Scyther Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 Most of you probably won't remember me so here's a quick reminder... I'm an American guy in his late 20s who has been living and working in the UK for a few years now. I've always wanted to become a pilot, I did a few airplane lessons in my teens and freakin loved it. Only recently went up in a helicopter and now airplanes are meh, unless it's an F-15 of course! Anyway, long story short, I am now going through a divorce (no kids). Hoping she changes her mind but not holding my breath. It's my first one, hopefully the last one and it's the worst thing I've ever been through in my life. Add to that I have been miserable in my job for a few years now due to a wide variety of very legitimate reasons. Long story short, things are falling apart for me in the UK. Partly my fault, not ALL my fault but it is what it is. The only skill I have developed over here that I could take back to the states is driving trucks. I'd need to pay for the driver training and pass the state exams, which is fine. But in other words I don't have many transferable certificates/diplomas under my belt to just walk into another job in America with similar pay. My current job carries a lot of responsibility and skills but it doesn't transfer to anything else very well. Do you think I'd be better off throwing in the towel and starting over again in the good old U S of A maybe driving trucks around for a couple years until I've got the funds I need to fly? There are obviously no guarantees that I will love driving trucks OTR and my research tells me the pay won't be particularly great- probably less then what I'm on now... It's never been about the money for me but at the same time more money coming in now equals higher savings and getting into flying sooner. Maybe there are other blue collar jobs that are in high demand in America right now? I don't mind getting my hands dirty and working hard! BTW I don't usually go around posting this kind of personal stuff on the internet but I'm feeling very unsettled nowadays and I really need some good, honest advice. Especially from people who are doing what I've wanted to do my whole life. I've always seen this as a more positive pilot's forum and I appreciate advice from anyone of you guys. Thanks in advance! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElJay Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 I've worked the line for three years and made a lot of good contacts. You could make decent money at a some of the fbo's and clean up on tips. This also gets you around aviation and let's you decide if you want to pursue that. I was also able to balance a couple semesters of school with my job pretty easily if you decide college is the route you want to take. I'm not sure working the line is a good long term career option, but a year or two there could help you decide where to go in life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r22butters Posted January 13, 2017 Report Share Posted January 13, 2017 (edited) Driving OTR its hard to save money because companies don't pay much and its more expensive to live on the road than it used to be. Perhaps after a couple years you might be able to make enough to start saving, but those first couple or so will be tough. If you have at least one year of tractor/trailer experience you should be able to get a local job making about $1000 a week. That's what Fedex Ground pays, but you'll be driving doubles overnight. Fedex Freight pays about $25/hr after your training period is over if you can get into their Driver Apprentice program, that only requires a Class A permit. If your experience is in straight trucks, with at least one year in them, Fedex Ground pays about $800 a week to be a basic delivery boy. If I were you I might try and get on with a different company doing the same job there in the UK, or maybe just stay at your current company. Then reduce your expenses as much as you can, live in a trailer/studio appartment or something, eat Ramen most of the time, and try and save up money there in the UK before coming over here for flight school? Edited January 13, 2017 by r22butters 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tropic Posted January 14, 2017 Report Share Posted January 14, 2017 You might be more into trucking, but I've known of many who financed other pursuits by learning coding.There are several sites where you can learn coding for free.www.entrepreneur.com/article/250323http://due.com/programmer/According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for computer programmers in 2012 was $74,280, which would come out to $35.71 per hour. However, depending on your field and location, programmers could make anywhere from $43,640 to $123,490. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tropic Posted January 14, 2017 Report Share Posted January 14, 2017 Good article about staying calm when life gets rough - includes an interview with an EOD Team Leader: http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2017/01/calm-under-pressure/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scyther Posted January 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2017 I very much appreciate all of the good advice! I am considering all of my options including those suggested on here. Driving trucks, working at FBOs, learning new skill sets entirely; all these ideas help me feel more excited about the future. I guess I just didn't see this coming. I mean, I haven't been treated very well in my job for years now but I never thought the wife would leave. It's crazy how bad it feels. But I'm just trying to take things one day at a time and not make any stupid decisions- basically Tropic's linked article is what I need go by nowadays. One upside to all this is that once I have completed my training and got the right hours under my belt, I can go anywhere for a flying job. Flying tours above volcanoes in Hawaii sounds great right about now! At the end of the day, more option gives me more hope that I'm not just completely screwed and that there is actually a light at the end of the tunnel! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian74 Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 If you do not mind military, several states have some decent National Guard Aviation units that employ full-time federal technicians. Its a lot less brutal than going the active duty route. Your initial committment would be one weekend a month, but it opens up the possibility to get on full time, making a very livable wage plus locality, cheap health insurance and decent retirement. You could start out as an aviation mechanic or avionics guy; they will send you to the required schools. In the longer term you could try becoming a pilot through them and have all of your training paid for as well. I'm not a recruiter; thats just the route I took. I know we are way short on techs here and its an easy way into a good career. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scyther Posted January 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 Hey Brian, that's got my attention! I guess the big question for me would be regarding age limits... I know 27 isn't technically "old" but I'm pretty sure I'm too old to become any kind of pilot in the active duty military. So even if did I get on as mechanics/avionics guy will I still be too old by the time I could apply for a pilot slot in the National Guard? I perused their website some time ago because they do the helicopter SAR stuff, which is the flying job that interests me the most!!! Also keep in mind that I do not have a college degree, which is another reason why I can't attempt the active duty military route. Again, maybe this is different for the National Guard? Please let me know because I am really interested in this! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scyther Posted January 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2017 I just realized I confused the national guard with the coast guard when I mentioned the SAR choppers but I'm interested either way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBuzzkill Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 Depending on the state the National Guard absolutely does search and rescue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian74 Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 As SBuzzkill said, some states do have SAR. I joined up at 26. I left the guard to go on active duty to flight school at 32, which was the non-waiverable limit back then. No college degree required to become a Warrant Officer, but it does make you more competitive. Not sure what the current age limits are for flight school but appears to be easier to get age waivers through the guard vs going active duty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scyther Posted January 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2017 Cheers for that guys! Doesn't look like she's interested in working things out with me so the more options I have for myself, the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCav19D Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 Hey Brian, that's got my attention! I guess the big question for me would be regarding age limits... I know 27 isn't technically "old" but I'm pretty sure I'm too old to become any kind of pilot in the active duty military. So even if did I get on as mechanics/avionics guy will I still be too old by the time I could apply for a pilot slot in the National Guard? I perused their website some time ago because they do the helicopter SAR stuff, which is the flying job that interests me the most!!! Also keep in mind that I do not have a college degree, which is another reason why I can't attempt the active duty military route. Again, maybe this is different for the National Guard? Please let me know because I am really interested in this! Cheers 27 is definitely not too old to start military flying - at least not for the Army. My first flight in a TH-67 was a few months before my 28th birthday. I believe the maximum age is 33 at the time of selection. If flying is what you want to do, seriously consider WOFT. Not many people get paid to go to flight school, as well as gaining education benefits along the way. http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/warrant/prerequ/woft.shtml/ Edit: Yup, the maximum age is 33. I was selected in May of 2015, and started the UH-60M course two days ago. You'll learn more here in a shorter amount of time, and for way less money, than any other route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick McWilliams Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 My first recommedation is to become a certified welder for aerospace or oil industry. Being unmarried and without children will give you opportunites to travel abroad for higher risk and better payng jobs, perhaps as a military subcontractor, for example. Welding is one of the best kept secrets for young people to earn money, and it's a skill you can take anywhere in the world. It's also fun! Check out the weldng schools. Here's a link to Lincoln Electric. http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/education-center/welding-school/Pages/welding-school.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam32 Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 My first recommedation is to become a certified welder for aerospace or oil industry. Being unmarried and without children will give you opportunites to travel abroad for higher risk and better payng jobs, perhaps as a military subcontractor, for example. Welding is one of the best kept secrets for young people to earn money, and it's a skill you can take anywhere in the world. It's also fun! Check out the weldng schools. Here's a link to Lincoln Electric. http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/education-center/welding-school/Pages/welding-school.aspx200k a year isn't out of the question for a traveling welder... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avbug Posted February 20, 2017 Report Share Posted February 20, 2017 (edited) Only recently went up in a helicopter and now airplanes are meh, unless it's an F-15 of course! 200k a year isn't out of the question for a traveling welder... Two hundred thousand a year isn't out of the question for a fixed wing pilot, either. For helicopters, not so much. Meh. Of course, you wouldn't make that in an F-15. Edited February 20, 2017 by avbug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTE Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 I'm an American guy in his late 20s who has been living and working in the UK I've always wanted to become a pilot The only skill I have developed over here that I could take back to the states is driving trucks. Do you think I'd be better off throwing in the towel and starting over again in the good old U S of A maybe driving trucks around for a couple years until I've got the funds I need to fly? I'm English (as in I was born in the UK) and moved to the US some years ago.I'm not sure whether you've done any research regarding training in Europe but in case you have not, flight training is INSANELY expensive.I'm not quite sure what kind of work you're doing, hopefully MUCH more lucrative work than driving trucks....you're going to need much more than that to finance training in the UK.And the weather sucks. Nowhere in the UK including Cornwall has decent flying weather! Do I think you'd be better off throwing in the towel and start over back in the States?If you want to try becoming a pilot....erm yes! Flight training alone is going to cost you 4 times less compared to what you'll need to invest in Europe.And yet again, you're going to need more than a truck driving job to accomplish it in any sort of timely manner - meaning you don't want to take 10 years getting through training...right?If you really could work and save up before you start training, good on you.Depending on what aircraft you train in, the school you go to, the rate at which you train/learn etc..... expect to spend $100K on getting to your CFII.That's if like me you go the civilian route and spend your own money... Personally I wouldn't attempt it in Europe, it's way too expensive and the weather in England is simply sh*t 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mp1p Posted March 12, 2017 Report Share Posted March 12, 2017 life isnt easy it is a journey unique to everyone - driving truck is fine if you believe it is the next step to get to where you want to be in life, I wish you well in your endeavors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superstallion6113 Posted March 18, 2017 Report Share Posted March 18, 2017 (edited) Two hundred thousand a year isn't out of the question for a fixed wing pilot, either. For helicopters, not so much. Meh. Of course, you wouldn't make that in an F-15. Definitely a rare case, but helo pilot's at my current place of employment make $200-220k per year. Edited March 18, 2017 by superstallion6113 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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