a stability that we have not seen in a long time. Because the airlines work off of a strict seniority based system, the sooner you can get in, the better.
You will need a college degree for the majors, but not for the regionals. Now you will notice that this website is sponsored by ATP, so all of us are fans of ATP. That being said, we are fans because it is an incredibly efficient route to the Airlines.
Take a look at the FAQ section as it will address the rest of your questions. Also, feel free to ask us anything else you can think of.
good luck! Work on getting that medical, and work on it as soon as you can. That will likely be your biggest challenge. I suspect it will take a bit of time to get the green light
I took prescribed medication that I see shows up on the FAA/DOT screening.
I applied for the examination, and it says I have about 60 days to go into the exam. Are there any ramifications for not going so I can let the prescriptions leave my system?
To be honest, this has been a dream of mine I abandoned after the Air force. It wasn’t until my girlfriend pushed me to seek my dreams that I started this quest to research my dream. I guess I wasn’t prepared.
A first class medical at your age is good for one year, at which point it reverts to a second class medical.
Waiting sixty days for a medical exam seems excessively long, I would call another doctor.
If you are on a prescribed medicine, you can’t just stop taking it and be fine. First of all, there is a reason you were prescribed the medicine and the FAA will want to know. Also, the FAA will ask for a detailed medical history, so just stopping the medicine will not take care of the issue. The only real way to find out is to schedule with an FAA doctor and talk to them about the medication and the underlying health issues.
As Chris said if you’re taking a prohibited medication that’s the problem (not the fact it’s in your bloodstream). If there’s a substitute that isn’t banned great but if not you’ve got a serious issue. Even if you were to get your medical (under false pretenses by lying on the application which is a Federal offense) are you familiar with the term “Random Drug Test” and do you not think the airlines have ALL there employees take them? On a higher level as Chris said we’re sure there’s a reason you’re on the medication AND a reason it’s banned. You’ve got passengers in the back who’ve put their trust and lives in your hands. You need to address this issue not simply try and get around it.