More like “Soon to be Aviation student with anxiety.” I’ve recently decided that a career in aviation is my next step forward, where in that field I’ll land I’m not quite sure yet, and that’s due in fact to my lack of knowledge in where I’d think I’d be happy. Presently I have my course sort of set on an airline pilot with exception to where I might wanna be after 4 years of school, nothing set in stone. I’ll start by explaining how I got here and what goals I have in mind. I started looking into aviation as an option after seeing there was a shortage on pilots. I had loved aviation when I was younger and stepped away from it throughout adolescence, but I recently reunited with it after seeing it as a viable career option after some previous attempts in other areas. However, after some research I see that the shortage is a controversial opinion, and I’m not familiar enough in this world yet to really know where the legs of those arguments stand on. I’m not sure how the pandemic will come into play with regards to how it’ll affect the shortage situation either. I’m going to attend Western Michigan and I was already accepted. I’m not really looking for a glamorous life, I want to support my significant other and I. Not even really sure if we can/want to start a family due to health related issues. I want to live comfortably and support my more slightly expensive hobbies hehe. So I’m not approaching this from the ‘glitz and glam’ living the dream sort of point of view. I’m comfortable not having every answer right away, I have a lot of road ahead of me through school to learn and get a grasp on what I want to do. I guess I just want to hear from people who live in it everyday. I got my whole idea started on the notion that the shortage would make it easier to find work in a field I heard is typically hard to find spots. To me I feel like I’m coming into it at a good time. But I feel like I have too many fantastical ideas about this career and I want to be grounded so I don’t have a skewed and disappointed perspective. I’d love to hear what you have to say, any perspective is welcome! Thank you for your taking the time to read through my little existential crisis lol.
August,
After reading your post I get the impression you somehow believe you’d like a career in aviation IF there’s a shortage and therefore an easy path (you mention it more than once). Shortage or not becoming an airline pilot is anything but easy. It requires a large commitment both financially and time wise. What the pilot shortage did was simplify things for those willing to put in the time and effort by pretty ensuring if you did successfully complete your training and built the required time you would be able to get a job at the Regionals. Obviously the worldwide pandemic has put a damper on things slowing the industry down to a trickle. All indicators say we will rebound and I personally believe the shortage will be even greater. That said again it still is not an easy path and there are most definitely no guarantees.
As far as what the career is like I for one believe it’s the greatest job on the planet as so many pilots (but I don’t know any who would call it glamorous). Thing is there are probably as many pilots who don’t. Many feel it’s a job like any other and struggle with the instability of it (the current pandemic being a perfect example). It’s for that reason I always stress (and other will disagree) that having a passion for the job is essential. This past year there were furloughs, downgrades and displacements. The pilots who can’t imagine doing anything else ride it out and take it as part of the job. Those who can imagine doing something else do and essentially wasted alot of time and money.
I recommend you browse this forum. There are tons of threads on many commonly asked questions as well as the process and what life is like as a pilot. This might help you with your decision.
Adam
Sorry for not being clearer lol. The shortage is what kick started the thought process and I started to get concerned when, through my research and pursuing, I saw it was a bit controversial. I was concerned I was being ‘tricked’ into doing it. I mentioned perspective a lot because I wanted to reassure myself that I was coming into this with level expectations. I do not feel that i’m doing this because its an ‘easy path’. I’m well aware its a large financial investment as well as time. I like western and I feel like their education along side my own ambition and passion will only motivate me and propel me to the position I wanna be in, I want to work for it! I’ve already met someone whos training to become a pilot who sees it like anything else. He kept telling me, “its going to become a job like any other” and from an optimistic perspective, sure itll eventually become routine in a sense. But I truly don’t feel that its gonna be ‘like any other’, and in the back of my head I felt like if he really only viewed this career like that then why dedicate that much time to it? I’m excited to be up in the air as much as possible. I want to be depended upon and responsible and respected because of it. I guess thats how I have this worked out in my head. I see my education as growth to me personally. I’m going back into another round of education from the ground up for this purpose. Something to focus on and grow.
August,
You say you feel like perhaps talk of the shortage was being used to “trick” you. If it’s not really a consideration then what’s your concern? The shortage was a relatively recent phenomenon and people who made the decision to be pilots have been doing so for decades long before there was one. Skilled, qualified pilots will always find work, it’s just might take a little longer.
Lifestyle wise as I said you’ll find people who absolutely love the job and for others it is just a job. Which you’ll be really depends on you. Btw, you don’t mention whether or not you have any flight experience (and no sitting in the back of an Airbus doesn’t count)? If the answer is no I strongly recommend you take an intro flight or lesson and give it a try. Many people believe they would enjoy being pilots and only think of the lifestyle. Often enough after a flight or 2 in a small airplane the quickly realize they were very mistaken. There little point mapping out a potential career until you give it a try.
Finally as far as your path goes I would encourage you consider other options than Western. While it’s a fine university as a rule we don’t recommend university aviation programs. Aside from the fact they’re often very expensive and lengthy, the airlines don’t require or even prefer aviation degrees and should flying not work out you really don’t have a Plan B.
Adam
August,
I’m glad you’re here looking for perspective. You mention a lot about the life style of being a pilot and what it will take to get there but do you love to fly? Have you taken an intro flight and crave that feeling of being up in the sky? That needs to be the biggest driver.
I first started thinking of switching to aviation after my first career because of the lifestyle too. That’s normal. But I didn’t want to switch careers with only that as my motivation. It wouldn’t be enough to fuel me through the challenges of training. So I went up flying a few times, 17 hours actually, until I caught the flying bug and I haven’t looked back sense. The lifestyle is a great benefit but the foundation needs to be your love of flying.
To answer a few of your questions, the aviation life is definitely not glamorous. You’ll come home from training sweaty, exhausted and smelling of fuel and oil. Even once you make it to your first professional job, you’ll have some days you fly multiple legs, have snacks for meals and end up in maybe not the nicest hotel that’s near the airport. But for every day like that, there will also be a day where you have one or two easy legs and a long layover in a nice hotel. A pilots life is unpredictable and every day is different in some way, and that’s why a lot of people love it. It’s a nice compliment to a wonderful career fueled by a passion for your trade (flying).
-Hannah
August,
Based on the way you tell your story, it seems to me like you are grappling with your own feelings about a potential career as a pilot while also chasing someone else’s dream at the same time.
It is hard to know what we want in life when we don’t feel like we know what career we will be happy with long-term. I know the feeling.
I am not sure what else to recommend to you at this moment other than to continue gathering info on the career and the lifestyle and to get some hands-on experience like Adam suggested and Hannah implied. Of course, we’re happy to answer any specific questions you have. Lastly, shortage or COVID aside, those things shouldn’t really matter if this is REALLY what you want to do. Right?
Tory
Thank you all so much for your replies! I need to see if I really want to do it. I think I do, I’m pretty confident I am. But I think I really need to put it to the test. I think I have been wanting to test myself but I wasn’t sure how I needed to. Theres an airfield really close to me I think I will be investigating soon. I think its important that I reconsider university programs as well, I didn’t know most airlines don’t prefer an aviation degree. I figured the education would boost my chances, yknow. I wasn’t ultimately sure airlines were where I wanted to end up I just knew I wanted to explore my options in that space. And after some consideration I think there’s a lot of other paths I could take and settling on a university would ultimately make me owe more in the long term.
Tory, could you clarify what you meant at the beginning of your message? What parts of my posts made you feel this way? I’m just having a hard time following and I want to consider your opinion.
Sure. Just hear me out for a sec and then I’ll explain.
You start off saying you have anxiety. Then you say you made a decision. Then you say you are not sure about that decision. Then you say you are not sure what will make you happy. Your course is “sort of” set. You “might” etc. and you mention a friend is currently training and loving it but you’re not sure if you will just because they do. Valid point, but is this your dream or not? 
All I was saying is exactly what you said. [quote=“Fraugster, post:7, topic:28794”]
I need to see if I really want to do it. I think I do, I’m pretty confident I am. But I think I really need to put it to the test.
[/quote]
I’m just trying to point out that I recognize how unsure you are. Unsure about being unsure at times. Of course that is okay. I am not saying you did anything wrong. I was just trying to help you get past the unfiltered stream of consciousness so we can help you figure out if this truly is YOUR dream and not a friend’s dream that you think would be cool to tag along to
More importantly, it sounds like you are going to schedule an intro flight. That’s exactly what you should do. Meanwhile, if you think of any questions or concerns it is likely that the answer is floating around this forum, but if not please get back to us.
We also want to know how that intro flight goes!
For the record, I truly didn’t mean any offense. So sorry if I did. Sometimes I get distracted by the intrapersonal communication because I care about that stuff. I’m interested in what people say but also more interested in how they feel.
Thank you for indulging me! Next time I’ll stick to the basics 
Tory
Noo offense at all I was afraid I was going to come off as offended lol. I was truly just asking for elaboration is all. However I think the guy I mentioned, specifically in the “I’ve already met someone whos training to become a pilot” isnt my friend lol. But I do have a friend I have in this boat with me. It was my idea and I came to him with it and now were both trying to pursue it and move out with this education. I’m so anxious because its such a fresh idea and how quickly I’m setting myself into this I want to make sure I’m doing it right and with a level idea of how things operate. I don’t want to be too ambitious nor do I want the wind knocked out of my sails. I just dont want to develop any wrong preconceptions that will hurt me later down the line, y’know?
Very wise. We will always shoot straight when giving advice.