cryesis Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 Hey guys, I'm 19 and I recently started flight training about a month ago and i'm at 21 hours. Im loving every minute of it and would like to make it a career. Currently I am working as an EMT-basic and going to school to become a Paramedic but It seems that im studying less paramedic stuff and using my time to look at helicopter stuff. Ive been considering dropping out of paramedic school to focus more on flight training but im a little skeptical after reading around and hearing about the terrible job market for helicopter pilots. I plan on getting my private license, IFR, commercial license and CFI. I feel like I would love to work as a pilot and its something I could see myself doing as a career. Im hating work in EMS more and more everyday and find myself daydreaming about flying at work. Does it sound feasable to pursure a career in aviation or should I stick it out and stay with EMS? I mean im starting to love aviation, just everything about it, being in the hanger, being on the runway, flying....its just awesome but on the other hand, is it chasing a career that isn't likely to happen and work out for me. Im not opposed to getting a fixed wing rating either. Thanks for all the help and comments guy, im sure these posts must come often and start to become repetitive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pohi Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 (edited) If you are close to being done with your EMT training, you could possibly do both. That way you have something to pay the bills while you try to find a helicopter job. These days, having alternative career options while trying to break into the helicopter world is a great thing. Edit: changed horrible grammar errors into just normal grammar errors Edited March 26, 2012 by Pohi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeroscout Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 I don't know what about EMT you dislike, but a lot of helo flying jobs are HEMS. You could be limiting your opportunities in an already limited career field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryesis Posted March 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 Im already an emt b and working as an emt b. I just started school to be a paramedic which isnt done until may of 2013 and requires 800 hours of clinicals, so its pretty much busting my@ss and trying to work in flight school around that and work as well. What is really turning me off is that if im not working as a paramedic i lose the certification in three years and have to take a 6 month refresher course. What I dont like about EMT is the work generally sucks, 99.999% of the work is people who dont really need an ambulance or just transports to nursing homes or to and from diaylisis. I love flying so far though, I just dont want the love of flying to suddenly disappear or become something I wasnt expecting it to be like EMS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXFirefly Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 I completely understand the BS calls that make you hate being a medic. But, it is a job that is always marketable (sick people and people that abuse the system will always be around). And when I left the fire department to become a CFI, I picked up a side job as a paramedic 3 days a week to pay the bills (I made more money at that than teaching). My 2 cents is that you don't quit school. Most CFI jobs only pay you for flight time and you will not make a lot of money. You will be glad you have a backup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryesis Posted March 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 I have a job as an emt- basic already, where I'm lost is considering dropping paramedic school, so I'll still have a backup job as an emt-b. just not t the paramedic level. I was also considering going back to community college to rack up some credits of I drop medic school(medic school is 37 credits) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXFirefly Posted March 27, 2012 Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 You will have more options (ambulance, ER, clinic) as a paramedic and make more money. Just something to consider. As for clinic hours... it's a lot better than sitting in a classroom and goes by pretty quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryesis Posted March 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 I also have a nypd job waiting for me once im 21 and have enough college credits....hopefully i can get into aviation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wally Posted March 28, 2012 Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 If you gotta do, do it. If you don't have to take the shot to be happy, then don't fool yourself. It's not profit/loss calculation, although if you can get thru the peanut-butter as protein decade, you'll be able to afford regular food fairly often. At some point, the love affair will probably end and aviation will just be a job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryesis Posted March 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 There's so many options out there my head is spinning, I may drop the medic school and get the solid credits I need for the nypd, I've volunteered in ems for the past 3 years and now that in working in ems it just sucks.......it's almost like I lost out on the "fun" of college by driving myself crazy with everything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wally Posted March 29, 2012 Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 I did a couple quarters when I was 49, it was still fun, maybe more fun than the 'kids' were having. I intend to return ASAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE_COYOTE Posted March 29, 2012 Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 I am all about going for exactly what you want. If you don't like what you are doing, now is the time to figure it out. Just my 2 cents. Just make sure you know what you are getting in to, I would have in mid exactly which field of helicopters I wanted to be in and then figure out how to get there. Many of us can help you by telling you the typical path to one or the other, but the best way to any good job is attitude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richeh123 Posted March 30, 2012 Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 i think alot of people on here forget while they started to fly helicopters in the first place.......for the love of it!! i say if your not happy doing ems....get out, and do what you want! i always have wanted to fly helicopters since i was a kid....i am now 45, and i just started 5 months ago! my plans are to go all the way to cfi II. i am in the process of selling my business, and concentrating on flying. all my life i did jobs that make good money or had to live my life for other people( you know....kids, wife,...life in general!) i just couldnt shake the helicopter bug! people on here are going to think im crazy for giving up way more money then what a heli pilot makes......but i say quit....and do it now! just fly if that makes you happy! if you committ yourself, you will have no problem making a living and get to do what you love! remember......you only go around once! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryesis Posted March 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 Im thinking that im going to do what I have to do to get the college credits for the nypd and try to go that route. I had a lot of fun doing intubation skills lab today at medic school so I may stick with that and try to get credits for flight school as well. And I hear ya on the attitude thing, I try not to step on anyones toes and keep to myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whiteshadow Posted March 30, 2012 Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 cryesis, I am assuming since you are so young that you don't have a wife and kids yet? You are in the perfect position to go for what you want! Now is the time for you to handle the low pay, the hectic schedule, and the almost inevitable moving around to get you career going. Don't wait until you have a family to consider, and then decide to go through all that. I say go for it now. "You cannot always wait for the perfect time, sometimes you must dare to jump." "You cannot always wait for the perfect time, sometimes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Posted March 30, 2012 Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 Hey guys, If you dislike the EMT/Paramedic gig so much, why continue? If you choose to pursue a career in aviation you’ll need to realize there are no guarantees. NYPD will hire you as a Police Officer, not a pilot. Once in and on the job (off probation), you’ll have to get in line with everybody else (bidding is by seniority) and with a department of that size, plan on a 5 to 10 year wait to get a chance to bid into the ASU, if not more. Even then, no guarantees. Sure, flying helicopters for a living can be a very rewarding career choice, but then again, it can be your worst nightmare as well. Plan accordingly… At 19, you may want to just chill out for a little while and think about things. Most importantly, take internet advice with a huge grain of salt…. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeroscout Posted March 31, 2012 Report Share Posted March 31, 2012 I haven't read any terrible online advice on this topic yet. I think the replies so far have been very decent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryesis Posted March 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2012 the only reason im sticking with medic school is for the 37 credits unless i can get credits for my flight training. As for the NYPD i wouldnt mind the job for awhile before switching, im the son of one retired nypd officer and one thats still going on 31 years haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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