Intro

[BrianL-FL-509]

Hi, my name is Brian. I am 26 years old and just reserved a start date of July 20th for the 90 day Fast Track Airline Career Pilot Program at ATP. I have a Bachelors degree in Math, and I got my Private Pilot's license in 2000, but I haven't flown since 2001.

My goal, obviously, is to become an airline pilot as soon as possible. I took out a sizable loan to pay for this training, and I'm a little concerned about how I'm going to pay my bills/living expenses when the money runs out, especially if/when I relocate to Ft. Lauderdale for the Gulfstream FO training/internship. Any advice about these programs will be greatly appreciated.

[ExpressJet Bob]

Hey there Brian!

Apologies for the delay in getting to you... I just got back from a week in Maine with my family.

Anyway... Good luck tomorrow! It starts out slow during your first week. Paperwork and studying will be the order of the week. Then it starts getting really busy a few days before your first checkride and then it never really lets up. Do you have your written exams completed yet?? If not, I recommend knocking a few of them out during your first week.

A degree is a good thing too... that will place you in the "preferential" list when it comes to an airline interview for a major.

Regarding your concern about the size of the loan and making a living... I can say that you are not alone. There are tons of pilots who took out even larger loans than you to become an airline pilot and they are making it. There are also a few that gave it up and went back to something that they know will bring in a steady paycheck. So... it really depends on your drive, your networking, and your focus on your goals.

Also remember that after you complete your flight training... there are many different types of flying that you can gain a paycheck from while you build your time to become qualified for an interview at an airline. So don't knock things like; becoming a CFI, flying pipeline patrol, traffic watch, jump pilot, etc...

In this profession, just like any new profession that you have to prepare mentally and financially for, there is no true guarantee of success. That's why you'll always here pilots talk up the importance of networking, never buring bridges, and having a plan "B".

I hope that helps somewhat... it's not the most positive information, but it's the info you need to be aware of. At this point though... your focus really needs to be on your studies, writtens, and your flying. Listen to your instructor, and treat your time in training as an extended job interview for an airline. That will help you keep your focus a bit.

Keep in touch as you proceed through the program and please let me know if I can help along the way!

Welcome again Brian!

Bob