Wanna-be pilot from indiana.

[Dave3188]

Hey everyone, great site. My name is David, I'm 18 years old and have been trying to decide what it is I have wanted to do as a career. I have done some research and I am pretty physced about piloting choppers. I haven't flown yet, I'm going to schedule a ride in June to be sure I can handle flying. For right now, lets say I have flown b4 and I really like it. Now I need training to become a professional. From my research, I have gathered there are basically two ways to get traning. Number one, the Civilian route (which will cost a fortune, but you can build time quicker and not get sent off to war.) Number two, the Army/Air Force route (which leads to possible (probable) deployment, but you get paid for training and it can be a great experience.). Is there any middle ground? Is there a way for me to get training with the military, but still keep a high chance of not being deployed to another country? Maybe the coast guard or something? I would love to do missions right here in the states! I'll end my post here, but you can be sure there will be many more questions to come. Thanks a lot.

 

-David Lee

[Witch]

Coast Guard? I haven't thought of that. Possible. Still might get sent to an area of conflict though.

 

I say go for it.

 

Flight school can be done with financing and school loans from a college. Shop around and look into community colleges and Embry -Riddle.

 

Gotta go.

 

 

Later

[niftyben]

Heya Dave,

 

From what I've heard in my limited experience (75 hrs) there are a few ways to go about getting your heli certifications. You can do helos top to bottom (not cheap, but looks good later). I have a friend who did gyrocopters then transitioned to helos (much cheaper, though not as much demand for heli/gyro pilots). There is also the option of getting dual rated: Fixed wing and rotor wing. There is some demand for pilots who are dual rated. Single engine fixed wing is around $100 per hr while Robinson or Schwiezer is around $200. Look into all of this. But above all, before you start pulling loans, get a plan of action. There are some very informative articles and topics on this site (book mark it. Comes in handy later, I promise.) and QUITE informed people who you may work for later. So, be kind and ask a lot of questions. We were all where you are now. Many are sympathetic. Good hunting.

 

Drop me a line if I can lend a hand.

 

Niftyben

 

P. S.: The Coast Guard is also an option, as you said. All the hours you can handle for a little commitment. If your lifestyle will allow the CG, then look into it. I don't think that heli licenses in the military transfer to the civilian world, but I've been known to be wrong a time or two.

[Dave3188]

I don't know if the coast guard trains pilots, but from what I have read, the hours you put in flying for the military are just as valuable (or even more so) than going to flight school.

 

Basically, I want to get paid to train as a pilot, but I would rather avoid any type of combat/killing terrorists deal. Thats just not my style. Search and rescue/surveying that type of thing is more my speed.

[fry]

My name is David, I'm 18 years old and have been trying to decide what it is I have wanted to do as a career. Is there any middle ground? Is there a way for me to get training with the military, but still keep a high chance of not being deployed to another country? Maybe the coast guard or something?

 

A "middle ground" between high cost civilian training and deployable military? Not really. And what might be available boils down to one word...college. The Coast Guard aviation program is only available to college grads.

 

http://www.gocoastguard.com/dc/dcprograms/blue21.htm

 

Unless you can qualify for a $50k loan or can come up with a co-signor the fast civilian route...200 hours to CFI...is pretty much out of reach. But if you go to college there are financial aid programs that are not available for pure flight training. And when you graduate you will have lots of options available to you. Do yourself a favor...think college.

[Dave3188]

A "middle ground" between high cost civilian training and deployable military? Not really. And what might be available boils down to one word...college. The Coast Guard aviation program is only available to college grads.

 

http://www.gocoastguard.com/dc/dcprograms/blue21.htm

 

Unless you can qualify for a $50k loan or can come up with a co-signor the fast civilian route...200 hours to CFI...is pretty much out of reach. But if you go to college there are financial aid programs that are not available for pure flight training. And when you graduate you will have lots of options available to you. Do yourself a favor...think college.

 

 

With college or the service I'll be making a 4 to 11+ year commitment (possibly debt if I go to college). In that time, if I start now, I could have my commercial pilots license within five years or so and I wouldn't be hurt too bad from the costs of training over that period of time. If I do this, I have a few options. I can either take a loan or just take it slow and pay for hours every weekend from my check for a few years. No matter what, I will be taking a risk. Before I make a decision and all that, I'm going to do a little flying and have a physical done.

 

I might already be disqualifyed to even be a pilot. Because I have a hard time seeing small text in my right eye. To give you an idea, at about 15 feet or so I have a hard time making out 1-inch text in my right eye. My left eye is clear and I could make out 1-inch text from 25 feet or more. Maybe my left eye is dominate or something, but I hope it's correctable if needed. Even now, if I close my left eye I can see the words on the monitor get a bit hazy, but I can make out everything with realative ease. When I close my right eye and use my left one, everything is crisp and clear.

 

Anyways, I still have a month of high school to go and a lot to think about. Thanks for the advice and if anyone has more they'd like to share I would appreciate it.

[rotoflightmaniac1]

Dave, I'm not sure what kind of job you could get lined up with after you graduate or what your housing situation would be. But if I had it to do all over again, I'd have worked full time and lived with my folks, saved up 25k a year, and in two years I'd have enough to pay cash for flight school. This not only gives you some valuable experience in life etc, but also pays for your training. Even if you had to work for 3 years to save the cash, heck, you'd be 21 with flight instruction all paid for... Thats a situation that most of us here would die for. hope that helps.

 

Jake

[Dave3188]

I've thought about that option too, but it's hard tellin what I'd do if I had 50,000 sittin in the bank.

[jdegrave]

Don't be mistaken, the military will foot the bill for you helicopter training but you will pay for it one way or another. If you want to be a military pilot and fly some of the coolest helicopters ever made then go for it. There isn't a person in the nation that won't stand behind you. If you want to fly helicopters in the civilian world I would go to a part 141 flight school. You will be flying in the civilian world much sooner and have all the freedoms of a civialian. Just know that if you finace the money you will be paying it off for about 20yrs.

 

The other thing is a recuiter will tell you anything to get you in. Make sure you will end up flying. I would try to talk to a few pilots on the inside and see what they have to say.

 

The only "middle of the road" for getting training I know of is win the lotto or make good friends with some rich guy.

[Dave3188]

Thanks jdegrave, I have already decided not to join the service and get their on my own.